Ficus rubber plant. Pruning and shaping the plant

Instructions

Pruning the ficus if the plant has grown too large and it is not possible to change its location, or if the ornamental tree has grown very large, which is why it has become branchy and unattractive. When pruning, try to maintain the natural shape of the Ficus Benjamin, that is, it should look as if it has not been touched by a human hand.

At each stage of pruning, try to mentally imagine an ornamental plant without the branch that you are about to cut. If possible, carefully move the branch to the side and make sure that the ficus will actually look better without it. In a word, do not rush to cut off branches that you think are unnecessary.

Trim the ficus with a sterile instrument, without tearing off the bark or twisting the branches. Clean cuts will take longer to cut, and the risk that the plant will become infected will be less.

Branches should be cut from the outer edge of the ridge (this is the bark growth) to the ring ridge (the lower bark-covered area). Moreover, the cut must be made at an angle to the top edge. Thanks to this pruning, the bark of the main branch will not be damaged.

Prune ficus benjamina before active growth of this plant begins. In most cases, this procedure is carried out, however, there are exceptions to the rules (some plants “wake up” earlier after hibernation, while others later than usual). The main sign that the ficus needs to be pruned is that the plant has produced green shoots with young, tender leaves.

Remove overly dense branches, branches that intertwine and compete with the main trunk, as well as those branches whose growth disrupts the appearance of the ficus. Branches that are too elongated can be shortened by pruning to a bud or branch. This will allow the branch to give the desired direction of growth: it will stretch in the direction of the last leaf.

note

When forming Ficus Benjamin, mistakes are unacceptable: if the plant is trimmed incorrectly, it will be very difficult to correct anything later.

Helpful advice

If you try to give the ficus an unusual shape, the plant will stubbornly return to its natural shape: it does not like such innovations.

Sources:

form ficus benjamina

Pruning plants is indeed harmful to plants, but this statement is only true for plants with one growing point. These are palm trees. All other plants have several buds on the trunk. New branches can sprout from any of these buds. Ficus is in no way related to palm trees, therefore, it can be pruned without harm to the plant itself, but this must be done correctly.

Instructions

Additional buds are either not developed or are slow, since the hormone auxin is formed in the upper bud, which determines the intensity of nutrients entering the plant tissue. The top receives active nutrition, while the rest of the plant is slower. The underlying buds begin to develop only after the top of the plant is removed.

In winter, the plant is relatively calm. Life processes slow down, so it will not produce the desired effect of redistributing nutrition to the underlying kidneys. And the bud that remains the tallest will have time to produce enough auxin before spring and will grow alone, replacing the top.

By cutting off the top in the spring, after the active movement of juices, you will get buds that are in an equal position, which means that they develop in the same way. In the future they will give many new branches.

Keep in mind that after pruning, the surface of the ficus crown will decrease, so watering the plant will need to be proportionally reduced.

Trimming the crown of a ficus will cause a decrease in the overall “decorativeness” of the ficus for some time. But it can be replaced with a more humane method - pinching the tips of the shoots, especially if the crown of the plant is sufficiently formed and there is no particular need for cuttings. The pinching procedure will provoke increased branching, but will not affect the appearance of the ficus as noticeably as pruning.

The formation of ficus must be done when the plant has become too spreading and unattractive. After proper pruning, the ficus should look as if you had not touched it at all. If you decide to change the natural shape of the plant, you will have to work hard - the ficus will stubbornly return to its usual shape.

Instructions

Typically, ficus pruning is done shortly before the active growth of the plant, which begins in the spring. The signal to start the operation can be the appearance of shoots with young leaves. This period indicates that the plant is suitable for pruning. But if you missed this moment, then it is better to postpone the procedure until next season.

Coming from tropical forests, it quickly took root on our windowsills. Moreover, he even acquired a number of signs, according to which the presence of a ficus in the house brings prosperity to the owners and protection from envy and malice. It is difficult to judge how true this is, but the fact that ficus is a beautiful plant is beyond doubt. You can turn a ficus into a real home decoration with the help of formative pruning.

Is it possible to prune ficus?

Almost all types of ficus tolerate pruning quite calmly, and the gardener has no difficulty in giving their crown the desired shape. In this case, you only need to observe certain precautions: trim with a clean tool and immediately after trimming, treat the sections with a disinfectant solution. When pruning ficus trees that secrete milky sap, your hands must be protected with gloves.

How to properly prune ficus at home?

Let's look at the rules for pruning ficus at home:

It is best to trim ficus in the spring, during the period of active growth. The plant pruned at this time will actively begin to grow, and the supply of nutrients will be sufficient for the simultaneous development of many shoots. Pruning ficus in the autumn-winter period means that the plant will grow one-sided and will not have a beautiful appearance.
Since different types of ficus naturally have different shapes, they also need to be trimmed in different ways. For example, ficus Benjamin, Ali and Karp have a pronounced tendency to branch. They should be trimmed like this: the main trunk is cut to a height of about 20 cm, leaving no more than 5-6 leaves on it. The remaining branches are cut in accordance with the desired shape. The rubber-bearing ficus will strive upward until it hits a natural barrier. Therefore, the main operation in its formation is trimming the top.

How to trim the top of a ficus correctly?

If the ficus has reached the desired height, then it is necessary to pinch its growth point - the top of the central shoot. If the ficus needs to be shortened, then pruning should be done 5-7 cm above the branch. It should be remembered that a ficus with a trimmed top will no longer grow in height. An incision on the trunk is made obliquely so that its lower edge passes directly above the bud, and the upper edge is slightly above it.

How to trim a ficus if it has grown too much or does not look very neat? Many lovers of this plant do not know that it can, in fact, be pruned. With proper care, a home tree will prove to be a long-liver and will not grow uncontrollably in height with an ugly bare trunk.

Forming the crown of rubber ficus is an event that requires compliance with certain rules and simple techniques. A florist can easily master simple manipulations on his own, but to carry out more complex ones he will have to seek help and advice from more experienced florists.

When to prune a ficus - signs and timing

Ficus pruning at home should be done in a timely manner. The specificity of the rubber plant is that it grows slowly but surely. At one point, there are too many young branches on it. This overloads the supporting “skeleton” of the plant, and the main shoots can no longer withstand the abundant green mass. They begin to droop under its weight, and the appearance of the tree gradually deteriorates. In this case, pruning and shaping are rejuvenating in nature. If you do not delay the process and carry it out on time, the ficus will quickly come to life and take on a harmonious and attractive shape.

The plant should also be trimmed when its branches come into contact with pieces of furniture, since it has clearly “outgrown” the space that was allocated for it. Deep pruning is best done in winter, and throughout the year it is recommended to maintain a constant shape of the tree, from time to time lightly pruning overgrowing shoots.

The main thing is that the “total” pruning event should not be done in spring or summer, since during this period all domestic, garden and wild plant species are actively growing. Any mechanical damage caused by it can provoke wilting and disease for a long time. In autumn and winter, when at rest, plants react less painfully to major mechanical damage. However, you should not be afraid to remove dried branches and diseased leaves whenever it becomes necessary.

How to prune ficus correctly

Before pruning a ficus, the gardener should study all the features of its growth. First of all, it is important to know that all branches develop exclusively from buds. Ficus plants have two types: apical and axillary. The apical bud is located in the upper part of the shoot (at its end) - where the main stem connects to the side branch. When pinched, the tree will stop growing upward and begin to actively “bush” on the sides.

Since every owner will have to deal with the problem of rubber plants growing upward sooner or later, with basic knowledge you can learn to control the growth while maintaining the good appearance of the plant. If, on the contrary, the axillary buds are pinched, the tree begins to grow upward, and the side shoots slow down their development. It all depends on the appearance of the crop and on the goal that the grower sets for himself.

Don’t be afraid to prune a plant: manipulating a pruner is much easier than, for example, forming a ficus trunk, which is often only possible for professional florists.

So, serious pruning should be carried out in autumn or winter, and in order to do everything correctly and not cause harm to the rubber plant, you need to follow a certain technique and sequence of actions:

thin branches are cut at right angles;
old and thick - at an angle of 45 degrees;
side shoots are cut off above those buds that are directed outward;
The internal buds are also removed so that they do not thicken the main mass, otherwise the tree will soon become heavy again;
the cuts are made neat, without leaving “stumps”.

Sanitary pruning

How to prune a ficus correctly - as for the rules for handling branches, they are already clear, but the tree may also require a full range of sanitary measures - in case of its “neglect” or some kind of disease. Before you start pruning, you need to understand the cause of the disease, which sometimes “hides” not in the foliage and shoots, but in the root system. If the cause is not found, and the tree continues to wither, you should completely remove it from the pot, carefully free the roots from the ground and carefully examine them - in good lighting. If there are softened, too soft or rotten roots, they should be removed immediately. If the root is healthy, it will always be flesh or sandy in color.

It is important not to overdo it: it is recommended to remove no more than one third of the root system, and when using pruning shears, make sure that it does not touch healthy roots if it has just come into contact with diseased ones. All affected parts of the plant should be discarded immediately or, better yet, burned to destroy fungal spores. Treat healthy roots with an antifungal agent. Under no circumstances should excised leaves, roots and branches be used as compost, as this can cause fungal diseases of garden crops.

Anti-aging pruning

Is it possible to prune an overgrown ficus? Of course: all the growth that contributes to excessive thickening of the main mass is cut off. Because of it, the plant lacks light and nutrients, and the main shoots may begin to wither and gradually die. The milky juice released after cutting is immediately removed. If it is not removed in time, ugly whitish spots will remain on the trunk, stems and leaves, which are very difficult to wash off. The juice is removed with a soft damp cloth, and all sections are treated with crushed activated carbon.

If a tree needs to be rejuvenated, the rejuvenating method consists of radically removing and thinning out the branches: only in this case will the tree acquire a beautiful shape and its health will be restored.

Methods for forming a crown without pruning

It is important not only to be able to trim a ficus: the formation of the crown also includes other measures, including proper lighting. For example, if it is uneven, with light falling on only one side of the plant, the tree will become “one-sided”. The lighting should be bright enough, but at the same time diffused, without strong shading or scorching sun. This will be the key to the further success of all manipulations, one of which is simply pinching the tops. It allows you to give the crown of the plant a harmonious, spherical shape. In this case, we are talking about small-leaved varieties, from which you can make beautiful spherical trees at home - if you pinch the tops constantly, symmetrically and carefully.

There are varieties of ficus that have pliable and flexible stems. For example, two or three broadleaf rubber plants can be planted in one container, thus creating a lush plant without much effort. If you learn the art of simple ficus weaving, gradually intertwining the stems with each other, you will eventually get a shaped fused trunk. At the same time, no harm is caused to the plant: in the wild, the stems of ficus-shaped plants are intertwined in the most bizarre way.

How to form a ficus crown

How to make a ficus branch, using more than just a simple “pinching”? For this purpose, different techniques for pruning branches are used, and its purpose can be a different form of tree: a bush, a simple trunk, a tiered trunk, a bonsai or even a sculpture.

In the form of a bush

It is not difficult to make a bush from a ficus, since in this case it is easy to cut it off: trimming the top may be enough for the side branches to begin to actively grow. However, there are times when it is necessary to first grow a large amount of greenery in order to carry out further decorative work. A young plant is suitable for this. When its branches reach 10-15 centimeters in length, they need to be slightly shortened.

As a result, the axillary buds will be activated, and the tree will begin to bush abundantly. As soon as the branches grow 8-10 centimeters, their tips should be cut off immediately. The result will be that the ficus will stop its growth in height, and the crown will look like a single picture, the basis of which is made up of branches made in a “fluffy” way.

Formation of a trunk

To get a beautifully designed trunk, all branches need to be trimmed correctly and symmetrically, and they should be trimmed in this order:

remove all side shoots;
leave only five buds at the tops (these are the future main branches);
set the starting point for pinching - depending on where you plan to place the pot by growing together. When placed on the floor, the central trunk is trimmed at the rate of one meter in height from the floor level. If a stand or table is planned, the height of pinching the trunk will be 40-50 centimeters from the ground level in the container;
provide support for the tree by installing a special trellis or stake in the pot;
pinch the remaining shoots as they grow, focusing on the upper branches (pinching is done when they grow by 4-6 buds);
Pruning should be done above the bud looking outwards.

After a sufficient amount of green foliage has grown, further manipulations should be carried out as the shoots grow, cutting off those that stand out from the total mass.

Tiered standard

How to properly form Ficus Benjamin in a multi-tiered way - this will require several plants. Initially, their height is adjusted. As an example, we can take the original composition consisting of five sprouts. On one of them you need to pinch the apical (apical) bud, counting 5 cm in height, the second is pinched at a height of 10 cm, the third - 15-20, the fourth - 25-30, and the fifth is left highest, from 50 to 60 cm. Next formation is carried out according to the principle of creating a regular trunk, while maintaining the specified height of each individual tier.

Sculpture

The formation of ficus according to the principle of sculpture is also carried out by initially planting several plants in one container. In this case, you will need skills in both ficus weaving and working with special frame devices: with their help, the branches are given a certain direction. The shoots are woven into an arc, fan or basket. Provided good motor skills of the fingers, the manipulation can be carried out manually.

The trunk is held in one position or another until lignification occurs. Once the desired shape is obtained, all devices are carefully removed. Decorative wire gratings, frames and pegs can always be purchased in specialized stores.

Bonsai

It is very difficult to create a bonsai tree “from scratch” at home, since we are talking about a very small ficus with a bizarrely forked trunk. This decorative look is given to trees in specialized nurseries using certain substances and fertilizers. Thanks to a complex technological process, a tree-like dwarf crop is obtained, the trunk of which very much resembles the shape of ginseng. That's why this ficus got the name Ginseng (or ginseng).

Already cultivated specimens go on sale. They can be freely purchased at a flower shop with a wide range of tropical plants. In the future, only the crown shape will need to be maintained.

The crown of a ficus bonsai should be carefully trimmed using small, sharp scissors. Since you will have to deal with small leaves, it is important not to accidentally injure the leaves, but only cut off the stems. You should focus on the previous shape of the crown or make the necessary sketch yourself. In any case, those branches that grow in a vertical direction, thicken the crown too much, or cross one another are pruned.

When working with a small tree, you should take into account that no more than two or three branches can be cut at a time, so that it has time to recuperate. In this way, the crown is successfully formed: the formed tree can be admired over the coming year, maintaining its decorative appearance from time to time.

Features of pruning rubber ficus

Pruning rubber ficus, in addition to technical aspects, includes the correct use of simple tools. The sharp object can be either a sharp garden pruner or scissors. Scissors or pruning shears must be sharpened so that there are no unsightly “creases” left at the cut sites. They are not only a cosmetic defect, but will also interfere with the full growth of shoots.

You should also take care of disinfecting the instrument: most often an alcohol solution or a solution of laundry soap is used. The pruning shears are treated with a disinfectant before pruning the plant and after pruning each branch - to avoid the entry of dangerous fungal spores that may be in the air.

The milky sap secreted by any rubber plant causes unpleasant skin irritation, so all work with ficus plants must be carried out with gloves, promptly removing the sap from the trunk and other parts of the plant. It is also necessary to prepare in advance a powder of finely ground activated carbon, which must be used to treat all cut areas. These rules should always be followed before forming the crown of the rubber ficus: they will help you avoid making mistakes when pruning.

Activities after pruning

It is known that replanting a plant is an additional incentive for lateral branching to become more intense. However, it should be carried out at least 14 days after pruning. If the ficus is mature, replanting it in this case does not make sense: it will be enough to simply replace the top layer of soil in the pot with a more nutritious one. A few days after the procedure, if the plant has undergone it successfully, it is recommended to start fertilizing with mineral compounds - once a month, after preliminary watering.

After the main pruning, you will need to constantly monitor the growth of young branches, which should be pinched. This will help maintain the crown in a well-groomed and lush condition.

Pruning ficus trees is not an easy, but very interesting task. If it is carried out correctly, the tree will always look decorative, well-groomed and healthy. Since proper pruning is an excellent way to control the tree's upward growth, it will not cause much trouble to the owner and will grow in the direction it is given.

You can also learn how to carry out anti-aging pruning from the video:

Ficus care includes not only watering, rare irrigation and replanting several times a year, but also pruning. Therefore, every gardener who decides to have such a plant simply must know how to prune a ficus correctly. Any mistake can negatively affect the entire flower.

Despite the fact that pruning a ficus is a necessary manipulation, some inexperienced gardeners still doubt that it is possible and necessary to trim a flower at home. It is worth saying that this procedure cannot be avoided, because, firstly, many want to form a ficus, giving it one shape or another, and secondly, the manipulation is carried out according to sanitary indications.

Important! The type of pruning can vary significantly, depending on the type and appearance of the bush.

So, a plant with a ball shape is pruned in one way, a flower with a branched crown - in another. In addition, not every variety (with a single cut shoot) will continue to grow. He might just die.

If we talk about sanitary pruning, it is performed at any time of the year. Such manipulation is carried out in order to prevent the spread of the infection to which the flower has been exposed to young shoots.

If a gardener notices dry branches or branches that have just begun to dry out, you should not hesitate and spare the shoots, because after a while the ficus will need to be treated. And in this case, you need to think not about whether it is possible to prune the ficus, but about what will happen to it if this is not done.

In addition to sanitary pruning, anti-aging pruning is also carried out. It is performed when new leaf plates have long ceased to appear on the branches, and the branch itself has simply withered (due to age, and not due to an attack by pests). There were cases when the flower simply froze and did not grow. In this case, it is necessary to trim the ficus “under the stump”, removing the upper part. The root system of the plant is well developed, so the flower will quickly begin to resume its growth.

The manipulation is ideal for dwarf trees that do not require any special conditions.

How to trim a flower correctly

When you look at bonsai or trunks, it seems that everything is extremely simple. In reality this is not the case. Of course, anyone can cut branches, but it is necessary to properly trim the ficus at home. This, firstly, will allow you to get a beautiful flower, and secondly, it will give a new impetus to its development.

Gardeners who have already become proficient in this matter can easily create an entire sculpture from a plant. And to do this, you don’t just need to form the top of the ficus, you also need to take care of all the branches, leaf plates and trunk. In this case, it is very important to know the physiology of the flower, because not all plants are amenable to such experiments.

New shoots in most cases appear from the buds: apical and axillary. True, there are shoots that are located above the place where the leaf petiole attaches to the main trunk. The apical bud develops much faster than the lateral bud.

If you want to shorten or trim something, it is best to wait until spring.

Important! Autumn or winter pruning can cause the plant to continue to grow, but bending to one side.

Changing something in this case will be quite difficult. Even experienced flower growers will not take on the task of “decorating” the appearance of a flower. Therefore, everyone should know how to prune a ficus and when is the best time to do it.

Many gardeners recommend: “Cut the branch above the bud, and then we’ll decide whether we form a crown or leave it as it is.”
In fact, regarding pruning, it is worth adding one more point: the cut on thin branches should be straight, and on thick ones – beveled. In addition, when pruning a side shoot, it is necessary to pay attention to the growth of the bud over which the cut was made.

It is very important to leave the bud facing outward, because in this case you will be able to get a shoot that will later come out of the crown. After completing the manipulation, do not forget to wipe the cut areas dry and rub them with charcoal.

Before pruning, you should stock up on the following materials:

with a knife;
charcoal;
medical alcohol and potassium permanganate.

Knowing a little about how ficus formation occurs, it is necessary to be aware of exactly when the procedure can be carried out. As already mentioned, it is performed in the spring. It is best if the last days of March are chosen.

If you don’t want the plant to grow too tall, it is recommended to trim the top regularly - once a year.

It must be said that the crown is trimmed both from the outside and from the inside. Especially if the shoots growing inside have grown too much. You can cut them off safely, without regret. The same applies to branches on which leaf plates have long been absent, and withered leaves have also appeared.

Many people want to know how to shape the crown, although it all depends on personal preference. Some people make it in the form of a tier, others prefer to leave free branches.

If you want to create beautiful tiered falls, then you should adhere to the following sequence:

When the flower gets a little stronger, you can start trimming the top.
If you want to create a two-level trunk, then you should divide the crown into three equal parts. In this case, the odd parts are left as they are (with a ball), and at the second level all the shoots are cut off.
If you want to know how to form the crown of a ficus so that you get three levels, then you need to say that you will have to divide the top into five parts. All manipulations are performed as described in the previous paragraph, only this time the leaves are left on the first, third and fifth parts, and all shoots are removed from the second and fourth.

In the case when the formation of a ficus crown is not carried out for the first time, you can try to create original shapes: a ball, a pyramid, a cube or something similar.

Crown formation

As for how to correctly form the crown and side shoots so that the flower looks like a cascade, it was described above. However, what is needed to create a bizarre waterfall shape is another question. If the ficuses look like vines, then you can make an original composition. To do this, you need to put a fine mesh frame in the pot, which will form an arc, and shoot the shoots directly along it. Over time, the vines will completely entwine the frame, forming a mesmerizing composition.

Another thing is the standard. In order to form it, it is necessary to take a still young plant whose trunk is already well formed.

And after that, do the following manipulations:

First, they begin to form the crown of the ficus. In this case, all side shoots are regularly pruned, and several branches are left at the top of the trunk.

After the plant reaches a height of 25-35 cm or 55-90 cm (this is if the flower stands on the floor), trimming the ficus on the sides stops. Next, pinch the top of the plant.

Important! If the standard turns out to be unstable, then you can temporarily place a peg next to the flower to which the flower should be tied.

How to pinch a ficus

If you need to form a beautiful shape of a ficus, then you just need to pin it. However, not all so simple. You should know some secrets to do everything right.

Before the procedure itself, you need to stock up on the following things:

a rag;
a basin of water;
any disinfectant;
with a sharpened knife.

It must be said that, like pruning, the procedure is best performed in the spring. At this time, shoots appear quickly. In addition, those “wounds” that arise during the manipulation will heal quickly enough, because the sap flows well through the shoots, which means that the procedure will go almost unnoticed by the plant. In addition, in the spring the likelihood of ficus disease appearing after pinching is reduced to zero.

Before pinching the ficus, you must wait until the flower reaches the desired size. When this happens, it’s time to prepare special instruments, which are thoroughly disinfected before the procedure. For this purpose, you can take alcohol or another product that is sold in specialized stores. For the job, you need to choose a very sharp knife that can make even and confident cuts. If the plant is not tall and the shoot is not very thick, then it is enough to trim it just below the point where it grows. If the flower is tall, then the manipulation is performed in a different way.

Namely:

You need to decide on the height, select a branch located below the growth point, and then trim 7-9 cm above this branch. The cut should be made oblique, with its bottom located at the level of the bud located on the other side of the trunk, and the top straight over the kidney.
You will need to wipe off any juice that has formed using a damp cloth. There is no need to do anything else; under the influence of the juice, everything will heal itself.
After a month, the plant is fed, which will promote growth. Some gardeners recommend replanting during this period, but it is not mandatory, so you can postpone the procedure for exactly a year.
A year later, the shoots located on the sides are pinched again. After some time, you can admire the flower with a beautiful and lush crown.

Important! When forming the crown, it is necessary to take into account that not every type of ficus will be able to tolerate the procedure well. If after the manipulation the “wounds” have healed, but the shoots are in no hurry to grow, then you should stop pinching for a while.

If you don’t rush anywhere, do everything right, then after a while you can enjoy an incredibly beautiful flower that has a certain shape.

Ficus rubber is a favorite plant with a strong stem and large, dark green, waxy leaves. It was brought to our latitudes from India and Indonesia. In addition to its official name, this species has also been dubbed elastica, rubber or snake tree.

In indoor floriculture, pruning and shaping of rubber ficus is used to give it a beautiful shape and increase the number of leaves. Indoors it can grow up to 1 m, but it is not always possible to achieve bushiness. To make the plant look more impressive, experienced gardeners recommend carrying out a number of different activities.

Why prune ficus?

The appearance of new leaves on a rubber tree occurs due to the formation of two types of buds - apical, which appear on the upper parts of the shoots, and axillary - formed on the trunk. The indoor flower stretches upward very quickly, and new leaves appear from the top of each stem. But with such development, the formation of shoots from the lateral bud is completely blocked or inhibited, and sometimes the plant’s forces are so focused that the lateral buds on the trunk do not even have time to appear.

To get a neat look for indoor ficus foliage, you can pinch off the apical bud. At the same time, few people know how to properly prune rubber ficus and how to shape the appearance of the crown in order to increase its decorative characteristics and make the tree more lush.

Pruning rules

The crown shape should be carefully planned. The best time for this event is early spring, when the rubber tree emerges from hibernation and enters the active growing season. At the end of February or beginning of March, all the forces of the ficus are aimed at growth and development, so it is at this moment that the maximum effect can be achieved by pruning and provoke the appearance of new shoots on all sides of the trunk.

What happens if you have a haircut at another time? The result obtained may disappoint the grower. Unlike the spring period, at other times of the year, during the pruning process, not all buds may “wake up,” but only one or two, and as a result, the plant will look one-sided, increasing the number of leaves unevenly.
You can shorten the branches and top when the ficus reaches a height of 70-80 cm. It is not advisable to form a young and small tree, since it develops and is capable of independently producing new shoots around the main stem.

Attention! It should also be remembered that if you carry out drastic pruning and cut off most of the trunk, the plant may stop stretching upward and in this case nothing can be corrected.

How to prune a house ficus correctly?

Before you begin to form the crown of the rubber ficus, you need to inspect the entire flower, find where the buds appear and plan which branches need to be cut off.

Use only sharp tools - pruners, scissors, knife.
Before you start pruning, disinfect the blades with alcohol or simply hold them over the fire for a few minutes.
Try to hit only thin branches so as not to completely block the upward growth of the ficus.
Cut thin branches in a straight line, and if you decide to shorten the trunk, then do it with an oblique cut.
If you cut off a shoot above the eye on the left, then on the right try to cut off a branch located at the same level - this way you will be able to form a symmetrical crown.
The cut area should be smooth and not torn.

To ensure that the outline of the crown is beautiful and the leaves are evenly spaced, before cutting the ficus, you should carefully examine it and select buds that look outward. In some specimens, especially when the room is too humid, lateral aerial roots may form, which cannot be removed so that the plant does not waste energy on forming new ones. Just point them towards the ground, and roots that are long enough can be pushed into the soil.

Activities after pruning

The period after cutting off the shoots to maintain the shape of the rubber tree is no less important than the manipulations themselves. At this moment, milky sap may appear on the tree, which can clog the vessels of the trunk. It is poisonous, so you should carefully remove the secretions using gloves and a damp cloth or sponge.

Transplantation also promotes branching, but this can be done no earlier than 2 weeks after pruning, so as not to increase stress on the plant. For adult ficuses, it is enough to replace the top layer of the substrate.

Advice! After the procedures, the flower should be fed with mineral fertilizers. Fertilizers should be applied no more than once a month, after moistening the soil.

The emergence of shoots must be monitored. Young, newly emerged shoots must be pinched to create maximum branching and splendor of the crown. Ficus rubber responds well to changes in the direction of growth by tying it with rope or wire. But it is best to use young specimens, the stems of which are more flexible and easily change the direction of growth, to create an original form.

Methods for forming a crown without pruning

Cutting off branches is a radical measure, which often puts the tree under deep stress and subsequently requires careful care. But you can form the crown of the rubber ficus in more gentle ways:

Kerbovka is a weakening of the root nutrition of the bud, when a deep vertical incision is made above it, and the bark around the bare area is removed. The operation is best carried out in the spring.

The use of cytokinins - special artificial hormones, which by their action enhance the lateral dominance of the kidney and block the apical one.
Fixing the top at the base of the trunk - this method helps the plant to independently strengthen the dominance of the eye, which will be higher than the others. The top of the shoot is bent down and they try to fix it with twine or wire as low as possible, and the buds that are at the top will wake up on their own.

Having mastered the skills of forming the crown of a rubber tree, you can create original bushes or trunks, and not just make the plant more branchy.

Creating unusual shapes

Standard tree

The trunk is created by freeing the trunk from young leaves and twigs to the required height. At the same time, the top is also shortened, and a spherical crown is created around the stem, the correct shape of which must be constantly maintained by removing shoots and pinching leaves in the upper internodes.

Fence

After the mature rubber ficus has been pruned, you can start creating an interesting display in the form of a hedge or fence. Shoots that have been cut off are suitable for this. They are rooted in a shallow but fairly spacious box in one row. As they grow, you can attract the trunks to each other, cutting off the bark at the point of contact and tightly fixing the “wounds” together with film and wire. The more light there is in the room, the faster the branches will grow together at the points of contact and you can start a new row.

Spiral

To obtain a spiral shape, the tree is tied to a strong base (post or stick) and gradually twisting the trunk, securing it with wire or cord. Side branches and leaves should be removed to expose the beautiful, spiral-shaped stem.

Scythe

A very popular type of ficus formation. To do this, 3 young sprouts are planted in a box, and as they develop, the trunks are intertwined in the form of a pigtail, fixing them at the point of contact with polyethylene and wire. At the place of fixation, the bark is removed with a sharp knife, and the milky juice that appears in the “wound” is wiped with a cloth. It is most convenient to start weaving when the plant reaches 15-18 cm in height. The next fixation is carried out as the trunk lengthens, and the lower leaves and shoots are removed.

Pruning is not always necessary to create a neat crown. Ficus provides ample opportunities for flower growers to express their imagination. By following the rules for caring for it, you can create interesting compositions, decorate it in the form of a tree or achieve increased bushiness, thereby decorating the space with an original indoor flower. At the same time, you will not injure the plant, for which cutting is always a powerful stress.