Question
My 2yr. old Ficus plant is not as green as it once was it was dark green and I just don't know what's missing. I put Bonemeal in the water once a month to help fertilize it.Also pruning, is that actually cutting into the stalk above the old spot of stalk?

Answer
Hi Marcy,

It is hard for me to evaluate "not as green as it once was." New growth is often a lighter shade of green that gradually becomes darker with age. Obviously that is not a problem.

Uneven green and pale green on individual leaves may indicate a lack of nutrients, usually caused by improper soil pH. Without getting into technical details, if your local tap water is on the hard side, then the soil may have become too alkaline and that will prevent nutrients in the soil from being absorbed properly. If this is the case, then flush lots of filtered or distilled water through the soil and continue to use that for watering in the future.

Lighter green leaves can also result from an abundance of direct sunlight. Excess sunlight will not harm the tree but it will alter the thickness, size and color of the foliage.

I am not sure why you are using bonemeal. A complete fertilizer that contains not just phosphorous, but also nitrogen and potassium would be more appropriate. On the fertilizer label, look for numbers that have the first number (nitrogen) higher than the other two numbers, 30-10-10, for example.

Any Ficus stem or branch can be pruned off at any point along that stem. It is best to make the pruning cut just above a node - the point on the stem where a leaf stem attaches to it. The important thing to understand is that new growth will emerge on a pruned stem just below where you make the pruning cut. So if you want new growth in the center of the tree, then you have to prune some stems back far into the center of the tree. Pruning never harms a healthy tree, it only alters its appearance, much like getting a haircut. How much you prune is a matter of personal preference.

I have written articles on Ficus tree care, fertilizers, and pruning 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.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at  www.HorticulturalHelp.com