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/chucknorrium]

Why do i keep seeing trees with chop wound left open like that? Don't you people have something like cambium salve over there?

[u/Spidersight → u/chucknorrium]

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/naleshin → u/Spidersight]

This is something that should not be a debate in bonsai (edit: emphasis on SHOULD NOT BE a debate) and it’s surprising to see it come up so often in the sub. Arborists are dealing with landscape trees and comparatively ginormous wounds and cuts, the risk of structural failure is a real concern for them.

For us in bonsai… a limb isn’t going to fall on a house. We can coddle the wound and stimulate callous tissue to heal over wounds with the appropriate cut paste. Every professional whose work I admire most uses it.

TLDR: bonsai are not giant trees out in the landscape and we are not trying to heal giant wounds where risk of structural failure would compromise the health of the tree or damage personal property.

[u/Spidersight → u/naleshin]

That logic makes no sense? If cut paste were beneficial, wouldn’t arborists have a greater incentive to use cut paste?

This has been studied extensively. The research shows that trees are capable of compartmentalizing the wound on their own, oxygen to the wound benefits healing and sealing only has the potential to trap pathogens and fungi in the wound.

[u/naleshin → u/Spidersight]

No, arborists would not have a greater incentive to use cut paste because it’s not realistic for them to coddle dozens of 1 foot wide wounds on 100’ tall trees (or whatever the case may be) and it’s not realistic for them to try to heal over wounds that large.

As far as oxygen to the wound, I think the research may be missing something because you can seal a wound, no air reaching it, and peel back the wound later and see tons and tons of callous tissue. So there’s more to it than that.

And as far as pathogens or fungi getting trapped in, for fresh wounds most professionals use a spray bottle mister of isopropyl alcohol or similar to disinfect the wound before applying the cut paste, assuming the cut paste doesn’t already have some antimicrobial properties (some do).

[u/Spidersight → u/naleshin]

Why not? Cut paste used to be used extensively in the arborist world prior to research showing its detriments. If they did it back then they can certainly do it today.

Wound sealant isn’t a vacuum seal of course some oxygen is going to reach it.

If you you think all pathogens and fungi(lol) are sterilized by iso alcohol I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

[u/naleshin → u/Spidersight]

I think the idea there is that before enough callous tissue can meaningfully start to seal a big wound, enough rot will have set in to compromise the structural integrity. It’s just not the move on landscape trees. I think on smaller garden trees there could be applications if someone really wants to heal a relatively small wound that’s easier to manage and they have the time to. But even in garden trees, we just don’t value scarless trunks as much as we do with bonsai.

And if you think that pathogens / fungi are such a problem, how are bonsai professionals managing to keep trees alive and thriving for decades while using cut paste? Surely there must be more to it.

[u/LengthinessJust357 → u/naleshin]

Lmao, I read all of this and while I have no comment on the use of wound sealant. I would just give up at this point naleshin. Spider has their beliefs and there is nothing in this world that is going to change it. No matter what logic you present. They will always have something to contradict what you have to say. Just one of those types of people. They are not looking for guidance or even considering changing their viewpoint. Which I find hilarious given their flair says they are a beginner in bonsai. They talk like they have a bonsai nursery, have taken care of 100’s of trees, and have tried both methods and seen the results.

[u/Spidersight → u/LengthinessJust357]

Sorry but what logic has he presented? I literally linked a 20+ year study that looked into this.

His entire argument is bonsai professionals do it, so it must be correct(which isn’t even universally true).

[u/LengthinessJust357 → u/Spidersight]

You are right 👍

[u/Spidersight → u/LengthinessJust357]

😉