Ficus bargainmina

Redwood Ryan

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Hi all,


I visited a local nursery today in search of another Ficus. Each time I had went to that nursery I noticed a particular Ficus micro. 'Golden Gate' that they had set off to the side. Once they had bought it (I think from Meehan's), they defoliated it. And every time I went to the nursery I saw it looking poor and sad. Today I mentioned to a good friend that works there that the Ficus still wasn't looking good, and I 'bet' her I could save it. So, she told me I could have it for $5. $5! It used to be on sale for $240! I was in shock. So of course I took it and once I got home I bare rooted it and repotted it, fed it some Bio-Gold, then watered well and placed it in the shade. Right now my only goal is to bring it back.

Before:
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Redwood Ryan

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During repot, rootball:
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After:
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Sign of life:
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Dead (maybe) branches:
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On sale!
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Redwood Ryan

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Bad news. I just went out and scratched the trunk and couldn't find any green underneath. I don't understand though. How could it look somewhat decent up top, but yet be brown underneath the trunk??
 

Bill S

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Ryan, no leaves , correct? If so put it in FULL sun, it will help pull the leaves out, with no real stress on the roots.

Wait till you see how nice and small the leaves will be.
 

Redwood Ryan

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Ryan, no leaves , correct? If so put it in FULL sun, it will help pull the leaves out, with no real stress on the roots.

Wait till you see how nice and small the leaves will be.


Well, there are SOME leaves, but I think I could pull them off since they don't seem to be clinging very tightly. But like I said, I fear it could be too late due to the color of the bark underneath. I just don't understand why it still is pushing new leaves if it isn't green underneath the bark....
 
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I think that your tree got bit by last winter's cold... this is usually the sign of a ficus that did not agree with the temps. Seeing that the roots don't seem to be rotten, from over watering. Try cutting one of the branches that seem to be dead and see if it is mushy inside, often it will be...
I personally would STRONGLY, disagree with putting in the full sun!!! The tree right now needs to be babied. So, keep in the shade... cease all watering, if there is any life, the slightest bit of over watering will definitely send it over the edge. Do not resume watering until a good deal of leaves have returned.
Good luck, there is a very good chance this tree will prob. not make it... The good thing is that it has been a little while since winter and it is still trying.
Let us know what happens.
 

Redwood Ryan

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I think that your tree got bit by last winter's cold... this is usually the sign of a ficus that did not agree with the temps. Seeing that the roots don't seem to be rotten, from over watering. Try cutting one of the branches that seem to be dead and see if it is mushy inside, often it will be...
I personally would STRONGLY, disagree with putting in the full sun!!! The tree right now needs to be babied. So, keep in the shade... cease all watering, if there is any life, the slightest bit of over watering will definitely send it over the edge. Do not resume watering until a good deal of leaves have returned.
Good luck, there is a very good chance this tree will prob. not make it... The good thing is that it has been a little while since winter and it is still trying.
Let us know what happens.


I don't think temperature had anything to do with this guy. The nursery is mostly just a huge temperature controlled greenhouse. I tried bending the branches to test their life, but they didn't break in half, which I found odd....
 
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I wouldn't give up yet... just put it off to the side and see what happens...
 

Speedy

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I've got to agree with Stacy. Put it a side and forget about it, don't throw it out yet.

The other option, send me your email and I'll paypal you the $5, plus shipping to send it my way.
 

rockm

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Put it outside so it gets full sun from morning until about 2 pm. The heat will help with root production. Ficus can take a lot of heat and enjoy the outdoor summertime humidity also.

You have a classic "overwatered, crappy soil" nursery bonsai. You've repotted into better soil. That will help. Get it outside NOW.
 

Redwood Ryan

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Put it outside so it gets full sun from morning until about 2 pm. The heat will help with root production. Ficus can take a lot of heat and enjoy the outdoor summertime humidity also.

You have a classic "overwatered, crappy soil" nursery bonsai. You've repotted into better soil. That will help. Get it outside NOW.


Do you really think I should put it in full sun??
 

rockm

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I would. Ficus typically live in tropical areas and are quite capable of handling sun. It's also adviseable to repot them in the heat of summer when they are growing their strongest. Heat to the roots will stimulate them to grow.
 

Redwood Ryan

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I would. Ficus typically live in tropical areas and are quite capable of handling sun. It's also adviseable to repot them in the heat of summer when they are growing their strongest. Heat to the roots will stimulate them to grow.


Interesting. I just don't want to burn the leaves that are still there. I feel the shade will work until it recovers more.
 
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Redwood Ryan

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suit yourself.

Sorry Rock, I've just gotten too many people saying keep it in the shade that I worry about putting it in the sun.

I walked past it and brushed it and a few more leaves fell off. Although, after looking over the other leaves, they appear to be attached and not hanging on too loosely. But I still have hope seeing as there are areas where it is pushing leaves. Hopefully the fertilizer will help it. We will see what happens.

Btw, I went back to the nursery to tell them what the problem is, they said I could bring the pot back and they would give me my money back. That pot is soo worth more than $5.
 
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Bill S

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Put it outside so it gets full sun from morning until about 2 pm. The heat will help with root production. Ficus can take a lot of heat and enjoy the outdoor summertime humidity also.

You have a classic "overwatered, crappy soil" nursery bonsai. You've repotted into better soil. That will help. Get it outside NOW.

Ryan, the biggest argument came from Stacy, thinking cold damage, then she said then it's from over watering, Ficus need sun, not dappled either, they take much more heat and "sun" then you get in Va.. If you get leaf schoch on the remaining leaves, so be it, but you have green growing tips. Is Bonsai vault still there go ask Jerry Mislek.(haven't logged in thier for a week or so, so I'm not sure, but if it's there still Jerry will help you out.

Sun, son. IMHO

Good Luck with it. Can't really loose for a fin.
 

Redwood Ryan

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Ryan, the biggest argument came from Stacy, thinking cold damage, then she said then it's from over watering, Ficus need sun, not dappled either, they take much more heat and "sun" then you get in Va.. If you get leaf schoch on the remaining leaves, so be it, but you have green growing tips. Is Bonsai vault still there go ask Jerry Mislek.(haven't logged in thier for a week or so, so I'm not sure, but if it's there still Jerry will help you out.

Sun, son. IMHO

Good Luck with it. Can't really loose for a fin.


Thanks Bill. I send Jerry emails all the time. I did ask him about putting this guy in the sun and he advised against it as he thought it could just cook the tree and put it to rest for good.
 
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let me start by saying first thing I am a He and not a She, I can understand where the confusion comes from, I have gotten it all of my life... anyways...
back to the subject...
I personally, still believe this tree might have gotten bit by the cold... the reason, when this happens to ficus they will die off in all kinds of weird places, drop green leaves, but at the same time will continue to still try and put out new growth... often it will continue untill untill all the nutrients remaining in the parts that did not freeze is used up, then the new growth will die. Personally I usually will cut some of what appears to be alive to check the condition inside. Often when one scratches they will still find green, but when cut, you will find it all very soft and kinda mushy, the bark also comes of very easily. Sometimes I have had trees that part has died and the rest survived, so I just cut off the dead and started in a new direction. So wait and see, time will eventually tell.
A ficus that has been excessively watered will act almost the same way, with one major difference... the roots upon inspection, will often be rotten... When it was repoted, (which by the way I would never do to a tree in shock, I have found 99 percent of the time it does send it over the edge), did not find any rotted roots?
From the photos, I did not see any, which leads me back to the cold.

Now, as far as sun... ANY AND ALL REPOTTED PLANTS, OR PLANTS IN SHOCK, SHOULD BE PUT IN THE SHADE/PARTIAL SHADE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING!!! Anybody telling you otherwise, I would definetly question!!!This allows the plant to acclimate, and settle in... For some plants, and some actions, this does not need to be that long... others it does... ie. heavy root prunning.
Ficus do very well under all types of lighting conditions that is why often they sold as house plants, true the full sun will help promote new growth, but I have also found, excess sun will slow growth as well.
Seriously, I am stunned that you all are telling him to just plop it out in the full sun, even if you had a tree that was suffering from lack of light, you would slowly ease it towards the sun!!! If one was to look at the photos, you would see his tree is dropping green leaves, a pure sign his tree is in shock, and if on was to use their "Brain", the full sun would be the last place it needs to be!!!
 
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