AusBonsai

Hi all
Bought this little tree today which I think is a Green Island Fig ,just wondering if anyone can help me with any do's and don'ts with regard to this species (sorry about the pic quality) Any pics of your own would be appreciated . The plan is to grow and style for approx 2-3 yrs take cuutings along the way then into a pot . Hoping to get a good tree/s out of this ,I am patient enough so the couple of year wait doesn't worry me .By then I will probably want to cut it back and grow it on some more
Cheers
Tony

i havent seen these ones before tony, it looks like a different leaf than figs normally, although they look like the money fig too
i think ya need to grow it on for a while mate, unless ya going mini mame

should be good. look forward to seeing itgrow up

jamie

Thanks Jamie I picked it up from one of the nurseries here for $7 and a willow leaf fig as well they had the same thing in a bonsai pot for $65 decisions decisions (also had trident starters which they said grow really well here ). I would like to know the growth rates on these figs and anything else really although haven''t googled yet .

mate, if you plant ya fig out in the ground or a grow box step back when ya feed them or ya most likely to lose an eye they boom up here, mine are going nuts, especially with heavy feed.

@ the tridents, liquid amber might be a different story though.

elm grow pretty well too.

ya willow leaf fig will come out well and you will see massive thickening if in grow boxes or ground work. i would say you could put 2 inches on a fig in about 3 years if its in the ground, if not more.
that goes for any fig pretty much.

cheers

jamie

Thanks mate the bag of diatomite inthe background is for this fellow . into a foam box he goes

your gonna have to let me know your supplier for daitomite mate, i cant get it around here, bundy isnt to far so i will have to drive up some time

jamie

hey guys its a green island fig they come in two cultivars one long leaf one round this is the round allso known as a dollar fig because of the leaf shape as for diatomite the place is called fernland they have a few shops around qld

Hey Dayne thanks mate can you tell me anything else about this fella ,growth rates? what to watch? The diatomite is from a local produce place in town who say it is maidenwell
cheers

i dont have any but there pretty common down here theres reports you cant defoliate them but ive seen it done and you can there pretty quick id throw it in a big pot and feed it like a fat kid

Hi Bundy,
They are fairly slow to fatten up in the trunk, they strike from cutting very easy and look great with little figs all over them and the leaves reduce really well, but keep it well away from frost. I had a really good little fat shohin for about 15 years and I made the mistake of moving it off the bench putting it on the ground for 1 night only in winter and it turned to black sludge.
They have a tendency to lose the occassional branch when wired and love water. I've looked in vain to find another one with a fat trunk to replace it, my cuttings are too slow.
Good little tree to start with, it may grow much faster in your climate.
Cheers, Jonden

Thanks mate The frost problem not really a drama up here ,can still happen though. I had been introduced to a guy up here today who has been growing bonsai for about 30yrs went and had a look at his collection (absolutely huge but another story) he had about 7 or 8 G.I.Figs and all were in semi prostrate to semi cascade styles the taper wasn't there as compared to the other figs ,and he had said that they are a different kind of fig compared to standard behaviours and growth habits(so i let the tree decide the style) The plan is with this one will be as Dayne suggested FEED FEED FEED
Cheers
Tony

i reckon feed and chop, feed and chop tony, get yaself a nice little fat base and go from there

heres a little inspiration
fat little bugger this one


jamie

Maate Grouse pic ,Want to make my own slab and plonk a tree like that on it

hi mate, there growth habits are not quite the same as other figs, they are a slower grower, they don't thicken up us fast and they are usually a low growing tree so they are usually more suited to semi cascade style. another thing should know is that if you want to propagate them it has to be done by cutting as the seed will only germinate with the help of a particular beetle that can only be found on green island. scientific names are for broadleaf 'ficus microcarpa retusa' and narrow leaf is 'ficus microcarpa nitida', yours seems to be the broadleaf variety and as dayne said feed them like a fat kid cheers

hey tony,

this one might be a candidate for the fast growth method????

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3173

looking forward to tommorow


jamie