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Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

  • Pinkham
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Replied by Pinkham on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1536
Ficus bounce back well. I wouldn't worry too much.She'll be fine. You did everything right to help her fight.
This is a little off topic, but I would think long and hard before I got another tree from that club.
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  • Leslie
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Replied by Leslie on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1542
Hey Lance, thank you so much for your support and encouragement...it means a lot. I can certainly see how this art form can become a major test of one's patience! :lol:

As for the initial circumstances with this tree...I was a little ticked at first however, it was one person keeping the tree over the summer, and she takes her bonsai very seriously...she was terribly embarrassed. The Ficus, along with many of her other beautiful bonsai were kept outside during the summer and I think being outdoors they are exposed to more critters...and we had a very hot summer this year. I've never had to deal with critters before so this has really been a tremendous learning experience for me in the care of all plants.

You can be sure I'll be bugging for more advice to come! ;)
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Replied by Leslie on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1543
Hahahahahahahahaaa....:lol: I just realized the punn I made at the end of my last comment..."just bugging"...get it? Sometimes I just *quack* me right up! :woohoo:
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Replied by Leslie on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1546
Here are the photos I promised that were taken today...11 days after her second treatment for scale. Notice in photo #3 all the little green spikes?...from what I can see, I only lost one of them however, they are not doing any growing at the moment. I'd very much appreciate any thoughts and suggestions you may have with regard to the condition my little *Jamina* is in. :unsure:

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  • Pinkham
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Replied by Pinkham on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1548
The top is a little sad but it should be fine. If the top dies you can cut it off, like in my "vision of her last month. She's still cute.
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  • Leslie
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Replied by Leslie on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1553
Awwhhh Gee...now you've got her blushing...:blush:

Seriously tho, how long do I have to wait before I can do anything like test the branches for life, etc. I have to wait a month before I fertilize her, right? This waiting is driving me bonkers!
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Replied by Pinkham on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1558
wait until you see new leaves before you do anything.
The first thing I learned about bonsai is patience. Rushing the tree will do more harm than good.
If I were you I would wait for at least a month to test the branches and longer to fertilize.
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  • Youri1995
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Replied by Youri1995 on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1601
You can also scratch a little bit of the bark away to see if the branch it's still alive, if it's green beneath it, it's alive, if it's brown beneath it, it died unfortunately.

If the top dies off, I would cut it off and make a jin out of it. ;)
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  • Leslie
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Replied by Leslie on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1615
Thank you Lance and Youri for your feed-back. I really appreciate your help. :cheer:

Hahaha...guess what? Yesterday, as I was taking a photo of Jamina (my Ficus), I accidentall bumped the top of her against the overhead lamp and the whole top of the tree snapped off...and I didn't hit it at all hard. It broke in two pieces however, from my woodcarving experience, I'm real good at glueing wood back together. ;)

Thanks for the great idea, Youri to make jin out it! I don't know where I would put it tho...in the soil at the base of the trunk? I have never made jin before.

Lance, it looks like your initial idea for the style of this tree has become a reality.
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Replied by Pinkham on topic Re: Scale? on Ficus(Too Little)Benjamina

Posted 12 years 7 months ago #1618
Leslie, Jin is deadwood carved at the top of the tree. Is there any wood still attached to the top of her? If it's thick you could carve something nice in to that. I'm sure of it. :)
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