AusBonsai

I had one day off during the last week of Floriade and guess what I did.

On Thursday the 8th of October I defoliated a Desert ash(Fraxinus angustifolia). It had put out it spring growth and then stopped growing and hardened off because of the cold weather. It was back in new bud and leaf by Saturday 24th October, just 2 weeks and 2 days!

On the same day I defoliated a Port Jackson Fig(Ficus rubiginosa) that was growing inside due to our freezing winters in Canberra. It is not back in leaf yet but the buds are swelling nicely and it will probably be in leaf in another 2 or 3 weeks at the current rate I would say. I will put it outside next week.

I intend to defoliate the Ash about 4 or 5 times this year just to see how hard I can push it; but safely. I will do intensive rewiring after the 2nd or 3rd defoliation. Don Delucca does it all the time at Hay but I definately don't have his climate (Thank goodness!)

I will defoliate the Fig just once more this year unless it is doing fantastically well.

Anyone defoliated Japanese Maple more than once in a season?

I have been toying with the Ficus, but as yet have not done it.
I have defoliated Japanese maple more than once. The first time because I wanted to, the next because of massive wind burn. The tree's came back well. As I said I have since moved them on.
I am now back with some minis hopefully I will be able to keep them from burning too much.

Hope you had a good break say hello to Margaret from Sue and I.

Pup

Hi Grant,

I tend to only defoliate once per season, i remember a few years back i did some twice and the second set of leaves grew quite deformed.

Grant

Thanks for that Pup.

We have a short but intense growing season here in Canberra and I imagine I could defoliate a Japanese maple more than once; but as I have only been here for two growing seasons it is one of the things I haven't tried yet.

I kept 3 Japanese maples from my nursery days and will give it a go this year.

Grant

Espresso wrote:Hi Grant,

I tend to only defoliate once per season, i remember a few years back i did some twice and the second set of leaves grew quite deformed.

Grant

Give us a rough geographical area you live in so I can compare results and can you think why they were deformed?

Tah,

Grant.

Grant,

It was a Port Jackson fig, i have no idea why, but the second set of leaves were all a very weird shape. I live on the northern beaches of Sydney....About 10 mins from the beach.

ps, i feel like im repeating our names lol

Grant

Espresso wrote:Grant,

It was a Port Jackson fig, i have no idea why, but the second set of leaves were all a very weird shape. I live on the northern beaches of Sydney....About 10 mins from the beach.

ps, i feel like im repeating our names lol

Grant

I will grant you that Grant but not take you for granted Grant.

Anyhow you can defoliate Figs easilly 2 or 3 or even 4 times where you live so it must be something else; not just the act of defoliating.

Mites, thrips, excess something or other but not defoliation.

Grant

Espresso wrote:Grant,

It was a Port Jackson fig, i have no idea why, but the second set of leaves were all a very weird shape. I live on the northern beaches of Sydney....About 10 mins from the beach.

ps, i feel like im repeating our names lol

Grant

Grant did you have any hail storms or cold snaps while the buds were forming?. This will result in deformed leaves. Just an obsevation.

Pup

Thanks Guys, i do have a problem with thrips on my two Microcarpa figs but they seem to leave the port jacksons alone. Pup, it was so long ago now i cant remember the weather

Pup wrote:

Espresso wrote:Grant,

It was a Port Jackson fig, i have no idea why, but the second set of leaves were all a very weird shape. I live on the northern beaches of Sydney....About 10 mins from the beach.

ps, i feel like im repeating our names lol

Grant

Grant did you have any hail storms or cold snaps while the buds were forming?. This will result in deformed leaves. Just an obsevation.

Pup

Good observation Pup; I have had that in Canberra but never in Sydney.

You guys have me worried now, I defoliated a port jackson fig 3 weeks ago with the view to restyling at a Robert Steven workshop on Sunday. Today we have had a decent hailstorm, I assume that it is too late now and that I may suffer some leaf deformities although it has not been very cold.
Gerard

twosdale wrote:You guys have me worried now, I defoliated a port jackson fig 3 weeks ago with the view to restyling at a Robert Steven workshop on Sunday. Today we have had a decent hailstorm, I assume that it is too late now and that I may suffer some leaf deformities although it has not been very cold.
Gerard

Shouldn't be a problem . They are tough little buggers.

Last weekend i defoliated a Shefflera. Think im still wanting rampant growth on everything else for now.

JayC

Defoliated a trident couple of days ago, did a fig 8 weeks ago when I bare rooted it. Needs a repot again as the roots have filled the pot! Treat em mean, keep em keen!

what about chinese elm? i have been thinking of doing mine as the new shoots have hardened off but i also want strong growth from it, defoliating will help this yes?
i havent touched my tridents been thinking bout doing them too but last time i did it went into dormancy and didnt come back? and i mean didnt come back at all. stayed dormant for ages, i tried everything to get it to bud brak and then just yesterday done a scratch test and it is now dead.

jamie