Auk wrote:

Smossoo wrote:

I just defoliated this little 'Bonsai in training' to get smaller leaves. ..also wired it. Reminds me of a 'Tree of Life'. I know it has one long branch but I am hesitate to trim it to match the branch on the other side .... I need some advice please. It is in a make-shift Bonsai dish for now. . Thank you in advance ...

You should be working on ramification / branch placement / trunk etcetera before trying to get smaller leaves.
I don't understand why you removed all foliage, except at the tips?

Partial defoliation. Works with boxwood, I am not sure about ficus. Basically you remove all the leaves but the top, then dormant buds wake up and ramify into secondary branches. Right under all leaves there is a dormant bud, waiting for the right moment to branch out. I didn't know that until this year! makes working with boxwood so much easier....

eangola wrote:

then dormant buds wake up and ramify into secondary branches. Right under all leaves there is a dormant bud, waiting for the right moment to branch out. I didn't know that until this year!

I on the other hand am quite aware of this. However, why leave the foliage at the end of the branches?

www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/advanced/defoliation
www.bonsaihunk.us/Defoliatingfigs.html

Auk wrote:

eangola wrote:

then dormant buds wake up and ramify into secondary branches. Right under all leaves there is a dormant bud, waiting for the right moment to branch out. I didn't know that until this year!

I on the other hand am quite aware of this. However, why leave the foliage at the end of the branches?

www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/styling/advanced/defoliation
www.bonsaihunk.us/Defoliatingfigs.html

www.bonsai4me.com/SpeciesGuide/Buxus%20Indepth%20page%202.html

For boxwood I don't think they do well is you remove the entire foliage. For ficus? no clue . Better chances of recovery? maybe? idk seems like one of those things some people just do, might be true might be not.

eangola wrote:

For boxwood I don't think they do well is you remove the entire foliage. For ficus? no clue . Better chances of recovery? maybe? idk seems like one of those things some people just do, might be true might be not.

I guess boxwood is an exception

Thnak you for the links .... a lot of good information.

@Auk : I saw a couple of videos of adam ask why and he usually defoliates ficuses this way , i dont know why tho .