Hello, I have 3 of these in 6 inch pots, about 80cm-1m tall. Apparently the fruit is quite nice, and although these fruited in pots (but will need transplanting soon) birds got them before I could test. Would like to trade for interesting edibles - especially perennials, fruit trees etc. Located in Doveton but can bring to Melbourne Uni if that helps. Cheers! Mike

Many soils support water that inhabits a soggy layer of soil (of varying ht) that refuses to obey the law of gravity and drain from the pot w/o help. The plant doesn't like to be dry, and going dry elicits a drought response which includes shedding leaves to reduce water demands, so you do want to make sure there is moisture available to the plant at all times. This is especially important to young plants that haven't developed their root systems into structures that can store enough water to help them through any brief periods of dryness they might encounter. Because your planting is so small, this is an easy fix. After you water thoroughly, so you're flushing the soil, wait for the pot to stop draining, then hold the plant over the sink and move it downward, then sharply upward. You'll notice that on the reversal in direction to upward, the excess water in the pot keeps moving downward and out the drain hole. You'll be using Newton's first law of motion to help keep your plant's root system happy. Keep moving the plant downward then sharply upward until no more water exits the pot. Then repeat the next time the plant needs watering. You CAN learn to make soils that eliminate the issues associated with excess water retention, and I suggest you think about that if you have a feeling plants will always be a part of your life. Knowing how to keep roots happy is a prerequisite to a healthy plant. You'll also need to fertilize on as regular basis. If you're watering so you're flushing the soil when you water, you should fertilize about every 2 weeks in the summer and less often in the winter. Fertilizers with 3:1:2 ratios are great for ficus and most other plants. A fertilizer's ratio is different than its NPK %s. 20-20-20 is a 1:1:1 ratio. Examples of 3:1:2 ratios include 24-8-16, 12-4-8, and 9-3-6, all common in the US, but I don't know what's available there. The plant will appreciate being outdoors on days above 65*, and being kept in your sunniest windows. If you have the inclination, I think you'll find the info at these threads to be helpful. This one provides a basic overview of growing houseplants in pots and will help you avoid all the most common pitfalls you might find in your path. This one, talks more specifically about tending ficus in containers for the long term. If you are interested, I'll link you to information that discusses soils and their impact on your ability to consistently keep your plants healthy. I think you'll do more to advance your container gardening proficiency by understanding how to keep roots healthy (which centers on soils) than by any other single piece of information. Additional questions? Al

Hi Dave, thanks, but not sure what site you are referring to. My daughter is a reluctant plant person. She's a very busy person and doesn't make time to learn about a plant's needs. She was given this Fig tree by a friend who was moving and didn't want to take it with her. She likes the way it looks and was willing to water it on a schedule, once a week to remember to do it. Beyond that, it's like pulling teeth. [g]. I've already returned it to her, so it's not my responsibility any more. But that reminds me, I'm going to have to send her some more information on that Fig Tree, so thanks for linking to that thread. Funny story, the Fig Tree had three main branches, two of which were stronger than the third. But the third branch just happened to be the middle upright branch and the two strong branches were sprawling out on either side. When my daughter was retrieving the plant, she was moving into a new apartment that was a little smaller than the last and she didn't think the Fig Tree was going to fit. I had no room to keep it. So she had the bright idea of just lopping off the side branches to leave the one main branch in the middle. I was pretty horrified. lol. And while I was objecting and explaining why I objected, she was busy looking for the pruning shears. In two minutes she had both those branches off the tree. I could barely watch. And believe it or not, she was right. It looked much better. She moved it into the new apartment and it just works great. So, I will pass along the link, but she's on her own with her fig tree again. :-)

Update: I realized that I was allowing myself to become very stressed over this plant and so I decided that it is okay to lose a plant now and then, and it must inevitably happen to someone on the path to garden mastery! So here's what happened: Since the top portion of each stalk was by far the healthiest part and hadn't started visibly degrading yet I figured that now would be a good time to try and propagate. I cut off about 6 inches or so from each stalk, removed the bottom leaves of each cutting, and cut the top two leaves down to half-size. I coated the bottom of each stalk with honey and then planted them in a freshly mixed, and moistened 3:1:1 of bark, peat, perlite. Then I covered them with a clear plastic bag (from the produce section!) put a small stake in the center, and sealed the bag. The stake holds the bag up and I could see condensation forming almost right away. It is now sitting comfortably in a warm, shaded position and I will check on it in a month or so. (I will check for moisture levels in ~2 weeks. Now instead of experiencing feelings of failure and dread at losing a plant, I am full of optimism and hope that my cuttings will become beautiful, healthy plants! I also repotted the parent plants and cut the roots down to about 1/2. They all looked healthy still so I am now beginning to suspect nutrient deficiency and underwatering as the culprits. I have some Dyna Gro Foliage Pro arriving tomorrow which I am very excited to use from now on. Not sure if I should continue with the seaweed/plankton liquid I have been using or not. So for now, I am happy and content with what I have learned and will post pics whenever anything exciting happens! This leaves me with one lingering question... What soil mix should I use for my tropical plants? Philo, calathea, arrowhead. Is 5:1:1 good for them? Or should I lean more towards 3:1:1? I'd love to repot soon (next weekend) once I am confident in the formula. Thank you all and happy gardening!