How to Grow a Bonsai Ficus? Latest Care Methods Explained

How to grow a bonsai ficus? Many people ask this. The ficus bonsai is one of our most common bonsai, evergreen in all four seasons with a graceful form. It is also relatively easy to care for, making it the first choice for beginner bonsai growers.

What is a ficus bonsai?

A ficus bonsai refers to a potted ficus bonsai made with ficus as the material, with the goal of appreciating the unusual forms of the ficus trunk and its roots, stems and leaves, cultivated carefully through pruning, branch training, wiring and grafting, and long-term control of its growth and development to turn it into a unique artistic shape. The root of the ginseng ficus resembles ginseng, with a natural form, exposed root base, lush crown and distinctive charm; its appearance and form are delightful to view, bringing joy to the heart, and it is deeply loved by consumers around the world. In the Netherlands it has been named “Chinese root”; it is a flower variety with a Chinese brand that has gone global·and it is a beautiful sight as an indoor or outdoor decorative display!

Ficus trees are famous for their unusual tree form, luxuriant branches and leaves, and huge crowns. A ficus bonsai, meanwhile, takes ficus as its material, aiming to appreciate the unusual forms of the ficus trunk and its roots, stems and leaves, and through various techniques controls its growth and development to turn it into a unique artistic potted ficus bonsai.

How to grow a bonsai ficus?

1. Ficus is a tropical tree species that prefers a warm, sunny, humid and well-ventilated environment. Besides sunlight, watering is also a key point in the daily care of a ficus bonsai. Watering is one of the most important and most frequent measures in ficus bonsai care. When ficus is planted in a pot, whether a deep pot or a shallow pot, the soil is always limited, and the water it contains is limited too. If water is not replenished by watering for a long time, the plant will wither from lack of water, so you should observe promptly and water according to how dry or moist the soil is, keeping the soil moist. Of course, watering must not be excessive either; if you water too much and the potting soil stays wet for a long time, it easily causes root oxygen deprivation and rot. At the same time, how much to water also depends on seasonal changes and whether the weather is warm or cold. Generally speaking, in summer or during droughts, it is best to water once in the morning and once in the evening; in spring and autumn, water once a day or every other day; in spring when the trunk begins to sprout, you may also water once in the morning and once in the evening as conditions warrant. During the plum rain season or on rainy days, no watering is needed, and you should also pay attention to drainage. Sandy soil can be watered more, while clay soil should be watered less. You can water by spraying the leaves or by watering the roots; generally the two are combined, spraying the leaves first and then watering the roots thoroughly. Be careful not to give “half water,” which causes the pot surface to be wet while the inside of the pot is dry, and do not spray the leaves too much either, as this easily causes leggy branches and leaves. For households growing it in the north, spray the leaves with water often to increase air humidity.

2. A ficus bonsai has limited potting soil, so you should also pay attention to replenishing fertilizer at ordinary times. During the growth period of ficus in summer and autumn, apply decomposed cake fertilizer water once a month; in winter, apply less fertilizer or none at all. In addition, when repotting once every two years, crush and decompose organic fertilizer and mix it into the pot in a certain proportion to slowly provide nutrients. For quick-acting fertilization, dilute organic fertilizer or chemical fertilizer and apply it according to the seasonal growth needs of the trunk, but note that it must not be too concentrated; newly planted trunks are not suitable for this kind of fertilization, and fertilizing on rainy days causes the fertilizer effect to leach away, giving poor results.

3. For repotting, it is best to choose early spring or late autumn during the dormant period of the ficus, and at the same time thin out overly dense roots. 

4. Ficus tolerates pruning, has strong sprouting ability and grows fast. Besides pruning in early spring, during ordinary care you should also prune new shoots and leggy branches according to the shaping requirements, so as to keep the tree form beautiful and improve its ornamental value.

In addition, the growth temperature difference for a ficus bonsai should not be too large; when the temperature difference reaches 10 degrees, it very easily causes leaf drop and death. The roots of ficus are also prone to various root rot diseases or root nodule diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. At ordinary times, without injuring the roots, you should often gently turn over the soil to check the roots, and pay proper attention to spraying medicine for prevention and control.

What to do if the leaves of a bonsai ficus turn yellow?

1. Water-yellow: tender leaves are dull yellow and lack luster, old leaves show no obvious change, branches are thin and yellow-green, and new shoots shrink and stop growing, indicating overwatering. Take the plant out of the pot, place it in a ventilated and shady spot to let the soil ball dry by itself, then put it back in the pot.

2. Drought-yellow: the yellow from lack of water is different from the yellow from too much water. The yellow from lack of water shows as withered, dry leaf tips or edges, with old leaves turning yellow and dropping from the bottom up, but new leaves growing fairly normally. Just water enough and water thoroughly.

3. Scorch-yellow: strong direct sunlight falling on some shade-loving flowers (such as spider plant, peacock arrowroot, hosta, etc.) easily causes the leaf tips and leaf edges to wither, and yellow spots appear on the sun-facing parts of the leaves. Just move it to a shady place.

4. Lack of light: when placed in a shady environment for a long time, the leaves cannot get enough sunlight and cannot form chlorophyll; the whole plant's leaves turn yellow and then drop. Supplementing light can prevent this problem.

5. Fertilizer-yellow: yellowing of flowers caused by too much fertilizer or too high a concentration shows as dry brown tips on new leaves; generally the leaf surface is thick and lacks luster, and is uneven and not smooth, while old leaves scorch yellow and drop. Stop fertilizing immediately, and in serious cases flush out part of the fertilizer with a large amount of clean water.

6. Lack of fertilizer: this shows as tender leaves becoming lighter in color, appearing yellow or pale green, while old leaves are fairly normal or gradually turn from green to yellow. Check the potting soil; if there is dry caking, change the soil, apply thin fertilizer frequently at ordinary times, and water with some alum water at the right time.