The Benjamin Ficus Needed Attention

We knew the tree was outgrowing its container because leaves were turning yellow and falling.   It was re-potted once when we returned from a trip to find a carpet of yellow leaves on the floor.  One of Grandma Mimi's persons who kept her company when she lived with us, read somewhere that wiping a very thin coating of mayonaise on the leaves would provide a shine.  Thus, this is why I thought the leaves fell but this was not the case after I checked with Casey's, my favorite nursery of the many here in town.  By the way, this occurred before I went through the University of Illinois Master Gardener training.  I learned the reason the plant dropped all the leaves was becasue it was root bound and needed a larger pot.  So this time not that many leaves dropped.  We knew what to do. 

This was a difficult job.  At one time Ed said let's get rid of the tree.  No way!