I have a 25 year old ficus. It comes in every year in November, immediately drops some leaves, then a few more, and so on, then mid March drops a lot. Temperatures won't be reliably above 10C/50F for three or four weeks. Last year the third week of April it dropped to 21F/-6C for three nights so I am careful with it.

Usually I repot after I take it outside but I am wondering if it would not be better to do it now, right after major leaf drop. I last reported three years ago, so I think it is time.

Or, even later, after it has rebuilt the canopy. I think not, but I would listen to that idea.

I usually repot my ficuses between March to mid-April, for this season it's already done, everything a little earlier this year.
The smaller and easy to carry ficuses will probably come outside in 1-2 weeks, when it gets cold again, they'll just come back in !?

dax100 wrote:

I usually repot my ficuses between March to mid-April, for this season it's already done, everything a little earlier this year.
The smaller and easy to carry ficuses will probably come outside in 1-2 weeks, when it gets cold again, they'll just come back in !?

Between the size and age of the tree and the age of my back this one only gets carried once. Ican move the other three in and out but this one, no. In fact, last fall one of the kids was here and he helped me. This spring will be more difficult.

OK...now I maybe understand why you usually repot it when you bring it out !?
I think now is a good time, .. but sometimes "never change a running system"
I wouldn't wait until the tree canopy has recovered, if you do it at the end of the summer you'll lose growth, if you do it in the fall, it might not recover properly before the big leaf drop !? Just something to think about.

Well, I think it's ok if the new growth don't get any frost...
My Ficuses here usually drop the old leaves when they're about to wake up, it's a good organic clock... lol
I think the only gain on waiting the canopy to recover before repoting could be to get shorter internodes (also by not fertilizing right away on spring), but I do repot Ficuses even on summer if needed, and they recover nicely, but I always prefer as soon as it beggins to shoot spring growth