Top Questions About Ficus Trees

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Questions About Ficus Trees

Asked by
Anonymous on
November 4, 2010

Q. Planting a Ficus Outside

I have 2 ficus that someone tossed out into the garbage.they are both approximately 5 foot tall and do not produce figs. I have had them in pot for 4+ years. Is there anyway I can transplant them to outside?
I live in Northern Kentucky

Answered by
Heather on
November 7, 2010
Certified Expert
A.

Most ficus that are grown as houseplants are not cold hardy outside in the winter. It would be best to keep them indoors for the winter. But, in the spring and summer, you can keep them outside in containers.

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Asked by
Anonymous on
January 18, 2011

Q. Ficus Plant Losing Leaves

I have a ‘money tree’ in a pot and it is growing new leaves, but some of the leaves have yellowed and fallen off. Am I doing something wrong? Does it need a bigger pot?

Answered by
Heather on
January 26, 2011
Certified Expert
A.

Some leaf loss from ficus is normal, especially in the winter. If you think that yours is shedding too many leaves, it may be an issue with humidity or watering. Make sure the plant is getting enough water and also check to make sure that it does not have root rot. A humidifier in the room will help increase humidity.

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Asked by
Anonymous on
January 30, 2011

Q. Can Scale Bugs Live in Soil After Plant is Discarded?

I had an indoor ficus tree that I discarded three weeks ago after battling scale bugs on it for years. I wanted to replant a hibiscus tree in the large pot that the previously infested ficus tree was in. I just filled the very large pot with about four bags of potting soil about four months ago, and hate to get rid of it all. I placed the pot outside in the cold. It is a high of about 25 degrees today. Will the cold air kill any scale living in the soil? Would there be any scale alive in the soil three weeks after the infested tree was removed? Do I need to discard the top layer of the soil? Please advise, I don’t want to infest my new tree.

Answered by
Nikki on
January 31, 2011
Certified Expert
A.

The cold should kill any scale that might be left, but just in case, you may want to water the soil with a neem oil solution that will kill off any remaining scale. This article will tell you more about neem oil: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm

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Asked by
twin on
February 14, 2011

Q. Is Leaf Shedding All Over the Floor Normal for Indoor Fig Tree?

THe fig tree is approximately 5 feet tall and is in a large floor pot. It is shedding leaves badly and daily. They are just falling off daily.

Answered by
Heather on
February 15, 2011
Certified Expert
A.

It is likely trying to go into dormancy. Even indoors, a fig get cues that it is time to go into dormancy from temps, light levels and humidity. You can stop it by increasing all of these things for the fig tree.

If your fig is a ficus, this article may help as well:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ficus/ficus-losing-leaves.htm

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Asked by
Anonymous on
February 15, 2011

Q. Ficus Tree

I have a ficus tree planted about three feet from my house.  The tree is about four years old. I’m concerned about the root system being that close to the house. Can you give me some advice? Should I remove the tree? Is my house foundation safe?

Answered by
Nikki on
February 16, 2011
Certified Expert
A.

Tree roots are actually pretty lazy. As long as the tree has the water it needs and the space on the other side from your house to grow, it will not be a problem. Tree root problems occur when a tree can't find all the water it wants, so it starts to grow into water rich pipes, or its roots become constricted, say because it grows between two foundations or heavy soil constricts growth on one side and a foundation on the other. Take a look at your situation and see if that might apply to you. If the tree has plenty of root room to grow around it except for the side that has the foundation, you have nothing to worry about.

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Asked by
Anonymous on
March 7, 2011

Q. Stopping Containers from Being Blown Over

I have three large containers, 90 inches around, that have either a Ficus and China doll planted in them. Strong gusts of wind keep blowing them over and damaging the pots. Two pots weigh 100 lbs. without soil. The one with the Ficus is a resin pot. All are traditionally shaped. Do you have an idea as to what or how to brace the pots from blowing over?

Answered by
roseman on
March 19, 2011
A.

Those certainly are large pots to be blowing over! The only thing I can recommend is installing some tie downs on them. Perhaps take some thin but strong rope and dye it a color that will match the containers or blend with the area and tie the containers down to some screw in the ground anchors is an "X" pattern. You could decorate the tie down rope lines with little critter ornaments climbing on them or hanging from them. Another method might be to place the containers next to a 4x4 fence type post, well set into the ground. This would help lend some taller support to the containers and what I suspect are a bit top heavy plantings in them.

Hope this helps!

Stan the Roseman :o)

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Asked by
Anonymous on
March 12, 2011

Q. Scale Insects

I have a ficus tree that I have treated for scale. I have used treatment of mim (sp?) oil mixed with rubbing alcohol (diluted with water) and a few drops of dish soap. The scale keep returning. What else can I try?

Answered by
Nikki on
March 14, 2011
Certified Expert
A.

I am not sure what mim oil is, but if you have not tried neem oil, I would recommend it, though you may need a few applications. If you have tried that, I would try insecticidal soap.

When you use these things to treat the scale, wash the plant first to get off as many of the scale as you can. After you treat the plant, continue to treat it weekly for a month or two. What is likely happening is that some scale are in the soil and they do not get treated when you treat the plant and then re-infest the plant once the others have died.

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