Port Jackson fig 21 years from seed.

[Graeme]

Grant Bowie, that wiring is terrib le. Now you take it all off and redo it!!!!!
Nice experiment mate, wonder what will happen as the remaining leaves come out, or what they will do should the tree go into domancy and not reshoot until Spring. Going to be interesting.

[Amanda]

Fantastic Mr Bowie.

[rudy]

Fantastic leaf reduction and beatiful tree. When is the best time in Victoria to prune hard and leaf cut at the same time of Moreton Bay Fig.

Regards
Rudy

[Jamie]

awesome grant

thanks for taking the time to take the pics

[Grant Bowie]

hi all,

Here is my fig and max's fig in my figatorium/new bonsai studio tonight. It was minus something or other this morning outside and minus 2 or 3 tomorrow.

Maxs fig has put on about 6 new leaves per branchlet throughout winter since it was put inside earlier in the year, as I expected.

22nd july.JPG

Budding mid winter.JPG

other side.JPG

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Fantastic leaf reduction and beatiful tree. When is the best time in Victoria to prune hard and leaf cut at the same time of Moreton Bay Fig.

Regards
Rudy

Sorry, missed this one.

When it is hot or about to get hot is the best time I believe. You will however never get the same density of ramification or leaf reduction that is possible with Port jackson Fig.

Grant

[Steven]

G'day Grant,

I'm keen to know how the growth has progressed through winter and into Spring. Any chance on an update and a pic or 2?
Very nice to see a fig styled as a fig too

Regards,
Steven

[Grant Bowie]

G'day Grant,

I'm keen to know how the growth has progressed through winter and into Spring. Any chance on an update and a pic or 2?
Very nice to see a fig styled as a fig too

Regards,
Steven

Hi Steven,

Below is the photo of the fig as of today.

PJ Fig 28th Oct 2010.JPG

It has been outside for about a month now and is hardened off. Of course it has still been cold outside so it stopped growing as soon as I put it outside.

Anyhow it very happily survived the many months inside the house. The leaves are still quite small after the time inside.

I will defoliate it in about 4 weeks time.

Sorry for the delay inposting but I was away on holidays.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

This tree has had an interesting year.

To recap; it was repotted into a mix of 50% Crushed brick and 50% perlite.
It was defoliated numerous times throughout the year.
It was then defoliated late in the season and then put inside the house for winter.
It had a major rework and wiring.
It came out into leaf slowly but surely during winter inside.
It was put back outside after numerous months inside and is now powering away. (Lots of Osmocote on the surface)
It is now due for a light trim or defoliation if the weather warms up.

Grant

PJ Fig 1st dec 2010 - Compressed.JPG

[Steven]

So, to summarise your recap...
This fig has copped a flogging this year;-
Wacked into an experimental inert medium.
Defoliated lots of times over the year.
Defoliated and major work done out of season.
Grown in the cold of Canberra.

Despite the 'hardship' it looks very healthy and is testament to the resilience of ficus (and your horticultural skills).

All this from a tree you grew from seed 21 years ago. Nothing like bushing the boundaries Grant

Regards,
Steven

[Grant Bowie]

So, to summarise your recap...
This fig has copped a flogging this year;-
Wacked into an experimental inert medium.
Defoliated lots of times over the year.
Defoliated and major work done out of season.
Grown in the cold of Canberra.

Despite the 'hardship' it looks very healthy and is testament to the resilience of ficus (and your horticultural skills).

All this from a tree you grew from seed 21 years ago. Nothing like bushing the boundaries Grant

Regards,
Steven

Yep, that is about it. Pushing trees to see what happens; otherwise its just painting by numbers.

Also trying out other peoples ideas and sharing the results.

Grant

[Taffy]

Yep, the results are great Grant - and I do like that pot!

[lacertilian]

hi Grant, how is this awesome tree looking now? Is it in the National Collection? Cheers

[Isitangus]

I somehow missed the post in my readings...
Tree is spectacular
Pot is spectacular (is the maker/brand mentioned somewhere)
Love it all-makes me want to germinate some seeds

[Grant Bowie]

I somehow missed the post in my readings...
Tree is spectacular
Pot is spectacular (is the maker/brand mentioned somewhere)
Love it all-makes me want to germinate some seeds

The maker of the pot is a Canberran named Roger H. Due to time pressures he doesn't make many pots but they are all unique.
Since the last photo it went into a Pat Kennedy pot for a year or so and I have since cahnged it again a few weeks ago into a slightly larger, dark green Chinese pot. I will organise a pic soon.

Grant