Try not to prune your outdoor tree in early summer, as this can induce an off-season growth spurt and leave your plant more vulnerable to frost.
If your tree is weak, avoid pruning beyond from trimming or cutting away damaged areas. [5] X Research source
If you’ve noticed thinning in summer or early fall, wait until the following season to prune for this reason.
Gloves made with latex or thin fabrics will not protect your skin from the ficus’s sap. You can find thick gardening gloves at most plant nurseries or garden centers.
Dying or dead branches usually lose their bark and have grey or decaying wood.
Leaf scars are small, round marks found where your plant originally grew leaves. They’re usually lighter in color than the surrounding branch. Pruning above leaf scars should ideally be done in spring.
You can buy cut paste online or at most plant nurseries.
For an environmentally-friendly alternative, ask local recycling centers if they can make use of your ficus clippings.
If any tree damage expands across more than 30% of the plant, hire a professional landscaper to determine the best treatment for it.
Ficus trees are usually round and widest at the bottom.
Thinning out your ficus’s foliage helps light penetrate the tree, which can make the plant look fuller and give it better air flow.
This is especially true for smaller ficus trees like rubber trees and fiddle leaf figs.
Avoid transplanting trees with a trunk diameter wider than 2 inches (5. 1 cm). Hire a landscaper or nursery professional to replant large ficus trees. [12] X Research source
