Our fig tree is over 21 years old. He's been outdoors and overwintered indoors for many years now. This year, after giving him a really painfully ugly haircut in the autumn, I have decided that the only time he will go outdoors again is for a quick shower under the hose to get the dust off. He is in a cozy out-of-the-way spot in our music room and this way he won't have to go into shock from a serious change in environment from spring to summer and again from summer into fall like he has for the last fifteen years or more. Hopefully he'll stay as nice as he is now with the occasional snip of the pruners once in awhile and maybe an annual rinse under the hose. I'm hoping he hangs around for at least another twenty years.
Ficus before his hair cut.
After his haircut in mid-October. Looking a little sparse -- and shocking. I cut the spider plant back too.
Ficus in mid-February. You would never know he'd been scalped in October.
Even the birds still enjoy perching in his branches. :o)
Do you move your plants outdoors for the summer?
Your ficus is beautiful - you did a great job pruning!
ReplyDeleteand YES, I move most of my plants outside for the summer - but none are that big!
Julie
We keep thinking about getting some fig trees but it is really tricky planting out here we have the opposite problem extreme heat and drought, so far the best thing to plant is succulents everything else really doesn't do well. ~Enjoy your fig tree! Love Heather
ReplyDeleteI had a lovely fig tree years ago, But when my father died, it did too. Just lost all it's leaves for some reason. Strange timing, really, since it didn't get neglected in any way. You have me looking to see if I have a spot to put one now, as I really liked that plant. It never went outside though. My Christmas cactus and orchid cactus do though. The orchid cactus blooms while it's outside each year. I leave the Christmas cactus out until the weatherman threatens us with frost over night, then I bring it in and it sets buds right away. I laughingly say we should call it my Thanksgiving Cactus instead.
ReplyDeleteLove reading about all your home living and beyond.
ReplyDeleteMost of my plants will spend the summer outside, and they thrive too!
Your plants are so pretty :)
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