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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
 Posted - 13/06/2008 : 11:38:44
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It seems so strange to see and feel my Ficus benjamina dropping all its lovely green leaves. I have never known that to happen before I only noticed because I mowed the grass on Wednesday and there are so many leaves on the ground any ideas anyone I cannot seem to find anything wrong with it except about 30 or more wasp's nests up top..
Plenty of green leaves on the ground..
It looks healthy enough today though.
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2008 : 12:03:30
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If the rest of the tree is healthy looking I wouldn't worry to much about it. Ficus benjamina do have a habit of dropping a heap of leaves occasionally often bought on by the weather. A combination of the rain and cooler weather could have done it. Indoor pot plants will lose leaves in poor light but obviously this isn't the cause here 
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2008 : 12:52:41
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Maybe it was the rain that did it Gail, as it has not been cold here for weeks.. Its very messy when you are under it I was trying to take a pic of my favourite totty green frog..
But it kept going round and round the jolly trunk and as I was crawling around in the end I gave up and I was shocked at what I brushed off my hair.. Thankfully no wasps.
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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The Estate
head gardener
Australia
3676 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2008 : 13:01:54
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Cute Kermit you have there :)
My basic weeding rule: if they grow in rows they're flowers;
if they don't they're weeds.
Melbourne |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2008 : 13:10:59
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Cute frog but I would have loved to see you crawling around and around the tree 
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2008 : 13:20:20
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It is a cutie Cheryl I have not seen one around for weeks.
I bet you would Gail.. Not a pretty sight..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
Edited by - Mary-Anne on 13/06/2008 20:04:53 |
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Pamela
head gardener
Australia
3949 Posts |
Posted - 14/06/2008 : 11:54:33
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That will be a massive tree Mary Anne! But maybe that's OK? Do they sucker? Love the frog.
I sold a house in 92 and in the marketing "frenzy" as I perceived it, I planted a less than a metre tall ficus benjamin from a pot it had lived in for years into the front garden to cover something ugly. Then over the next 11 years that I lived 3 blocks away (loved that suburb and bought nearby) I watched this "inner city" monster ficus grow and felt soooooo guilty. This little house I sold was not your 3/4 acre Mary Anne. Recently I saw it had been removed as no doubt it was doing some damage to something. Lovely tree but just in the wrong place for an inner city mini garden.
"The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears." |
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Pamela
head gardener
Australia
3949 Posts |
Posted - 14/06/2008 : 11:57:36
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| duplicate deleted |
Edited by - Pamela on 14/06/2008 11:58:29 |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 14/06/2008 : 13:44:02
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Thanks Pamela, Yes I know they are big trees this one is planted about 16mts from the house which is up on steel stumps if it was a slab it would not have been planted there, the sewage and water pipes are on the other side of the block but come over to this side further down towards the back.
I do get a bit worried about it at times Pamela and get told *It will be alright* from the person who has no idea about evasive trees or their roots Gosh I hope it does not sucker. I wanted to cut it down last year when I seen the size of the root going under the driveway its as thick as my arm, Ah now where will all the birds nest  so what can I say.. But don't you worry I am keeping a very good eye on this tree and as much as I love the birds they will have to nest somewhere else if I make up my mind for it to go.
Looking at it this morning there has been a lot more leaf fall and the tree is starting to look a little bare, so maybe nature will take care of this worry for me..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2008 : 05:58:20
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They do get to be huge trees but it will take a while. The only thing you'd have to worry about where it is, is the roots breaking up the driveway as they do develop buttress roots, probably be another 30 years before that happens though so leave it there for a while and at the first sign of it causing problems with the driveway get rid of it. By that time the other trees would have grown a bit.
I've often wondered about a driveway I saw about 15yrs ago. It was an small acreage property with long driveway and had standard ficus (lollipop) planted every few metres down each side of the driveway. There would have been about 15 each side. It did look good but I'd hate to see what it would be like in another 10 yrs or so. Many people seem to think if they keep the top trimmed to a lollipop that the plant won't grow huge... wrong!
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2008 : 13:13:28
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It lost a lot more leaves over night again Gail and is starting to look a little bare.. The driveway is about 15cm deep with road base blue metal and we dont use that side much. Good to know that I dont have to worry about it for about 30 years what a relief  I certainly wont be here then...
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 23/06/2008 : 14:08:50
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Almost Bare...
I have never see this tree like this before..
There are three pigeon nests in it..
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 23/06/2008 : 14:46:37
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Don't give up on it Mary-Anne. If it was bought on by the weather it should leaf up again. I've had F benjaminas in pots totally lose their leaves when accidentally dried out and they came back as good as new. One of mine in a pot at the moment is starting to lose a lot of leaves, most likely the cold. Very close to a frost here this morning, we got down to about 1.5C.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 23/06/2008 : 16:57:02
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Is looks so strange Gail almost bare even the pigeons are flying off again seeing there is no cover looks like they will have to build some new nests in the Gum trees..
Ok I wont give up on it just keep a eye out one thing though I will be able to get the rake and try and get all those huge masses of spiders webs out of it.
Tell you what though Gail it was about 4 degs in our back yard could have been less as I got up very early to put a few more logs on the fire and had to go out on the back decking to get some and I looked at the thermometer on the wall under the roof and it was 5 degs and it was colder than that down the chook house as it had Tony putting his jeans on for the first time this year.. 6.6 said the weather site makes me wonder where abouts in Logan they have their equipment. |
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Gail
garden sage
Australia
7707 Posts |
Posted - 24/06/2008 : 05:43:53
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The temps around Gympie vary greatly as it is so hilly so is hard to get a true reading. Even several degrees difference from the neighbour that lives further up the hill behind us. As you walk down the driveway from their place you can feel the temp dropping. There are often frosts on the flat area down the front at the bottom of the hill but we only get the occasional frost here.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to use it in a fruit salad.
A ounce of common sense is worth more than a ton of intelligence.
Gail, near Gympie, Qld |
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Mary-Anne
garden sage
Australia
10809 Posts |
Posted - 25/06/2008 : 23:50:31
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Seen a Pigeon on one of the nest's today I may get the ladder out tomorrow and have a look to see of there are any eggs in it, better still I will get the builder to do it
Good Things Come To Those That Wait ... I am Tired Of Waiting
Love Your Enemies... It Will Drive Them Nuts |
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