Ficus year 2, what's next?

[MSGhero]

My first plant is this ficus nerifolia that I've had for a year. I'm not really sure what to do with it, if anything, since it seems younger than the typical trees that get styled and all that. Over the past year, it's grown some new leaves, but the trunk and overall height look about the same as when I got it (I don't have great "before" pics).

It's also been dropping leaves the past week . I had a run in with fungus gnats in my building, so I'm slightly worried... Also not sure why some leaves are red.

• Indoors, using a $30 LED light for the past 6 months (bad lighting, can't do outdoors)
• Soak pot for ~30 mins when it feels light, maybe once a week or so
• Fertilize once a month May–Sept
• Neem oil spritz once or twice a day for the past week
• Temp/hum ~76 F, 50% RH average
• Same pot as when I got it

Let me know if you have any advice, thanks!

 

[cheap_walmart_art]

My experience with growing these inside is that the more light, humidity, and warmth you give them, the better they do. I've had good luck indoors using T5 grow lights and increasing the heat to 80F with up to 90% humidity - I made a cheap table top greenhouse out of clear totes, computer fans, and a humidifier. Even then, in my area, they always do better outdoors in full sun if possible.

 

[leatherback]

Start by getting rid of the rocks. You cannot tell whether the substrate is dry or wet with them.
Water when the tree needs water. WHich on hot days might be daily, on cold dark days it may take a week.
Water by pooring on the soil and not by soaking the pot

Make sure your plant gets as much light as possible. So full sun where you have it.

The oil.. Do not do it this frequent. IF you have an infection, twice or three times in a 4 week interval should normally fix any pest

 

[Bnana]

The soil is probably pretty bad. Get rid of those rocks and check the soil. You want lots of light and healthy roots.

 

[zanduh]

i saw someone once suggest using a cheap heating pad. Can’t say I have any experience with one though.

VIVOSUN Durable Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat Warm Hydroponic Heating Pad 10" x 20.75" MET Standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P7U259C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mQOvFbNQVZQAE

 

[leatherback]

i saw someone once suggest using a cheap heating pad. Can’t say I have any experience with one though.

VIVOSUN Durable Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat Warm Hydroponic Heating Pad 10" x 20.75" MET Standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P7U259C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mQOvFbNQVZQAE

Normally if you keep this in a livingroom which is heated in winter, you do not need it.

 

[MSGhero]

Thanks so far. Here is the soil after removing most of the rocks. Some roots were growing upwards into the rocks, and I don't see that being too helpful for the plant. I watered it two days ago.

 

[leatherback]

You see how wet the soil is? Suffocating the roots

 

[MSGhero]

Gotcha. At this point, should I add or change anything, or continue as-is but with a better watering routine and the other feedback mentioned?

 

[leatherback]

I would give it time. But tricky. Hard to tell from a few pics

 

[MSGhero]

I'll definitely be set when I want to do a before and after comparison this time lol

 

[sorce]

I'd get it out of that pot.

Welcome to Crazy.

Problem with that pot is, if you do get lucky and grow some roots, you'll be screwing yourself cuz you won't be able to get it out later.

I believe this is an impossible situation, you'll never get enough airflow in that pot.

Sorce

 

[DonovanC]

Definitely a repot. But until you’re able to do that, it needs to dry out a bit. You need some free draining soil that’s not going to hold so much water. This will make watering easier. Switching to top watering will help you out a lot too.
Looks like it could use some more light too.

 

[MSGhero]

Yeah I’m sneaking onto Amazon during work to find a better pot and soil. I could certainly use more light, but for my first plant when I barely know what I’m doing, I’m gonna stick with the $30 grow lamp and the hour of good sunlight my window gets each day.

I got this from a class that a local bonsai shop set up, so it’s a bit striking to me that everything they gave me and said is causing excess water retention. Welcome to crazy, I guess.

Again, thanks for all the advice.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

neem oil is good once a week.
For gnats hang up some yellow fly paper.
You can slip pot into some better soil.
dont disturb the roots too much. In this soil it has been overwatered. Red leaves equal new growth usually- so that is good.
If you keep it in this soil just water less.
As others have said lots of light is your friend.

 

[MSGhero]

I had no idea how much tree was under the soil in the original pot, and no idea it was two stuck together. The old soil was still soaked below the surface.

I mounded the soil a bit in the new pot cuz there were roots growing higher up on the trunk. The long roots had gone through the original mesh and were circling the hole at the bottom of the pot.

We'll see what happens I guess . If anything, I learned a lot in the past week.

 

[DonovanC]

It looks nice in the new pot. Eventually the two trunks will fuse together.
You’ll be careful not to over water with the amount of organics in your new soil. Ficus does well in soil without any organics at all. I don’t usually advocate for it, but with this, it wouldn’t hurt to use the bamboo skewer method to have an idea of when to water the tree. Just stick a small bamboo skewer (sold at grocery stores for shish kebab) in the soil. When the skewer appears wet, it’s time to water.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

When the skewer appears wet, it’s time to water.

Im sure he meant when it no longer appears wet. Then water.
I use a chopstick- same principle.
If it is still above 60 degrees at night, where you live then put it outside if you can.

 

[MSGhero]

One day I'll have a backyard or porch or something, but not today (or in the next year, rental life).

I have a pair of disposable chopsticks on my desk right now, so I'll use those.

 

[LemonBonsai]

From my experience growing seedlings and young trees dont do well in bonsai soil or they grow extremely slow. I use potting soil or I mix peat moss with my bonsai soil and I sprinkle ground cinnamon lightly on the soil to protect young seedlings from damping off. Also if your growing it inside make sure your light is on for atleast 12 hours a day and have a fan going very softly on your plants.