Bonsai health – light questions

Here are some answers to questions I have received about lighting requirements of bonsai.

Question: I don’t have very many places for sun inside. Is artificial lighting out of question?

Dave’s answer: Artificial lighting works great, especially these LED lights that emit bright light but not much heat. If you can put it close above the bonsai works best, and if it’s for many weeks or months then put it on a timer for 12 hours a day, say 8am to 8pm to simulate daytime hours.
If you haven’t already seen it, please see this video where I explain the three fundamental elements of bonsai health: https://youtu.be/a_vYCvQL5iE
If you don’t like the magenta color, the white lamps also work fine, just slightly less efficient.

Question: I have a Ficus, kept indoors. In need of fresh soil and food! The branches have gone straggly and the leaves quite big. Needs some serious TLC. Lots of dead end twigs now. Please advise.

Dave’s answer: Ficus are suitable trees for indoors, but I recommend keeping them in a bright window for as much light as possible. When broadleaf trees don’t get enough light they grow bigger leaves to try to absorb more light. Then big leaves can obscure the light from the lower, inner leaves causing them to to wither and die.