Sharon, that is indeed a nice looking "Figaro" ... F. benjamina aka "Weeping Fig"?? They certainly do grow tall even when kept as a house plant! I had four or five really large ones years ago that stayed out on the deck year round. I finally got tired of root pruning and top pruning (seemed like every three months.) A couple of those trees even began pushing through the top of the screen one summer. And they those were so temperamental ... I'd move them six inches and they would begin to defoliate and I'd have piles of leaves everywhere! I finally put them out for yard trash pick up but some of my neighbors took them!

I now only have one variegated Ficus benjamina that stays within bounds, but lIke the solid green version it still loses leaves whenever I move it! For many years I had a real skinny almost leafless benjamina that sat just outside the front door and at Christmas I would string it with lights and hang odd little lightweight ornaments on it. As far as Christmas trees go it was pretty pitiful looking but once decorated it turned into a beautiful prince so I always called it my Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

Your Figaro is a beautiful specimen ... and I know what it must be like trying to get it inside for winter. You really do need to find one of those rolling caddies for it, they make all the difference in the world. For the time being you need to find a strong man with a dolly/hand truck to move it ... don't hurt yourself trying to move that big guy!

Oh Good Grief that is HUGE!

Pretty thought and I'm glad you put lights on it for the holidays

Even better the cardinals nested in it

Off to see if I can figure out why I wasn't notified when you posted this. I've set your blog to watch. hmmmmmmmmm

Figaro doesn't weep, Lin. He just reaches for the sky.

He has a cousin who lives here too, but the cousin is much tidier. Keeps her shape better than he does. She lives in my studio so she doesn't pick up any of Fig's bad habits.

Yes, Vic, huge.

Do threats help?

I've tried, Lucy. Believe me, I've tried.
BUT I got my little hand pruners out and leaned them up where Fig can see them.
I'll leave them there overnight.
We'll see what happens.

Nice tree ya got there, Sharon! I'm glad it gets outdoor time. And I'm more glad it is house-trained so it can come inside during the colder months.

I think instead of trimming its height you might want to raise your ceiling next year.

Shoe

Maybe a skylight.
It's a conundrum, Shoe.

See, I'm going to have to get a ladder, one tall enough to get me wayyy up there so I can give him a good haircut. That's about the only thing I can figure. It isn't like I haven't given him a haircut before, it's just that he's never been this tall before.
I really am not fond of ladders.

Me neither, on the ladders

I love the little thumbs up thingy, I've been thumbs upping all day.
Starring things too.

This is the neatest site.

I know, it just has so many cool toys to play with huh

I'm a'scared of ladders, too. They put my feet too far off the ground. Pretty scary. Heck, I own 3 ladders and even when they are laying on the ground I walk a wide berth around them. (Fear of stubbing toes, maybe?)

Why, I'll never forget the time I was on a 12 foot stepladder pickin' Willowleaf butterbeans in November. The winter winds kicked in and caused me to jiggle with one foot, balance on the other, pick beans with my right hand while holding my bean bucket with my left hand. My own voice interrupted this solitudinal moment with a scream and a holler and reminded me "these beans can wait another day" or told me "stay off ladders when dealing with tall plant life".

Yeh, Sharon...you better hire a tall hair stylist to trim Figaro's coiffure! (<--- And that's the first time I've ever used that word! :>()

Shoe

ya did good with the word, Shoe.
Never saw much need of it myself.

Coiffure. Seems like a half a sneeze to me.

I think I'm going to do the hair cut thing while he's on the deck.
Then if a neighbor just happens by maybe I'll get some help, somebody to hold the ladder. Maybe.

If y'all don't hear from me over the next few days, send somebody, OK?

Okay, will do. We'll come pull both you and Fig inside.

Long handled pruners sound like what you need. They'll keep you closer to ground level.

And might I add, great pics you've posted. Good going!

Shoe

I sure hope you find some help getting him inside Sharon!

I remember one year Grampa wanted me o paint his house. 2 and a half stories. he had this old wooden extension ladder. Funniest thing...when you got halfways up that ladder it twisted around so's you were facing away from the house, then straightened back up as you got nearer the top. The first time it did that to me I thought for sure I was ground-bound, and that Mom was gonna have a heart attack. Once I got used to it though it wasn't bad at all.

hehehe...Grampa was ...um...frugal and Mom found out he was mixing that paint half thinner...it all washed off from the rain within a year.

Very cool picture, Lee Anne!!

I used to be able to climb the magnolia tree and climb onto the roof. Been up there a few times for one reason or another. The time I remember most is when GI Joe got stuck in the attic vent fan thingy. He was on his way to the kid on the other side of the house and didn't quite make it. The fan thing was making a horrific noise, or maybe it was GI Joe hollerin'. I don't know, but I climbed the magnolia tree and by the time I got up there, Joe had made his way through the fan thing and into the attic.

I was a little irate.

GI Joe didn't have a scratch on him.

Shoe, you really don't want me on the top of a ladder with a pair of long pruners. if I climb a ladder I might ought to just have nail clippers with me. Something that won't fight back.

Lee Anne, fun about your G'pa's frugality.
Bet you were pretty frustrated.

Shoe, you talking about the pics in the Plant D/B??
Thanks.

Frustrated? nope...Mom was so mad she made him get more paint, un-mixed with thinner...and pay us to paint it again the next summer

When you're 14 years old $100 seems like a million!!

You be careful! Don't make me come down there!

Thanks Lee Anne, I'll be careful. Promise.

Better yet, have a neighbor come over while Figaro gets his/her hair cut or even better than that, have neighbor do the hair cut?

Cool stories Shoe and Lee Ann

Sharon: If we don't hear from you in a couple of days we'll be calling your local fire department but I can't guarantee they will believe us about you and Figaro. They might think it's a crank call. I know fire fighters get calls occasionally about removing cats from tall trees ....but little ladies?