Prune Ficus Ginseng: [Importance, Time, Tools, Considerations and Steps]
The ficus ginseng is one of the ficus species that stands out for being worked indoors to obtain the valuable bonsai.
Outdoors it is capable of reaching a great height, but indoors, with a good pruning job, it can become a charming and very decorative plant.
The application of this procedure could be a bit complex, since it is necessary to meet some requirements to achieve the expected results.
The good thing is that you won’t have to search much further to have the information available because here we will give it to you complete and easy to understand. Are you coming with us to discover all the details?
Why prune ficus ginseng?
The ficus is a type of plant that tends to grow a lot, whatever the species, so ginseng is no exception. There are plants that in their preferred natural conditions can reach hundreds of meters in height, making pruning a mandatory task.
When the ficus ginseng is kept indoors, pruning helps to give it the desired shape and to ensure that it maintains an appropriate height.But in addition, with pruning it is also sought that the entire structure is healthy, without withered or dry parts that make it ugly or that can cause problems.
When is it better to carry out pruning of ficus ginseng?
It is very important that the pruning is not done in winter because the prevailing cold could cause a negative impact on the wounds. It is better to wait until spring when the sap flow will start and the ficus will be able to recover normally.
What tools should we use to prune ficus ginseng?
To prune a bonsai, you will need everyday scissors and hand scissors to work the branches that are usually a little thicker.
It is important in both cases that the tools have a suitable edge to implement accurate, fast and clean cuts. In the same way, it is necessary to ensure the respective disinfection, preferably with alcohol, so as not to create an environment that facilitates the settlement of fungi or bacteria.
What considerations should we take into account when pruning a ficus ginseng?
The main consideration to take into account is the result that we hope to obtain from the pruning.There is training pruning, which has as its main objective to form the structure of the tree.
In turn, there is the maintenance pruning that has the purpose of working the entire structure throughout its life to maintain the desired shape. In maintenance pruning, the affected parts are also eliminated and they do not contribute anything to the general structure.
How to prune ficus ginseng without damaging the plant?
The procedure for pruning a ficus ginseng is not complex, but it does require a lot of precision to achieve the best results.The ideal is to work according to the following scheme of steps:
- Remove all parts that are in poor condition and are visible. Being a small plant, it is very easy to access all areas and make cuts with precision.
- Define which are the main branches that form the structure and proceed to prune those that have been born and have developed excessively. They usually look messy and need to be removed.
- Lighten the canopy a bit by cutting off any leaves that look weak or misplaced. This action will help light and air circulate inside and the plant will become more vigorous.
- Evaluate the branches that the plant has and proceed to eliminate those that have strange shapes, that collide with each other, that have grown vertically but with a great thickness or that are in any other direction but their thickness is greater than that of the main trunk. Since this action can create sizable wounds, it may be a good idea to apply a healing paste.
- Pinch the leaves with the help of your fingers. This is a procedure that you will have to carry out throughout the growth period to stimulate the formation of new and more abundant leaves. The idea is to squeeze the buds with your thumb and forefinger and break the joint at the weakest point. This will prevent that area from wilting and activate the growth process.
Bonsai are counted as the most striking tree forms to have inside the home and the ficus ginseng is ideal for that. Pruning is an essential care for them to prosper properly but also to ensure growth adapted to the patterns.
The good news is that it is a resistant species, capable of withstanding more or less intense pruning as long as it is carried out at the correct times.
How long does ficus ginseng live?
The average lifespan of ficus ginseng (and ficuses in general) is 200 years outdoors and 10 years indoors.
How long does ficus ginseng take to grow?
It grows very quickly and in 2 or 3 years it will already have a well-formed structure.
How long does it take to produce fruit?
It can take 3 years or more to see the first flowers of the ficus ginseng and, therefore, the fruits.
This only applies to plants planted outdoors, since indoor ones are not productive.
Can it be grown in a pot?
It does accept potted cultivation, both in specimens that are kept in their natural form and in those that are worked as bonsai.
How many times does ficus ginseng produce fruit?
In a pleasant environment where temperatures are constant throughout the year, it can produce fruit up to 2 times a year.
Should ficus ginseng be pollinated to obtain fruit?
It is pollinated with the intervention of a specific wasp that belongs to the Agaonidae family.
How cold can ficus ginseng tolerate?
Ideally, it should be in an environment with temperatures that do not drop below 15 ° C, since it does not resist cold, much less frost.
How many ficus ginseng can be planted per hectare?
It is possible to work with 200 or 250 plants on one hectare of land.
What kind of fertilizer does ficus ginseng need?
Use liquid fertilizer to fertilize indoors or granulated for outdoor plants.
This will apply during the spring and summer months.
How much heat and/or drought can ficus ginseng tolerate?
Extreme heat doesn’t do well either. That is why it is key to work in environments that manage between 25 and 28° C in summer.
Above 30° C will be excessive.
The drought is not going well for them. It is better to establish a convenient rhythm of watering.
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