ib_krusen
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Help with my Ficus Microcarpa

I've had a my ficus Microcarpa for about 4 years and it has been fine, but now I fear it's dying and I'm looking for advice to try to save it. It is a pretty important plant to me sentimentally.

It all started about a month ago when I moved the plant from the living room to the kitchen for about 5 hours when I was cleaning. After I moved it back it went through a leaf drop. Of course at this point I started doing all the wrong things. I watered it, thinking it needed water, but it probably was the worst thing for it. After the leaves kept dropping I moved it to a room where it could get more light and did not water it for a about 1.5 weeks. When I next looked at it, it looked even more sick and had an obvious spider might infestation. I moved it again, this time in front of my south facing deck window. I sprayed the plant with Seven to kill the mites not knowing if if would hurt the plant or not.

The Seven didn't seem to hurt the plant but after researching it I was worried it would be a little harsh, so I started misting it daily in the morning with a solution of water and dawn liquid detergent. The visible signs of the mites are gone, but I'm trying to find somewhere to get neem oil just in case. At this point the plan had about 4 leaves.

After about a week leaf buds started to show and I was excited. I stuck my finger in the soil to test for dryness and it felt pretty dry so I watered it. I think I probably shouldn't have. Some of the leaf buds started dying and turning black.

I just started leaving it alone and moved it closer to the window. I watered it just a little before going on a 5 day vacation recently. My automatic thermostat went wonky while I was gone and got the house up to 95 degrees for two days straight. Upon return I saw good and bad. It looks like many of the leaf buds are sprouted and many more on the verge. The bad news is that one of the small trunk roots has started to shrivel. It is the smallest of the exposed roots. I don't know if it was from lack of watering or over watering. The soil still feels just the slightest bit moist at the bottom-very close to dry and it is bone dry for the first 2 inches or so from the top. I don't know if I should cut the root off or leave it. I'm thinking about enclosing it in plastic to keep the humidity level high and buying a shop light to give it 24hr light.

I have attached a picture to show the buds/new leaves and the shriveled root.

Any help that can be given is greatly appreciated.
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rainbowgardener
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What a story! Every kind of stress imaginable: too many moves, too wet, too dry, too hot.... To start with ficus hates to be moved and tends to drop its leaves every time it gets moved. Find a spot where it can stay until time to bring it outdoors in the spring and don't move it!

It needs plenty of light and plenty of humidity. Your thermostat going bananas probably pretty well cooked your tree. So I think you are on the right track with a grow light and humidity dome. Personally I still would not leave the light on 24/7. I think plants do benefit from dark/rest periods. Short of the humidity dome, you could just use a humidity tray and frequent misting. It needs to be watered often enough that it does not dry out.

Do not fertilize a tree that is already stressed; that is just another stressor. So no fertilizer at all until it is putting out new leaves and then very dilute until spring.

Good news is they are pretty tough and since they frequently drop all their leaves, they are good at putting out a new set.

ib_krusen
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Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:17 pm

Thank you for the response. I'm just happy that it seems to be alive (for the time being) and that it has lots of new growth starting to show.

I am totally ignorant about plants. (well I know more than I did from reading others being helped on this forum). A big question that I have is what to do about the shriveled root. Is this something that I should just leave be or cut off? I don't know if something like that can spread and if cutting it off would stop it.

Thanks!!

tomc
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Location: SE-OH USA Zone 6-A

Get your tree a growing with adequate light and humidity (lay off fertilize till spring). If the root isn't going to come back, it'll be obvious then what to do.

ib_krusen
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Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:17 pm

Well it didn't look like the root was ever going to come back - it was shriveled and hard so I cut it off. Is there anything I should put on the wound?

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I hope it was not a large root that you cut off. That might stress the plant a bit more. If the root was cut off above ground level it should air dry and callus off, try not to get it wet until then. It can be dusted with sulfur or another fungicide.

ib_krusen
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Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2013 1:17 pm

The root was a smallish root. You can see it shriveled up in the close up picture on my original post.



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