How many times can I defoliate ficus a year?

vp999

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Hello guys! I defoliated my ficus a couple months ago and now the leaves are so big again and I would like to defoliate it again if it doesn't anything. Can I do it safely? Thanks. Tommy
 
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Like mentioned above, ramification is going to net smaller leaves. If you just defoliated and it has big leaves again, maybe a nice prune job to work on ramification and smaller leaves. IMO defoliation is not to be done to a tree in development unless your trying to wire a bush, then a partial defoliation/thinning may be in order to easier work on the tree.

Not sure what species you speak of, but some have larger leaves and are more suitable for larger bonsai.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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A photo would help. You must judge the health of the tree before defoliating, as defoliation is a major stress for the tree.

You are in Washington DC, which is only suitable climate for Ficus for about 6 months out of the year. How you winter your Ficus will also determine how often it can be defoliated. Even in South Florida, they seldom defoliate more than twice a year, in Washington DC, I would think once a year might be all you can get away with. Repeated defoliation can slowly weaken a tree, sending it into a decline that potentially could result in dead tree. Ficus only seem to be indestructible, in reality, it is possible to kill one.

Defoliation alone will only somewhat reduce leaf size. The single most effective way to decrease leaf size is to increase ramification. The more branches your branches have. The more degrees of branching, ramification, the smaller the leaves.

Instead of defoliation, I would prune the growing ends of all branches. Force them to branch if they are to continue to grow. Depending on the health of the tree, you keep most of the leaves, or you defoliate at the same time as you prune your branches. It is the pruning that gets the results, not the defoliation. You can keep old leaves, and the new will be smaller. Later, you eventually remove the older larger leaves, but by keeping them until the new branches have leafed out, you avoid over-stressing the tree.

But it is the pruning of the branches that decreases leaf size, because it causes additional branching. Defoliation alone will not significantly reduce leaf size.

Jerry Meislik wrote a good book on Ficus for bonsai, it is still in print available through Stone Lantern Publishing. You should seek it out, it is not expensive.
 
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vp999

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Thank you guys..I understand it now, will take some pics tomorrow .
 

sorce

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Indoor leaves die outside and outdoor leaves bring pests to winter inside.

It is for these 2 reasons that we should plan defoliation around bringing them in, and taking them out.

This is a part of a regimen which Adds health at appropriate times, rather than take it away during limited sunshine.

I don't believe in Defoliation for smaller leaves, except for the temporarily smaller leaves that grow out.

Sorce
 

Shibui

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I manage ficus leaf size mostly by pruning. Take advantage of the growth habit of ficus - first leaf on each shoot is small, next is a little larger and so on until outer leaves are full size. By allowing shoots to grow out then prune back to 1 or 2 leaves you will not only have smaller leaves at the base of each shoot but increase ramification and all without defoliating the tree. Full defoliation is not necessary, especially while the tree is developing and may be counterproductive. Defoliating but leaving the unopened tip intact will do nothing to reduce leaf size because the leaf inside that terminal sheath is already destined to be larger. If defoliation is used it must be coupled with pruning terminal buds to have any effect on leaf size.

Pruning is the key to achieving ramification, even more so in ficus, and ramification is the key to smaller leaves as outlined above by @Leo in N E Illinois
 
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