First, don't use stones at the bottom. That's a myth and actually hinders drainage rather than helping. Make sure the pot has a hole in the bottom and make sure you repot instead of potting up. Big difference.

Second, read up on these three links. You'll learn everything you need to keep your ficus happy.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1490818/good-growing-practices-an-overview-for-beginners?n=175

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1476078/ficus-trees-in-containers-iv

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/2842847/container-soils-water-movement-and-retention-xxii

Thanks for the quick response. I read the links you provided and was wondering if I could get some feedback on what I have planned after doing a bit more research as I'm still a bit unsure.

So it seems like I need to do a repot. I'm ditching the stones at the bottom and was planning on using a mix of 1:1:1 of bark, perilite and the potting mix I linked to in my original post. I need to keep the roots wet while repotting to prevent drying out, remove the bottom third of the roots and some of the larger roots plus any damaged or dead ones. Then I should flush it out with water to remove any remaining soil before repotting. I was planning to use the same pot it's already in. Then fertilise a few weeks after repotting. Does that sound okay?

What should I do to encourage more leaf growth and branching? I want it to grow taller but also want it to thicken up and get bushier as well. Right now the trunks are a little flimsy and one is being supported by a stake. I heard that cutting the top will encourage branching but I'm a bit hesitant to do this becuase there's new growth at the top and I still want it to grow taller.

Heres a daylight picture of my fiddle. I put him outside so he could get some more sun

You'll bare-root the plant before and during root pruning so you can see what's going on. Remember, you want to completely eradicate root congestion everywhere in that rather tight root ball, so you'll get right in there and do what's necessary to loosen things up, starting by cutting off anything that restricts root growth or is 'defective', which means roots that are hooked, circling or girdling the root mass, or going straight up or down. Keep a bucket of water nearby you can swish the roots in to remove loosened soil as you go along, a full spray bottle to keep the roots from drying out and a moist towel in case you need a break.

Before repotting you ought to read more about root pruning, especially in-process photos showing what needs to stay, what needs to go, and what the end result should look like. Start by scanning the comments in those threads Dave linked, because they include a lot of talk and some photos that will help orient you to the task. I'll look for some links to root pruning threads, and I think I've saved some quotes from Al about the topic that I'll try to post tomorrow night if you don't find them first.

It's hard to say what your '1-1-1' mix would be like because composted bark can be anywhere from fine grained water retentive matter to barely-degraded chunky stuff, and it m a nna to tbathan tantra ight even be ground after composting, but your combination won't be as aerated or well-draining as Al's 5-1-1 mix. Add the presence of water-holding beads in that potting soil, and you could make it very hard to avoid overwatering. Jmm .

Atq many rate, equal parts of bark, perlite and anything made of fine particles won't be particularly fast draining or well-aerated, because the large fraction of fine particles will fill spaces between large particles, blocking air from reaching the roots, creating a layer of saturated particles in the lower part of the pot, and making overwatering extremely hard to avoid.

Instead I'd suggest making up a batch of Al's 5-1-1 mix, which is five parts pine, fir, or hemlock bark, one part peat, and one part perlite. The size of the bark should be from dust to 3/8", with most of it between 1/8" and 3/8". The bark provides durable structure to create empty spaces between particles for airflow and drainage, perlite helps hold flat bark surfaces apart, and peat wicks water to spread it within the mix and holds the mix together.

If you look at the last three or four pages of House Plants threads you'll probably see a dozen that specifically ask how to get a lyrata to branch and to grow into a variety of different shapes, along with reports of what works and what doesn't, which will help you narrow down your questions.

No matter what, wait to start pinching or pruning until your ficus catches its breath and starts putting out new growth after being repotted, because it's entirely possible that just giving it good light and root conditions will spur it to start branching, as well as strengthening the stems so they can support new branches.

I hope that helps some. There's a lot to absorb, and you'll be repotting while you're still learning the concepts. Just take your time and check back with questions, and you'll have a great experience!

Lenore