AusBonsai

These are a couple of ways to rid myself of a few fig cuttings .They were taken 2 years ago and allowed to grow minimal roots then i decided to try fusing 3 together , Another 4 were Phoenix grafted onto a dry piece of hardwood . Neither of these have fused at any point , although they seem quite happy growing in a pot .After 15 months i would have thought they would have grown together but they appear to be pushing each other apart .The grafted trunks were wired and wrapped with grafting tape , the other one was spiraled around each other and wired .I defoliated them today and rewired in the opposite direction the twisted trunk . Considering the healthy growth I'm amazed to find all the trunks remain individuals .I will re apply the wire and shape and pre style and a re-pot hoping they fuse together this year . Plenty of side branches have established themselves and a few lower down , thinking along the lines of sacrifice branches i expected a better result . I plaited 3 P.J trunks 3 months after these and it has began to fuse very well . I have found the same goes for Trident Maples , Japanese Maples and Crab Apples , they fuse quicker if plaited or braided even if they are put together loosely , very interesting outcome . With another dozen cutting laying around i might braid or plait them together , one way to reduce the stock .

Cheers Alpineart

There are several keys to getting fusion. One, is growth. There must be lots and lots of growth as growth is the only thing that causes the trunks to fuse into each other. Two, the trunks must be held firmly together so that growth does not push them apart. That is why braiding or plaiting works so well. The trunks can't move apart and thus grow into each other.
Good work. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Jerry

Hi Jerry , i realize you need grow and security , considering these were very young green stems/sticks with no side shoot , one would assume with the amount of growth re-"all the side branches" they would have fused , even if at only the apexes .They have barely thicken along the length of the trunks but the bases have tripled in thickness .All the growth has produced the branches which are basically the thickness of the upper trunks .

When i wire something mate i usually go well and truely over board.The wire cut in and the bases grew out .The grafting tape has stretched on these figs , yet on the JBP inarch grafts it actually dug into the branch and trunk of the pines along the entire wrapped section .I think its off to the hardware this morning for some fine Stainless steel screws , I'll secure it tighter than Fort Knox . I have had cases here where Tridents have fell against each other as seedlings and have fused at that point ?. At least i have some branches to set up a structure for the season ahead .Might send them North to Queensland , they tell me the fuse in a few month's .

Cheers Alpineart

Well not a happy camper with the first season now its time to toughen up and go all out .I have wired these as tight as possible Harry Houdini couldn't get out .A quick re-pot and shape for the season , basically no trimming as i won't these to fuse together . If they don't .' well one can only imagine .

Cheers Alpineart