My tree has white bugs on it and leaves are droppping.
Is this a new tree, or have you recently moved it? It looks very full of leaves, and it has to get rid of some of them because it doesn't have enough light for all of them. You can trim out the leafy areas in the center of the tree, that should stop the dropping leaves problem. The white bugs would be mealy bugs; you can spray them with a home made mixture to get rid of them. Just be sure to spray at weekly intervals for 4 weeks, and spray up onto the bottoms of the leaves, and along the branches. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/mealybugs-white-residue-on-plants-leaves.htm
I have a ficus tree and it's definitely in stress. I just read an article that said it needs nutrients and to be fertilized every month. I am new to taking care of plants. How do I do that?
If your plant is not doing well, fertilizer is probably not the the answer. Fertilizer should never be given to a plant that is ailing. Fertilizer provides the minerals that are part of many of the processes of life for plants, but plants make the majority of their food from air, light, and water. When the minerals in the soil are used up, or not present in high enough concentration because of the composition of the soil itself, fertilizer can be added. Ficus trees in very high light (beside a bright south-facing window) can be fertilized once a month through spring, summer, and fall. Give it a rest in winter. If the plant is in lower light ( shaded window, several feet from the window, north or east window) fertilize only 3 or 4 times a year. Use balanced (all three number equal) fertilizer. This article tells you more about fertilizing houseplants: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/signs-of-over-fertilization-in-houseplants.htm
There are several common causes for ficus not doing well, chief among them is insufficient light, or being recently moved; overwatering or underwatering; and an infection of scale insects. Theses articles will help you diagnose and remedy the problem: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ficus/ficus-losing-leaves.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ficus/ficus-tree-care.htm
Do I need to treat the soil for insects, etc. before bringing it in?
Before any plant is brought in for the winter, there are several steps to take. The first and most important is to acclimate the plant gradually to lowered light. This is an ongoing process, so a few days before you start bringing it in, you'll want to flood the soil with water a couple of times, to make sure any ants, worms, etc exit outdoors. You will also want to inspect the plant for bugs, especially the undersides of leaves and branches, and the leaf axils ( where leaf stem emerges for main stem.) Spray all these surfaces with a mild soap solution, add a little neem oil if you want, to make sure the invisible bugs are given their walking papers also. This article has more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/acclimate-plants-indoors-winter.htm
I have a variegated ficus that I like in the location I've place it; however, in fall and winter the sun moves away from the only source of window light and I feel it does not get adequate light. Would it make sense to use a small grow light on the ficus through these low light seasons or would it be better to move the plant to a better lit location (I'd rather not)? Thank you.
Adding some electric light would be an excellent idea. However, forget the expensive "grow lights" - the only benefit they provide is to the bank accounts of the manufacturers. Ordinary cool white fluorescent is actually better. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/fluorescent-lighting-for-indoor-gardening.htm
What is the lowest temperature that a ficus tree outdoors can handle? If branches feel rubbery, is it dying? If left outdoors at 30 degrees, will it die? Please help.
Ficus trees are considered tropical plants; the usual suggestion is that they shouldn't be subjected to temps lower than 45F. However, in Florida where I live, I've found that they can take a few hours in the upper 30's, although they might sustain some damage. But more than an hour or two at freezing or below will usually kill them.
Just put my ficus in a larger sized put. I added gravel to the bottom and am now thinking that was a mistake. Should I take it out of the pot and remove the gravel? The pot does have two holes at the bottom and I water until I see water coming out of them, then don't water again until the top of the soil is dry. The tree has no issues and lots of new growth, but I don't want the gravel to kill it down the road. What should I do? Thanks so much for your time and I've added a pic of the tree.
Thank you very much for your time!
The gravel won't kill your ficus. It's just that the gravel in the bottom of the pot is unnecessary. Gravel or pot shards or whatever improving the drainage is simply a myth that has been disproved. Your tree looks very nice. Next repotting, don't bother with the "drainage layer."
My tree that's about 4.5 feet tall seems to be growing more on the top and on one side. There's a little new growth on the other side, but much less. Branches and new leaves have grown out almost 2" in the last week alone. I know it's doing well. It's in a southern facing window and gets plenty of light. Is this because I'm not rotating it? I haven't rotated in fear that it'll get upset and drop leaves because I know they do that for any reason. Should I start to rotate 1/4 turns weekly? Will that slow down growth? Will I lose leaves? Thanks. I've attached a pic and you can see it has a lot of new growth. Thank you!
I would recommend rotating your Ficus Benjamina for even growth. A 1/4 turn weekly as you proposed will suffice and will not be detrimental to the plant - in fact, it will promote growth in the areas that are lacking. For more information on the care of Ficus Benjamina, please visit the following link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/ficus/ficus-tree-care.htm