My question is about Ficus Benjamina and it's response to cold. We have 8 or 9. We recently moved on a moderately cold day (-12 C). I was grateful for a break in the weather as it had been quite cold. Being occupied with the moving truck loading and unloading I was not involved with the moving of the houseplants.. My niece took all the houseplants in her heated passenger van. Most of them have dropped leaves like crazy so we now have bare trees scattered about our main floor. I am aware of their supposed dislike of being moved although it has not been a problem in the past. Was it the cold or the change of location? Is there any way to 'encourage' them back to health and vigor? Thus far I have kept the soil moderately damp and gave them a very small dosage of plant fertilizer. They were repotted in the summer. At present I have decided to leave them to themselves giving them time to recover (1-2 mo) A further question for the future - Some of them have become rather 'leggy'. What is a good way to encourage lower growth? Is pruning the answer? ** I find now I ought to have placed this query under "Houseplants" While looking at other similar post I saw one suggestion to cover the plant with a transparent plastic bag. I assume to create a 'greenhouse' environment. Anyone had experience with this?
F. benjaminas can take many months to regenerate from shock, as is your case. You cannot expect instant results from the trauma that your Ficus have experienced. Some may even be dead. But let us be positive... Leggy? You will over shock them from aggressive pruning, though you have eight, I would try this as an experiment on one, and monitor it. You may prove me wrong...however. Ficus detest changes to their environment. Patience will be rewarded, albeit unsightly for a few months too! I have been in your situation...
Thank you for your counsel. It seems many have a similar tale to tell about Ficus being temperamental when tampered with. The plants are an 'inheritance' and I need to do better at looking after them. Patience then, seems to be the key word. At times, it is the word of encouragement alone (quote: "I have been in your situation..." ) which is needed. I value life in it's manifestations and will do my best to preserve it. Thank you for sharing of your experience. The "leggy" business - Although I mentioned pruning, it is not something I was contemplating until my plants are healthy and vigorous again. Just a show of faith that I am looking ahead. : ) The thought was prompted by one plant which is mostly naked, but is throwing new growth off the top. I was wondering if the plant might do better channeling it's energy into growth below...
Always seem to have a hard time applying what I know and do outdoors to indoor plants. Once I did prune them back and they responded reasonably well. I opened them up to avoid that 'sheared' look and created miniature trees out of them. Used brown children's plastercine to seal the cuts and avoid the leaking of sap. Worked well. I will "cut them back a bit". Thank you for the encouragement.
Update What a difference three weeks makes! We have not watered too much and used 'aged' tap water. Kept the plants in the locations where they will 'live' despite their unsightly appearance and.... Lots of new growth Still quite a ways till they are as lush as once they were but the response is very heartening Not all branches have thrown out new growth but will give them at least another three weeks before removing the dead branches. At least the plants are not dead. Not a one. Just sharing my good news. Thank you K Baron for the "I too have been in your situation..." It helped a great deal at a moment when I was shocked and fearful for my plants
Thank you Blake. I agree, a picture would be perfect and help so much. I like looking at photos myself, however I personally do not have a digital camera. I will see if I can have some photos taken as with photos I may get some even more detailed suggestions. There are 8 of them all together which is why I was so very pleased to have lost "not a one"
