Defoliate Ficus??

[Elhi.Stevens]

Purchased a new Ficus yesterday, perhaps the first tree in the collection so far that I am happy to start styling / wiring in the next year, and was just hoping someone could give my advice on wiring / defoliating, in the long term I want to go for a style with more pronounced levels rather then the usual umbrella / broom. Should i begin defoliating around now, I'm on the Sunshine coast QLD Australia so I'm in a 11a and we have just entered the last month of our spring. Any tips greatly appreciated

 

[0soyoung]

Four to six weeks after the passage of the summer solstice is prime time to defoliate, wire&style, and/or repot. It is much easier to wire&style without leaves in the way, of course. There is probably another window of opportunity a few weeks after the passage of the winter solstice ('as buds swell' spring).

You can always test defoliation timing on individual branches.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I prefer to defoliate just before summer solstice to give the tree the full spring growing period to set follow-on buds in every axil, and then more summer to grow the next head with deciduous, and figs are more forgiving than those. It makes wiring & styling much easier to see and do, too. Of course, I know nothing about the sun coast climate.

 

[Elhi.Stevens]

Thank you both for the advice new to species that take defoliating well so everything is appreciated, out of curiosity how early before the solstice do you start defoliating the tree.

 

[Forsoothe!]

My June 21st is your December 21st, I start on June 15th, or so. @Osoyoung differs. Your spring may be longer and your summer may be longer allowing to start sooner. I want to see buds in the axils before I start. I cut the leaves off at the base of the leaf leaving the petiole on to guard the bud in the axil. The bud will kick the dried-up petiole off as it leafs out. The petiole in-place will make it easier to miss the buds as you are wiring.

 

[terryb]

The sunshine coast is sub-tropical, warm with summer dominant rainfall, so your ficus will be growing almost all year round. It might slow down in Jul/Aug when your nights cool but given the average temps in this region - not much. You are therefore not locked too tightly into seasonal cycles.

 

[Starfox]

Your night temperature should be over 15 degrees by now so you'd be good to go anytime from now on.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy.

Don't defoliate it!

Nice base.

Needs a lot of branches removed.

Don't defoliate it!

Sorce