[Arid_gardener] Re: If/How/When to Prune Freeze Damaged Ficus Nitida Trees

[OlinMiller]

          For a thoughtful and comprehensive reply to these questions,
please refer to
http://www.itreeservice.com/images/frost_damaged_plants.pdf
           If the information at that website does not answer all of your
questions, please ask again.
          One suggestion not addressed at the website is to replace the
ficus tree(s) with a tree adapted to our climate

Olin Miller, Master Gardener Volunteer, Maricopa County AZ
===============================================

----- Original Message ----- From: <michelle.singleton at hotmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2007 9:31 PM
> Michelle,  85242
> I have several trees - Ash, Ficus, Citrus - that got frost damage to the
> point where nothing is coming back on the top branches, but there are new
> shoots at the base of the trunk. I'm guessing the entire top of the tree,
> the main upper trunk & branches, are dead. I'm not sure what to do with
> these trees. Can you give me some advice as whether to pull them out or
> prune them to grow back?

Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 1:28 PM
> Michele,  85323,  cutty2 at cox.net
> Good sized Ficus trees planted in early Oct 06 got damaged by the frost.
> Green sprouts are coming out from the bottom of the trunk up.  Should we
> cut the lower ones off to promote growth  on the top part?  Should we
> strip the existing branches of the dead leaves?  If so how many branches
> and is there a test?
> Thank you

 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Denise P. Kauffman-Shinn"
<dkauffman-shinn at mahoneygroup.com>
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 10:05 AM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Frost Bitten Fichus Trees

> Can you give me any suggestions on what to do with my frost bitten fichus
> trees.  I have 2-20 ft and 1-10 foot that are starting to grow back on the
> lower end of the tree but still have LOTS of brown leaves.  I'm sure these
> leaves are annoying my neighbors so want to clean them up.  What are your
> thoughts?

----- Original Message -----From: <dcazrtoe1 at msn.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:37 PM
> Nancy Peters,  85206
> I am responsible for the plantings in Sunland Villas here in Mesa.  We
> planted a number of trees (Sissoo, Tipu, Shamel Ash and Jacaranda,)last
> fall.  Some of them made it thru the frost but others are only showing
> green growth on the trunks from ground level up to 2 feet.  Are the trees
> that are only showing the low growth salvagable?

----- Original Message -----From: "Jim & Wendy" <weltobills at hotmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 8:23 AM
> I saw some e-mails from you on the internet giving advice on gardening,
> and
I was wondering if you could help me?  My Ficus was damaged in the frost a
few weeks ago, and I'm trying to figure out how to help it recover.  I know
you can't trim too much, but if you don't get enough dead leaves off, it
won't make it, either.  It is about 8 years old, and the trunk is about 24
inches around at the base, so it's a nice, big tree.  The top looks dead
(just a lot of dark brown crispy leaves) but I trimmed off all of the leaves
I could reach and power sprayed as much as I could from the top.  The trunk
has a few (maybe 12) leaves coming out of it.  I can send you a digital
picture of the tree if that would help you advise me.  I have been looking
for information (a good book on pruning?) for the novice who wants to prune
their own landscaping, but I have no idea where to begin.  I would greatly
appreciate any advice you can give me, even if it's just pointing me in the
right direction to find my own information.

----- Original Message ----- From: <judysmobil at cox.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 1:53 PM>
> 85224
> judysmobil at cox.net
> I have 10 ficus trees that were planted in 2001.  The frost hit them very
> hard.  All the leaves are brown.  There are shoots coming out of the tree
> trunks.  I don't know how severly to prune the trees.  There seems to be
> no green on the branches to indicate how far back to cut them.
> Help...I don't want to loose these trees...please advise!  JC

----- Original Message ----- From: <janetlennon at msn.com>
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 5:21 PM
> Janet Lennon,  85382
> When do we prune back the Ficus trees. We have green leaves on the trunk
> and the hollow (where the limbs start).  I have been told now and I have
> been told later.  Please let me know.  Thanks