Making a fig transportable/Moss help

[JK710]

Hi,

My husband and I have a 5 year old fig tree that's been growing in a very big (30 gallon?) pot that we bought when we first got married and now we need to move. Also, there's some sort of black moss that seems to be growing on it (picture below) that looks like hair. I have two questions.

1) Can I significantly cut back the branches and roots of the tree and put it in a smaller pot to make it more easy to transport, or will that hurt the tree?

2) Has anyone seen this moss or mold growing on a plant before? Besides pulling it off, do I need to treat the plant with anything to keep it from growing back?

Thanks for your time!

 

[Chuck]

I think the black stuff is called Black Hairy Fungus. It grows on cat manure and other carnivores manure. Its name is Phycomyces. Depending on which variety of Phycomyces it is said to be dangerous to humans. You might try spraying it with either milk or hydrogen peroxide.
You can trim the roots of a fig tree but not aggressively and you can also do severe pruning. Having said that trimming roots is not a good thing. Severe root trimming could damage the tree.

 

[alp]

Take cuttings of your fig if you're worried. Fig is quick to root.