Question
I have a Fiscus plant that has stayed the same size for about four years now. It is very sparse, lots of branches, not lots of leaves. The leaves fall at a rate of about 12 per week but do not replenish at the same rate. I had never repotted it so I did that today hoping that it will respond favorably. I have it in my washroom where it gets afternoon light but no sun, not a lot of humidity but some. What I'm wanting to know is why doesn't it look nice and healthy. I feed it the required amount with every feeding. I'm thinking maybe it didn't get enough water as it was quite root bound. Please let me know.... Thanx  Ellen

Answer
Hi Ellen,

When a plant or tree has weak, sparse growth it is almost always because it is not getting enough light. There is no substitute for light, so moving it to a larger pot, adding more water and using fertilizer will not help. In fact, all of those will only aggravate the problem.

To thrive, Ficus trees must be located directly in front of an uncovered window where they will receive at least a few hours of direct sun each day and very bright indirect light the rest of the day. The more light, the better.

Until your tree gets more light and recovers, be very careful not to over water it and stop fertilizing it.

I have written an article on Ficus tree care that I will email to anyone who sends a request to my email address below.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]