Pruning / propagating fiddle leaf fig

[mkmiraglia]

A couple of years ago I notched my fiddle leaf to get it to branch, but nothing happened. Perhaps I didn't cut the notches deep enough? I used a grafting knife and cut about 1/2" wide and probably 1/8" deep at the deepest part. Three notches.
It has been growing unimpeded, and it went behind a stained glass hanging so I wasn't watching it. Moved it a couple of days ago. It's about 10' high, straight up. No branches. It's in a pot that probably should be upsized and I water it twice a week, but not copiously. It hardly ever loses a leaf. I should mention, the window where it's growing is 11' high and faces west. I get about 3 - 4 hours direct sun a day, but most of the rest of the day light reflects off the wing of the building across the way. So bright, indirect light most of the day.
My question is: can I top the plant, root the top and cut notches, and will this make the tree branch? There is a nice crop of leaves at the top, very healthy looking, 9 or 10 of them, and below that the stem is bald for about 14". The stem is not bald anywhere else on the plant. And will the bald stem topped with leaves root using rooting hormone and potting soil? Thanks for any advice.

 

[oneeye]

I propagate all my ficus plants using tip propagation only. Air propagation is fun and the best way to propagate large plant cuts. However, tip cuttings work easily if you watch the root tips every day. I use only RO water and change it a couple of times a week. I never use tap water for ficus propagation and that's the key.

 

[mkmiraglia]

Thank you for the advice! You watch the root tips for what?
I won't be using RO water. Not up to the grey water issue.

 

[oneeye]

Thank you for the advice! You watch the root tips for what?
I won't be using RO water. Not up to the grey water issue.

With large stem ficus cuttings sometimes only one white root hair will grow in the water. That's when I transfer the cutting into wet soil mix using the same water. If I let the cutting stay in the water after the first root hair waiting for more roots the cutting will die. Don't wait for a lot of roots on the cutting or they will fail. Spring water will work too.

 

[mkmiraglia]

Thank you!
I am going to air-layer the stem with sphagnum moss and then transfer it directly into clean potting soil.

 

[oneeye]

Thank you!
I am going to air-layer the stem with sphagnum moss and then transfer it directly into clean potting soil.

You can get bigger cuts that way and spend less time growing the new start. Good luck

 

[oneeye]

Can you post photos of your work so everyone can see how to do an air layer cutting? It's been years since I've done those type of cuttings.

 

[mkmiraglia]

You can get bigger cuts that way and spend less time growing the new start. Good luck

That is my feeling since the "tip" is so large, about 2' long. I was growing it on the sill of an 11' high window, where it went behind a stained glass hanging. So I really didn't know how tall it had gotten, and I also didn't know it has a bare stem about a foot long before leafing out again for the last foot. I rarely lose leaves so that was a surprise.
I'm also planning to notch the main stem at the same time and hope it will branch this time. I did notch it about 3 years ago, but I must not have cut the notches deep enough because none of them took. I'm thinking once I remove the top that will also encourage branching.
I have had this plant since it was about 4" tall and now it's about 10' tall. Also due for a new pot!

 

[mkmiraglia]

Can you post photos of your work so everyone can see how to do an air layer cutting? It's been years since I've done those type of cuttings.

I will do that!