Progress Report # 140

 

Progress Report # 140

This is how the Ficus religiosa looks today, Dec 17th, 2022. This tree has been planted here almost a full 12 years ago on April 17th, 2011. The growth is slow, but it receives steady excellent care as can be seen by, finally, finally, it now shows a strong new beginning. A second new "trunk" has emerged from a deep sleep, and seems to yearn for life. Thank you for your continued care for it, Joel.

The pernicious more than 2 year long "false deadly virus" has finally been discounted, and life is back to normal, certainly here in Miami.

This ficus, today,

is celebrating a 12th anniversary of a sad day...

Progress Report # 124-128

This is how the Ficus religiosa looks today, Dec 17th, 2021. This tree has been planted here almost a full 11 years ago on April 17th, 2011. The growth is extremely slow, but it receives steady excellent care as can be seen by inspecting the fine details of the photo.

Again, the stubbornly long lasting and unpredictable Covid 19 prevents regular care of this area and it remains overwhelmed by weedy growth. Will this virus ever go away?

Progress Report # 122-123

Covid-19 is still lingering around and now we are already in 2021. This area is again ovewhelmed by the widly growing weed brought on by a very wet start of hurricane season 2021. It rains on and off for many weeks, and the weed is knee high! The Ficus religiosa is doing well and hopefully the maintenance crew will get to this area soon.

Progress Report # 117-121

The world wide pandemic Covid-19 has created havoc around the world. I only come to visit this tree sporadically. Fortunately, work around the Montgomery Botanical Center continues and care is given to this Ficus religiosa regularly. It is doing well and looks very healthy. Thank you, Joel. I came here today and gave this precious tree a well deserved watering for a good 30 minutes... It is hard to believe that this tree is here since Arpil 17th, 2011, 10 years and 1 month ago. As Marcel Proust eloquently said: "À la recherche du temps perdu." Where did the time go?

Progress report #113-116

The Covid-19 has been brutal and it is still hanging around the world uninvited. People are getting tired and want to live again, especially in the US. I can feel the frustration in the air, mixed with the invisible viral menace. However, life must go on and a new order for work to resume finally comes with a sigh of relief and consternation. This area has seen marked improvements and the weeds have been dealt a good setback. It is obvious that the Ficus religiosa has been given a hefty dose of tender loving care. The shading canopy seen in August has been lifted and a mesh is surrounding the tree to guard against any animal marauder from intruding. A heartfelt thank you to Joel and all others who keep a watching eye for the welfare of this tree. This tree looks beautiful today, December 17th, 2020, and is truly fit for a special 10th anniversary of a special event in my life.

Monthly Progress #112

This area is looking like a tiny jungle today. Grass is really knee high as Covid-19 continues disrupting normal scheduled maintenance throughout this center. The ficus has been given TLC as a burlap shade was erected to give more protection from the scorching summer sun. There are new leaves pushing out over the entire tree and it looks fine among the overgrown weed. Thank you Joel, and Patrick for all the care you are providing to the welfare of this Ficus religiosa.

Monthly Progress #107-111

Since February of this year 2020, the world was hit with the highly contagious Corona Virus, designated as Covid-19 (for Corona Virus Disease 2019.) That has immensely disturbed every one's way of life and confinement has prevented me to come reporting on the monthly status of this ficus tree. Today is the first time I can come to snap this photo. The area is again overtaken by wild growth of weed and grass is knee high. But this tree is continuously given tender loving care as seen by the stake and wire to keep it straight from the constant northerly wind year round. It is very strange and I have observed that none of the fruit trees in Miami have borne fruits this summer... no mangoes, no longans, no lychees... no fruits! Is this virus that potent and the cause of this? Hmmm... But life goes on...The ficus is putting out many new growths, too small to be seen easily but can be seen at close inspection in this photo... so it is growing... slowly but surely... It is still quite dire for us to deal with this covid-19 today, and the future is uncertain until we ( the human species) can figure out how to vanquish these invisible tiny spherically deadly evils (pun intended... it is spherically deadly because it is deadly at any angle you look at it.) But I am sure this will pass.

Monthly Progress #106

After almost 10 years here, I still cannot figure out if this Ficus religiosa is deciduous, semi-deciduous or not. This month, it has lost all of its leaves and many new growths have started to sprout. It looks bare, but if you click on the photo to see the high resolution image, you will see the new and healthy looking growths. Take your time to grow... we can wait.

Monthly Progress #105

Since the start of the new center's tree curator Joel working here, things have been looking up. The ficus tree has got special attention and it is being cared for lovingly. As can be seen today, many new growths respond well accordingly. Hopefully this Ficus religiosa will grow faster than it has been doing the past 10 years. Thank you, Joel.

Monthly Progress #104

Today is the ninth anniversary. Time marches on...and this photo was taken this morning. Last month's problem seen on the new growth resulted from Joel, worrying about some unseen insects that were eating away the new leaves, sprayed this ficus tree with insecticide. That has now passed. December is about to end bringing the colder months of January and February. Then March and April will come... Time does march on relentlessly...

Monthly Progress #103

There is a change in personel, and Christina, who was caring for this ficus has retired after many years of service. She is replaced by Joel, the new curator. After the weed was cleared in this area, the Ficus religiosa received some new tender loving care, as seen by the aluminum wrapping to protect the trunk at the bottom. But... The many new growths are not well. All newly sprouted leaves turn brown and wilting away. We need to find the cause of this new challenge... Stay tuned.

Monthly Progress #102

Finally, free at last! This area finally got a good clean up and all the overgrown weeds have been cleared, freeing all resident plants, including the ficus tree. There are many new branches and hopefully some of them will be able to help make this tree grow taller. This slow growth may be attributable to the intrusion of brackish water from Biscayne bay only about 1.5 miles away. Ficus can weather this condition... it only takes time to adapt. Let's wait.

Monthly Progress #101

Well... What can I say? This looks almost like a jungle here! The ficus tree is barely visible in front of some very aggressive Brazilian pepper trees... If it is any consolation, may be the ficus will thrive in this very competitve environment? Patience!

Monthly Progress #100

We are overwhelmed! It has been raining and raining and raining everyday in Miami. That is the reason this month's blog is late. Storms gather daily and rain has been pouring daily for many weeks. The consequences? Look at this photo, this area is hopelessly covered with growth and the ficus is barely seen. Because of the incessant We will have to wait until things calm down a little bit more and hopefully the weed will be cleared out, eventually... But... we are keeping watch on a tropical storm named Dorian. She is forecast to become a hurricane in a few more days. Hopefully, she will not pay a visit to Miami... then we will be inundated!

Monthly Progress #99

This area is totally overwhelmed by the wild growth of weed... and it looks like we can't keep it cleared... yet. With much rain lately, it's no wonder. The ficus is dropping leaves on the top and is growing many new branches on its lower half. That seems to be the way it prefers to grow. We'll just wait.

Monthly Progress #98

Compare this photo to the one of the previous month of May! Rainy season is HERE! The weed is growing wild, and it is very costly to keep it in check. Eventually the workers will get to this area for a "haircut." This ficus tree definitely does not want to grow taller... yet. It really prefers to put out new growths in the bottom area. Who are we to say otherwise? We will let it be. There are many new growths but obscured by the weed in this photo, but they are there. Oh well!

Monthly Progress #97

Here is a different view of the ficus tree. It has many new growths but too small on the trunk to be seen yet. Come back often to see this tree grow.

Monthly Progress #96

8 Years ago today, this Ficus religiosa tree was planted here. Now it is a handsome though still small tree. 8 years... only a blink...

Monthly Progress #95

It was exactly 8 years ago, when this tree was planted here. The growth has been very slow, but it has begun to finally making progress. A resident tree expert has suggested to me that she wants to trim all the lower growths away to force the ficus to grow more vigorously on the top. I agreed and she will probably begin soon. The rain will be here next month so that change may make a big difference.

Monthly Progress #94

It is becoming increasingly difficult to have a good photo of the ficus tree because of the vegetation growing wild around this area. The growth has slowed down in the "colder" months... Hopefully growth will resume in a few more months. Tick tock...