Al,
First and foremost, MANY thanks for taking the time to write such a thorough and thoughtful answer. I have a renewed sense of hope for my ficus tree! I have ordered the Foliage Pro fertilizer and will be heading out this weekend to purchase a dowel. The pot is clay and quite large so I will need it. (And another thank you for reading my mind about whether or not using the dowel would harm the root system.)
I look forward to seeing the tree thrive again.
Regards,
Alison
