Indoor work?

[Johnathan]

So I recently brought my ficus indoors for the winter, and it's just to big for the area that I have for it. I was wondering, what's the thoughts on working them indoors?

I know ideally I should be waiting until spring to do cutbacks right before bringing it back outside.

Just wondering if anyone had tried to do any work on them indoors before? I can wait if absolutely have to lol

 

[JudyB]

When I had a ficus, I would defoliate and wire in winter, with good results and no issues. Same with BRT and olive...

 

[sparklemotion]

So I recently brought my ficus indoors for the winter, and it's just to big for the area that I have for it. I was wondering, what's the thoughts on working them indoors?

I know ideally I should be waiting until spring to do cutbacks right before bringing it back outside.

Just wondering if anyone had tried to do any work on them indoors before? I can wait if absolutely have to lol

It is my understanding that a lot of ficus varieties are prone to shedding leaves in protest of changes in their growing situation when they are moved indoors anyways. Nigel Saunders also talks about the trees needing to grow their "indoor leaves."

I say, if you can put it in a better position by cutting back, go for it. Just wait until summer to repot.

 

[Steve C]

Personally I have found with my ficus that there's not a lot I can do to them that will kill them or harm them in any way lol. I've cut mine back in the winter. Actually just cut back two of them that I brought inside a couple weeks ago so they would fit under the lights. They are already sprouting some new growth. Worst I have seen on mine is they will get a lit leggy and larger leaves when inside after being cut back, but once they go back out in the spring and I start working on them outside they do just fine.

 

[coachspinks]

I am going to pick up a F. Benjamina this week. It is a gift from someone who can't care for it anymore. It is tall with no leaves the first 30". Trunk is thick. Probably as thick as a soft drink can. Can it be chopped in the winter? To the point of no foliage? The roots are very bound but I know I can't touch them.

 

[Steve C]

I would probably wait till spring to do a major trunk chop if it were me. If you do it inside during winter it's gonna take a while to bud and for it to start growing new shoots. Where as if you wait till spring and do it then, it will back bud really quickly and start growing quickly. So I'd just get it through the winter and then chop it down come spring if it were mine.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Indoor work, a Ficus, or most tropicals and sub-tropicals should be in active growth when working on them. Whether a Ficus grows or not tends to be temperature related. If the winter quarters for the Ficus get above 70 F or 75 F daily, you can keep them growing, and they will respond to winter indoor work. If your home is like mine, rarely much above 65 F, my Ficus tend to sit largely dormant.

Given heat and good light and a Ficus will grow 365 days a year.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I am going to pick up a F. Benjamina this week. It is a gift from someone who can't care for it anymore. It is tall with no leaves the first 30". Trunk is thick. Probably as thick as a soft drink can. Can it be chopped in the winter? To the point of no foliage? The roots are very bound but I know I can't touch them.

I was told with my Benjamina not to cut beyond a live bud. Or it will die. Must leave green on it. So chop "above" the lowest green bud point during its healthiest growing season would be my suggestion.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I will do light trimming in winter but not root work. I have in fact learned the hard way. It’s much colder up here though.
Just repotted a ficus a few weeks ago- it dropped every leaf -thank goodness it was very healthy. I have all brand new leaves now but it could have easily gone the other direction.

 

[mickey12]

Tropicals never stop growing they just slow down I have repotted, trimmed, and even trunk choped in the dead of winter in Colorado under lights of course.