Hi all,

I have had a ficus lyrata for about 2-3 years. The first year it was doing well but I decided to prune the roots last year and use regular potting mix. Below is the roots untrimmed. I cut off half the roots - maybe too much.

4-6 leaves shed after I did this but it shot up tall and produced 4 sets of leaves. It was trying to grow new leaves near the existing ones but they dried and shriveled up. I was bad in winter and didn't water it much due to fungus gnats. It then lost many more leaves due to my neglect.

This year (it's spring in Sydney but cold atm) I decided to try the gritty mix (diatomite, decomposed granite which was very clay like and pine bark). I washed out all the old soil and did no root pruning because it looked ill. The roots had not grown much over the year - it actually looked like it lost roots or that it was growing gangly.

There were heaps of these wire worms(?) in the old soil too.

It looks like it wants to shed more leaves and I'm afraid I made it worse.

Would really like some help as to what to do. Eventually I would like it to regrow leaves in the bare parts but not sure if this is possible. It has always lived outside but not in direct sun. It has a tendency to grow really tall. I would some day like to prune it so it isn't so tall and let it branch out. What can I do to make it healthy? Should I not water it too much at the moment?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Sam