Ficus microcarpa care

Your Ficus microcarpa will do great indoors.

Temperatures hovering around 60 to 70 or 75°F (15 to 25°C) are perfect if kept all year round.
A lot of light will help, but not direct sunlight during the hottest hours. Indirect light is best.
Ficus microcarpa doesn’t like being moved around, so once in a good spot, leave it there.
Gusts of wind and drafts will lead to leaves falling off: keep it protected and out of corridors and hallways.

Repotting your Ficus microcarpa is essential, every one to three years.

Once a year is perfect, and you can pair it with trimming, defoliating and pruning to slowly create a majestic, elegant bonsai.

Ensure excellent drainage (drainage layer made with clay pebbles or gravel, drainage hole under the pot, clean sand in the soil mix).
Repotting ensures nutrients in the soil are replenished. It’s also a way to monitor root growth and check that the potting mix won’t lead the plant to rot. Clear roots that have passed through drainage holes to ensure water flows freely.

Watering Ficus microcarpa

This is a plant that naturally thrives in moist, humid climates. In ideal moisture conditions, it would even send out aerial roots, taking on a look similar to that of the banyan tree. Ficus microcarpa also goes by the name “Chinese banyan tree” to prove the point!

Watering Ficus microcarpa in summer

No set dates here, a literal “rule of thumb” applies: stick a fingertip in the soil down to the first knuckle, and if it still feels moist, don’t water yet.

Depending on the dryness of the air, this could be once every three to four days up to every ten days.

Having found ways to increase air moisture will help the plant cope with irregular watering.
Don’t let water collect around the roots. Let it drip until dry before putting it back on its saucer.

Pruning and trimming Ficus microcarpa

Ficus microcarpa can grow huge in the wild in tropical climates, but in your house you want it to remain a smallish bonsai for best effect.

How to prune Ficus microcarpa

Ficus microcarpa has the capacity to sprout new sprigs directly from the bark of the trunk. Thanks to this, you can’t make any “mistakes” when pruning!

There are two ways of keeping your Ficus microcarpa under control. Choose whichever suits you best!

1. Constant pruning means checking on the plant often and removing twigs and growth that doesn’t please you.

Every time you count up to ten new leaves, cut sprigs back, removing four to six new leaves in the process.

This will force the Ficus microcarpa to produce new twigs and leaves.

Try to balance growth to keep the plant covered all around, like an umbrella atop the root trunk.

Rotate the plant to even growth out every time you prune.

Only prune as leaves grow. If the plant isn’t making new leaves, don’t prune.

2. Seasonal pruning means only checking on the plant once or twice a year. Pruning is heavier.

Spring is when you can go heavy on the pruning.

Cut branches back by a third or even half.
If you dislike shoots that may be sprouting from below the graft joint, cut them off as entirely.

Seasonal pruning is more suited to Ficus microcarpa trees that you’re training into a bonsai with wires.

Feel free to defoliate (or remove the leaves) upon pruning. New leaves will grow back, don’t be afraid!