Ficus water experiment

jloeschner

I wasn't sure where to post this, so if there is a more appropriate Forum for it, please move it. Anyway, I decided to go ahead and test the theory that a ficus will grow with glee if placed in a tray of water which keeps the soil wet. This theory was proposed in another thread that has since been closed.

I have taken a rooted ficus cutting and placed it in a 3" nursery pot. It is planted in Brussel Martin's bonsai soil, and set into a bowl of water. I cut holes in the side of the bowl to control the level of water. I then placed the entire contraption where it will recieve full sun all day.

The current temp is 63 F, with 81% humidity. It is overcast today, and rain is in the forecast for the next couple of days.

As a control, I have quite a few other ficus cuttings which are being cared for normally, meaning that they are NOT placed in a tray or bowl of water. Some of them are in full sun, and some of them are in partial shade, due to the location of my tables and space limitations. I also have other ficus cuttings in a "propagation tank" which still have not produced roots yet.

I am providing a pic of the experimental setup. I will update this thread as time goes by, especially if the tree shows any change in growth, whether good or bad.

Experimental Regards,
John

Attached Images

ficus experiment 1.jpg (42.2 KB, 144 views)

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Jerry Meislik

Interesting experiment. We look forward to seeing how it progresses.
Jerry

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Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/

Tobias

since it was my post that prompted this experiment i suppose i should comment on this...

my experience with wet-feet happy ficus occurred last summer. i was living in upstate NY, and it was a super wet summer. it rained a lot. i had a number of young ficus microcarpa (approx. 1 year old cuttings) on the back patio, some of which were in drip trays. it wasn't uncommon for it to rain quite hard for several days in a row.

i was concerned about the plants, but to my suprise they didn't seem to mind one bit. to the contrary, they seemed quite happy with their situation.

in my concern i would sometimes dump out the tray full of water they were sitting in, but they certainly did go many days in a row on many occassions sitting in their puddles. they weren't consistently sitting in water for months on end as seems will be the case in this experiment. while it was a wet summer, there were of course still many days of sunshine and heat, and the plants were watered regularly, not always in their trays of water.

soooooo, i realize i may seem to be backing off from my statement made in the other thread (the one where the guy i backed up turned out to be a total psycho! whoops!), but i was simply making a brief, broad statement about my experience to prove a point - the point being that plants (or at least, in my experience, ficus microcarpa) can take the wet-foot treatment and love it - at least to the extent that i gave it to them. i should have spoken more narrowly about my experience so as not to give the wrong idea.

my hypothesis for the experiment you ask? i wouldn't really be suprised either way, but it seems that never ever letting the plant get out of the water could maybe be a bad thing (you guys know this). maybe even more important is the youth of the plant used. it doesn't seem like its very well established, and won't be transpiring much. also the temperature there are not quite summer temperatures yet, although they weren't in NY when it rained constantly either, but there were those nice days.

anyway, great idea for the experiment, and i look forward to being at least partially proven one way or the other.

thanks john!

peace,

toby

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Jerry Meislik

Toby,
One variable that you suggest is that the situation may be OK for the summer with actively growing figs. The same situation in the winter may not be as happy.
Looking forward to your results.
Jerry

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Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/

jloeschner

Toby and Jerry,

I understand that there are MANY variables that can affect the outcome of this little experiment. Toby, you are right in your observation that the tree is not established. It is a newly rooted cutting that I placed in bonsai soil just this morning specifically for this experiment. I am sure that a well established, older tree will react differently to the conditions I plan on putting this twig through. This fact alone can, and probably does, invalidate this experiment from the start. However, I am not going to place my mature ficus trees into a pot of water to see if they will live.

As for the temps, it will soon be very hot here. Our summer temps usually average about 90-95 F, and it seldom rains June through October. I believe that this is similar to the conditions that the other guy was syaing was the reason for putting his trees in pots of water. Of course, our humidity here is also high, which may be different from Australia, and may have a significant affect on the results.

If this cutting survives and thrives this summer, I will, of course take it out of its water tray for the winter, since I am quite sure that to leave it in would kill it. I will also resume its "bath" next summer, and each summer thereafter, just to see if it ever reaches a point where the water becomes a detriment. The worst case scenario...I lose one cutting out of about 40. The best case...I learn a new technique for growing ficus in warm weather...thanks for the idea!

John

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jguyett

It looks like a narrow leaf variety of Ficus benjamina-Starlight Fig. Since I have a few would be interested to see how this works out for you. I keep my dawn redwoods and bald cypress sitting in water during the summer, with no harm, so maybe it will work for the figs also.

jg

jloeschner

This cutting is from a Ficus microcarpa "Golden Gate". It is nothing like a Ficus salicifolia/nerifolia, willow leaf fig. Its leaves are thick and get somewhat large, if not pruned regularly. It does produce aerial roots, in the right conditions, as do most ficus.

As for your Bald cypress, it is a swamp tree, and naturally grows in standing water in many places. A ficus is a tropical tree, which does not normally grow in bogs, lakes and swamps. I am not sure if its reaction to a standing pool of water under its feet will be the same as a Bald cypress's. I guess that is why I am doing this experiment...to find out...

Regards,
John

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

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Tobias

its been about a month. still alive? any noticeable difference yet? am i too anxious (yes)?

toby

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~Self-proclaimed dendrophile!

jloeschner

Sorry, guys. I've been away for a while. The experimental tree is really thriving. I have kept its bowl full and it has really grown. As a matter of fact, it was doing so well that I placed my other ficus in shallow bowls of water. All of them seem to love it! Even the ones that are still in regular peat based potting soil. I have to admit that I was wrong about ficus suffering from too much water. Of course, the results may have been different if the trees were kept inside. I will try that next.

I will try to get a pic up soon. Right now, my camera is still packed away in a box somewhere, since we just moved.

Reagards,
John

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

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