I have been pinching out some new growth on my ficus and have had decent results with new buds appearing further down the branch.

However, I would like to see buds appear closer toward the trunk. From what I understand, back-budding is not precisely achieved by pinching out new growth; it is caused by hard-pruning.

How can dormant buds be stimulated to do this?

Also, can any buds along a branch be pinched out, or only those growing at the very tip of the branch?

Thanks.

Back budding has many variables. Hormones, species, plant health, sunlight, stress (like a hard prune), fertilizer, etc. It can vary even among different species of the same genus. Getting a black pine to back bud is different than a mugo pine is different from a white pine. I can get a Pfitzer juniper to pop out all day, but I'm having difficulties with an unknown varietal.

Adventitious buds, latent buds, dormant buds, can be difficult to guess where they'll pop out, so educated trial and error. To assist, a fertilizer with higher nitrogen encourages plant growth, so you may prep with that.

I'd start by pruning back to your last two or three leaves. This can cause some back budding. Let those grow. Once the tree has recovered and is healthy again, prune back to the last of the newer leaves. Repeat. Continue chasing it back down the branch over time; and it will take time.

Only hard prune if your tree is healthy. Additionally, leave some room for die back. Don't prune it exactly to where you want it, because there's a good chance you'll lose some of it. Leave some extra, let it bud out, then trim it back to live growth when it regains vigor.

A trick with some species is to pinch the most vigorous buds first (generally the tips), wait a week. Pinch the next set back. Wait a week. Pinch the next set back, etc. It helps distribute hormones evenly along the tree, by letting the weaker inside buds grow stronger until it's their time to get pinched.

If the species has a dominant growth pattern, such as a black pine that grows strong in the apex, or an azalea that may grow stronger laterally, you can modify where it grows by exploiting this growth pattern with timed pruning. To get more bottom buds on a black pine, thinning the lower branches first, waiting, middle branches next, waiting, top last. The bottom has time to heal while the others branches get pruned. By the time your at the top, the bottom is stronger and is receiving more sunlight. It produces more buds than if you'd gone the other way. To get an azalea taller, go the opposite, top down.

Hope that helps.

It certainly does help. Thanks for taking the time to write a detailed and comprehensive answer.

(As always, these topics are far wider reaching than the simple subject title suggests!)

I'll follow your advice as a starting point and see how the tree reacts, naturally I'll read further into the topic and carry on learning as well.

In order to get ficus to backbud, you let them grow. Put them outside in full sun, once the weather allows to do so. (You may have to slowly let the plant get used to intense light!). Fertilize, water. Once you see that the plant is growing very strongly (constant flush of leaves throughout the canopy) you remove all the leaves and all the growing tips. You may at this point also remove younger growth (trimming back). Within weeks you will see buds popping everywher.


While the tree is without leaves, shelter from strong sun, as the trunk will burn.

leatherback wrote: Once you see that the plant is growing very strongly (constant flush of leaves throughout the canopy) you remove all the leaves and all the growing tips.

Is this defoliating! :ohmy:

This still seems like a scary proposition as a newbie, but I understand the principles for doing so. Thanks.

Is this defoliating! :ohmy:
Yup.

My ficus last winter (Do not do this in winter if you do not know your plants VERY well, and are prepared to loose them)

www.bonsaiempire.nl/forum/snoeien-en-bed...est-bladeren?start=0