Ficus Salicaria (Willow Leaf) Question

[anb5231]

I purchased this Ficus Salicaria from a nursery about a month ago as a pre-bonsai. I am hoping to thicken up the trunk before selecting and wiring branches.

I potted it in 2/3 growers mix (pine bark, sphagnum, peanut hulls) and 1/3 Vermiculite. It had/has dense vigorous growth but the newest budding leaves look brown, tiny and shriveled. I am wondering if this is normal or if there is something I can pro-actively do to improve the health of the tree.

Immediately after re-potting it was watered with a 20-20-20 fertilizer(1 tsp/gallon)

 

[anb5231]

Repost

Just reposted this to the tropicals section. Sorry!

 

[markyscott]

I purchased this Ficus Salicaria from a nursery about a month ago as a pre-bonsai. I am hoping to thicken up the trunk before selecting and wiring branches.

I potted it in 2/3 growers mix (pine bark, sphagnum, peanut hulls) and 1/3 Vermiculite. It had/has dense vigorous growth but the newest budding leaves look brown, tiny and shriveled. I am wondering if this is normal or if there is something I can pro-actively do to improve the health of the tree.

Immediately after re-potting it was watered with a 20-20-20 fertilizer(1 tsp/gallon)

Looks normal to me from what I can see in the pictures.

Scott

 

[carp]

It looks perfectly healthy. The curled leaves happen, I don't think that there is anything to avoid it. I have it happen to all of mine. The leaves are a nice lush green, don't see anything you should be worried about.

 

[jk_lewis]

You soil mix sounds like it will hold too much water for Ficus. It also is likely to break down into a mush (especially the peanut hulls).

Figs do NOT like wet feet.

 

[carp]

I don't know who told you ficus don't like wet feet, but thats definitely not the case. I grow mine all outdoors, watered via sprinkler daily for 1hr and they thrive.
The soil does not matter when you're growing ficus either. They will grow without soil.

 

[KennedyMarx]

It's been my experience that mine don't grow much when they stay wet.

 

[carp]

It's been my experience that mine don't grow much when they stay wet.

I grow mine outdoors all year.

 

[devenomized]

I purchased this Ficus Salicaria from a nursery about a month ago as a pre-bonsai. I am hoping to thicken up the trunk before selecting and wiring branches.

I potted it in 2/3 growers mix (pine bark, sphagnum, peanut hulls) and 1/3 Vermiculite. It had/has dense vigorous growth but the newest budding leaves look brown, tiny and shriveled. I am wondering if this is normal or if there is something I can pro-actively do to improve the health of the tree.

Immediately after re-potting it was watered with a 20-20-20 fertilizer(1 tsp/gallon)

This is interesting. I have a smaller ficus with soil that seems to hold more water and a larger ficus with a soil that drains quickly. The larger ficus shows new growth with very tiny green leaves while the smaller ficus shows "more" growth but the new leaves look brown and slightly yellow/green.

I already planned to water the smaller less.... but I was also curious.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

It is a good point that it is easier to get the watering right with a less organic mix especially when they have to come inside for the winter. And, less chance of bugs with more inorganic components. I would also be careful with the 20-20-20 and such an organic mix. I burned benjamina leaves with a 20-10-10 before, but I did have a beer or two before I mixed the batch so it might have been a little hot. Keep it where it is for now, mix your fert 1/2 strength unless it specifies for potted plants. My favorite time to repot tropicals up in the temperate region is late August and in the Spring when the lows are above 50. Give them some room to run over the summer and in August cram them in to your smallest pots so that they'll all fit in brightest spot in your house (wife permitting). Mine keep in the basement under the lights.