Marianne's Response
Trimming and repotting ficus trees
I did not bring my 40+ year old ficus tree inside. The first frost of the season caused all the leaves to turn brown and die. The limbs are okay so far. It is a fairly large tree, but I don’t know if it would help to trim it. I know it should be repotted, but it is too big for me to tackle indoors. Would trimming help? Any suggestions?
Posted by Bonnie Warehime on December 1, 2015
Marianne's Response
Yes, if all the leaves have fallen, a light trim of less than one third of the tree will stimulate growth. Ficus trees are notorious for dropping leaves if they are moved. They hate change - that must be why they are called the weeping fig. They weep foliage at the slightest change, causing their owner to weep in frustration. I fear the frost may have killed your ficus tree, but you should wait until spring to be sure. Spring is the season of miracles.
Keep growing,
Marianne Binetti
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