Seasonal Strategies – Adapting Ficus Care Throughout the Year

It’s my ficus tree’s 25th birthday! In honor of my fav plant I’m sharing my Seasonal strategies -adapting ficus care throughout the year.

One of my prized possessions is our ficus tree.

Twenty five years ago, I was grocery shopping in Connecticut and came across what looked like a bush at the check out for only $7.

It was a deal back then because the little bush stood about two feet high and the leaves where beautiful to me.

I was pregnant, almost ready to give birth, but I pick up that bush and put it in my cart.

I was nesting and I had a plan!

Turns out that little ficus tree was indeed the great deal I thought it to be. I twisted it’s branches into a trunk and it’s made me happy to see it thrive for all these years.

I’m not crazy into plants, but I love my ficus tree.

Taking good care of it is important to me.

Seasonal Strategies – Adapting Ficus Care Throughout the Year

Spring Ficus Care

The growing season for a ficus tree is in the Spring and Summer.

Spring is an excellent time to feed your ficus tree.

A few Springs went by without me doing this important step and I can tell the ficus isn’t as full as it once was.

So I’m making a point of feeding it now!

I like this fertilizer here because it is specifically for ficus trees and for it’s slow release.

Mist your ficus tree each month in Spring and Summer. It will love the humidity and add it during it’s growing season.

This mister here works well, I love it!

I have the white, but it also comes in green here for those who more color.

Summer Ficus Care

Summer is the easiest time for our ficus tree to flourish. Plenty of sunshine pours through our South facing windows and baths it well.

In fact, during the Summer I move the ficus tree away from being directly in front of the window, just in case the light is too powerful for it’s leaves.

Ficus tree leaves can actually be burned if they receive too much direct sunshine.

Fall Ficus Care

When Fall roles around the ficus tree goes back in front of the windows as soon as I begin to notice that the days are getting shorter.

With shorter days come less light.

In order to help it receive it’s daily dose of the sun’s rays, bring your ficus tree in front of a large window.

Winter Ficus Care

The season of Winter is probably my ficus tree’s least favorite time of year.

It’s definitely a time of rest for the plant.

So who knows, maybe it’s the favorite time of year for a little tree that’s been busy growing the prior seasons.

This is the time I usually change up the Spanish moss, find the best dried Spanish moss here.

I lay it over the soil of the tree to help keep moisture in, and it looks really nice.

If you like the idea and look of a real tree in your home, you can maintain a ficus tree.

Not only is it doable, it’ll really brighten your days as you see it thrive.

Simple Year Round Ficus Tree Tips and Tricks

Watering Your Ficus

I don’t  water my ficus tree much at all.

Because I don’t have drainage in the pot my ficus tree calls home, I’m very careful not to overwater for fear the roots will rot.

Lately I’ve been wondering if I’m not watering it enough. I found this contraption here and have it in my Amazon cart.

It lets you know if your plant needs more moisture. I’ll let you know what I think!

Pets and Your Ficus Tree

In the past, my elderly kitty has confused my ficus tree for an actual tree and has used it as a liter box.

Not good, so I did some research and found this incredibly helpful invention here to keep her out.

It works!

Just to make sure she stays out I also use this orange essential oil here.

Cats hate anything citrus and stay far away. An added plus is it always smells great when you get close to the tree.

Make sure the oil only touches the Spanish moss and not the soil.

Pruning Your Ficus

Whenever the leaves fall off of a branch and there are no signs of new growth, I clip the branch off.

A simple scissors will do the job. If you don’t give your ficus tree a trim regularly it will get leggy and thin.

This is an area I need to improve on. The feeling I’m doing something wrong when I prune my ficus still holds a place in my head, but that’s false. It helps your plant when you trim it regularly.

Pruning helps keep your tree robust and strong.

Caring for a ficus tree really isn’t too complicated.

I hope you can take these tips and tricks and use them each season to give your ficus tree the best chance at not only surviving, but thriving for many years.

Who knows you might be celebrating it’s birthday 25 years from now!

MORE ON PLANTS

• How to Successfully Repot a Ficus Tree
• Planting a Garden Bed Late In the Season
• Repurposed Planter Turned Indoor Flower Garden

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