Ficus - home care - growing tips

A pyschnolistny representative of the mulberry family - ficusCare at home, the nuances of proper pruning, as well as the methods of plant reproduction will be described in detail in this article. It is quite difficult to imagine a cozy home without indoor plants. They delight us with their beauty and bright colors that benefit health. In ficus, there are many varieties that differ in size, shape and color of foliage, and some representatives can even reach a height of thirty meters( in nature).

As for indoor varieties, one of the most popular is the Ficus Benjamin, which has become a real "star" of domestic plant production.

Ficus on the photo:

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Ficus in the house - good or bad?

This is the case when the plant not only decorates the interior, but also has a positive effect on the health of people living in the house. Ficus releases oxygen, absorbs carbon dioxide( carbon dioxide), and also absorbs various toxic elements from the air in the room. If you live in a big city, where, as you know, the ecological situation leaves much to be desired, then the purchase of ficus becomes particularly relevant.

Can I keep a ficus at home? Quite a lot of reviews can be heard about the special positive energy of this plant, which favorably affects the mood of the inhabitants of the house. However, before you bring a ficus into the house, you should eliminate the occurrence of an allergic reaction to it. You should also be aware that some varieties of ficus can aggravate the condition of people with asthma.

The rubber-bearing species releases poisonous milky juice, so try not to get it on your skin. Children and pets should also be kept away from similar plants, and it is better to start safer varieties.

Many growers are interested - how does the ficus bloom? This interesting question concerns not only newbies, the answer to it will be positive - yes, the ficus is blooming, but only in the wild.

Fruits of the ficus in the wild

The inflorescences of the plants are not particularly decorative, they are more like small “balls” that are empty from the inside. They are called Sikonyi, each such ball has a small hole through which the proboscis of a pollinator insect penetrates. After this process, the pollinated sycony becomes a stone fruit. For example, here you can give a favorite figs, which, by the way, is also a relative of the ficus.

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Care for Benjamin ficus at home

This is one of the most unpretentious home plants. With minimal care, Ficus Benjamin only requires regular watering and shaping the crown. That is why it is ideal for novice florist or very busy people. If you surround the flower with care, it will quickly grow( about 20 cm per year), grow up to 2 or even 3 meters, if, of course, you want to have such a giant at home.

Preselect a suitable place for the plant:

• Where the direct rays of the sun will not fall on it;
• There will be no batteries and other heating devices( in the immediate vicinity);
• No drafts;
• The room will have average humidity( not low!).

How to care for a ficus? There are certain requirements, adhering to which you will be able to achieve brilliant results in the cultivation of this tropical guest.

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Soil for ficus

In the store you can buy ready-made corresponding mixes for ficuses. In any case, the land should be fertile, loose, neutral, or slightly acidic. The presence of drainage is mandatory: for the lower layer, you can use expanded clay or crushed stone, for the upper - clean river sand.

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Illumination for the ficus

Ficus are very fond of light, but they should be protected from the direct rays of the sun. In winter, it is recommended to use additional lighting in order for the plants to receive the necessary “dose” of light for at least 12 hours. By the way, if the ficus sheds leaves, the reason may be precisely the lack of light. Periodically rotate the ficus pot to the light source so that the crown develops evenly. Keep in mind that dark foliage varieties are much easier to respond to the lack of light than varieties with a motley color.

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What kind of air loves the ficus

We should not forget that the ficus comes from the tropics, therefore, it is heat-loving, it does not tolerate drafts, as well as the supercooling of the soil. For the same reason, it is not recommended to place a container with a flower on a cold floor. The optimum temperature for a plant in summertime is + 25. . + 28 ° C, in winter +16. . + 18 ° C.The lowest( albeit undesirable) temperature, which is allowed for the maintenance of ficus +10. . + 12 ° C.If the ficus is in a cool room, then it should be less watered. Varieties with variegated foliage are harder to tolerate lower temperatures than their green counterparts.

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Humidity

This plant prefers high humidity, so regular irrigation of the crown with water from a spray bottle will appeal to him. Leaves from large leaves can be periodically cleaned with a damp cloth or sponge. So the plant will look more attractive( large leaves collect a lot of dust on themselves), and feel better.

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Watering

The main condition is that the ground between waterings should dry out, but not dry out! Water for these purposes should be clean, separated, not colder than room temperature. In summer, the ficus should be watered more frequently and more abundantly than in winter. Despite the fact that this plant loves moisture, you should avoid over-wetting the soil - this is fraught with rotting of the root system and stems. In the summer, it is enough to water the ficus 2 or 3 times a week, but with the onset of calendar autumn, water volumes should be gradually reduced. Thus, by the onset of winter, watering should be done 1 time in 7 days.

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Fertilizers for ficus

Ficus is usually fed with natural supplements twice a month, starting in March and ending in September - this is the so-called period of active plant growth. Nitrogen-containing preparations are well suited as fertilizers, as well as natural ones - wood ash, nettle infusion. You can purchase complex mixtures of trace elements designed specifically for ficus.

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Ficus transplantation at home

Another important condition for the correct maintenance of ficuses is timely replanting. If you notice that the roots are already peeping out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, or the soil dries quickly after watering, this may be a signal that the ficus needs a new, more voluminous pot. Until the plant is 4 years old, it is transplanted annually. After this age, the transplanting procedure can be performed once every two years. New soil can always be filled in a pot, if circumstances so require.

When can I replace the ficus? It is better to do this in spring or summer to make it easier for the plant to take root in a new place. Be prepared for the fact that after transplantation, the growth of ficus slows down, and sometimes foliage may occur. This is a normal phenomenon, because the flower goes through a period of adaptation, its roots grow much slower in a large pot. The larger and wider the capacity, the slower the root system of the plant grows. Each subsequent pot should be 4-5 cm larger than the previous one. Particularly large ficus replace the top layer of soil, increasing its volume.

How to transplant a ficus:

• Thoroughly moisten the soil so that the plant can be easily removed from the pot.
• Remove the top layer of soil, doing it very carefully.
• Drainage is laid at the bottom of a new tank, we sprinkle it with soil.
• Remove the ficus from the pot, remove the soil from the roots, move it to a new pot.
• Next, fill the mixture with the earth mixture, while the degree of plant penetration should remain at the same level.

By the way, if you want to limit the growth of ficus, then you do not need to replace it at all. It is enough to remove shoots once every two or three years and form a crown. Or, when transplanting, prune the roots and place the plant in a tight container.

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How to trim a ficus at home?

First of all, you need to regularly remove dried leaves and branches( sanitary pruning).To rejuvenate the plant or give it the desired shape, you can shorten the shoots and thin out the crown from the inside and outside. The main stem is pruned once a year, approximately 20-30 cm. When the ficus reaches the height you need, you can pinch. When shortening the branches, at least five sheets should remain on each.

You should know that the ficus with the cut off tip will not grow anymore.

This ficus will not grow upwards - an example of incorrect and not beautiful pruning

It is better to make all cuts bevelled, the lower edge of the slice should be located above the kidney.

How to properly trim a ficus at home:

• A garden pruner should be used, which is recommended to be pretreated with alcohol. You also need to stock up with crushed activated or charcoal for processing cuts.
• The trimming procedure is best carried out in early April.
• To form a crown, the upper part of the ficus is clipped - this technique provokes the active growth of the side branches. If you want to give the plant a more elongated silhouette, then you should cut the side shoots( 4-6 cm), as well as pinch off the leaves.
• As mentioned above, the top is shortened once a year, the trunk is cut diagonally, and the shoots are cut exactly.
• Immediately remove the juice at the cut point and immediately remove it with a damp cloth. The cut itself is treated with crushed coal.
• Ficus can be fertilized two weeks after the procedure.

To increase the thickness, as well as to stimulate the growth of young buds, the ficus crown can be thinned and trimmed annually.

Ficus without pruning - crown incorrectly formed

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Ficus Benjamin - reproduction

There are two most effective ways of reproduction of ficuses - cuttings and air layouts. The easiest one is the cherenkov, the second method is more intricate, but also very effective. I will describe them in more detail, and you choose which one you like best.

Reproduction of ficus cuttings:

1. Cut cuttings from the bush during its active growth - in spring or summer. With the apical shoots cut cuttings about 15 cm in length. If stem shoot is taken for reproduction, then it should have at least three leaves.
2. To prevent dehydration of the cutting, its leaves should be rolled up into loose tubes and gently tied with a soft rubber band( for this you can cut a balloon).
3. The milky juice is usually released at the cut point; in order to remove it, it is enough to hold the cuttings in clean water at room temperature. You can also add to this water the drug "Kornevin."
4. In a pre-selected container should be a suitable soil mixture. You can mix the earth with perlite or sand, add peat - this composition is quite suitable for plants. In this soil, you need to plant cuttings, deepening them by 1-1.5 cm, and then cover with cling film to create a mini-greenhouse. Also for these purposes, you can use cut plastic bottles.
5. A container with young rubber figs is recommended to be placed in a warm room. The optimum temperature for rooting cuttings is approximately + 25 ° C.
6. Periodically, the "greenhouse" should be ventilated to prevent rotting of the cuttings. The rooting process on average lasts about a month and a half.

After a specified period of time, young plants can be planted in pots.

Rooted cuttings of ficus Benjamin, photo:

How to propagate ficus at home with the help of air layering:

1. Choose a good upright shoot, remove the leaves in the place where the incision will be made.
2. Make a couple of cuts with a thin knife for cutting paper or a blade, the distance between them should be about 3 cm. In this place( between the cuts) remove the bark, you can additionally sprinkle this area with Kornevin.
3. Attach to the prepared surface a moist sphagnum moss, the thickness of the moss layer should be approximately 4-5 cm. Using a food wrap, tightly wrap the sphagnum to the shoot and securely fasten. This moss must always be kept wet.
4. Soon roots will appear in this place and sphagnum will overlap. When the roots will be well felt under the polyethylene or even break through it, the ficus stalk will need to be cut a little lower than the formed roots.
5. Now the cutting can be planted in a separate container.

Both methods give good results and “work” at 99%.

Air cuts, photo:

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Ficus diseases

Ficus diseases can be divided into two groups - fungal and parasitic origin.

Fungal diseases include: black fungus on the leaves, gray mold, black fungus, root rot.

The parasitic can be attributed to the mealybug, spider mite, nematode, aphids, scarab, trips.

Spider mite on the ficus

When attacking parasites, you must strike back as soon as possible, but it must be admitted that it is very rare to save the plant. Insecticide "Aktara" is considered the best drug for combating parasites, as soon as you notice traces of pest activity, take action immediately. You can also use the funds "Aktellik", "Confidor".

Diseases of ficus of fungal origin most often arise from improper care of the plant. Too abundant watering and high temperature in the room can cause gray rot( botrytis), which is treated by removing all the affected fragments and subsequent treatment with copper-containing preparations. In general, if a plant is affected by a fungus, it is necessary to remove all the diseased parts as early as possible and then to process the antifungal drug, for example, Fitosporin-M or Gamar( biological bactercid).But root rot, unfortunately, is not treated, the plant will have to be thrown away, and with the capacity in which it grew.

Insufficient lighting, temperature fluctuations, improper watering or a glut of fertilizers can provoke the appearance of diseases. Even a wrongly chosen place for a flower can contribute to the manifestation of diseases. To nip the problem on the vine, you need to provide Ficus competent care, in fact, quite simple, which was described above. Preventive treatments also take place, the use of fungicides, along with proper care, provides good plant protection and significantly reduces the risk of disease.

Why do ficus fall leaves? The reasons for dropping foliage can be different, for example, seasonal fall of the lower leaves with the onset of the cold season is quite natural. If this happens in spring or summer, then, most likely, the ficus lacks lighting or watering is incorrect. Moving the pot from place to place, temperature fluctuations or a lack of dressing can also provoke leaf fall. Diseases and parasites have already been said - they are also often the cause of dropping foliage. In any case, the first alarm signals should identify the cause and try to fix it as soon as possible.

When purchasing a ficus in a flower shop, carefully inspect it for diseases and the presence of pests. The same applies to plants taken from familiar florist. It is best to place a new flower separately from others and endure for about a week. If no diseases or the presence of parasites are identified during this quarantine, a new resident can be placed next to other indoor plants. If you follow all the rules, for many years your guest will be decorated with a tropical guest - a ficus. Care at home for this plant does not give you much trouble. The main thing is to do everything in a timely and competent manner.