Ficus defoliation - how much?

[Giler]

Hello - relative beginner here. About to defoliate this ficus for the first time to encourage ramification and smaller leaves, and give me a clear look at it for its first restructuring. Question: how much to defoliate? Some sites say do the whole thing, others 'never more than half the leaves', others 'never more than two-thirds'...

Any clues? Thank you!

(NB I'm in UK, Zone 8a)

 

[Colorado]

I remove pretty much all the leaves when I defoliate my ficus.



Cheers!

 

[Giler]

Wow! That looks amazing. Thanks - I'll give it a go...

 

[penumbra]

Its a bit early in the season for me in my zone. Complete defoliation for me is generally carried out in the summer at its most active state of growth. But this plant does look very healthy so it may not be as much a concern. Your climate is an issue.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Its a bit early in the season for me in my zone. Complete defoliation for me is generally carried out in the summer at its most active state of growth. But this plant does look very healthy so it may not be as much a concern. Your climate is an issue.

Likewise for my timing.

I would like to note...ficus can be defoliated...though Benjamina as a whole...people say not to defoliate them completely.

 

[Shibui]

Defoliation is not a magic bullet. Defoliation alone won't drastically increase ramification or reduce leaf size.
You need to combine defoliation with pruning, especially removing the tips of branches to get increase in ramification. If growing tips are retained you'll often just get bare branches and larger leaves. These days I mostly just prune to get increased ramification and don't bother with defoliation. Increased ramification usually automatically gives smaller leaf size.
I do not defoliate ficus until they are growing well which usually means mid to late spring but that will depend on local conditions and whether the tree is indoors , heated or not. Your tree can't grow new leaves if it is still part dormant. Better to go a bit later rather than too early.

 

[leatherback]

agreed with all of the above.

- Do this in early summer when in fuyll flushy growth
- Defoliate fully
- Prune and remove growing tips.

I will add one.
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