United Kingdom 
Actually my question is about a house plant, namely Ficus Reginald. It hasn't been very happy since we moved house 2 years ago. It is kept in our garden room which is lovely in the summer but quite cold in the winter but it is the only place big enough to keep it.
Last May we had an ant infestation in the roots which was sorted. However at the end of the summer the leaves started to ooze sticky sap in abundance and it is still happening 5 months later. However it is now losing most of it's leaves which it has never done before. The leaves are green. (It has only dropped the occasional yellow leaf up until now) Is this time to rethink and get a new plant?
12 Feb, 2013
Answers
Thank you so much for your time and trouble. It certainly is draughty in our garden room and we have been turning the radiator down as the room has not been in use so it definitely has been lower than 55F. The sticky residue is all over the floor, my photo frames and the chair so the sooner I say goodbye the better!! Our yucca is doing brilliantly!!! Any suggestions for it's replacement?
12 Feb, 2013
is the plant infested with greenfly/mealy bug/scale insect? this sounds like honey dew. give it a really careful look and if it is pests then you can spray and keep the plant.
leaf drop is probably due to the cooler temp. it will re leaf as the room warms up in spring.
12 Feb, 2013
I would be interested in the cause of the Ficus losing leaves, as you do not want to invest in a new plant for any infestation to continue.
As you will have seen, when a leaf falls off Ficus it releases a white sticky goo to heal the wound and stop insects. It normally stops after a few minutes though. Could it be Honeydew or Whitefly?
I wonder if the problem is a root level, some sort of Vine Weevil grub or the like attacking the roots and making the leaves fall off. I would take the Ficus to the patio, and knock off as much soil as possible to check. It may just be shock of water-logg or lack of nutrients.
12 Feb, 2013
Agree totally with Seaburngirl above. Check the backs of leaves and all the stems and woody parts - you're looking for possible scale infestation or aphid. Sticky sap is not usual, even if the plant has been damaged - it produces white milky sap, so honeydew from an infestation is the more likely problem.
12 Feb, 2013
I would recommend a Myrtle, Myrtus communis.They only require a winter temp above freezing. You get lovely scented flowers eventually, tho'
I've found it to be a bit slow growing. Another idea is a Fatshedera, nicer shaped leaves, no flowers.
14 Feb, 2013
Thank you so much again. I will have a look at those 2 plants in my book.I like the sound of the scented flowers and it doesn't matter about the size as the room is quite small. My Ficus definitely has an infestation, probably honeydew. It is time to have a good tidy up and clean!!
I will keep you posted!!
14 Feb, 2013
According to my H P book sudden loss of leaves in Ficus plants is caused by too low winter temperatures & cold draughts, also too little light but I don't think the lack of light is the problem with yours.It says not less than 55 F. in winter. It doesn't say anything about the oozing from the leaves which sounds serious to me,suggestive of a fungal disease of some sort.Hope you can sort it,if not it might be time to say goodbye & perhaps treat yourself to something a bit hardier! It's hard tho', when you've had something for a long time. they don't like being moved round either. I lost one that way. Best Wishes FF.
12 Feb, 2013