Ficus defoliation question

[defra]

Hi all, I keep my ficus tigerbark indoors throughout fall and winter inside a old aquarium to avoid the dry air and the heat from the radiator below the windowsill.
Now that it's spring it's almost time to move back outside again and some twigs grew a little leggy.
Its damn healthy and I wonder if I should completely defoliate it when I move it back outside?

 

[Forsoothe!]

Yes, defoliate by cutting the leaves off at the base of the leaf leaving the petiole attached to the stem. That will protect the buds in the axils. Then, prune for architecture. Leave the end buds on branches you want to grow longer, and trim all other branches back to make a tight canopy of your choice. Put it in full sun and water every day it doesn't rain. Spray with a hose to discourage spiders and mites. Repot it in June after the new canopy is mature. Feed with any commercial liquid at label levels every two weeks from May to August. Do this every year and the foliage will look good all winter.

 

[just.wing.it]

I usually defoliate my ficus when it goes out....but mine was sluggish this winter and only began growing about 60 days ago....and slowly. So this year I'm leaving the leaves on to see what happens.

 

[Forsoothe!]

If you don't defoliate, it will cycle old, inefficient leaves off and replace them one at a time. It will continue to look good. But, it will begin to look scraggly next spring in the house because the leaves last a long time, but not a whole year.

 

[Treemendously_Small_Trees]

If you don't defoliate, it will cycle old, inefficient leaves off and replace them one at a time. It will continue to look good. But, it will begin to look scraggly next spring in the house because the leaves last a long time, but not a whole year.

What are my options for my ficus in its current state? It was growing strongly inside over winter under a grow light and I repotted at the start of April into bonsai soil (after being 3+ years in crap nursery soil).

It has just started growing again which means the tree has settled and roots are growing etc. When/should I defoliate for leaf reduction/branch management?

 

[Forsoothe!]

What are my options for my ficus in its current state? It was growing strongly inside over winter under a grow light and I repotted at the start of April into bonsai soil (after being 3+ years in crap nursery soil).

It has just started growing again which means the tree has settled and roots are growing etc. When/should I defoliate for leaf reduction/branch management?

Next year, Defoliate by cutting the leaves off at the base of the leaf without damaging the petiole which guards the bud in the axil, when you can put it outside in full sun. After the new canopy is 4 weeks old, repot and feed every two weeks until 6 weeks before nights fall below 50°F/10°C. Move it, in one week steps, to part sun, bright shade, dappled shade, all shade, then to inside the house to its winter position. It will look good all winter and you'll question whether you should do again it the following spring. Do it every spring and it will always look good in the house all winter. Or, revert to almost making it all winter.

There's an echo in here.

 

[Treemendously_Small_Trees]

Next year, Defoliate by cutting the leaves off at the base of the leaf without damaging the petiole which guards the bud in the axil, when you can put it outside in full sun. After the new canopy is 4 weeks old, repot and feed every two weeks until 6 weeks before nights fall below 50°F/10°C. Move it, in one week steps, to part sun, bright shade, dappled shade, all shade, then to inside the house to its winter position. It will look good all winter and you'll question whether you should do again it the following spring. Do it every spring and it will always look good in the house all winter. Or, revert to almost making it all winter.

There's an echo in here.

Great, thank you. Looks like I made the mistake of potting before defoliating. Will get it the right way round next time!

 

[markyscott]

Hi all, I keep my ficus tigerbark indoors throughout fall and winter inside a old aquarium to avoid the dry air and the heat from the radiator below the windowsill.
Now that it's spring it's almost time to move back outside again and some twigs grew a little leggy.
Its damn healthy and I wonder if I should completely defoliate it when I move it back outside?

What do you hope to achieve by defoliating your tree?

- Scott

 

[defra]

What do you hope to achieve by defoliating your tree?

- Scott

smaller/more leaves and space to wire the tree
and have a good look at the structure wouldnt hurt either

 

[defra]

oh and forgot to add this, when it moves outside it replaces most of the leaves anyway at least last 3 seasons it did so i was wondering if i should help a hand?

 

[defra]

no way back, moved outside defoliated and sorted some branches.
still lots of issues but im on to something i think

Before


after

more leaves then you think or i am seeing double

 

[defra]

@markyscott I've responded in your defoliation thread also, this is the tree I'm talking about

 

[Forsoothe!]

"De opgevragen pagina werd niet gevonden." Those of us that only have English eyes can't see this very well.

 

[defra]

"De opgevragen pagina werd niet gevonden." Those of us that only have English eyes can't see this very well.

ah yes lol it means requested page doesnt exist.
i still have to change my signature.
it used to be working untill an asshole i used to trust messed up my database on purpose beyond reparable and also he f ed up my back-ups so all info i typed researched and pics i posted are sadly gone i had i ton of work almost took a year to get the site as i wanted with the info i wanted on there gone in a day so lost my motivation to start all over again realy Perhaps some day ...

 

[Arizona bonsai]

Beer & tequila! Nice ficus too! I’m spoiled, we have ficus that shades our bonsai.

We do love Amsterdam though.