Treating a ficus with a cold injury

Question

I had my ficus tree outside for some fresh air and sunshine and we got an unexpected arctic blast. I think it is dead…all the leaves fell off. What should I do ? Should I prune it? How can I tell if there is any hope?

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Answer 1

How long ago did this happen? The best thing you can do is bring it back inside and wait for signs of recovery. You can tell if there is any hope by conducting a "scratch test," which is where you scratch the stems to check for life underneath (look for green parts). If you don't see any green, then the prognosis for your ficus, sad to say, is not good. If new growth emerges, which hopefully it will, keep it properly watered and fertilized.

For more information on saving cold damaged plants, please visit the following link:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/tips-for-saving-cold-damaged-plants.htm