Spica75 wrote:I'm just impressed you've managed to handle it well enough to keep it going for 25 years.
Imperfectly.
Due to limited pot it had many occasions when it went half bald and many places where I had to saw off completely dry big branches. It was always recovering but managing the watering was hard when there was no earth left, only roots.
Then I had an epiphany: online ordering exists! I ordered a big pot last year and re-planted it. It was not in a good condition: the pot-shaped block of roots moldy, a big chunk of it simply crumbled away. But now it has earth around it, it has a water level measuring pipe embedded (like they test oil level in engines) and it made a big "poof" of new leaves and branches in gratitude before settling for the winter.
What is absolutely vital for its survival is artificial light during winter. First fluorescent light bulbs during the 2000s, then LED lamps when became available. Otherwise staying at window on the sunny side is absolutely not enough with Moscow weather, it gradually turns bald.
30 Wt worth of LED lamps is enough to keep the status quo til the spring: it does neither grow nor lose leaves.
