Guidance with fig

[patina]

The land lords recently did some gardening at the house we are renting and I found this tree that was going to get thrown into the waste!
The guy saved it but cut the main trunk back and it wasn't the cleanest of cuts, as you can see it has caused about 2 inches of the main trunk to die.
I have also noticed that it is back budding which I am please about. I know the trunk will have to be cut back and also the long branch, I am just unsure where to cut them both to...
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated, one day I hope to be able to give advice on this forum.
Cheers
Julian

[Andrew F]

The grow tips and bark look like Macrophylla [moreton bay] these guys take alot of punishment. But for now i'd let it settle in till spring and then chop low and use the rest as hardwood cuttings, make one lanky fig into 2 stumpy figs

HTH

[patina]

Thanks mate,
Would I be looking to air layer it bellow the long branch?
Should I trim the dead wood off before I do this?

Cheers
Julian

[Andrew F]

Hope you dont mind me doctoring your picture.

Air layer the top half and then retain the bit outlined in black then chop the stump back as much as you like.

As for the layer, there are heaps of great ways to improve ficus on this forum, tooth pic method, fast grow method, split the trunk and wedge it for that flared base.


Yer i would remove the dead wood and seal it with Earl's wood hardener.

[Gerard]

I have a personal rule, I have lots of figs but....
Only work on figs in summer

[Mojo Moyogi]

I have a personal rule, I have lots of figs but....
Only work on figs in summer

Ditto Gerard. Sensible for us Southern Victorians I reckon.

Cheers,
Mojo

[kcpoole]

I have a personal rule, I have lots of figs but....
Only work on figs in summer

There is a generally accepted guide, then work on figs stops in Autumn when the overnight temps get below 15 deg C and then you can restart work on them in spring when the night temps get over 15 again.

Ken

[patina]

Sorry for the late reply... been flat stick at work.
Thanks for the interpretation, I am still learning what to look for in trees.
I think I will air layer it during the growing season. Since I have never done any air layering what do figs like as a medium? When exactly is the best time for this?

Also I have the opportunity to go to a farm that has a large amount of 'rain forrest' and have been given the option of collecting. Would this be silly considering the change in climate?

Thanks again
Julian

[Andrew F]

Sorry for the late reply... been flat stick at work.
Thanks for the interpretation, I am still learning what to look for in trees.
I think I will air layer it during the growing season. Since I have never done any air layering what do figs like as a medium? When exactly is the best time for this?

Also I have the opportunity to go to a farm that has a large amount of 'rain forrest' and have been given the option of collecting. Would this be silly considering the change in climate?

Thanks again
Julian

Just use spaghnum moss, damp not wet. And fresh root hormone powder or gel.

Ohhh sounds like you have an opportunity to collect some nice material, as long as you dont take a fig from 70-80% shade, lots of humidity and then put it somewhere hot and dry, with 8 hours of full sun, shouldnt be a problem.

Maybe a make shift green house till you acclimatize the tree to your place. What part of Sydney are you from?

[Bougy Fan]

You would be best waiting until it warms up to air layer a fig. I usually use spag moss held in place with some alfoil - I don't bother to use a rooting hormone on figs anymore - they don't need it. I water the moss every day in summer as it can't dry out. Collecting is going to be better than in the middle of summer as long as it is not too cold where you live

[patina]

I live in Kensington. The property is just past Maitland, before Dungog.
Should I just retain as much of the original soil as possible and transplant as soon as I get back to the shed...
What should I look out for? last time I was there I found some great "drift wood"
There are lots of beautiful old figs, one is situated over two giant rocks and its roots span over and between.
Should I be looking at taking cuttings or finding small trees.
Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks in advance
Julian

[patina]

Here's another one of my figs,
Anyone got any ideas? its been growing over the statue for nearly 5 years.
I was silly and had it in a smallish pot for the most part but its now finally getting bigger.
Im going to pull off the other fig thats at the right hand side. Just through that in there last repot as I thought it could have been interesting.
I found this small bug when I started to dig it out maybe an inch under the soil.
Does anyone one know what I should do about it?

Cheers
Julian

[Andrew F]

Hi there again, Sorry i cant help with the bug I.D, looks like a witjuti grub.

Thats such a great idea, root over statue, i was going to attempt the same thing next grow season after seeing what figs do to old temples in Cambodia ect.

[Bougy Fan]

That is a curl grub - eats the roots of our trees. The best way to get rid of them is the bare root and go through all of the mix squashing them. But if it's getting cold it's a bit late to be be bare rooting it. If you can't go around in shorts and a t-shirt leave it until about October. Figs don't need as much soil when collecting - some figs I have chopped off a brick building with virtually no roots and they will survive. They are virtually bulletproof.

[kcpoole]

Hi Julian
The Bug is a Curl grub, and they will eat the roots of live trees. I have lost many trees because of them and they are the reason I now use my Diatomite / Zeolite mix instead of soil. I have never had a Grub in my pots since started using it.
They are the larvae of a beetle and they adults lay the eggs on the soil surface and they then grow in the soil.

They will take a year to really damage a tree, and the only way to really get rid of them is to bare root the tree and replace the soil.
If you cannot repot, then Place the pot in a bucket or a tray and fill with water until the soil in the pot is fully submerged and leave them for a few hours. this will drown the grubs.
Repeat every month or so to ensure they are dead.

Re your Fig, do not work on them utill the overnight temps get above 15 deg C. Mid spring in Sydney.
I airlayer using spag moss wrapped in plastic to seal the package. Put in in Spring and shodu be good to remove in 6- 8 weeks.

You could happily collect a Fig from the bush OK but you wil have to keep in a warm spot till spring. but better to wait till spring if you can.

Ken