Root Pruning & Styling Ficus Same Time?
- Thread starter mrcasey
- Start date
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
All that work in the fall followed being kept inside is a recipe for a dead ficus. Best time to do work in ficus is outside right now. The hotter and more humid the better. As long as the weather stays hot and humid you can probably get away with root and top work at the same time. The sooner the better as fall is just six or so weeks away
Maiden69
Masterpiece
You want to be doing this during your hottest weather. I'm about to repot my ficus and I always defoliate and prune at the same time, but here in TX the weather is perfect for it. I wouldn't do this work over the fall, not even here and I keep my ficus in a 4x5x2 tent with plenty of bright lights and humidity inside. They just don't grow as good as they do with full sun. If your area not too humid you need to supplement the tree with either a humidity tray or a misting system if possible.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Ficus are not all the same. What works for some species will not work for others. maybe let us know which species and what you plan so we can offer more specific advice.
The Ficus I work with have no problem with root prune and top prune in one single operation.
In my area we work our Ficus from late Spring through to Mid Summer then let them alone through the cooler months. In warmer areas growers can prune and repot fucus all year round. If you have good indoor conditions, good enough to keep the tree actively growing, you may be able work them all year round. If the work you plan is not urgent why not wait until a better time of year?
The Ficus I work with have no problem with root prune and top prune in one single operation.
In my area we work our Ficus from late Spring through to Mid Summer then let them alone through the cooler months. In warmer areas growers can prune and repot fucus all year round. If you have good indoor conditions, good enough to keep the tree actively growing, you may be able work them all year round. If the work you plan is not urgent why not wait until a better time of year?
I guess I was thinking of benjamina.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Ficus benjamina is one of the least resilient Ficus species. Where others can be chopped to bare wood and recover from 90% root reduction, benjis need a much less radical approach. I'd limit root pruning to around 70% and always leave at least 1 growing branch to be sure of good recovery.
You can probably get away with styling and repotting in one operation if you limit yourself to moderate root reduction and moderate branch reduction or allow a few months for recovery from one operation before moving to the other.
You can probably get away with styling and repotting in one operation if you limit yourself to moderate root reduction and moderate branch reduction or allow a few months for recovery from one operation before moving to the other.
