Ficus M. winter fertilization

[ACrawl]

Hey everyone.

I far as I understand (from reading various sources), is that fertilization can continue during the winter, at a reduced frequency, it the ficus continues to show signs of growth.

Does anyone have experience with this? What are you typical winter feeding practices?

I last fertilized this guy early November, I believe (perhaps late October), and it was about half of what I gave it in September. An experienced member here informed me that the ficus is a hungry species, so I’m working on getting me wintering right. There is widespread new / recent growth. Any thoughts here will be appreciated.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Even tropicals will take a break in the off-season. On tropical islands like Fiji, it tends to be the dry season (versus the cold season). When you are keeping your tropicals outside during the spring, summer and fall, and bringing them in during the winter, the indoor environment (very dry, mild temps) will tend to feel like "winter" to a tree that is used to being outside in hot, humid temps. As such, growth will slow to a crawl, and water and fertilizer needs will drop significantly.

Your ficus looks very leggy (like it doesn't get enough sunlight) and the soil looks poor. Have you repotted it recently? Don't do it now... but it may be due come late spring / early summer.

 

[ACrawl]

Ive only had it a couple of months. Admittedly, the branches were a bit more densely packed - but it’s been pretty leggy since I got it. I was planning to repot this coming summer. Ive got a new pot and new soil ready to go.

The soil has a lot of bark at the top. Either way, I’m not experienced enough to determine its condition. Thanks for brining attention to it.

I was thinking to look around for images of well cultivated ficuses of my species. Hopefully that will also help me assess my own. And of course - I’ll be here asking lol.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Here's a large ficus overwintering in a sunny window in my son's bedroom Very green and healthy, but otherwise shut down until March, when I will put it back outside on the bench. Note that if we get a run of warm weather, I'll stick it outside for a couple of days - mainly so I can spray it freely with water. However I will not be fertilizing it until I put it back outside.

 

[ACrawl]

Wow. That looks really healthy. I’ve got a long way to go lol. With that in mind, would you mind making a couple of suggestions for areas of focus?

 

[Shibui]

Occasional fertiliser whenever a tree is growing will help with health. Ficus can and do grow while indoors. I'de be comfortable giving that tree a shot of fert now and maybe once a moth right through Winter if it is still moving. Winter growth will depend on conditions indoors at your place which can be way different from someone else's place.

 

[oranjeaap]

My ficus is growing like it's summer. It's under a slanted, south facing window and under a growth light mornings, evenings and during cloudy days (which is 75% of winter days basically). But I'm much further north so less daytime sunlight in winter. Im feeding it about half of what im giving it in summer.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

With that in mind, would you mind making a couple of suggestions for areas of focus?

You've got two issues with your tree: bad soil and not enough light. If it were strong and healthy, and in bright light, it would be back-budding all up and down the trunk, and you could prune back that leggy growth, and wire the branches out horizontally so that they would bud all along the length of the branch. No worries - however - ficus are so strong that they can pretty much recover from most abuses you throw at them.

Because I keep my tropicals outdoors until the first hard freeze, and overwinter them in a bright (but not direct sunlight) window, they are shut down right now and I would not want to transplant until late spring or even early summer when they are back outdoors and the heat of the summer has returned. However if your tree is kept indoors all year, and it is in a sunny window (or with supplemental artificial lighting like @oranjeaap's setup) you could transplant now if you wanted. You have to be able to assess the strength of your tree, and your ability to provide a good recovery environment.