Potting

• Choose a container with drainage holes in the bottom that is large enough to accommodate the root system of your tree. Add a general purpose potting mix to the bottom of the container and place the root ball in the pot. Fill in the soil around the roots and keep the top of the root ball just below the surface of the soil. Water the tree thoroughly after planting.
  
  

Light and Temperature

• Ficus trees require bright, indirect light. Many will thrive in full sun outdoors. If you do not have a location that receives bright light, consider growing Ficus elastica, which grows well in low-light conditions. For best results, keep your ficus in a room where the daytime temperature stays between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the nighttime temperature stays above 65 degrees. If desired, move your ficus tree outside into a sunny location during the summer and bring it indoors once nighttime temperatures drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
  

Watering and Fertilizing

• Water ficus trees with lukewarm water until the water runs out of the hole in the bottom of the container. Allow the soil to become slightly dry between waterings. Both over- and under-watering can cause leaf drop. If leaves appear yellow, the soil is likely too dry and the plant requires additional water. If new, green growth drops from the tree, reduce watering. Dilute fertilizer by half and feed ficus trees once a month during the growing season. In the fall, when growth slows, discontinue fertilizing until new growth begins in the spring.
  
  

Pruning

• Some species of ficus trees can grow undesirably tall if not pruned. Pruning not only controls the size of the tree, but also encourages new growth and results in a fuller tree. Use sharp, sterilized pruning tools. Make cuts just above the spot where a leaf meets the stem or at a branching of the stems.
  
  

Leaf Drop

• Many species of ficus experience leaf drop. Ficus benjamina is particularly susceptible to this problem. Leaf drop often occurs when the tree encounters changes in temperature and light. This often occurs when trees that have been set outside for the summer are brought back inside in the fall. Watering too much or too little may also cause leaves to drop. Adjusting the light levels or amount of watering will remedy many cases of leaf drop. Many trees adjust on their own to a new location within foour to six weeks, at which time leaf drop will cease.