I have a ficus retusa that I overwintered in a green house and I moved the tree outside mid April. Last summer I defoliated the tree with fabulous results during the first week of July when the temps here (in Richmond Va) were in the mid to upper 90's. I w
ould like to defoliate again this year for further ramification but wanted to know if I should wait until the temps here are in the 90's and I am guaranteed consecutive days of sun as opposed to now when the sun is sparse, rain is every other day and the t
emps are in the mid 70's to low 80's. The tree is extremely healthy but I want to defoliate with least risk and also least delay in the 'sprouting' of new leaves.

Randi Sharp - Richmond, VA





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Randi,
Your intuition is right. Wait until the weather is consistently hot and the
tree is as active as it gets. Defoliation will give you the best results at
that time.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/
I have a ficus retusa that I overwintered in a green house and I moved the
tree outside mid April. Last summer I defoliated the tree with fabulous
results during the first week of July when the temps here (in Richmond Va)
were in the mid to upper 90's. I would like to defoliate again this year for
further ramification but wanted to know if I should wait until the temps here
are in the 90's and I am guaranteed consecutive days of sun as opposed to now
when the sun is sparse, rain is every other day and the temps are in the mid
70's to low 80's. The tree is extremely healthy but I want to defoliate with
least risk and also least delay in the 'sprouting' of new leaves.

Randi Sharp - Richmond, VA




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I have a ficus retusa that I overwintered in a green house and
I moved the tree outside mid April. Last summer I defoliated the
tree with fabulous results during the first week of July when the
temps here (in Richmond Va) were in the mid to upper 90's. I
would like to defoliate again this year for further ramification
but wanted to know if I should wait until the temps here are in
the 90's and I am guaranteed consecutive days of sun as opposed
to now when the sun is sparse, rain is every other day and the
temps are in the mid 70's to low 80's. The tree is extremely
healthy but I want to defoliate with least risk and also least
delay in the 'sprouting' of new leaves.


Wait. A defoliated tree (no matter WHAT species) would have no
way to handle the wet soil you folks in the mid-Atlantic states
are getting. Trees get rid of excess water through their leaves.
If there are no leaves . . .

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - This economy
is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment. - Gaylord
Nelson, 1995

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Dear IBC'ers:
I just wanted to add to this thread: Being in the mid-lantic states
with terrible spring/winter weather, I had moved my four Ficus Retusa
(along with other trees) in and out for several weeks to acclimate them
to the brighter light (when it wasn't raining) and my Ficus Retus leaves
still ended up getting sun burned. I removed all the leaves (defoliated
completely) and left the trees out doors, and they are all coming back
with a beautiful flush of leaves.... The weather has been punk, to say
the least, but the Ficus all look well. All the other trees were
brought back into my Green house and placed in a covered area, my ICU
and they, too, have recovered.

Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
http://bmee.net/rosner
http://www.jamesbaird.com/cgi-bin/Ja...d=00000068 48





I have a ficus retusa that I overwintered in a green house and


I moved the tree outside mid April. Last summer I defoliated the
tree with fabulous results during the first week of July when the
temps here (in Richmond Va) were in the mid to upper 90's. I
would like to defoliate again this year for further ramification
but wanted to know if I should wait until the temps here are in
the 90's and I am guaranteed consecutive days of sun as opposed
to now when the sun is sparse, rain is every other day and the
temps are in the mid 70's to low 80's. The tree is extremely
healthy but I want to defoliate with least risk and also least
delay in the 'sprouting' of new leaves.







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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Jim,
Thanks for additional insight on the issue of the wet and soggy weather we are having and the trees method of getting rid of the excess water...i was so focused on lower than average temps I totally overlooked this potential problem you pointed out. Thanks
!

Randi Sharp
Richmond, VA..more like Seatlle...since today there is sun...but storms forecasted for the next 5 days...

Jim Lewis wrote:
Wait. A defoliated tree (no matter WHAT species) would have no
way to handle the wet soil you folks in the mid-Atlantic states
are getting. Trees get rid of excess water through their leaves.
If there are no leaves . . .

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - This economy
is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment. - Gaylord
Nelson, 1995

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

---------------------------------
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Free online calendar with sync to Outlook(TM).

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++