help repotted ficus and now yellowing and falling leaves

[uzeyr]

hi
i just repotted this ficus teh one in the picture and wel what happend was that the soil that it was in was really wet and was so water retentive that the water from the previous watering was still present the bottom of the pot to make matters worse there were these red milipede like creatures that were circulating around the soil but te tree was growing well
so i threw away all the soil and added new soil i did the same with another ficus (that one is fine )but now the thing is the ficus is yellowing alot and most of the leaves are falling the soil types are the same but the one ficus is ok in fact it growing but the other one is yellowin also the one that is yellowing i don't think i reppoted well i man the soil reaching the bottom parts of th tree so i am gona go buy another pot much larger and buy more bonsai soil is that a good idea or should i just leave the tree as it is it look like its gona die dnt knw why
plzz help

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

i don't think i reppoted well i man the soil reaching the bottom parts of th tree

I'm not at all sure I know what you mean by this can you elaborate? I would ask for a picture but I know you are having problems in that regard.

so i am gona go buy another pot much larger and buy more bonsai soil is that a good idea or should i just leave the tree as it is it look like its gona die dnt knw why

Since you recently re-potted it would be reluctant to do so again so soon. Good cultural practices should trump desperate measures. Sorry I can't offer more right now.

Norm

[uzeyr]

sorry about the typing spellings
any way i meant that when i lifted the tree out of the pot there was some water at the bottom of the pot when i say some i mean enough to look water logged so i decided its time to repot so what should i do the ficus is the one i have posted pic of it doesnt look very much like that any more though
ps. the pot only has 1 drainage hole i think that is kinda less is it

[uzeyr]

help help
ok u guys something compelled me to change the pot size i think it was not the drainage hole causingthe problem it was the tree it self it not taking in water and well now i have just noticed it has began shedding green leaves as well what is happening please help i really love this fig and don't want it to die

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

I'm not sure what the problem is. As I suggested earlier try to maintain good practices and don't panic. Ficus can lose their leaves and recover as long as you don't do anything foolish. What did the roots look like during the recent re-pottings? Were they firm or soft? Was there any obvious signs of rot?

Don't try to compensate with excessive water or fertilizer, a tree that is losing its leaves and is in distress may not take up as much water as a healthy specimen. You could try to create a micro climate by tenting the tree with clear plastic to keep humidity up.

Just be patient and keep your fingers crossed.

Norm

[alexinoklahoma]

Ficus can (and will) do a 100% leaf drop when moved from one side of window to another - or some other trivial change of environment. Repotting would definitely get a reaction of some leaf-drop as well as having sloppy & soggy soil.

You need to (desperately) get it potted in decent soil - and then leave it alone except for watering only when needed. I have grown plenty of Ficus in pots without drain holes (not originally mine, but 'rescued' and never repotted). I have never had a Ficus die suddenly from having roots going bad Just slow things down (in a sense) and get the parameters wehre they should be. And then simply enjoy...there is very little actual work to do with most Ficus (!!!!!)

Alex

[uzeyr]

thanx guys i realise it cluld be the soil that is the problem yesterday when i repotted and waterd the water didnt even come out of teh drainage holes .
bout the roots the roots were thick and white nelwy growing ones trust me despite the poor drainage the tree was doing fine until i repotted so i hav to keep all the other parameters ok will try tha thanx

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

So you've re-potted (twice?) recently and the drainage is still slow? There is something wrong with this scenario. What is the soil you are using like? You mentioned bonsai soil but that does not necessarily mean that it is a quality product. My soil is comprised of either Turface or Haydite combined with lava rock and some bark. All components are sieved to a uniform size and to remove fines. This process ensures a mix that drains exceedingly well. I can pour water right through it almost as fast as is comes out of the can.

I do remember one grower on another forum who used a dense, organic soil for Ficus but he was in a much different climate than either you or I. You are going to have to watch your watering carefully with such a slow draining medium.

Norm

[uzeyr]

well that is what i was thinking the first time i repotted that there is something up with the soil i was gona buy akadama but couldnt find it so i bought bonsai potting soil well that is what the label said any way then what happend was i realised drainage was slow so i reppoted again to add more room teh ppot was small and i bought a new bag and added lots of grit i mean lots thing is the drainage kinda become even worse so i have had to moniter my watering very carefully or should i chage again to akadama this will mean a third reppoting in the same week
???

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

i bought a new bag and added lots of grit i mean lots

I does not really do much good to add grit to a heavy, dense soil and expect it too improve drainage. It is kind of like the principle that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A soil mix will only drain as well as its smallest component. You could have a mix that was 75% coarse gravel and if the rest was fine material it will clog the spaces between the gravel and overcome the coarse material. The best draining mix is one that is uniform throughout. That is why I mentioned that I sieve my material to a consistent size.

i reppoted again to add more room teh ppot was small

Obviously I cannot judge either pot, having not seen them, but bigger is not always better. While you definitely want some room to grow, so to speak, you do not want a pot that is so large that the soil stays soggy for long periods of time.

should i chage again to akadama this will mean a third reppoting in the same week

If it were a Pine or a Juniper I would probably lean towards changing the soil. But I think your Ficus will be a little more forgiving and could be managed with careful watering. Of course it is your call, there are pros and cons to either scenario.

I never use the imported (expensive) Japanese products, there are numerous alternatives. If you have not already done so you should read the sticky threads concerning soils and re-potting, making sure to follow the links. No point in re-potting yet again until you get a better idea of what a good, free draining, mix should consist of.

Norm

[uzeyr]

to be true i am tired of reppoting in the cold outside so i will wait thanx any way though

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

to be true i am tired of reppoting in the cold outside so i will wait thanx any way though

OK, just watch your watering. Make sure to let us know how it goes.

[uzeyr]

for sure wouldnt get far without advice thanx u guys

[uzeyr]

ok guys news on the issue at hand the ficus has lost kost of its leaves wit justa handful remaining i think it might be root rot also the bud as becoming black and dying off i think this tree is a goner
will try and get pics

[alexinoklahoma]

Ficus are noted for dropping leaves at blink of an eye, or if you do pretty much anything to them. Do a small scratch-test to see if tissue(s) are dead...if not, give time/patience for releafing. It may not be as bad as it looks visually (???)

Alex