Indoor Ficus repotting

Kalebh

Sapling
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Hi everyone,

I have an indoor Tiger Bark Ficus that has been doing fairly well. I live in North Carolina and was considering repotting it. Normally I would wait, but seeing as it's a tropical plant and is indoors, I wasn't sure. It needs to be trimmed and root pruned, I just won't know how much root pruning until I get into it. I think it's been in the same pot for 8-10 years (organic soil). Thanks in advance.
 

Shibui

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I also tend to leave ficus until late spring or summer when they are actively growing but if this one stays indoors all year and is growing well now it should be OK to repot.
If the tree is dormant ie not growing it is not a good time to prune or to root prune.
 

Cadillactaste

Neagari Gal
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I have a tigerbark as well. Indoors for winter. Late June early July is my window of opportunity to repot. Mine pushes growth indoors. But nothing like going into summer how this tree takes off.

I prefer stacking the deck in my favor...and repotting at the ideal time frame.
20210122_211005.jpg
 

Kalebh

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Ok, thank you everyone. I will just wait till later in the growing season. I want to give it the best chance to survive.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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If you leave it on the ground in relatively tall grass and wet it can start some air roots you may be able to use to aid in recovery.

Sorce
 

Paradox

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Ficus are pretty tough. I hgave a couple of them that I overwinter inside under lights.
The best repotting time for me is late June, early July as well.

Dont do a brutal job on the roots and give it a little morning sun with afternoon shade until it recovers and starts putting out new growth.
Also water when it needs it (when the soil is almost try but not completely dry)B it should be fine.
 

Maiden69

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I finally acquire a ficus last summer, I used to have them when I was living in Puerto Rico almost 25 years ago... they thrive over there! I got mine indoors right now because the weather here has been going from 80's to 60's to 30's and back up again and they don't like huge temperature changes. I bought it in June, it was planted in the mallsai Brussel's mostly peat soil. I completely bare rooted it and trimmed almost all the long roots and planted it in Bonsai Jack organic conifer soil as that was the only thing I had available. I plan on repotting it in June again as it is already pushing the soil up over the edge of the basket I planted it.

They do take root pruning very well, once you repot, like Paradox said, give it morning sun with afternoon shade for a few weeks. Even a location that gets good indirect sunlight will be good enough. I plan on using 70/30 mix of akadama and kiryu as that is what David Cortizas recommends for them, since ficus is the tree that he mostly works on.
 
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