Question
Hi Will,  I inherited two Ficus Ali trees.  They are in 10" pots and are about 4.5' tall.  One is growing in a plastic growers pot and is doing well, the other is in a bucket with no drain holes since that pot was damaged and isn't doing quite as well.  I would like to plant them into better pots with minimal impact to the plant's health.  Do they like to be root-bound?  If so, should I just transfer them to new 10" pots?  Or can they go into larger pots?  Also, should I loosen the root ball when I transplant or leave it as is?  And is standard potting soil appropriate?
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Christine,

Your questions are excellent ones that reflect a good understanding of plants.

A 10" pot is quite large enough for an Alii that is under 5-feet tall. As long as there is enough soil to keep the soil moist for 3 days or more between waterings, then your Alii's do not need larger pots. So go ahead and transfer them to new 10" pots that will require the addition of little or no new soil. And, of course, make sure that the new pots have drainage holes

Loosening of outer roots of the rootball is a good idea when you are transplanting to a larger pot and adding new soil around the outside of the rootball. Otherwise, it is not necessary.

Standard potting mix is fine for all Ficus species.

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

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