Ficus Repots, warm min temp or humidity more important?

[hemmy]

Ficus microcarpa repot from 8” deep wood training box to 4” deep ceramic pot. It hasn’t been outside yet, but it can go outside at 59-84F temps in partial shade. But the relative humidity is going to be 30% - 70% and occasional wind. Or I can keep it under the full spectrum lights for a couple of weeks at 70-85F and 70% humidity.

Inside or outside?

 

[Sekibonsai]

I'd keep it in the warmest and brightest spot possible. No partial shade. You can always mist it if you are worried about humidity.

 

[Lorax7]

General rule for tropicals is to repot mid-summer.

 

[Paradox]

I repot mine around 4th of July

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

It's been my experience that humidity is more important for the roots. I took a tropical class in the cold months of Michigan and the instructor had us put our ficus "Too Little" in a clear plastic bag for a week after we repotted in the wrong season. I've done the bag trick a few times after and now I just use my grow tent.

I'd just wait till summer if I was you, as you're going to be removing a lot of roots to go from 8 to 4 inch pot. And it looks like a tree you don't want to take chances with.

 

[Srt8madness]

Everyone always talks about repotting tropicals in the summer, but in my climate I've had just as much success doing it in spring going into growing season (after all frost). I repotted a 2" ficus in spring, didn't skip a beat. I did one last week and it's sulking like a baby.

Point is, if you've done it before, rely on your own experience the heaviest.

 

[nuttiest]

Don't fertilize until it is outside

 

[hemmy]

Everyone always talks about repotting tropicals in the summer, but in my climate I've had just as much success doing it in spring

lol, your “Spring” is everyone else’s summer! But thank you for the input.

 

[hemmy]

I'd keep it in the warmest and brightest spot possible. No partial shade. You can always mist it if you are worried about humidity.

I should have specified that it would only be under shade cloth for ~1 week to avoid burning leaves since it has been in the grow tent to this point. Although with the full spectrum LED I don’t need much acclimation, if at all. But I do prune at repot, so some of the interior leaves may burn.

 

[hemmy]

I'd just wait till summer if I was you, as you're going to be removing a lot of roots to go from 8 to 4 inch pot. And it looks like a tree you don't want to take chances with.

Dang, mid-80sF, I thought it was Summer! We are already going to be 10-15F hotter than my average highest Summer temps when I was in coastal SoCal! Although, this one “over-Summered” inland in 2020 after the drastic sawzall repot.

My reason to repot now, is to give it a month plus to recover before a Pedro Morales workshop.

I’m going to keep it in the grow tent post-repot for a couple weeks for the increased humidity. The root work wasn’t that hard since it was flat cut in 2020. I’ll wait to repot my bigger one (in the foreground of the first post’s pic) since it’s in a ~15 gallon and will need to flat cut.

 

[hemmy]

Here the original one bare last summer after the workshop and then today after the repot. I left a lot of foliage, so I think humidity will be important to maintain the leaf mass. I was planning to move the apex a little more over center but still have it offset. So not the traditional domed banyan cloud style.

 

[jason biggs]

fantastic potential in this tree

 

[hemmy]

fantastic potential in this tree

That’s why I’m getting it in front of a pro, because with me alone it will take as twice as long to only get half as far!