What do I do with the two old leaves on bottom? Are they draining too many resources or would it be too much of a shock to remove them? Your call. What you should know to decide: The plant's true food is glucose (sugar), which it makes during photosynthesis. The plant has chemical messengers which keep plant central informed of each leaf's food contribution to the plant's well-being. When a leaf is no longer able to pull its weight, the process of shedding (abscission) begins, starting with the process or resorption, during which the plant salvages/ removes mobile nutrients and other biocompounds from the leaf and uses the resources elsewhere in the plant, usually to fuel new growth. So, the plant "knows" whether or not the leaf needs to go, and won't allow leaves that represent poor use of resources to remain attached to the plant. That said, as long as the plant is reasonably healthy, and you can't tolerate looking at the spoiled foliage, it wouldn't be a big deal if you were to remove them. I practice bonsai and often use defoliation as a tool to allow me to manage the tree's energy flow and increase ramification (leaf/ branch density).

What about his trunk? All the new leaves are off one branch; what to do with the other two branches? If they are dead, remove them. If they are not dead, you can remove or adopt a wait and see holding pattern.

What to do in winter? Im zone 9a so not very cold. He is so happy out there Im scared to bring him back in. Generally speaking, the plant should not be exposed to temps below 55*. I run into people all the time who insist that, because they can't SEE what happens at cool temps, nothing could be happening; however, temps below 55* (even at night) limit the plant's ability to carry on photosynthesis, which essentially forces the plant to rely on its energy reserves, which are finite, to keep its systems orderly until it can again tap into the sun's energy instead of relying on its own stored energy. When you do bring it indoors give it the brightest spot possible and a spot where temps are above 65* and free of cold drafts. You should be fertilizing regularly with an appropriate fertilizer. Ask if you want a recommendation because what you choose is important.

I also suggest you monitor the planting's moisture levels deep in the pot by using a "tell". More on that below. First a few links that you should find to be very helpful if you put the suggestions into action:

Overview of Good Growing Practices.

Long Term Care of Ficus Trees in Containers

Using a 'tell'

Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need plenty of air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support the kind of root health most growers would like to see; and, a healthy root system is a prerequisite to a healthy plant.

Watering in small sips leads to avoid over-watering leads to a residual build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil from tapwater and fertilizer solutions, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor.

In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water.

Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'.

One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) would work better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half and serve as a pair. Sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell comes out dry or nearly so. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate .....

Al

Thank you so much for all of that helpful info!

It sounds like I will need to bring him in this winter. The only window that doesn’t have a porch in front of it AND is safe from the kiddos AND has space would be the primary bedroom. It is west facing, gets lots of light in afternoon. Do you think that would be okay? If so, about how far from the window should he be?

West window - ok. Acclimate the plant to the higher light levels by positioning the plant to the side of the window. Rotate the plant weekly and gradually move it directly in front of the window if possible. Avoid opening the window of there is danger of sudden cold drafts, which can cause leaves to be shed.

Thought you might enjoy this Ficus benjamina (weeping fig), pruned and wired this weekend:

Al

Thanks again! We will give it a go when the weather cools off.

I haven’t seen a weeping fig before, beautiful !!