Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Maintaining plant health
• Part 2 of 2: Shaping the ficus
• Tips
• Necessities

Ficuses are popular houseplants. They are usually medium in size, but if given the time and space to grow, can grow to the size of a small tree. Ficus usually do not require much pruning. Remove the dead and dying leaves and prune the ficus so that it grows in the shape you want it to be. Before you start pruning, consider whether you want a thin vertical ficus or prefer a shorter full plant.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Maintaining plant health

1. Remove dead leaves and branches all year round. As with all houseplants, you must remove all dead and dying leaves and branches from your ficus. This will make the ficus look better overall and maintain its health. The dead leaves may always be removed with the fingers regardless of the season.
   • You may need pruning shears to cut the dead branches.
   • Dying leaves are yellow and may appear limp or withered. Dead leaves are brown and often shrunken and black.
2. Prune in late spring or early summer. Ficuses are generally sturdy and are unlikely to suffer if you prune them in a different season. To keep the plant healthy, however, you should prune most of it around the beginning of summer. The real pruning work involves much more than just removing dead leaves and branches.
   • If you have to prune a ficus in winter or fall, stick to small pruning.
3. Wear gloves while pruning. The juice of the ficus is sticky and will flow out of the cuts you make when you prune the branches. To prevent the sticky sap from getting on your fingers, wear gloves while pruning.
   • Both canvas work gloves and rubber dishwashing gloves are well suited for this.
4. Cut the branches of the ficus just above the nodes. The nodes are where a smaller stem branches from the side of a larger main stem. So if you are pruning a main stem, you should cut it just above the smaller branching stem.
   • This way you prevent damage to the small leaf-bearing stems.
5. Prune the ficus with sharp pruning shears. Secateurs easily cut through the branches of the ficus and prevent the stems from tearing or breaking. If you have a young ficus with thin stems, you can also trim them with sharp household scissors. As an emergency solution, you can use a sharp kitchen knife for this.
   • Unlike other types of plants (such as roses) whose branches must be pruned at an angle, you can cut the ficus branches crosswise.
6. Do not prune the ficus too much. A ficus can die if you prune too many leaves and branches, because then it cannot carry out photosynthesis. So make sure you always leave at least two or three leaves. Also keep in mind that it is easier for the plant to grow leaves than it is to regrow branches.
   • Do not remove more than five or six live branches in one pruning.
   • With large ficuses, you should probably leave six to seven leaves on after a thorough pruning.
7. Repot the ficus to make it bigger. Repot the ficus into a larger pot so that the roots have more room to expand. Each time you repot the ficus, move it to a pot that is about an inch larger than the last. Also remember to always plant the ficus in a pot with holes in the bottom for drainage.
   • Keep in mind that once the roots have grown, the ficus will also get bigger.
8. Propagate the ficus with cuttings. If you want to grow a second ficus in a separate pot - or if a friend or family member wants to have a ficus themselves - you can do that with a cutting. Cut a generous cutting, such as a large and healthy leaf or a medium-sized branch. Let the wet sap dry and stick the juicy end of the cutting about 5 cm deep into the soil.
   • Help the cutting take root by placing a heating pad under the pot for the first week.

Part 2 of 2: Shaping the ficus

1. Determine a shape for the ficus. Ficus can have one of two shapes: long and thin or short and full. Choose the shape of the plant based on the space in which you place the plant and your own taste.
   • For example, if you have the ficus on a shelf without much room to grow upwards, it is a good idea to let it develop a short round shape.
   • Or, if the plant is in a large room with high ceilings, it may look better with a tall and slender shape.
2. Prune unruly or unsightly branches to keep the plant looking tidy. It is precisely because ficuses are kept indoors that they should look somewhat tidy. If branches are growing in a strange direction or at a very fast rate, prune them to make the ficus look better overall.
   • Depending on your personal preference, you can also prune the branches or leaves to keep the ficus from looking too bushy or messy.
   • Always dispose of what you cut in a trash can.
3. Cut off the top of the plant when it has reached the desired height. Once the ficus has reached a height where you would like it to be, prune the top leaves of the plant. This prevents the ficus from expanding more vertical stems and stimulates it to grow horizontally. So if you want a low and full ficus, cut the top off when it is about five feet long.
   • Keep in mind that if you don't cut the top leaf or leaves of the ficus, it will continue to grow. Ficus can grow up to 3 meters long.
4. Prune the branches often if you want a full plant. Whenever you prune a branch of the ficus, the plant will produce two or more new branches from the stump. This way you can easily get the ficus thick and full. Continue to prune the branches on the side of the plant until it is as thick and full as you would like.
   • But if you want the ficus to stay tall and thin, only prune the branches when really necessary.

Tips

• If you don't trim the top and the roots have room to expand, a ficus will continue to grow. So if you want to limit the height of the ficus, keep it in a small pot no larger than 20 cm in diameter.

Necessities

• Pruning shears
• Gloves
• Kitchen knife (optional)
• Bin
• Larger pot (optional)
• Cuttings (optional)
• Heating pad (optional)