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Repotting, etc. Ficus salisicaria "89

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GerhardGerber
Billy M. Rhodes
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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:30 pm

Work done on August 11, 2014 in East Central Florida. Our first frost will not be until about Thanksgiving ( late Nov.) at the earliest. Don't try this in cooler parts of the world. I will begin wiring a new growth develops.
This is a Ficus salisicaria '89 in my collection and needed repotting.
The pot is Chinese 24 x 16 inches (about 60 x 40 cm)
The tree is about 24 inches (60 cm) high and about 29 inches. (70 cm) wide.

Repotting, etc. Ficus salisicaria "89 Img_2711
The tree at the start.

Repotting, etc. Ficus salisicaria "89 Img_2712
The tree pruned to its basic structure

Repotting, etc. Ficus salisicaria "89 Img_2713
Root pruned

Repotting, etc. Ficus salisicaria "89 Img_2714
The tree back in the same pot with fresh soil.
Billy M. Rhodes
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Post  GerhardGerber Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:40 am

Hi Billy

Thanks for the post, nice tree.

Can you expand a bit on why you chopped all the leaves?

I have a similar F. microcarpa that seems to be at almost the same point in development......so I was wondering...  Smile 

Cheers
Gerhard

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Post  my nellie Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:04 am

Thanks Billy!
I am looking forward to the update of new growth.
Could we also see the back side, please.
my nellie
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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:25 am

GerhardGerber wrote:Hi Billy
Can you expand a bit on why you chopped all the leaves?
Gerhard

With Ficus we can cut back to the basic structure and develop the tree again. Because of their fast growth in our climate they can too busy (maybe not the right word).
Removing all the leaves forces the tree to redevelop more or less evenly. If some foliage is left it will draw more energy and the tree can get unbalanced and even cause the death of some branches.

Billy
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Post  rrubberbandman Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:32 pm

What % of roots did you remove?
Thanks!
Bryan

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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:13 pm

rrubberbandman wrote:What % of roots did you remove?
Thanks!
Bryan

Probably 40 to 50%.
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Post  rrubberbandman Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:16 pm

its probably too late to do this to mine, here in VA.???
Thoughts?
Bryan

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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Tue Aug 12, 2014 4:19 pm

rrubberbandman wrote:its probably too late to do this to mine, here in VA.???
Thoughts?
Bryan

Yes, I responded to your post in questions.

Billy
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Post  Cockroach Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:34 am

Hi Billy,

A very nice ficus. I read your response about cutting back everything but would like to know why you didn't just defoliate leaving some of the finer ramification that would surely have developed by now. Would this not have the same effect balancing the tree?

Also, the main trunk seems to have a lovely right to left curve but the dead straight root growing up from the base to the left primary branch hides this flow. Would it be option to remove that section of root? If it is your choice to keep it because you like it that way by all means it is your tree. I was merely commenting and appreciating.
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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Wed Aug 13, 2014 2:10 am

Cockroach wrote:Hi Billy,

A very nice ficus. I read your response about cutting back everything but would like to know why you didn't just defoliate leaving some of the finer ramification that would surely have developed by now. Would this not have the same effect balancing the tree?

Thanks, I just find it works better for me to cut back to the basic structure every few years.


Also, the main trunk seems to have a lovely right to left curve but the dead straight root growing up from the base to the left primary branch hides this flow. Would it be option to remove that section of root? If it is your choice to keep it because you like it that way by all means it is your tree. I was merely commenting and appreciating.

Thanks for the suggestion, looking at the tree, that is something to consider. I did remove one large aerial roots from the back.

Billy
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Post  Precarious Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:00 am

Billy, thx for sharing your work! I admit to being shocked to see complete defoliation, as I had learned this could kill all or part of the plant. A bonsai myth apparently. In your original post you said not to try this in colder climates. Did you mean this late in the year, or at all?
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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:19 am

Precarious wrote:Billy, thx for sharing your work!  I admit to being shocked to see complete defoliation, as I had learned this could kill all or part of the plant.  A bonsai myth apparently.  In your original post you said not to try this in colder climates.  Did you mean this late in the year, or at all?

I think you would want three months of warm weather (80 + daytime 70+ night) for a tree to recover. So, if you did it at the beginning of your summer you should be OK.
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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:24 am

BTW, I noticed a lot of new buds yesterday (August 25) and rubbed off some that were on the trunk or inner branches. This is two weeks since the defoliation/repotting. Our daytimes are in the 90's and nights in the 80's.
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Post  Precarious Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:10 pm

Thanks!
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