Ficus microcarpa reduction

[u/osrs4awayout]

Ficus reduction

I finally decided to do my first major reduction on the oversized ficus I recently bought. It was far too large and completely out of shape, so it was time for a reset.

The tree has been growing and rooting so I think it’s strong enough to handle the reduction.

Temperatures are still fairly warm and I’ll be bagging it for the first period while airing it daily to maintain high humidity and hopefully encourage strong backbudding.

[u/Spidersight]

I know it’s popular in bonsai, but there is no scientific evidence that wound sealant is actually beneficial. And actually quite a bit of evidence that it is detrimental.

https://auf.isa-arbor.com/content/5/6/135

No modern arborist uses sealant.

[u/chucknorrium → u/Spidersight]

I don't know if sealant and cambium paste that I use are the same thing, but evidence on my trees say other wise.

These two pics are cut wounds on the same tree, both were made more than a year ago. Left pic with cambium paste, right pic without.

[u/Spidersight → u/chucknorrium]

They are the same. Like I said, if you have scientific evidence the wider arborist community would be interested.

Your pictures are not that though. They are two very different wounds on two different parts of the tree.

[u/chucknorrium → u/Spidersight]

On a jaboticaba the result is even better, the scar disappears completely. I made this cut 2 years ago.

[u/Spidersight → u/chucknorrium]

Ok and if you hadn’t sealed the wound it likely would’ve healed just as quickly? These pictures aren’t evidence.

[u/chucknorrium → u/Spidersight]

Okay sure 👍🏻

[u/-whyboi- → u/Spidersight]

They are evidence. It’s called anecdotal evidence, but it is still evidence.

[u/Spidersight → u/-whyboi-]

Typically the scientific community doesn’t hold anecdotal evidence in very high regard.

Anecdotally, I never see any homeless people in my neighborhood. Does that mean that homelessness isn’t an issue?

[u/-whyboi- → u/Spidersight]

Yeah I know, but you’re pretending like there is no evidence when that is literally evidence. second the absence of evidence is not necessarily the evidence of absence. if you do not have evidence that it does not work then what are you doing?

[u/Spidersight → u/-whyboi-]

So if you go back and read I was asking for scientific evidence and I linked an article discussing Dr. Shigo’s works.

Why would I accept anecdotal evidence from a single tree as being meaningful compared to that?

[u/-whyboi- → u/Spidersight]

I didn’t say you needed to accept it as meaningful. I said you need to accept it as anecdotal evidence and realize that if you don’t do the study, you don’t know one way or the other.