Ficus Alii needs work/help!

9 years ago

Hi - I'm pretty ignorant about houseplants so feel free to treat me as a child!!

I have a ficus alii in a plastic container in my conservatory....and I've not repotted or even pruned it once since I bought it, about five years!

It's now probably very root bound (there are surface roots) and it's taller than the ceiling so now trailing along. There are multiple trunks.

Ideally I'd like to make sure the root situation is viable and conducive to continued long term growth and also try and make it more bushy/thick: it's quite a slim plant still.

I don't want to curtail/inhibit growth, I just want to maximise its potential and get a better shape.

Also (maybe a new post needed?) I'd love to somehow take cuttings or grow new plants and grow lots in one pot to get a lovely effect?

Thanks!

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Comments (8)

neophytic
Original Author
9 years ago
Not sure if these photos help
neophytic
Original Author
9 years ago
And
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".... is it a good idea to put it outside this summer?" Yes - I don't grow Ficus that don't tolerate full sun well (like Alii and excepting pumila) because the larger leaves don't reduce to the point they make realistic bonsai, but the plants I grow in full sun don't shed foliage when I move them back indoors under lights, though I'm sure they would if I just stuck them in front of a small window for the winter. I suppose it depends on what you're looking for and what kind of light you have indoors now. The advantage in the amount of added energy gained and stored by the trees moved outdoors in the summer probably outweighs the leaf abscission considerably in most cases. It's just hard to beat natural sunlight and the air movement found outdoors, which also (both) help to stimulate back-budding for a fuller tree and more pruning opportunities. "If I do so, won't I be inviting a leaf drop when I bring it back in at the end of summer." Since you should be growing the tree in open or dappled shade, or protecting it from midday sun, it may or may not shed foliage when you bring it in. It probably depends on how bright it is where you site it. It may drop some foliage, but it would probably be interior and lower leaves. Still, the gain in growth & vitality probably outweighs any loss of foliage in the fall. Leaves can adapt to changes in light only over a certain range. Explaining is a little difficult, but lets say that light levels are graded from 1-10 with 1 being dark and 10 being the brightest light. If you have a plant growing at a level of 5, the plant might only be capable of adjusting to light levels 2-3 levels on either side of 5. If it goes outside of that range, the leaves might easily be shed and the plant will use stored energy to push a new flush of growth. Try to protect your plant from temps below 55*. All of the tropical species shut down their photosynthesizing ability at temperatures much below 60*, and the interval between exposure to cold and the plant's return to normal photosynthesizing ability after temperatures return to more favorable levels is measured in days, not hours. I usually move mine outdoors after Memorial Day when I see by the long range forecast that nights should remain reliably above 55*. After that, they're on their own (temperature-wise) until they come back in in Sep. Take care - best luck! AL
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BTW - the question of 'appropriate pot size' comes up so ofter, I saved this from something I wrote & posted tro a thread somewhere along the way: Choosing an Appropriate Size Containersize> How large a container ‘can’ or ‘should’ be, depends on the relationship between the mass of the plant material you are working with and your choice of soil. We often concern ourselves with "over-potting" (using a container that is too large), but "over-potting" is a term that arises from a lack of a basic understanding about the relationship we will look at, which logically determines appropriate container size. It's often parroted that you should only move up one container size when "potting-up". The reasoning is, that when potting up to a container more than one size larger, the soil will remain wet too long and cause root rot issues, but it is the size/mass of the plant material you are working with, and the physical properties of the soil you choose that determines both the upper & lower limits of appropriate container size - not a formulaic upward progression of container sizes. In many cases, after root pruning a plant, it may even be appropriate to step down a container size or two, but as you will see, that also depends on the physical properties of the soil you choose. It's not uncommon for me, after a repot/root-pruning to pot in containers as small as 1/5 the size as that which the plant had been growing in prior to the work. Plants grown in ‘slow’ (slow-draining/water-retentive) soils need to be grown in containers with smaller soil volumes so that the plant can use water quickly, allowing air to return to the soil before root issues beyond impaired root function/metabolism become a limiting factor. We know that the anaerobic (airless) conditions that accompany soggy soils quickly kill fine roots and impair root function/metabolism. We also know smaller soil volumes and the root constriction that accompany them cause plants to both extend branches and gain o/a mass much more slowly - a bane if rapid growth is the goal - a boon if growth restriction and a compact plant are what you have your sights set on. Conversely, rampant growth can be had by growing in very large containers and in very fast soils where frequent watering and fertilizing is required - so it's not that plants rebel at being potted into very large containers per se, but rather, they rebel at being potted into very large containers with a soil that is too slow and water-retentive. This is a key point. We know that there is an inverse relationship between soil particle size and the height of the perched water table (PWT) in containers. As particle size increases, the height of the PWT decreases, until at about a particle size of just under 1/8 inch, soils will no longer hold perched water. If there is no perched water, the soil is ALWAYS well aerated, even when the soil is at container capacity (fully saturated). So, if you aim for a soil (like the gritty mix) composed primarily of particles larger than 1/16", there is no upper limit to container size, other than what you can practically manage. The lower size limit will be determined by the soil volume's ability to allow room for roots to ’run’ and to furnish water enough to sustain the plant between irrigations. Bearing heavily on this ability is the ratio of fine roots to coarse roots. It takes a minimum amount of fine rootage to support the canopy under high water demand. If the container is full of large roots, there may not be room for a sufficient volume of the fine roots that do all the water/nutrient delivery work and the coarse roots, too. You can grow a very large plant in a very small container if the roots have been well managed and the lion's share of the rootage is fine. You can also grow very small plants, even seedlings, in very large containers if the soil is fast (free-draining and well-aerated) enough that the soil holds no, or very little perched water. I have just offered clear illustration why the oft repeated advice to ‘resist pottting up more than one pot size at a time’, only applies when using heavy, water-retentive soils. Those using well-aerated soils are not bound by the same restrictions. As the ht and volume of the perched water table are reduced, the potential for negative effects associated with over-potting are diminished in a direct relationship with the reduction - up to the point at which the soil holds no (or an insignificant amount) of perched water and over-potting pretty much becomes a non-issue. Al
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"Do you still believe the amount of the topsoil is causing water retention?" I really do, yes. Topsoil/garden soil quickly compact and hold water so tightly in containers that it will not drain. You could easily have a perched water table of 4-6" depth at the container bottom. For perched water, water movement in containers, and container soils in general, follow the embedded link. This saturated layer of soil at the container's bottom will be completely anaerobic & will promote many species of rot bacteria. Since there are no roots in this soil, it is virtually guaranteed that water will not drain until the water slowly diffuses & is used by the plant or eventually evaporates (some through the walls of terra cotta containers. I think what I just related also explains your question about over-potting, but if you're still unclear on that issue, you can ask here or on the thread linked to. "... when You say "remove as much soil," do you mean any sort of soil attached to the roots when the tree is taken out?" Yes - remove enough soil to allow you to see that the roots are firm and white/tan. All rotten parts of the roots should be removed. If none are rotten (I'm pretty sure this is your problem, though) disregard what I said & return the plant to the pot. "Another issue would probably be the removal of the tree from the pot as this is not a small tree and the root was a foot+ long (deep) when I planted it in to this container so I am not sure how this would play out." First, determine that root rot is the issue. Granted, now is not the ideal time to repot a ficus (btw - you should include your USDA zone and state in your user info - it's very helpful to those offering advice) ;o) but you should look at repotting as a necessary emergent remedy to rotted roots - if no root rot, it's a non-issue. Ficus are very genetically vigorous, and the plant will tolerate a lot of abuse. I grow at least a dozen species as bonsai and the root work I do would be considered extremely radical by some, yet they quickly recover, hardly missing a beat. "When you say "plant to the smaller pot and flush the remaining soil," do you mean to basically wash the root+soil?" Yes "If so, that would be an insurmountable task given I live in an apartment (bathtub is my only choice)." So do it in the tub then. ;o) The root mass will be as small as or smaller than it was before you potted up - so probably not as unmanageable as you think. The purpose of flushing the soil (flush 4-6 times after you saturate it with a volume of water approximately equal to the volume of water the container is in. The purpose of this exercise is to flush out soluble salts from fertilizer and tap water that have accumulated in the soil. These salts, when their levels get too high, prevent the plant from taking up water and the nutrients dissolved in it. This inability to absorb water can cause the plant to die of thirst in a sea of plenty. It actually causes a drought response - yellow, falling leaves. "What kind of fertilizer I must use for this type of tree and time of the year?"Easy to find, are Miracle-Gro 24-8-16 granular all-purpose fertilizer, or Miracle-Gro 12-4-8 liquid. Both are 3:1:2 ratio fertilizers and a very good choice for trees in containers. "I don't have smaller container and frankly the original one was way too small to handle tree of this size." Your tree - your call(s). I guess you're going to have to decide if you trust my judgment or not - and how far you're willing to go to nurse the tree back to good vitality again. I have several dozen perfectly healthy Ficus & lecture to bonsai and other garden-related clubs regularly about their care, if that makes any difference. "What is a "fast soil?" One that drains quickly, is durable/structurally stable, and is well aerated (see the link above). "I've noticed more and more of the leaves are starting to displaying withered (brownish) trait at their "tips" -- not all but enough to grab your attention. Does that signify anything?" If the leaves were falling as a result of a light issue, they would prolly lighten in color & fall when they are evenly green or yellowish green. Marginal (leaf edge) and tip necrosis generally signifies a drought response caused by one or more of: a high level of salts in the soil, under-watering, or over-watering. It could also indicate a nutritional deficiency or toxicity, but it's far less likely than a drought response. Al
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Even though those pots hold on to some water at the bottom, they still have those holes above that small amount of water. So the air supply to the roots isn't cut off, as it would be with a pot that had zero drainage holes whatsoever. And it still allows water to drain freely, preventing any salt or mineral buildup in the soil. As long as those roots have access to fresh air, they won't suffer from "overwatering." As you can see, these plants were grown in those pots in the nursery. They are used to the tips being in that small amount of water and grew just fine. It's not like they were just transferred to those pots before being shipped out to the stores. I would say that roughly 90% of its root mass is above that reservoir, taking in more than enough fresh air to maintain proper root functions. There is no need for concern from using these types of pots. The first year that I had mine, it lost almost all of its leaves over the winter. But it grew many more news ones throughout spring, and fully recovered itself over the summer of the following year. Ficus alii is no stranger to shedding its leaves. Especially when being moved into a new environment. I still say that your plant is healthy, despite losing some of its leaves. I would, however, refrain from pruning any more bare branches. Having bare branches doesn't necessarily mean that those branches are dead. They will send out plenty of new leaves, given enough time. If any bare branches remain in the summertime, then feel free to prune those away as needed.
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MrBlubs
9 years ago
Not doing repotting in 5 years is a problem.... Surface roots tell you that they out of room in the pot. I'd repot that asap come spring.
If you want a better shape and it to branch out pruning is your friend. But yet again I'd wait until spring and when it's been inside new soil.
Other people can tell you more about it just thought I'd put in my two cents..
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
I would urge you to make a plan that takes into account the plant's natural rhythms (search words: Circadian endogenous) and the plant's ability to tolerate any work you might do (its state of vitality). If you do that, your plant can be well on the way to fulfilling the vision you have for it by mid-summer, this year, with very little risk. If you decide to start now, the results probably won't occur as quickly, and it will be harder on the plant, with the hardships accompanied by additional risk of diseases and insect infestations due to the long recovery period (low vitality).

Your thoughts re that suggestion?

Al
neophytic
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm impatient but I'd prefer to do things properly so I am happy to wait for a more appropriate time in order to maximise the potential of the plant.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
In summary, my suggestions would be:

* If the plant is still appearing healthy, you can shorten it a little if you like.

* Between now and next Jun, keep the plant as healthy as possible. If you can, and as soon as night temps are reliably above 13*, move the plant outdoors into shade, or open or dappled shade where it should gain a lot of strength.

* It would be best to be thinking about what you can do to ensure the plant goes into a soil you can water to beyond saturation w/o having to worry about soggy soil impairing root function/health. This is a very important issue because it also impacts your ability to fertilize effectively. Your soil choice and light levels are the areas where limitations are potentially most pronounced. To my way of thinking, there is little sense in fighting with your soil choice for control of your plant's vitality, and if you can't water correctly, that will be the case.

* Some time just prior to the summer solstice, you can repot the plant. Repotting is different than potting up, and includes bare-rooting and root pruning. I can help with that when the time comes.

After repotting and after growth resumes, you can prune the plant back. You'll select one trunk to be the tallest, then prune the other trunks off just above a branch that is horizontal and faces outward. Each of the trunks will be pruned off at different heights, leaving only 1 leader.

This tree has 3 trunks, 2 of which were pruned for ht and put to service as branches.
{{gwi:92885}}

This is several ficus whips fused together. All but one of the 7 trunks will end up playing the role of a branch.
{{gwi:100641}}

* After that work is done, the tree will backbud a LOT, and the new branches will offer you lots of pruning opportunities. The more pruning opportunities you have, the easier it is to build an eye-appealing planting.

Let me know if you want more info. I can link you to threads about basic growing, growing ficus in containers, and a thread about soils, the information in which probably represents the largest step forward a container gardener can make at any one time. I'll also be around to help you through the individual steps if you decide that's the route you'd like to go.

A little patience at this point can help you settle into a rhythm that works with the plant's strengths instead of against them. For me, that's a part of being closer to my plants. Bonsai practitioners spend a lot of time 'guiding' their plant material and doing things in an order that has the least negative impact possible. Fortunately, many of the things aren't specific to bonsai and can help all container growers learn to minimize limiting factors.

Al
Pat z6 MI
9 years ago
This thread is going to be a great learning experience. I hope it doesn't go private.
Pat
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
There are a good number of threads that focus on unburdening indoor-grown trees (or outdoor, for that matter) from some of the most common and most serious limitations. Among the most serious are, poor soils, root congestion, too many heavy roots and not enough fine roots, poor nutrition and a high level of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil solution.

Many growers with a strong will to do the best they can for their plants continue to struggle mightily on behalf of their charges. Very often, the turning point is getting their plants into a soil the grower can water properly w/o the soil staying soggy so long it seriously limits the plant's potential/ growth/ appearance/ health.

Personally, I just enjoy helping, so if I thought it was best for growers trying to make a break from the limitations affecting their plants to focus on something else, that's what I would focus on, too; but in all honesty, most problems (appearance, growth issues, overall vitality, insects, disease ........) can all be traced back to a compromised root system that leaves the plant weak & vulnerable. No doubt it's a key issue.

Al

Ficus Alii needs work/help!

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neophytic
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Ficus Alii needs work/help!

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neophyticOriginal Author

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MrBlubs

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

neophyticOriginal Author

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

Pat z6 MI

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neophytic
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neophytic
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