Starfox
Masterpiece
There ya go.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ficus-defoliation-experiment.34954/I am probably taking some more cuttings this week so if it can be expanded on some way let me know.
The starter Ficus repository!
- Thread starter Starfox
- Start date
There ya go.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ficus-defoliation-experiment.34954/I am probably taking some more cuttings this week so if it can be expanded on some way let me know.
defra
Masterpiece
Lol our summer isnt bad either huh
defra
Masterpiece
leatherback
The Treedeemer
hemmy
Omono
Which I do when working to build branches. For the ones trunk building in the ground, I guess I do have room for unlimited growth. But I suppose I do defoliate also when I strip the interior and lower leaves from long sacrifices.
I wonder if long term for ficus, lots of smaller sacrifice branches might create a better trunk? I wonder if that’s what @Chuah used on the above link? It seems like some deciduous trees in Japan are created that way which may be slower but produces a higher quality result (more, smaller, easily healed scars, rather than large calluses which create bulges and have to be carved flat). Probably need to use that with the larger trunk building extension if you are going really big!
I think I’ll go out right now and pluck some leaves for backbudding and small sacrifices! Thanks!
leatherback
The Treedeemer
This is what I have been told by my teacher. To grow the best bonsai, develop them leaving branches on for one of two years max. That allows nearly scar-free trees. But year.. It does take A LOT more time.
Johnathan
Omono
So you guys are saying more smaller branches, less big thick branches for trunk girth?
hemmy
Omono
I think to a point and to develop fat swelling bases. But to develop the shape and taper of the main trunk line, you’ll still need some extension and trunk chops. Here’s 2 chops, using escape ground growing. The first part in 2013 and this last chop was in 2015. It is mostly healed and now I’m building primary branching. Even with a hard branch cut back this year , it didn’t sprout from the base. The nebari has a couple monster roots that I removed. But I still need to remove a large one. I planned to graft some roots when I chop the rootball next year. Maybe I also need to graft some escape branches at the base to develop more basal flare.
Starfox
Masterpiece
Same here, for me I thought of it more as a refinement tool but this has given me pause for thought. I don't have the long term experience to say for certain but it should be an interesting experiment.
Ficus grow so quick as it is and I often rub out buds I don't need after a defoliation so perhaps leaving them all on in theory should create more sacrifices and quicker trunk/branch thickness.
Anyway I'll do my best not to kill my experiment cuttings and keep it updated.
Tentakelaertje
Omono
defra
Masterpiece
My ficus grew allot with the hot weather we been having
Ready for a pruning session i think?
Ready for a pruning session i think?
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Folks,
Try to get it to look like this [ a ] before you do this [ b ].
Ficus does not really like 36 deg.C if it lasts more than 30 to 15 minutes
------ be careful.
Defoliated and regrowth at 30 deg.C for less than 30 to 15 minutes.
Remember many of these Fici are Sub-Tropical.
For trunk thickening, simply extend a branch to 91 cm and remember you
can do this in a 2.5 cm deep pot. [ need an image reminder ? ]
Good Day
Anthony
Ficus b, [a]
Defoliated [b ]
Try to get it to look like this [ a ] before you do this [ b ].
Ficus does not really like 36 deg.C if it lasts more than 30 to 15 minutes
------ be careful.
Defoliated and regrowth at 30 deg.C for less than 30 to 15 minutes.
Remember many of these Fici are Sub-Tropical.
For trunk thickening, simply extend a branch to 91 cm and remember you
can do this in a 2.5 cm deep pot. [ need an image reminder ? ]
Good Day
Anthony
Ficus b, [a]
Defoliated [b ]
@Anthony So there is no need to let any branches extend further than 91 cm to get trunk thickening?
Do you let all branches extend or just some?
Sorry if these questions seem silly, but I'm a newbie and wanna make sure I don't misunderstand
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
@Ingvill ,
factor in this 32 to 21 deg.C as a daily constant.
I am afraid you would have to test -- say 10 cuttings.
Just try to get each of them to grow 1 branch out to 91 cm.
Take written notes on time for growing out. Calendar.
How it affected the trunk.
Please note - we only use our local willow leaf ficus
and the Ficus b, [ not the cultivars ]
Soil is a simple mix of silica based gravel [ not crushed
granite or basalt - the K and N contained may cause problems ]
plus compost [ hold 20 times weight in water - so 10 grams
of compost can hold 200 grams of water ]
Granite sand has 0 N 0 P 5 K. Enough alkali to maybe affect a
ficus ?
This mix ends up as 9 parts 5 mm gravel and 1 part compost.
The pot to hold the ficus is only 2,5 cm deep.
Image below.
Try.
Anthony
This is all we need to thicken the trunk of a ficus.
Our problem is stopping the thickening.
factor in this 32 to 21 deg.C as a daily constant.
I am afraid you would have to test -- say 10 cuttings.
Just try to get each of them to grow 1 branch out to 91 cm.
Take written notes on time for growing out. Calendar.
How it affected the trunk.
Please note - we only use our local willow leaf ficus
and the Ficus b, [ not the cultivars ]
Soil is a simple mix of silica based gravel [ not crushed
granite or basalt - the K and N contained may cause problems ]
plus compost [ hold 20 times weight in water - so 10 grams
of compost can hold 200 grams of water ]
Granite sand has 0 N 0 P 5 K. Enough alkali to maybe affect a
ficus ?
This mix ends up as 9 parts 5 mm gravel and 1 part compost.
The pot to hold the ficus is only 2,5 cm deep.
Image below.
Try.
Anthony
This is all we need to thicken the trunk of a ficus.
Our problem is stopping the thickening.
defra
Masterpiece
Still i guess your season is way longer than mine or ingvill in europe here so i doubt well get to the shoots extending that much
defra
Masterpiece
Thats what ill do to i plan on placing mine in a old aquarium with grow lightThank you, yes, my growing season outdoors for ficus is very short, 2 - 2.5 months would be normal.
I guess I will just need to give it try, with growlights indoors
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Yes, @Ingvill ,
use the technology [ use the force Luke ]
@defra ,
about 8 to 9 months, factor in Christmas to February cool weather,
no rain, and too much rain.[ growing period ]
Check to see if Ficus b or the Willow ficus really like humidity above
say 70 %.
Our willow leaf grows on concrete walls, galvanised roof tops and
mostly places nothing else can grow.
You might slow them down with love.
Our humidity low is 45 % and back up to 70/80 at night during our
dry season of 6 months.
Good Day
Anthony
use the technology [ use the force Luke ]
@defra ,
about 8 to 9 months, factor in Christmas to February cool weather,
no rain, and too much rain.[ growing period ]
Check to see if Ficus b or the Willow ficus really like humidity above
say 70 %.
Our willow leaf grows on concrete walls, galvanised roof tops and
mostly places nothing else can grow.
You might slow them down with love.
Our humidity low is 45 % and back up to 70/80 at night during our
dry season of 6 months.
Good Day
Anthony
defra
Masterpiece
Mine grew just a little indoors last year 9n the window sill above the heatng pannel
I have seen the results from a fellow dutch bonsai hobbyist with great results in a aquarium!
Well see
Hello Hemmy,
Sorry for the late reply, have been away for awhile and just found your post.
To grow a bigger trunk in broad-leave trees, one would normally let the center leader grows wild. It is called a whip. You may keep some lower branches near the base you want to help in thickening, everything in between these desired lower branches and the top are removed to allow the auxin accelerates the growth. The longer and bigger the whip, the faster the thickening of the trunk. After a certain girth is reached, you chop it off and grow a new whip to get trunk taper. Ficus follows similar growth pattern, however, it differs from other broad-leaves because of the aerial roots.
When there are some aerial roots on the lower branches, they compete with the whip. The aerial roots would grow down to the soil, suck up all the nutrients, and thicken very fast. Up to a certain height above the aerial roots, the whip does not thicken as fast as it would in other broadleaf trees. To help thickening the upper section, one could encourage aerial roots to grow higher up the trunk or graft with aerial roots from a small plant. So one has to consider the competition between aerial roots and whip, and how to use the aerial roots effectively. You may have read about ficus having a weak top growth, it is because of the competitive aerial roots.
To get a broad nebari, I graft aerial roots to the base and bury them under soil. Exposed roots do not thicken much, but would grow quite big if buried for a year or two. When you repot the tree, raise the tree by 1/4 to 1/2" where the buried roots appear to have thickened. This way over several repotting, you get a bigger trunk base and nebari. If you see pictures of some huge ficus imported by the Wigert nursery in recent FB posts, those big roots, grown from buried aerial roots, fused together and formed a trunk.
I hope I answer your question clear enough. If not, please let me know.
