Hello everyone,

Several months ago I Banyan Fig (Ficus microcarpa forma Retusa) to a friend
of mine as a gift. Last week I visited my friend and much to my horror and
dismay he seemed to have over fertilized it with granular fertilizer. The
leaf mass has reduced overall by say 50% and the new growth keeps turning
black (obviously burnt). It's obvious to me he over fertilized the plant. I
have removed the fertilzer granules from the pot and am thinking of applying
garden lime to reduce the acidity of the soil.

It's got to the point where I'm thinking of taking it into my full time
care.
Any tips for how to help this poor Banyan Fig?

NOTES:
It's the beginning of summer here.(south eastern australia)
Fig is in a 2inch high 18inch wide bonsai pot with
freedraining coarse mix soil
Plant is about 10 years old. 45cm high.
Photo available on request (pre burnt).

Please help! Thanks in advance

Mark

On 6 Dec 2004 at 17:14, Mark Mantis wrote:

Hello everyone,

Several months ago I Banyan Fig (Ficus microcarpa forma Retusa) to a friend
of mine as a gift. Last week I visited my friend and much to my horror and
dismay he seemed to have over fertilized it with granular fertilizer. The
leaf mass has reduced overall by say 50% and the new growth keeps turning
black (obviously burnt). It's obvious to me he over fertilized the plant. I
have removed the fertilzer granules from the pot and am thinking of applying
garden lime to reduce the acidity of the soil.

It's got to the point where I'm thinking of taking it into my full time
care.
Any tips for how to help this poor Banyan Fig?


REPOT. Do a complete change of soil -- bare root, in other
words. Look for rotten roots and cut them away.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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