New Ficus

[Kotobuki]

Hi,

I'm very new to caring for bonsai. I just got a ficus bonsai and it looks like the leaves are becoming thin and less green. Two very small leaves turned yellow and fell off. I've had it for like 3 weeks so I assume I'm the one doing something wrong since it was healthy when I bought it. I'm watering it about every 3 days when the soil is getting dry. The guy I bought it from said to water it a lot and that I couldn't overwater it. I really don't think I'm underwatering it though so maybe he was wrong? It's kept indoors in the shade.

Thanks for any help and advice!

 

[GrimLore]

Hi,

I'm very new to caring for bonsai. I just got a ficus bonsai and it looks like the leaves are becoming thin and less green. Two very small leaves turned yellow and fell off. I've had it for like 3 weeks so I assume I'm the one doing something wrong since it was healthy when I bought it. I'm watering it about every 3 days when the soil is getting dry. The guy I bought it from said to water it a lot and that I couldn't overwater it. I really don't think I'm underwatering it though so maybe he was wrong? It's kept indoors in the shade.

Thanks for any help and advice!

What he forgot to mention is they need A LOT of light and that moving them can an often does cause them to drop all of the foliage which promptly grows back if all else is good. Yellow leaf could mean over watering but I think it is more likely it is starving for light.

Grimmy

 

[jk_lewis]

Where are you keeping it? Are you giving it artificial light?

You might amend your profile to say where you live.

 

[Kotobuki]

Hi, thanks for the advice.

I'm keeping it about 3 feet from a window on a desk. It has light from about 1-7pm. Unfortunately not a lot of direct sunlight until the afternoon. I live in a west facing apartment so it's pretty much stuck with afternoon light.

I live in Philadelphia.

 

[Kotobuki]

Hi,

I have been keeping the ficus now for about 2 months. It is starting to yellow, especially the inner leaves. I don't think I'm overwatering it. I water it about twice a week. It is in a south facing window in the morning and gets indirect sunlight and a west facing window in the afternoon and gets direct sunlight. I live in Philadelphia in an apartment so unfortunately I'm a little limited as far as window direction.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do? Thanks!

 

[Ryan820]

If your conditions haven't changed since the other's weighed in on your original post, it's unlikely you tree will have improved. It does sound like too-low light, which causes all sorts of problems. Pick up the pot-- does it feel really light? or is it heavy like how it feels when you water it? is the new growth on longer stems than the previous growth that was there before you bought it? If so, it's definitely a light issue. Watering it more or less won't help the light situation. There are supplemental lights you can buy for such instances. I grow a variegated ficus under a t5 lamp (high output) and it was extremely well-- it's also just inches below the lamp and even then it cannot stay in these conditions for too long as it's not getting the reflected light it needs to be fuller and healthier in general. This is likely not what you want to read, I'm sure. Any chance you have a fire escape? I have a friend who secures his plants to the escape and his plants do fine-- one is a vanda orchid, which requires very high light, and it does great for him!

 

[KennedyMarx]

Quit moving it around from window to window. That may not be the main reason behind the plants lack. Of vigor, but it surely isn't helping. Ficus drop leaves when the environment changes drastically. Is the plant in bonsai soil (rocky looking stuff) or regular nursery dirt? A pic would help us to help you.

 

[James H]

I dont know if this will help buy I saved two ficus from the trash can at my work. Pruned off all the dead branches, pulled off all the old leaves and was left with little more then a stick with a couple of odd leaves here and there. I placed mine under 4 48" 6700k 32 watt florescent lights and watered them every four days or so. It took several months but they did come back and are now covered in new leaves. I did not try to fertilize them or replant them just gave them some time and steady 12 hr photo period and regular water and they seemed to bounce back. I hope your plant recovers.