The full-leaved representative of the mulberry family is ficus. Home care, the nuances of proper pruning, as well as methods of plant propagation will be described in detail in this article. What are the challenges of care? There are many varieties of ficus, varying in size, shape and color of the foliage, and individual representatives can even reach thirty meters in height. But it is in nature. At home, we will not meet such giants. It is quite difficult to imagine the cozy atmosphere of a house without houseplants. They delight us with their beauty and bright colors, benefit health.
The rules of care depend on the variety of ficus. As for indoor varieties, one of the most popular is Benjamin's ficus, which has already become a real "star" of home crop production.
Ficuses in the photo:
Ficus in the house - good or bad?
This is the case when a plant not only decorates the interior, but also positively affects the health of people living in the house. Ficus emits oxygen, absorbs carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide), and also absorbs various toxic elements from indoor air. If you live in a big city, where, as you know, the environmental situation leaves much to be desired, then the acquisition of ficus becomes especially relevant.
Can I keep 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 bringing ficus into the house, it is necessary to exclude the occurrence of an allergic reaction to it. You should also be aware that some varieties of ficus can aggravate the condition of people who have asthma.
Rubbery species produce poisonous milky juice, so be careful not to get on your skin. Children and pets should also be kept away from such plants, or better, plant safer varieties.
Many flower growers are interested in how ficus blooms. This interesting question excites not only beginners, the answer to it will be positive. Yes, ficus blooms, but only in the wild.
The inflorescences of the plant are not particularly decorative, they are more like small balls, empty from the inside. They are called siconia, each such ball has a small hole in which the proboscis of the pollinator penetrates. After the established process, the pollinated syconium becomes a drupe fruit. For example, here you can cite the beloved by many figs, which, incidentally, is also a relative of ficus.
Benjamin Ficus Care at Home
This is one of the most unpretentious house plants. With minimal care, Benjamin's ficus requires only regular watering and crown formation. That is why it is ideal for beginner gardeners or very busy people. If you surround the flower with care, it will quickly grow (about 20 cm per year), can grow up to 2 or even 3 meters, unless, of course, you want to have such a giant at home.
How to plant ficus correctly
Choose a suitable location for the plant in advance:
- Where direct rays of the sun will not fall on him;
- There will be no batteries and other heating devices (in the immediate vicinity);
- There will be no drafts;
- The room will have average humidity (not low!).
How to care for ficus? There are certain requirements, adhering to which you will be able to achieve brilliant results in the cultivation of this tropical guest.
Primer for ficus
In the store you can buy ready-made appropriate soil mix for ficus. In any case, the land should be fertile, loose, neutral or slightly acidic. The presence of drainage is mandatory: for the lower layer, expanded clay or crushed stone can be used, for the upper layer - clean river sand.
Ficus Lighting
Ficuses are very fond of light, but they should be protected from direct sunlight. In winter, it is recommended to use additional lighting so that the plants receive the necessary "dose" of light for at least 12 hours. By the way, if the ficus discards leaves, the reason may be just a lack of light. Periodically turn the ficus pot toward the light source so that the crown develops evenly. Keep in mind that varieties with dark foliage are much easier to respond to a lack of light than varieties with variegated color.
What air ficus loves
We should not forget that the ficus is a native of the tropics, therefore, thermophilic, does not tolerate drafts, as well as hypothermia 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 the plant in summer is + 25 .. + 28 ° C, in winter +16 .. + 18 ° C. The lowest (albeit undesirable) temperature, which is allowed for the content of ficuses +10 .. + 12 ° C. If the ficus is in a cool room, then it should be watered less often. Varieties with variegated foliage tolerate lower temperatures more difficult than their green counterparts.
Humidity
This plant prefers high humidity, therefore, regular irrigation of the crown with spray water will please him. Leaves of large-leaved representatives can be periodically wiped with a damp cloth or sponge. So the plant will look more attractive (large leaves collect a lot of dust), and feel better.
Watering
The main condition is that the soil between waterings should dry out, but not dry out! Water for these purposes should be clean, settled, not colder than room temperature. In summer, ficus should be watered more often and more abundantly than in winter. Despite the fact that this plant is very fond of moisture, overmoistening of the soil should be avoided - this is fraught with decay of the root system and stems. It is enough to water the ficus 2 or 3 times a week.
And 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.
Ficus fertilizers
Usually ficus is fed with natural supplements twice a month, starting in March and ending in September - this is the so-called period of active plant growth.
As fertilizers, nitrogen-containing preparations are well suited, as well as natural ones - wood ash, nettle infusion. You can purchase complex mixtures of trace elements designed specifically for ficus.
Ficus transplant at home
Another important condition for the proper maintenance of ficuses is timely transplantation. If you notice that the roots are already visible from the drainage holes below the pot or the soil dries quickly after watering, this may be a signal that the ficus needs a new, more voluminous container. Until the plant is 4 years old, it is transplanted annually. After the specified age, the transplantation procedure can be performed once every two years. New soil can always be added to the pot if circumstances so require.
When can ficus be transplanted? It is better to do this in spring or summer, so that the plant is easier to take root in a new place. Be prepared for the fact that after transplantation, the growth of ficus will slow down, and sometimes foliage may fall. This is a normal phenomenon, because the flower goes through a period of adaptation, its roots grow much more slowly in a volumetric pot. The larger and wider the capacity, the slower the root system of the plant grows. Each subsequent pot should be 4-5 cm in diameter larger than the previous one. Especially large ficuses replace the topsoil, increasing its volume.
How to transplant ficus:
- We thoroughly moisten the soil so that the plant can be easily removed from the pot.
- We remove the upper layer of soil, we do it very carefully.
- At the bottom of the new tank we lay drainage, sprinkle it with soil.
- We remove the ficus from the pot, remove the soil from the roots, move it to a new container.
- Then we fill up the earth mixture, while the degree of deepening of the plant should remain at the same level.
By the way, if you want to limit the growth of ficus, then you do not need to transplant it at all. It is enough to remove the 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.
How to trim 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 cut once a year, approximately 20-30 cm. When the ficus reaches the height you require, you can pinch it. When shortening the branches, at least five leaves should remain on each.
You should know that a ficus with a cut top will not grow anymore.
All slices are best done beveled, the lower edge should be located above the kidney.
How to trim ficus at home:
- A garden pruner should be used, which is recommended to be pre-treated with alcohol. You also need to stock up with crushed activated or charcoal for processing slices.
- The pruning procedure is best done in early April.
- To form the crown, the upper part of the ficus is trimmed - this technique provokes the active growth of the lateral branches. If you want to give the plant a more elongated silhouette, then it is necessary to cut the lateral shoots (4-6 cm), and also pinch off the leaves from them.
- As already mentioned above, the top is shortened once a year, the trunk is cut obliquely, the shoots are cut off exactly.
- Juice that has stood out at the cut site must be removed immediately with a damp cloth. The slice itself is treated with crushed coal.
- Ficus can be fertilized two weeks after the procedure.
To increase the density, as well as to stimulate the growth of young buds, the ficus crown can be thinned and pruned annually.
Ficus Benjamin - Reproduction
There are two most effective ways of propagating ficus - cuttings and aerial layering. The easiest is the cuttings, 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.
Propagation of ficus by cuttings:
- We cut the cuttings from the bush during its active growth - in spring or summer. From apical shoots, cut off cuttings of about 15 cm in length. If a stem shoot is taken for propagation, then there must be at least three leaves on it.
- To prevent dehydration of the cuttings, its leaves should be folded into thin tubes and carefully tied with a soft rubber band (for this you can cut a balloon).
- Milky juice usually stands out at the cut site to remove it, just hold the cuttings for a little while in clean water at room temperature. You can also add the drug "Kornevin" to this water.
- A suitable soil mixture should be in the pre-selected container. You can mix the earth with perlite or sand, add peat - this composition is quite suitable for plants. Cuttings should be planted in this soil, dipping them 1-1.5 cm, and then cover with cling film to create a mini-greenhouse. Also for these purposes, you can use cropped plastic bottles.
- A container with young ficuses is recommended to be placed in a warm room. The optimum temperature for rooting cuttings is approximately + 25 ° C.
- Periodically, a greenhouse should be aired to prevent rotting of the cuttings. The rooting process on average lasts about a month and a half.
After this period, young plants can be planted in pots.
Rooted cuttings of ficus Benjamin, photo:
How to propagate ficus at home with the help of air layers:
- You should choose a good upright shoot, remove the leaves in the place where the incision will be made.
- Make a couple of cuts with a thin paper cutting knife or a blade, the distance between them should be about 3 cm. At this point (between the cuts) remove the bark, you can also sprinkle the cut area with Kornevin.
- Apply wet sphagnum moss to the prepared surface, the moss layer should be approximately 4-5 cm thick. Cling the sphagnum tightly to the shoot with a plastic wrap and securely fasten it. This moss should be kept wet at all times.
- Soon roots will appear in this place and will entangle sphagnum. When the roots will be well palpated under the polyethylene or even break through it, the ficus stalk needs to be cut a little lower than the formed roots.
- Now the stalk can be planted in a separate container.
Both methods give good results and "work" at 99%.
Air layering, photo:
Ficus Diseases
Ficus diseases can be divided into two groups - fungal and parasitic origin.
Fungal diseases include:
- black fungus on the leaves;
- gray rot;
- soot fungus;
- root rot.
By parasitic can be attributed to the mealybug, spider mite, nematodes, aphids, scale insects, thrips.
When attacking parasites, you need to strike back as soon as possible, however, it must be recognized that it is very rare to save the plant. Insecticide "Aktara" is considered the best drug for controlling parasites, as soon as you notice traces of the activity of the pest, take action immediately. You can also use funds "Actellik", "Confidor."
Ficus diseases of fungal origin most often arise from improper care of the plant. Too plentiful watering and high temperature in the room can cause gray rot (botritis), which is treated by removing all the affected fragments and subsequent treatment with copper-containing preparations. In general, when a plant is affected by a fungus, it is necessary to remove all diseased parts as soon as possible, and then treat it with an antifungal drug, for example, Fitosporin-M or Gamair (biological bactericide). But root rot, unfortunately, cannot be cured, the plant will have to be thrown away, moreover, along with the container in which it grew.
Inadequate lighting, temperature extremes, improper watering or oversaturation of fertilizers can provoke the appearance of diseases. Even the wrong place for a flower can contribute to the manifestation of disease. To stop the problem at the root, it is necessary to provide ficus with 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 protection to the plant and significantly reduces the risk of diseases.
Why do ficus leaves fall? The reasons for dropping leaves can be different, for example, seasonal fall with the onset of the cold season is considered quite natural. If this happens in spring or summer, then most likely, the ficus is not enough lighting or irrigation is improperly done. Moving the pot from one place to another, temperature fluctuations or lack of fertilizing can also cause leaf fall. Diseases and parasites have already been said - they are also often the cause of dropping leaves. In any case, the first alarms should identify the cause and try to eliminate it as soon as possible.
When purchasing ficus in a flower shop, carefully inspect it for diseases and pests. The same applies to plants taken from familiar flower growers. It is best to place the new flower separately from the others and stand for about a week.If during such a quarantine no diseases or the presence of parasites are detected, a new resident can be placed next to other indoor plants. Subject to all the rules, a tropical guest - ficus will decorate your home for many years. Caring for this plant at home will not cause you much trouble. The main thing is to do everything in a timely and competent manner.