Question
QUESTION: Hi Will - I have had a braided ficus tree for over 11 years and it is beautiful...however, this past fall I moved into a new home and could not take it outdoors in the summer any longer (because of the weight of the tree) so it sits in front of a  sunny window. The past months I have notice that it is getting thinner and thinner and the leaves are falling (still green) and are sticky. I went to a local nursery. told me I was probably not watering enough and it may have a pest. I sprayed it thoroughly with a fungicide, meticide(sp?) - she told me to water it thoroughly and then empty the water - I physically cannot empty the water out of the saucer so it drains and sits.  It is in a very large pot (I am pretty sure it is root bound) but do not want to transplant it again - the leaves are not sticky any more up to this moment.
Please help me with some suggestions as to what to do...will sitting in the water cause further problems?

thanks so much
Debbie

ANSWER: Hi Debbie,

Find another nursery for future advice or contact me! Under watering is NOT the problem and fungicides and miticides are not appropriate for the scale insects infestation that your tree apparently has. You were not under watering either.

The more light a Ficus trees receives, the more leaves it can support. Indoor light is much less intense than outdoor sun. Many of the leaves that were grown in the past under outdoor light are now dropping off as the tree adapts to its new environment with reduced light. I understand that it has been a year, but plants are often quite slow in reacting noticeably to changes in their environment.

You can help your tree adapt by pruning it back as much as you can stand. This will reduce the total number of leaves and many of the sun-grown leaves. New growth will come in at the ends of the cut back stems and branches and those new leaves will be adapted to the existing indoor light. Pruning does not harm the plant, but it does alter its appearance. It is like getting a haircut. Pruning will also make it easier to treat the scale insect problem by reducing the amount of leaves that need to be treated.

Scale insects appear as tiny translucent and light brown, slightly raised bumps on the backsides of leaves and along stems. You won't see them move and you won't see any appendages, but they are scale insects. They suck sap from the leaves and secrete the sticky substance called honeydew.

After pruning back your tree as much as possible, mix a spray solution of 5 parts water, 1 part rubbing alcohol and a squirt of liquid dish soap. Then, spray all leaf and stem surfaces thoroughly until they are dripping wet. This is a messy task, but unless all surfaces are covered, then you will miss a few of the nearly invisible scale insects and they will slowly reproduce and come back to haunt you again later. If you are really thorough, you will not have to go through this again.

(For really stubborn cases of scale insects, you can purchase a non-pesticidal product called Brand X. It is a leaf cleaner that is also highly effective in treating scale insects and mealybugs. It is available at www.buybrandx.com)

Your tree does not need to be repotted and never will. It is best not to let it sit in water for more than a few hours. If there is still a lot of water in the saucer, use a turkey baster to suck it out. Allow the top inch or so of soil to dry before watering again.

I have written comprehensive articles on treating indoor plant pests and on Ficus tree care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends a request to me at [email protected].

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

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and nomination for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

Need more information? Visit my website at:
A link to HorticulturalHelp.com

or email me at [email protected] or call me at 917-887-8601 (EST)
 
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks much Will -- I just trimmed it back -- it looks so small now...hopefully, it will come back lush again.  I will try your solution first.  Please send me your articles as stated above.

Thanks again

Debbie

Answer
Hi Debbie,

Glad you had the courage to prune your Ficus. Getting yourself to do it the first time is always the hardest. Don't worry, it will grow back soon enough.

I do not have access to anyone's email address on this site, so you will have to send your articles request (and email address) to me at [email protected].

Best regards,
Will Creed