Question
I stupidly left my house in the mountains with heat in the bathrooms and laundry room, forgetting all about my house plants.  This is a large ficus I have had for 8 years, I left for two nights temperatures below zero.  When I came home it was crispy and brownish.  I have had it warm ever since, looking everyday for new growth. It's been about a month and I haven't seen any.  A lot of the stems are pliable, it still looks green under the bark at the bottom. I keep thinking I should trim it but don't want to cause any more shock.  Any hope?

Answer
Hi Nancy,

Don't be too hard on yourself. Ficus trees are hardier than many houseplants. The fact that many of the stems are still pliable is a good sign. What matters most is the condition of the roots and they were insulated somewhat by the pot and soil.

Pruning will not cause any shock to your tree. I do suggest that you remove all stems and branches that are dry and brittle. Then go ahead and prune back the remaining branches to get it to the overall shape you want the tree to be. Remember that the new growth will come in at the ends of the stems and branches and grow out from there. In order to get new growth in the center of the tree, you will have to prune some of the pliable branches back in toward the center.

Other than keeping it warm and cutting back on the watering and stopping all fertilizing, all you can do is be patient. As long as some branches remain pliable there is hope for recovery.

Good luck!

I have written articles on cold damage, pruning and on Ficus care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com

Regards,
Will Creed
Horticultural Help, NYC
Cell: 917-887-8601

Visit my website at www.HorticulturalHelp.com