Mosta Ficus Trees Could Grow Back By Summer If They’re Taken Care Of, Expert Says
Twelve extensively pruned ficus trees in Mosta could grow back by next summer, so long as they’re watered and maintained and provided that their roots haven’t been damaged.
After the Mosta local council announced that the trees won’t be moved from the piazza after all, Lovin Malta asked expert horticulturist Peter Calleja how long it should take before they return to their original state.
“I haven’t seen the trees firsthand or what has been done below but provided there hasn’t been any damage, it shouldn’t take too long,” Calleja said.
“That variety of ficus is a fast grower and one of the hardiest trees we have on the island. We’re approaching winter so it could take longer, although it will be faster if the weather stays as it is. However, by summer they should be in full leaf.”
He said it is crucial that the trees are properly maintained and constantly watered as they grow back.
“When you get out of hospital after an operation you need to recuperate, and the same applies to trees.”
Although the Mosta local council has been criticised online for “butchering” the trees prior to their transplantation, Calleja clarified that such pruning is crucial to avoid structural damage to the trees while they are being moved.
Calleja, who has almost half a century of experience working with trees and who has often consulted the government on horticultural issues, said he wouldn’t have agreed with the council’s initial decision to uproot the trees.
“Instead, I’d have pruned them and properly shaped them to an extent that they don’t pose a hindrance to passers-by,” he said.
Do you agree with the decision to keep the trees in Mosta’s village square?
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