Pruning a Ficus Bonsai, please help

[penumbra]

It does not look good but your plan is sound so it comes to wait and see.

Do not water if it is moist at all, let it dry out between watering.

Do not fertilize until it starts to grow again, if it does.

Consider making a clear plastic tent over the foliage, but not in direct sun.

Best of luck. Spring is a long time off.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Dont fertilize, i would stop moving it around - they are prone to lose leaves when disturbed - and water in place.

 

[BonsaiLaine]

So, no fertilizer then? Not even a low dose one? I am going to take Leatherback's advice and very gently repot it and add more soil, cover it in clear plastic and put it under a full spectrum LED until it is healthier (if it ever is ). I suspect it won't make it to spring if I leave it how it is now, so I might as well try. I'll go get some high quality soil and a good draining pot. I have ordered this light off Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07WQVC2M6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ao4eEbYNVCWPV

 

[BonsaiLaine]

Well, upon taking the plant out of it's pot and cleaning it off, I discovered a large mushy root. I cut it off. I know that probably wasn't what everyone would have advised but it's done now! I treated the cut area with a rooting hormone and then I planted it in a new pot (with a drain hole) with fresh well draining soil. It has a plastic bag over it now and is under the full spectrum light. I will now just monitor it and water when the soil is an inch dry. There was one healthy root that I left be, and I am hoping it carries the weight of the plant and gets healthier. I knew that root was alive because I scratched the tiniest bit of bark off and it was green underneath, however the root that was mushy is brown under the bark so I believe that entire large piece to be dead. Here are some pictures of the roots and where I cut and then the plant under its new light. I know it doesn't look well but I am hoping for the best!

Picture One is the mushy root. It was completely hollow and soft. I felt cutting it off was best.



Picture Two is the root after I have cut it and also shaved some of the sides off that were mushy also. I then dipped it in some rooting hormone.



Picture Three is the healthy root that has green under the bark. It was not mushy at all and seemed healthy.



Picture Four is the plant under the light. I did have to relocate it to the basement as it is the only place I have room for it (I have a tiny house). The light is full spectrum and I set the timer to have it on 18 hours per day.

 

[Paradox]

If you had a mushy root, it was probably overwatered.

18 hours is a tad too long, back that off to 14

 

[canoeguide]

This is pretty classic: bad soil leading to overwatering leading to root rot leading to death of the roots leading to plant decline.

Notice how there are virtually no fine hair-like feeder roots? They all rotted away and now the plant is suffering because it can't get water and nutrients, no matter how much you water it. Those fat potato-like roots actually store water and should be smooth-ish, not wrinkly.

The good news is that these are tough to outright kill and you have taken good steps IMHO. If you can provide a bit of bottom heat it would also help.

 

[sorce]

Miss @BonsaiLaine , sentimental times call for sentimental measures!

I don't want to consider this tree done. It's not outside of possibility that a tree like this springs forth again. However, it is not very probable. That said, before the semi inevitable happens, and you might decide to never visit us again, I'd like to propose these thoughts.

First, what this tree did as a tree was pretty sneaky, right rascally if you will! I have a theory where a tree will basically live on what roots it can regrow from that mushyness. The same amount of roots regrowing and dying, regrowing and dying, which is able to barely keep a tree alive with a little bit of foliage, like yours seems to have been.

That's a scale easily tipped. By no fault of your own either.

It was tipped by that long basal shoot from the rootstock. That branch is what changed the regular "schedule". They graft this smaller waxier foliage on for a reason, it withstands indoors. Not only did you end up with a shoot with 200% more leaves than your tree ever had, but those leaves were very different, much more thirsty and capable of transpiration. It just couldn't keep up.

But look what I see...............
this isn't about a tree .....

You also grew from rootstock, your Father.

I think this entire thing is merely a sign that you are WHOLE enough to move forward.
You've grown from your rootstock. Your rootstock is aware, proud, and able to move on, as it were. You no longer need the "tree".

I think you should feel blessed.

(Shedding a tear for your losses. And for your gains.)

May I ask you a question?

Was your Father more into plants, or loving you?

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I reckon he was more about loving you, than plants.
Which leads me to believe that you are here, more for the reasons of love, family, and people, than plants.

So, should this thing perish, I'd like to invite you to stay with this family here. Maybe start a new tree, to symbolize a new path. Maybe share with your next of kin.

And with this joy of nature, always keep a reminder of your rootstock around!

We'll be here to help however we can!



Sorce

 

[BonsaiLaine]

Miss @BonsaiLaine , sentimental times call for sentimental measures!

I don't want to consider this tree done. It's not outside of possibility that a tree like this springs forth again. However, it is not very probable. That said, before the semi inevitable happens, and you might decide to never visit us again, I'd like to propose these thoughts.

First, what this tree did as a tree was pretty sneaky, right rascally if you will! I have a theory where a tree will basically live on what roots it can regrow from that mushyness. The same amount of roots regrowing and dying, regrowing and dying, which is able to barely keep a tree alive with a little bit of foliage, like yours seems to have been.

That's a scale easily tipped. By no fault of your own either.

It was tipped by that long basal shoot from the rootstock. That branch is what changed the regular "schedule". They graft this smaller waxier foliage on for a reason, it withstands indoors. Not only did you end up with a shoot with 200% more leaves than your tree ever had, but those leaves were very different, much more thirsty and capable of transpiration. It just couldn't keep up.

But look what I see...............
this isn't about a tree .....

You also grew from rootstock, your Father.

I think this entire thing is merely a sign that you are WHOLE enough to move forward.
You've grown from your rootstock. Your rootstock is aware, proud, and able to move on, as it were. You no longer need the "tree".

I think you should feel blessed.

(Shedding a tear for your losses. And for your gains.)

May I ask you a question?

Was your Father more into plants, or loving you?

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I reckon he was more about loving you, than plants.
Which leads me to believe that you are here, more for the reasons of love, family, and people, than plants.

So, should this thing perish, I'd like to invite you to stay with this family here. Maybe start a new tree, to symbolize a new path. Maybe share with your next of kin.

And with this joy of nature, always keep a reminder of your rootstock around!

We'll be here to help however we can!



Sorce

Thank you. I have come to terms with the fact that I may lose this plant. I am not looking at it as a second loss, I know my Dad would be happy I tried. He was into both plants and loving me, although he didn't have many plants at the time of his passing so I was happy to have gotten this one. If it doesn't recover I will get a new tree and dedicate it to him. I will stay with everyone here and definitely update on the process

 

[BonsaiLaine]

This is pretty classic: bad soil leading to overwatering leading to root rot leading to death of the roots leading to plant decline.

Notice how there are virtually no fine hair-like feeder roots? They all rotted away and now the plant is suffering because it can't get water and nutrients, no matter how much you water it. Those fat potato-like roots actually store water and should be smooth-ish, not wrinkly.

The good news is that these are tough to outright kill and you have taken good steps IMHO. If you can provide a bit of bottom heat it would also help.

Would a heating pad be good for this?

 

[canoeguide]

Would a heating pad be good for this?

I don't see why not, so long as you don't keep it too warm and cook the plant. I believe you just want the pot/roots to be around 75-90F and no warmer than that.

 

[BonsaiLaine]

I don't see why not, so long as you don't keep it too warm and cook the plant. I believe you just want the pot/roots to be around 75-90F and no warmer than that.

Okay I added the heating pad and there is condensation on the bag now. Is that okay?

 

[Michael P]

Yes. That means that the humidity is near 100%, good for an ailing ficus. Open the bag once a day to let fresh air in.

 

[BonsaiLaine]

Yes. That means that the humidity is near 100%, good for an ailing ficus. Open the bag once a day to let fresh air in.

I just took the bag off and noticed some fluffy white stuff on the tree. I suspect it's mold? Not sure what to do with that :/

 

[canoeguide]

I just took the bag off and noticed some fluffy white stuff on the tree. I suspect it's mold? Not sure what to do with that :/

Whenever that has happened to me I just leave the bag off for a day or increase ventilation (tear a hole or several holes in the bag, etc.) It's a balance between keeping high humidity and ventilation.