There are a couple of options. A shallow pot, with roots spread out widely can help, but you could also use a large normal, nursery pot with a dessert plate or tile under the roots to keep them flat and spread apart. Field growing is best, but not possible in cold winter climates for ficus. Another method, more advanced and tricky, is the ground layering (tourniquet) but indoors that would require a very large pot. http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATfieldgrowing.htm http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATNebari.html

After spending half an hour on the following post it occurred to me that a houseplant forum search for "nicking" might yield more accurate information. Sure enough, I found several threads containing Al's explanations, but I spent so much time on mine that I refuse to delete it!!!!! Here are a few of the threads. The nicking discussions aren't long but I think Al's post on the first link explains the effects of nicking vs pruning. Use the search box at the top of the page to find even more threads. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1458989/fiddle-leaf-fig-question?n=1 http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1465570/pruning-ficus-lyrata-to-branch?n=24 ******************* My now-superfluous post: Ah, I see; most people seem to call that nicking, not slitting. The reason you haven't found info on it is that few people do it, but Al has gone into it the few times he's been asked. I'll describe it as best I can from what I remember of his posts about it. Anyway, you would use a sharp sterilized (just in case) knife to cut a small horizontal wedge through the cambium (basically the living usually green layer under the bark) right above a leaf node. Nicking (or pruning) above a node stops the inhibitory hormone from the top of the tree from reaching it, letting it respond to hormones that direct it to grow. The same thing happens when you prune. Whether you prune or nick, the amount of back-budding you'll get depends on the plant's condition. IMO, if the stress that caused your ficus to drop leaves still exists, nicking or pruning won't have much (if any) effect so long as the plant is still under the stress that made it drop so many leaves. I'd guess that's because the weakened plant isn't producing the hormones that would stimulate growth above ground. That's been my experience. My ficuses didn't respond at all to tip-pinching last fall when they were still weak, but now after months of proper care and increased spring sunlight they're growing like crazy, including a lot of back-budding far back on its once-bare branches, without any intervention at all from me. I think that's an accurate description of what I've read!

Thank you so much for responding (and for talking me off the ledge!) Sorry I wasn't being clear...I have not yet repotted and was waiting until June to do so. I haven't examined the soil closely, but once when I was lifting/transporting the tree to water it, the pot just fell off the plant onto to the ground. it did make some mess but the potting medium pretty much held together in the shape of the pot. So, I'd say at least "old" if not "bad" soil? Should I look at the roots more closely and if so, what am I looking for? (And what would I do if I found it?) If this guy does survive, I will summon up the courage to repot hopefully in Al's 5:1:1 in June if I can manage to find all the right ingredients (been working on that for some time.) Very nervous to repot something this size. I did spray all the other bigger plants in the house and will now do the rest of them (and this one) once a week...thank you! I knew they traveled from plant to plant....but, hitch a ride on me? I might never sleep again knowing that...lol. Also, I haven't fertilized at all--I know I've read somewhere on this Forum that it's good to do a weaker Foliage Pro all year(?) but I wasn't sure if I should just initiate that at this time of year--even at a weaker strength, much less when the plant is stressed? I'm thinking I should wait for new growth to start fertilizing? Thank you, thank you for taking the time to help!!!!

Personally, I'd use a soil drench made with 1.47% Imidacloprid at the rate of 1 tsp/ quart (or liter) of water. It should provide immediate 100% knockdown, and will persist in the soil for quite a while. It works systemically in the plant, so should keep your plant free of predators like scale, mealybug, thrips, …………… . If you are unable to maintain your plants' root systems in a state of high vitality (good health), a healthy plant is only something you can wish for. To a large degree, your ability to provide a healthy environment for roots depends on your choice of soil; not to mention that an appropriate soil, one that allows you to water correctly w/o the plant having to pay the price exacted by a soil that remains soggy for extended periods, makes your job as a grower much easier across the board. If you like, I can provide a link to a thread that explains how water behaves in container soils. Gaining an understanding of the concept it outlines is almost certainly the largest step forward a container gardener can take at any one time. Al