Ficus in The cold north ( Denmark)

Peter Svetoslavov wrote:Great ficus, Yvonne! Congratulations! Can you show us older photos of them?

Hej Peter
I have taken photos of photos, from 1994, 1999, and 2007, I hope it works.

Kind regards Yvonne

Wow! It's very impressive! Congratulations for good work!

Yvonne,
Very nice progression.
Jerry

Hi Yvonne, you showed us it can be done growing indoors in scandinavia, really like the first ficus.

Peter

First off, if this is not the right place for my following inquiry, please accept my apology and remove my text!


Dear Yvonne,

although we are talking here about a long time of growing your trees from approx. 1994 until now, I have to express my honest respect for your great work!

Please let me concentrate on the aerial roots, which you have grown very successfully. I am especially surprised to see that the roots started at the trunks and lower branches. You told us that you grew the trees sometimes in a greenhouse, where enough humidity was available for aerial roots. Did the trees also grow aerial roots in their apexes?

The reason for my question is, that I have currently a Ficus benjamina var. 'Wiandi' in a little greenhouse since more than four weeks. The tree is growing aerial roots a lot - but only in its crown! I do not know what to do that this tree is growing aerial roots from its trunks or lower branches??? I am totally desperately up to now. In that time, I have cut more than 20 aerial roots in the crown, because I wanted to interrupt the apical dominance in the apex. The crown is nearly 30cm above the soil surface. Most of the aerial roots are growing to a length of 15-25cm. Then they are stopping growing and get dark. But I am not changing the climate inside the greenhouse.

The greenhouse conditions are a constant temperature of 27°C to 29°C and a humidity of 85%. Every 10-14 days I am taking the tree out of the greenhouse, watering the tree and filling up the water in the greenhouse for the evaporation. Directly on the top of the greenhouse there is a 160W growing light, consisting of two 80W fluorescent lamps with light color 840 in a very compact size. So, light can not be the problem - I purchased the lamp in a German "Grow Shop" - you know what I mean

If you, Yvonne, or everyone else can see any failures I am doing right now, please let me know!!! Nevertheless, I wish you good luck with your delightful trees, Yvonne!

Many thanks in advance for your comments.

Best, Chris.

Chris,
sometimes Ficus do like to drop aerials from the upper portions of the tree. I am not sure why.
You can try making some wounds with a pen-knife or sharp instrument where you would like the aerials to form. Sometimes that will stimulate aerials in those spots.
Good luck.
Jerry
www.bonsaihunk.us

Hi Jerry,

many thanks for your fast feedback! Initially I wanted to send my inquiry to you as a follow up of our short personal discussion three weeks ago. But today I checked the IBC and saw the post of Yvonne.

Yes, up to now growing aerial roots on my Ficus is very disappointing for me. But nevertheless, I am happy that he is growing so many roots - even if those are not on the right places. During the last weekend I took the tree out of the greenhouse for inspection and watering. There were approx. 10 new aerial roots in the crown. Six of those grew from one branch only! I removed all roots in the crown. Today I found four new aerial roots in the crown with lengthes of 3-4cm - two of them on the same branch where I removed six roots last weekend So, on the other side I am generally happy that he is growing, but...

When I take out the tree next time, I will try to make some cuts at the bark. We will see what will happen. I presuppose that I am right when placing the cuts above (!) buds on the trunk?!

I also have recognized that the tree loses leaves, within one week approx. 20 leaves. But new leaves are also growing quickly. Is that normal? The whole tree has lost his previous appearance completely. But I think this is normal under greenhouse conditions, or isn't it?

Many thanks for your further support and suggestions, Jerry!

Best regards, Chris.

Chris,
Some leaf drop is normal, below 20%, during late fall and early spring as old leaves fall off and new ones are about to come in. More leaf drop indicates a problem.
The cuts can be placed anywhere. Roots can form at any point.
Jerry

Jerry,

I am not sure, but I think that the leave drop is not normal. Maybe there is something wrong with the watering of the tree. I am very uncertain watering the tree. I calculate that inside the greenhouse the high humidity also cares for the tree, but on the other side the tree needs "real" water to grow quickly. So, the distances between watering under this unique condition are not really clear for me in the moment. Perhaps this is the problem why the tree drops his leaves?

Thanks for the advise reg. the cuts.

Best, Chris.

Improper watering is the likely reason for yellowing and leaf drop. Most likely is a soil that is staying wet for too long and causing rotting roots.
Ideally the soil should dry out in less than 2 days for the best health of the roots. In a moist chamber this will not be true.
Jerry
www.bonsaihunk.us

Chris Peters wrote:First off, if this is not the right place for my following inquiry, please accept my apology and remove my text!


Dear Yvonne,

although we are talking here about a long time of growing your trees from approx. 1994 until now, I have to express my honest respect for your great work!

Please let me concentrate on the aerial roots, which you have grown very successfully. I am especially surprised to see that the roots started at the trunks and lower branches. You told us that you grew the trees sometimes in a greenhouse, where enough humidity was available for aerial roots. Did the trees also grow aerial roots in their apexes?

The reason for my question is, that I have currently a Ficus benjamina var. 'Wiandi' in a little greenhouse since more than four weeks. The tree is growing aerial roots a lot - but only in its crown! I do not know what to do that this tree is growing aerial roots from its trunks or lower branches??? I am totally desperately up to now. In that time, I have cut more than 20 aerial roots in the crown, because I wanted to interrupt the apical dominance in the apex. The crown is nearly 30cm above the soil surface. Most of the aerial roots are growing to a length of 15-25cm. Then they are stopping growing and get dark. But I am not changing the climate inside the greenhouse.

The greenhouse conditions are a constant temperature of 27°C to 29°C and a humidity of 85%. Every 10-14 days I am taking the tree out of the greenhouse, watering the tree and filling up the water in the greenhouse for the evaporation. Directly on the top of the greenhouse there is a 160W growing light, consisting of two 80W fluorescent lamps with light color 840 in a very compact size. So, light can not be the problem - I purchased the lamp in a German "Grow Shop" - you know what I mean

If you, Yvonne, or everyone else can see any failures I am doing right now, please let me know!!! Nevertheless, I wish you good luck with your delightful trees, Yvonne!

Many thanks in advance for your comments.

Best, Chris.

Hej Chris

Sorry for the late answer, but I have not been home for about 14 days.....

It looks to me as you are taking good care of your tree.

The leafdrop now, is no problem, my trees does the same.
I suggest you keep remove the unwanted arealroots from the top, at a point will the tree have no more of theese spots from vere theese groots grow, and it will start to grow arealroots from the lower parts of the tree, just wait. You are on the right track.....I can not recomment you cut in the trunk.

Kind regards Yvonne
Y

Hi Yvonne,

many thanks for your feedback! Now I have to say "sorry for my late reply", because I was out of Berlin for a trade show during the last days.

I am happy to read your lines, because you went on the same way like me before. In the meantime, I have cutted the aerial roots on the top for two times. But there are still growing new ones. So, I will cut back the aerial roots in this area of the tree furthermore.

I have recognized that some aerial roots growing for, let's say, 8-10cm and then they are drying - although I have not opened the box. The tips of the aerial roots start to get dark at first. Can you imagine a reason for that behaviour?
Is maybe the time of approx. 10min for which I am taking the tree out of the box for watering too long? When I am taking out the tree, I am spraying him with warm water. I water the tree once every week. Can you agree with that all or is there maybe a failure in my procedure?

I am looking forward to receive your comments.

Greetings to Denmark from the snow-covered Berlin!

Best, Chris.

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:Hi everybody

This my 3 "ficus Natasha" trees. In 1989, I bought them as 3 small seedligs in one miniaturepot, in a supermarket. This was my very first trees. From the start I decided to train them in diffrent styles, just for the fun.
They have been in a bonsaipot allways. This is how they look now, they are between 25 and 32 cm. tall.
I keep them in a southwindow in the winter, and love to look at them when it is dark outside.

Very kind regards Yvonne[img]https://i.servimg.com/u/f67/15/67/65/[url=https://servimg.com/view/15676504/25][img]https://i.servimg.com/u/f67/15/67/65/04/[url=https://servimg.com/view/15676504/26]ficus_11.jpg[/img][/url]04/ficus_10.jpg[/img][/url]

Hi Yvone ,

You have done a really wonderful thing in your climate. You are a person with a special quality. I could not imagine that you have done it since 1989. I am really glad have met you in China.
I just found your wonderful Ulmus nigra in Bonsai Focus - May/ Juned. It was great.

Regards from your friend in the tropics,
Budi

Dear Budi

Thanks for your words about my work.....Yes, we had a very nice trip to China. I think it was the trip to remember. I enjoyed very much to go sightseeing, and dine with you many times.

Dear Chris

Sorry for the late reply, I did not notice, I had an answer....
I also have the same problems with the arealroots now. I think it is the time of the ear.

But I know, I do not have theese problems in the summer, and the roots are not that fragile. As it is the first winter, I keep my trees in the damp inviroment, can I not give an advise. For now are my trees looking happy, and is growing nice and very slowly. In between ( rare)I give them a little OE70 HIVER. This solution will not make them grow huge leafs the next week.

Please keep me informed about your trees.....I would allso like to se photos.

Very kind regards Yvonne

Hi Yvonne,

I am not really sure whether the behaviour of the aerial roots is based on this time of the year. Because I am growing the tree in a box which is equally illuminated with my growing lamps, 12 hours a day. So there can be no influence from outside, or isn't it?

During these days I have again removed approx. 10 aerial roots in the crown of the tree. Also the leaf drop happens continuously, but new leafs are growing quickly as well.

I will keep you posted and when I have enough time, I will mabye take a picture.

Best regards, Chris.

Yvonne
great looking trees !

I have a ficus "too little" that resembles your trees in the earliest photos. Can you please give comments on general techniques for pruning, keeping the canopy thick, and fertilizer? Thanks

Thanks for the Great inspiration.

Frank

FrankP999 wrote:Yvonne
great looking trees !

I have a ficus "too little" that resembles your trees in the earliest photos. Can you please give comments on general techniques for pruning, keeping the canopy thick, and fertilizer? Thanks

Thanks for the Great inspiration.

Frank

Yvonne!
I am also impressed by your work with Natasha.
To be honest I gave up long time ago with this kind of ficus as it was very difficult to develop back budding. How did you manage to keep the folliage so close to the trunks?
I also noticed that your soil mix is not that coarse or is it just the top dressing? What feed did you use?
Magnificient results, please share with us

I started the ficustrees up, when I had no experience, and learned a lot during the work with them, ower the years. I belive, I could have made them must faster now.
And it gives no point to explain how I did. It is better to explain how I would do it now, as I use some of the tecnics all the time.

What I never do, is to place a plant/tree in a large container, and say " now I will leave it to grow strong for a year, this will do it good". As the tree maybe dont gain after 2.5 months, and another tecnick are more appropriate, and maybe only for 2 weeks.

The bonsaipots, is allways kept in the shade, and the trees in full sun, or semishade.

My ficus are fairly old, and has only been i their own humid inviroment in the hothouse in two summers, and one winter.

To grow a trunk fat on a YOUNG ficus, in the small bonsaipot. Plant the tree in a suitable potsice in the spring, and let it grow to fill the pot compleetely with roots, then place carefully the tree in a pot, one sice bigger.. ..maybe you can do this 3 times during one summer. This way you dont owerwater, and the trees health is not at risk, and also will the internodes not become long. As the tree gets new soil up to 3 times during the summer, it will hardly need fertilizer, but you can decide to give. In next spring, you cut back the roots hard, and place the tree in the first pot, or a pot that suits the tree now. Do this year after year.

In juli, if the tree after 2 or 3 years have a lot of leaves, or when the upper crown is becomming too strong, compared to the lower branches, you take the big scissor and cut the owerall shape of the tree....top very small, and keep the lower part big. make sure the tree have 2 leaves left on a branch. the tree may look bad and empty, but it is OK. Do this year after year.

Only my ficus on the stone, has been grown up, and cut back, as I during my work with the trees, learned it would look better, if it was cut back. You can decide to keep a branch pointing upward on the front side of the tree on the lower part, after 2 side- and 1 backbranch is it very nice, this branch can be the new leader, for future hard cut back. this will give a lot of taper faster. You can do this again, after a coupple of years.

I hope you can understand my inglish, and/or please ask again.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thank You Yvonne!
That is a great idea using the variable sizes of pots according to the growth speed of the roots during one growing season.
I presume you use this technique with other non tropical species (suitable for this technique) aswell?
Regards
Marcin

Yes, Gope
I use this teckinc for other species, as the roots will grow more even this way.
I find, if I use a large container from the start, the tree will struggle for a long time with either too much water, or too little...and when the tree finaly starts to grow, with let us say 5 strong roots, 2 will take over, and leave the other roots behind, wich will give uneven growth of the tree.
On many species can you cut a too strong surfaceroot short, in the end of juli, and the root will send out new roots...keep 2 .
Of course is it important to care a lot for the tree at all times. I always make sure, the tree have full shade on the pot/roots, and sun on the crown.
Allso make sure, the top of the tree, never owerpower the lower branches, but is pruned back, better today than tomorrow.

Kind regards Yvonne

Chris Peters wrote:Hi Yvonne,

many thanks for your feedback! Now I have to say "sorry for my late reply", because I was out of Berlin for a trade show during the last days.

I am happy to read your lines, because you went on the same way like me before. In the meantime, I have cutted the aerial roots on the top for two times. But there are still growing new ones. So, I will cut back the aerial roots in this area of the tree furthermore.

I have recognized that some aerial roots growing for, let's say, 8-10cm and then they are drying - although I have not opened the box. The tips of the aerial roots start to get dark at first. Can you imagine a reason for that behaviour?
Is maybe the time of approx. 10min for which I am taking the tree out of the box for watering too long? When I am taking out the tree, I am spraying him with warm water. I water the tree once every week. Can you agree with that all or is there maybe a failure in my procedure?

I am looking forward to receive your comments.

Greetings to Denmark from the snow-covered Berlin!

Best, Chris.

Hi Chris

About the areal roots wich dry out, it also became a problem of mine....it's not any more, I found out, the temperature came under 18 degrees in the night. I solved the problem, the roots grow now.
About your leavedrop....I had very few leaves dropping, it also stopped. Have your tree been exposed to direct sun?, this will make the leaves drop.

Kind regards Yvonne....please send me a photo of your tree, use my E-mail.

This one is for Chris (Sorry Yvonne for hijacking your page)

Regarding your problem of having areal roots only on the canopy here is my suggestion. It is actually a modified version of what Jerry has already said.

What you could do is scratch the bark where you want areal roots. Scratch deep enough so that the white sap starts to flow. Once you've done this, apply rooting harmone (it is easily available in most garden stores - atleast here in India) and then wrap that scratch wound with sphagnum moss and tie it lightly to the trunk. Once this is done ensure that the moss is keep moist. In a greenhouse with 85% humidity this should not be difficult. In 2-3 weeks you should see areal roots growing. Suggest you do this late Jan when the tree should be exploding with Spring energy.

Regarding your other problem of the areal roots turning black and falling off, you might want to try what Jun has done. You can find a reference to a thread on this very site. The link is
https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/bonsai-f1/pot-for-todd-and-my-banyan-t4358.htm

If you see the last pic in this page you will see that Jun has used a plastic bag with bonsai soil to encourage the areal roots to grow quickly and also ensure that none of them die. This needs to be done once the areal roots are about couple of inches long. You might also want to use your experience of when the areal roots on your tree turn black and wither and do this just before that. This way you have much better chances of getting areal roots where you want and growing them till they hit the ground.

Jun - Hope I am authorised to use the reference of your thread and your pics
Yvonne - Thanks for allowing me to hijack your thread

Regards
Ravi

Dear Ravi

No problem at all.....I read your vise words too.

Kind regards Yvonne