Topics

How can I fix this one year old tree?

Fix may not be the right word. This is my one and only RDB at the moment. My hope is to grow it more in a tree style as opposed to bush. The problem is The main branch started growing almost 90 degrees out when it was a cutting last year. When I uppotted I planted it at a bit of an angle in an attempt to correct it. Not sure if that was the right move. Its growing fast right now, about 8 inches in the last 10 days. Any suggestions on how to train it to be more similar to what I'm looking for?

    Attached Images

  • Click image for larger version - Name: 20140124_123506_resized_1.jpg, Views: 131, Size: 207238
  • Click image for larger version - Name: 20140124_123512_resized_2.jpg, Views: 135, Size: 300686

I would put a stake to straighten it and just let it grow for now and prune to shape once it grows branches.
Also I would air layer that sucker into a new tree.

You can bend anything in any direction.  A bold but true statement.  DO IT SLOWLY!!  HAVE PATIENCE!!
Figure out where you want it to be and work it to that position, SLOWLY, A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME.

Good luck

I would put it in a bigger pot and tilt it so the branch is straight up and bury the rest.
Vito

and once you put it in bigger pot and correct the angle, prune bottom few inches of the rootball and top soil around the trunk every yr so when you root prune in few yrs, you don't chop off all the roots by mistake :)

I'd lean the pot  and eventually lay the pot down, you will see how the branch tries to go up, fixing the angle you have.  I have a bunch of trees on their side now, trying to force them into making side branching.

You could also set an air layer of the straight part. Plant it later as a perfect new tree, and with some luck you can train new shoot from the base the way you prefer it.

All of the above.

Boy some of you can sure complicate a simple solution.

Vito

Let it grow more like it is. When it is ready for a bigger pot, tilt it more so it's straight. When you do, put the "v" part in the soil so it's puts out riots there and you won't have a weak spot above ground.

If you want it to grow as a single trunk tree I'd go with what Vito said. Re-pot into larger pot planting everything below the soil line except for the one main trunk you want to grow straight. The point is, of course, to angle the lower portion so that one main trunk is oriented straight up. Then, you might also want to prune off the lower stuff down to the one trunk you want to grow. 

Just one suggestion. But that's how I'd do it. Simple & effective. Right Vito?

Right on Bill.
Vito

Yeah, repot, right up to the shoot, with the trunk in a new vertical position. Add a small bamboo stake to tie to and you are good to go.

Thank you everyone. All seem like great ideas. I'm thinking I may just leave it. Was hoping it would be easy to fix. I think I messed it up in the first place by letting it grow like that for too long. I have 7 RDB cuttings in moss right now, 4 of which were tips, so I think I'll get my "tree" out of one of those. Just didn't want to lose a year. I need patience! Thanks again for the input!

Vito, if I do that the main cutting will essentially be horizontal, is that okay?

Post #4 is spot on.
Have done so in past no problem.

yes that would give you a bigger root system.
Vito

Hi Chome360,
You're a bit late to do a "perfect" straight tree from that one ... Were you on holidays ? :P

With so much growth, I would airlayer the two upper branches, and you'll have 3 trees.
When removing the 2 airlayers, monitor closely the 3 trees sothat they grow the way you desire .
If you plan to keep that tree in a pot, having it growing to the side will always be a problem when stacking pots .
The choice is yours of course :)

It was the combination of a couple things. This was my 1st year doing cuttings, definitely learned a few things. 1st, I Had this cutting in a humidity bin to the right of the grow lights. I grew towards the lights and I waited to long to move it. Then when I tried to correct it I more or less took the wrong action.

Here's a better pic I took today of the whole tree.

    Attached Images

  • Click image for larger version - Name: 20140126_143859_resized.jpg, Views: 22, Size: 171618

Hello.
If you plant it like I said you will have a nice looking tree.
I plant all my trees like that.
Good luck with it.
Vito

I have done it with many fig plants by moving it to bigger pots as Vita suggested. It is the simplest solution and no time loss for the plant. The plant will love you too (for the no pain solution) when you do it.

Reply Cancel
Subscribe Share Cancel