Brick Dust and Perlite mix

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

I just repotted my small PJ Fig into a mix of Brick Dust and Perlite.

IMG_0889.JPG

PJ Fig with small aerial roots and root pruned.JPG

Small but significant aerial roots on PJ Fig in Canberra.JPG

50 50 brick dust and perlite.JPG

Slightly wet to keep dust down.JPG

I put some of the 2nd largest brick dust over the holes and mesh then put in the 50/50 mix with osmocote. I put the tree into the pot and lightly worked in some mix.

I then topped it off with a mix of 1/3rd fineset brick dust, 1/3rd 2nd finest brick dust and 1/3rd perlite; then gave it a good water and put it outside. I will top dress it with decorative gravel in the morning and put into light shade for a week.

33 33 33 finest brick dust and 2nd finest brick dust and perlite.JPG

Closer.JPG

I will let you know how it goes. A friend of mine is growing a large fig in Canberra in 100% Perlite and it is doing fine as well.

Grant

[bonsai4life]

Great tree Grant
Have you planted figs in this mix before?
also what is the dimensions of the tree?

thanks Gott

[Scott Roxburgh]

Hi Grant,

Looks good, Im very interested to see the progress of the trees in the 'brick dust' mixes...

Also do you buy your perlite in large bags? or just the small bag that can be found in the large store that shan't be named (bunnys)? If in large bags where do you get it from, you seem to use quite a bit of it...

Scott

[Grant Bowie]

Hi,

as some of you might know I used to be in the nursery industry and of course bought all my ingredients at wholesale rates. I bought a very big bag of perlite yonks (15 years?)ago from a wholesaler in Sydney, or Campbelltown. Google for yourself to get some info in your state.

I am now retrialling perlite as an additive as I am getting long in the tooth(euphemism for old) and have a sore back, flat feet and a hernia to consider. Perlite is light; and brick dust is as well, compared to blue metal and zeolite.

This is the first time I have used brick dust on anything, but all reports seem positive, I have used perlite before in many ways but avoided using it too much as the dust is a bugger, with a Capital B!. Mix with Osmocote and you have a Bonsai hydroponic mix with who knows what PH.

I will let you know the progress.

The Fig measures about 42 cm from bottom of the pot to the top of the tree. This is a small tree for me. Maybe I will donate all my big trees to the NBPCA and start out again with really small trees.

Grant

[bonscythe]

Yes Grant, there is a supplier out here (S-W Sydney) who stock 100 litre bags of Perlite and Vermiculite. Have been using the verm as an inert replacement for coco-peat or peat moss, for better water retention.
Around $25 for 100L compared with B@#$#ngs where it is priced at over $10 for 5L
The 100L bag comes up to my chest and although it is now half empty it has served me well and perlite now constitutes around 40-50% of all my mixes.
I need a proper dust mask because even though I hold my breath, I reckon I am breathing in some here and there...

I guess the crushed brick used in your mix will keep some of the perlite from floating to the top during watering. Sounds good!

Edit: Scott, check out your local produce stores instead of hardware and you might get a better price on a bigger bag

[Mitchell]

Around $25 for 100L compared with B@#$#ngs where it is priced at over $10 for 5L

Go to the special orders counter all crazy eyed like and demand they order you in a larger bag at a better price.

[Grant Bowie]

I am sure there are specialist suppliers in each state for perlite, Osmocote etc where you can buy large quantities of everything horticultural.

The large bag of perlite will last many years.

The crushed brick will keep the perlite a bit under control but I will put a solid layer of decorative gravel to completely hide the perlite.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Attached are some photos after the repotting of the Fig.

Grant

PJ Fig in Crushed Brick and Perlite.JPG

Close up of roots in mix.JPG

PJ Fig in Crushed Brick and Perlite with pebble on surface.JPG

Closeup after pebbling. Hides perlite.JPG

Size of Leaf.JPG

[bonscythe]

The fig looks great in that pot, especially with the pebble-top coat.
Will you defoliate two times next year aswell or will that stress the fig out a bit much?
I think if your getting away with 2 during an ACT summer then I could go a bit harder on them next season..
Cheers

[Grant Bowie]

The fig looks great in that pot, especially with the pebble-top coat.
Will you defoliate two times next year aswell or will that stress the fig out a bit much?
I think if your getting away with 2 during an ACT summer then I could go a bit harder on them next season..
Cheers

You could check with some of the gung ho figgers out there but Max Candy discovered years ago he could defoliate at Homebush and Campsie in Sydney up to 4 times per year. The tree must be in good health. I think if you are going to do it 4 times per year I would start early, say early October, then again in December,then January and February, shortening the gap all the time as the season rolls on. You don't need to let the new wood lignify, as the new buds will form on quite green wood.

I have Max Candys last Fig in the NBPCA collection and we defoliated it twice this year and two hard trims as well. It is doing fine. I could probably do it again but no need as the leaves are quite small enough. I used my tree as an experiment before doing it to Max's tree.

Re my small fig I will continue to defoliate it twice per year I think. I am doing Ash 4 times per year here as well.

Grant

IMG_1088.JPG

Ficus rubiginosa.jpg

[

[Jamie]

as long as weather permits and temperatures are constant, with a healthy tree defoliation can be continued through out the year depending on how small you want the leaves and how highly ramified you want the tree. i have defoliated my little fig twice since i got it and it has responded well both times, it has help to create a denser tree and i will continue with it every couple of months if not sooner depending on how the tree is and how the weather holds. as long as it is staying above 16-18 degrees at night you dont have a problem

[Grant Bowie]

as long as weather permits and temperatures are constant, with a healthy tree defoliation can be continued through out the year depending on how small you want the leaves and how highly ramified you want the tree. i have defoliated my little fig twice since i got it and it has responded well both times, it has help to create a denser tree and i will continue with it every couple of months if not sooner depending on how the tree is and how the weather holds. as long as it is staying above 16-18 degrees at night you dont have a problem

THIS IS A MYTH I WOULD LIKE TO DISPELL HERE AND NOW!

If I waited till night time temps were regularly above 16 degrees in Canberra I couldn't defoliate at all till about mid January; yet I defoliated in early October (with my own little Fig) and early November with Maxs' Fig. Not only did we defoliate Maxs' Fig in November, we cut back hard and rubbed back all and any buds we could see.

It may come back slowly but bud and grow it did. Day time temps are enough to get the tree going alone; warmer night temps certainly help but aren't everything.

Grant

[Jamie]

well thats fair enough mate, i guess it is all in respect to location aswell isnt it. if you had figs in tasmania with a hot house that would still get to lowish temps would you put that sort of stress on the tree? hypothetically of course?

[Grant Bowie]

well thats fair enough mate, i guess it is all in respect to location aswell isnt it. if you had figs in tasmania with a hot house that would still get to lowish temps would you put that sort of stress on the tree? hypothetically of course?

Well yes and I have done so where I used to live in the Southern Highlands of NSW. It is not a stress on Figs if they are healthy.

I would put my Figs into a glass house around mid May and defoliate then. They came back into leaf very quickly (day time temps in the glass house were 30 degrees plus)and then settled down for winter with a lovely new set of leaves.

I would then bring them out around early October and defoliate early to mid December or so.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

So far , just 12 days after the repot into Brick dust and Perlite, the PJ Fig is looking fine and the new growth at the ends of the branches is elongating as if nothing happened. We have been lucky with some late warm weather , 28 degrees for a few days in a row.

I will move the tree inside in about 5 to 6 weeks as that is when frosts are likely to start.

From past experience it will go through a growth spurt when it goes inside up till about end of June. It will then sit dormant till about late September and I will defoliate it again around early October, while it is still inside, then move it out around late October.

This is a very different rythm to what most Fig growers follow but the weather down here doesn't provide much FGW "Fig Growing Weather".

People in Sydney and other places could push their Figs through winter if they wished to experiment a little.

Grant