AusBonsai

Hi,

All good information, Thank you Jamie.

I asusme by grow box you mean a moveable box that i can shift around the yard and not actually in the ground itself?

If so what size would you recommend this box to be?

The only other thing i am wondering about is the wiring shape, i know ill probebely know what shape to make it once i start wiring it, but does anyone have an idea of what might look good, or what "rules" as such that i should follow?

Gareth

yes mate a grow box will be fine, i use the styro boxes you can get from the fruit and veg shop. they should have that many that you can get for free
you will need to put some holes on the bottom and some mesh to cover them so the medium doesnt fall out!

as for wiring in movement try and get as much as you can, in out left and right, think three dimensional, when you put it in the grow box you can plant it on an angle and that will help you start with movement

jamie

Thanks Jamie,

Ill pot it up, wire it up a bit and then post some pictures, ill trim about a thrid of the foliage mass for now and then after posting ill get some more suggestions re: wiring direction and more pruning if nessecary.

Thanks again for all the help, very much appreciated.

gareth

Also, regarding this fig, im going to re-pot it into a styrofoam box this weekend and wire it up, but just wondering what type of fig it is?

Also when would be the best time to de-foliate, or should i leave defoliation until i get some good strong growth on it and then do it?

Gareth

hi mate

this one could be a number of different fig, possibly PJ fig (F. rubiginosa), QLD small leaf(ficus obliqua/eugonoides), weeping fig (F. Benjamina), hills fig (F. microcarpa var. hilli) just to name a few, hard to ID without a good clear picture of the leaf it self.

as for defoliating i wouldnt stress to much with that what you want to develop is trunk growth, defoliating will only slow this down for now mate

Hi Jamie,

Thanks mate thats what i thought.

Ill get a close up picture of the leaf and post it, repotting went well, along with the re-pott of what i think is a PJ fig as well, it was a tree given as a gift with a horrible base of swollen roots 3 times larger than the main trunk and stubs and branchs everywhere, it has been a slow process but i think i finally have this one under control, shortening the trunk each time i re-pott but applying rooting hormone further up the trunk and cutting away the overly swollen and all round olffensive lower sections, and the tree itself is also coming along well.


I am very happy with myself at the moment, thanks for all the help.

Gareth

Hi Gareth,

You have been given lots of great advice on what to do with your tree. I just thought I would share this thread on fast growing trees, it is especially good with figs as they never say no to a feed.viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3173&hilit=fast+grow+method am a little surprised noone else has put you on to it yet, alot of reading but worth it.

Matt

With regards to a possible ID, given the slight brown tinge to the back of the leaves it is most likely Ficus rubiginosa Port Jackson fig.