Many novice gardeners are tormented by the question: “How to transplant Ficus Benjamin correctly?” The plant needs to be replanted when its roots are cramped in the pot and they begin to look out of the tank. As a rule, this procedure is recommended for any plant.
When you purchase a ficus, you need to carefully examine the roots and soil to avoid future problems, especially such as falling leaves. The soil should not be wet and smell disgusting, and the roots should not be rotten.
After purchasing, you need to decide on the place where you will place the pot with the plant. Ficus responds well to bright diffused lighting, but at the same time it is whimsical to the sun's rays. So, if you want to grow a healthy plant, then place the flower pot in a bright and spacious room, preferably with windows on the west side of the house.
Transfer
Professional flower growers recommend replanting the ficus 2 weeks after purchase so that the flower adapts to the conditions. The pot must be selected according to the size of the root system, this will help adjust the watering regime. You can purchase soil already prepared specifically for ficus or palm trees (sand must be present in the composition). It is also advisable to add crushed charcoal to the mixture. It is also permissible to create soil yourself at home, while adhering to the following proportions:
For a young ficus
- peat - 1 part;
- leaf humus - 1;
- sand - 1.
For an adult plant
First option
- sheet soil - 1;
- sand - 1;
- turf land - 1;
- peat - 1.
Second option
- turf land - 2;
- leaf humus - 2;
- sand - 1.
You can also add charcoal, this will make the soil loose. It is permissible to replant the flower by transshipment or replant it entirely, while removing the transport soil from the roots.
After you have cleaned the roots and eliminated the infected areas, you need to treat the damaged areas with charcoal and then plant the flower. Before planting, you need to straighten the roots and deepen the root collar too much. In addition, you need to choose a pot with drainage holes or make your own. To do this, heat a nail, then take a pot and make several holes at a distance. It is also necessary to lay a layer of drainage on the bottom of the tank.
Watering
After replanting, you should not water the plant immediately; you need to let the flower adapt to the new conditions. 4 days after you have transplanted the ficus, you can water it. This specimen needs to be watered abundantly until water appears in the pan.
The condition of the plant can be checked using a thin stick: drive it into the ground to the very bottom, turn it, and then pull it out and inspect it. If you notice that the stick is dry, then it’s time to water the flower. But if moist soil is present on it, then you should not water the ficus. Watering can be adjusted according to the weight of the container. There is no need to overwater the plant, as this may cause the roots to rot.
Features of care
How to grow Ficus benjamina at home? The ficus should not be over-watered, as this can cause the leaves to fall off and the root system to rot.
If you water moderately, the leaves will retain their elasticity and the roots will be strong and healthy.
Spraying should also be carried out; this procedure should be done only in the summer (in the evening), after a hot day. Ficus benjamina needs a warm and bright room; place the pot with the flower in a well-lit place and then you will not have problems caring for this wonderful plant.
Reproduction
In addition, if you want to start propagating ficus, then know that this specimen propagates vegetatively: by cuttings and shoots. How to root Ficus benjamina correctly?
Methods for obtaining shoots and cuttings
Shoots from the top of a flower 10 cm in size are used as vegetative material. At the same time, it is allowed to use cuttings of the middle parts of woody shoots, each of which has a leaf with a rudiment.
The shoots must be cut with a knife at an angle. Trim the Ficus benjamina carefully so that the tissue of the cut does not become wrinkled. Then white juice will appear in the cut area; it must be washed off with warm water, otherwise it will dry out and an impenetrable film may form.
The lower leaves on thin sprouts are torn off. When tree cuttings are cut, notches are made in those places.
Rooting ficus
Ficus benjamina can be rooted in several ways, each of which is quite effective.
First way
Rooting can be done using a water tank. In this case, the liquid should only cover the nodes; the leaves should not be immersed in water.
To protect the flower from various diseases, it is recommended to throw an activated carbon tablet or charcoal (a small piece) into the water; in extreme cases, you can use 2-3 heads of burnt matches.
In order for the root system to take root fairly quickly, the cuttings need to be treated with special preparations Heteroauxin or Kornevin before immersing them in water.
It is also very useful to create good moisture; the pot with the shoot should be covered with a bag. In this case, it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions.
It is necessary to control the water level in the tank and do not forget to regularly ventilate the process, while removing the bag for half an hour. Drafts should not be allowed during this period. Place the vessel with water in a bright place, but just avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Second way
The next rooting method is to plant the cuttings in the soil mixture.
The mixture can be used from sand and peat, and also perlite. Before planting the cuttings, the substrate should be disinfected by heating. It is always necessary to maintain the humidity and warmth of the substrate throughout the rooting process. This is about 20 days.
Before planting the cutting, to prevent the roots from being damaged by fungal disease, you should sprinkle the ground with crushed activated carbon. We drop only the nodes into the mixture. Cover the top with a bag or you can use a plastic bottle.
The mixture must be constantly moist, but not soggy. Experts strongly recommend the use of growth stimulants; Kornevin or Zircon are suitable for this.
Third way
You can also root a ficus using an aerial shoot. To do this, make two cuts in the middle of the ficus shoot nodes at a distance of 1 cm, in this place the bark is removed down to the wood. This area is treated with Kornevin and wrapped in damp moss. Then they attach opaque polyethylene to the stem, securing the edges well with wire.
The mixture is regularly moistened, after the first roots, the shoot is cut off and planted in the soil. In this method, you do not need to pick off the leaves and make a greenhouse.
Professionals advise rooting ficus in early spring or summer. During this period of time, sufficiently long daylight hours provide the required air temperature, which allows the root system to develop well. Just remember that place the pot in a place where there are no drafts.
You need to choose a suitable pot so that it matches the size of the vegetative sprouts. If you want to experiment, you can take three equal sprouts, twist them together and root them that way. This can make a magnificent, strong plant with a special trunk. With a little effort, perseverance and diligence, Ficus Benjamin will delight you with its chic shape for a long time.
Mulberry family.
In nature, it grows in India, China, South Asia, as well as the Philippines, Hawaii, and Australia.
These are evergreen shrubs and trees. In nature, they grow like our birches, about 20-25 meters in height; at home, ficus benjamina does not grow quickly and will reach 100-120 centimeters in height in about 10 years. Ficus has an invasive root system that spreads not only in depth, but also along the surface of the earth; the aerial roots of old plants growing in a humid tropical climate form entire arrays of supports under a wide spreading crown. Indoor ficus plants in pots have a fairly strong root system; over time, if soil is not added, the roots appear above the surface of the ground, but aerial roots do not form.
Ficus benjamina has dark gray bark with brown cross-striations. It branches very well, the shoots are drooping, the leaves are alternate, on short petioles, smooth, shiny, leathery, oblong (elliptical) or lanceolate, pointed at the end, 6-12 centimeters long and 3-6 centimeters wide. The fruits are syconia, about 1.5 centimeters in diameter, paired, axillary, red, burgundy when ripe, inedible. In indoor conditions, ficus benjamina does not bloom and, accordingly, does not bear fruit. When the petiole is broken, when the leaf is cut, the roots are trimmed, a sticky white milky juice is released.
Temperature
Moderate, optimal for growth within 20-25°C, but by and large, the temperature of ficus benjamina is not important, and it is important that watering corresponds to the temperature - water more often when it is hot and less often when it is cooler. In cool conditions, a moist earthen ball dries slowly and for a long time, and this is very harmful to the ficus. In winter, ideally the temperature should be 16-18°C, with limited watering, a limit of 8-10°C when kept dry. But usually Benjamin ficuses grow well in ordinary home conditions, in heated rooms. If there is not enough light, the plant partially loses its leaves, so during a warm winter you can add additional light to ficus plants, especially variegated varieties.
Lighting
Benjamin ficus grows well in a bright place, with protection from direct sunlight at midday. An eastern window, where the sun comes in the morning or evening, is perfect. Variegated forms need a lighter and warmer place than forms with dark leaves. Only varieties with dark green leaves can grow well in a northern window, while the variegated varieties “Safari” or “Eldorado” need a western window, or a place in close proximity to the southern one, to preserve color; the eastern window is already a bit dark.
Watering
Moderate, ficus does not like waterlogging of the soil; it must be well dried before the next watering. Overmoistening of the ficus benjamin can cause the roots to rot, while the plant simultaneously sheds a large number of leaves, which lose color and become pale green. Water for irrigation should be soft and at room temperature.
Fertilizer feeding
From March to August, once every two to three weeks you can feed ficus benjamina with fertilizers for decorative foliage plants.
Air humidity
The leaves can be sprayed, especially in the summer in hot, dry weather, but ficus benjamina can do without it; it tolerates the dry air of apartments well. But in order to wash off the dust from the leaves, you need to rinse the ficus foliage under a warm shower, while carefully protecting the soil from the stream of water.
How to replant ficus benjamina
Transplantation is carried out annually in spring, into fresh soil. Old specimens are replanted less frequently, every 2-3 years, but you can add fresh fertile soil every year. The soil for ficuses should be loose and nutritious. The following mixture is suitable: 2 parts leaf soil, 1 part peat soil, 1 part sand and 1 part well-decomposed compost. You can also use leaf soil in its pure form; ficus plants also grow well in universal soils from the store. Large, old specimens, which are replanted less often, need heavier and more nutritious soil - the main component is turf soil 2 parts, leaf or greenhouse soil 1 part, you can add chopped pine bark, vermiculite and charcoal. An important condition is good drainage to the bottom of the pot, and the acidity of the soil should be slightly acidic, or close to neutral (pH 5.5-6.5). Ficus does not tolerate alkaline and too acidic substrates.
The pots can be ceramic or clay; they should not be too spacious, and in diameter 2-3 fingers wider than the root ball, or the pot in which the plant was purchased. If it seems to you that the pot has become small (the roots are emerging from the drainage hole), then the ficus benjamina can be replanted again over the summer. If the roots are not cut or torn, then it tolerates replanting well. After transplanting, refrain from watering unless it is too hot for 2 days (if the house is very warm and dry, you can water a little and spray the leaves).
Reproduction of ficus benjamina
The easiest way to propagate ficus benjamina is by cuttings; they easily take root in water, in a bright place at almost any time of the year. Just cut any branches you like about 13-15 cm long, remove the two bottom leaves and place in a jar with clean water. To prevent the water from blooming, cover the jar with an opaque cloth. No growth stimulants are needed. Cuttings of this size already have a woody stem, but if you cut a couple of leaves with a still green stem, it will not take root. Ficus benjamina does not reproduce by leaf, and large branches with thick bark take an extremely long time to take root.
If for some reason the plant has become bald in the lower part of the trunk, it is easier to re-root the crown. For this purpose, not cuttings are used, but air layering:
On the trunk in the right place, the bark is cut and removed, a strip about 1 cm wide. The trunk in this place is wrapped with sphagnum moss soaked in water (it is secured with a thread only for the convenience of photography)
Air layering of ficus benjamina
We cut a plastic cup along the walls into two halves (cut the bottom in half and make a hole along the diameter of the trunk) and fix it on the trunk, securing it with tape. We fill the soil and water it.
Air layering of ficus benjamina
It is advisable to use a transparent glass so that the roots can be seen. The soil in the cup needs to be watered regularly, it should not dry out. The roots on this layer appeared after 3 weeks.
Ficus crown formation
Ficus benjamina itself has a beautiful crown; many varieties do not require any special shaping. However, if the ficus trunk is bare, you can stimulate the formation of new shoots and leaves by pruning. To do this, you can cut off part of the shoots, completely or partially; sometimes it is enough to pinch the tips of the lower branches so that new buds begin to grow. Pruning should be done in spring - early summer. The younger the ficus tree, the easier it is to shape by pruning.
In addition to pruning and pinching, the crown of ficus trees is formed by bending it with wire (to form bonsai and pre-bonsai). Ficus shoots are quite flexible and bend easily, but the thin bark can crack or peel off from the wire, so it is applied loosely and braided wire is used. There should be a gap between the wire and the ficus stems - after all, the plant grows and the branches gain thickness; if the wire is wound tightly, the wire will eventually grow into the bark.
Ficus Baroque is formed using wire; the flexible trunks of the ficus can be bent quite steeply, trying to achieve the chosen bonsai style.
If you are forming a ficus by merging the trunk, then when braiding a pigtail from several trunks, be sure to leave gaps between them so that the trunks can grow in thickness. Drawing by Vitaly Alenkin.
Merging trunks - several rooted cuttings are planted close to each other and wrapped with electrical tape. Part of the electrical tape has been removed and the joints of the trunks are clearly visible. Further shaping is required.
Cuttings of some varieties of ficus benjamin branch reluctantly; single branches look and gain strength slowly, they can stretch upward, even with sufficient lighting, and begin to branch, reaching approximately 30-40 cm in height. Therefore, it is worth pinching and cutting the cuttings at a height of approximately 20 cm.
You can plant several cuttings in a pot and, if the stems are pressed tightly against each other, then in a very short time they grow together. You can bring the stems of ficus cuttings closer together using ordinary electrical tape - it is quite plastic and does not injure the bark; it stretches on the growing trunks without growing. About once a month you need to inspect the braid and rewind it if necessary. It is better, of course, for trunks of small diameter, 5-7 mm, to grow together, but thicker ones can also be fused, but the process will take several years.
Another method of formation is to intertwine the trunks with a pigtail or in the manner of a hedge - openwork weaving from the trunks of ficus benjamina. This method is only suitable for young flexible plants. In this case, several large cuttings must be planted in one elongated container at a distance of 5 to 10 cm from each other, strictly in a row. Initially, each trunk grows vertically and is formed into a standard (all lower branches are removed). At approximately a height of 20-25 cm, ficuses can be fixed, tilted, crossing the trunks with each other. Secure with electrical tape or jute.
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Among the huge number of indoor plants, one of the most spectacular is. Purifying the air from harmful impurities, it has served as an interior decoration for many centuries.
We will tell you more about how rubber grows, as well as the rules for caring for and protecting the plant from diseases and pests in the article.
Ficus belongs to the Mulberry family. India is considered its homeland. Here it becomes a huge tree, reaching a height of forty meters.
In its natural habitat it forms powerful aerial roots, which, intertwining, sometimes create very bizarre “structures”.
It is not uncommon for roots to come out when grown in a pot. The aerial root of ficus is one of its features.
The leaves are located one above the other, have an oval shape with a clear division in the middle.
The tips are pointed. The color of the plates is rich green, glossy. Decorative varieties have other colors. The most common representatives:
- Belize. Beautiful, white-pink border of foliage and reddish stems.
- Decor. The young crown has a bronze tint.
- Variegata. Variegated yellow-green leaves.
Each view is beautiful in its own way. However, the most popular is the rubber-bearing ficus Robusta. Its dark, fleshy greenery has decorated a huge number of apartments since Soviet times.
Previously, ficus was grown in entire plantations. They did this for industrial purposes: rubber was extracted from the stems and roots, which was used to create rubber products.
The culture is quite unpretentious. Loves good lighting, especially variegated species, but can even grow on northern windows. True, in the dark the plant will stretch upward more, and the foliage will become noticeably smaller.
The most comfortable temperature in summer is 18-25°. In winter, 15° will be enough.
The tree is distinguished by its hardiness and relative resistance to drought, as it tends to retain “extra” moisture in the stems, roots and leaves. However, this does not mean that the ficus need not be watered at all. On the contrary, in hot weather, moisturizing should be done twice a week, and only with the onset of cold weather can watering be reduced to a minimum, remembering the “favorite” once every two months.
In addition, the plant will be grateful if you “bathe” it with a shower or simply spray it with a spray bottle.
For lush growth, fertilizing will also be useful, which should be applied every 10 days.
Reproduction options
Fucus rubber is an amazing plant! Getting new trees will not be difficult and even an inexperienced gardener can cope with it. The following methods are used:
Cuttings. For preparations, use the apical segments, which have 5-6 leaves.
After separating the branch, it is thoroughly washed to remove the juice. Then with liquid for several days. The water is changed periodically.
To speed up the root formation process, you can add honey, aloe juice or industrial growth stimulants to the container.
Air layering. On a straight, even shoot with 4-5 leaves, two cuts are made with a distance of 1.5 centimeters. Then the bark between them is cleared.
The area is treated with a root former and wrapped with moisture-retaining material (perlite, moss, sponge). The operation site is hermetically sealed with film.
After the formation of sufficiently strong aerial roots, the branch is separated from the mother plant and placed in a nutrient substrate.
Escape with a leaf. For a full-fledged tree to form, one leaf will not be enough. Such a preparation will, of course, form roots, but the stem will never appear. Therefore, when choosing this method of propagation, you need to use a leaf plate along with a piece of wood.
Ficus (fikus) ready for cuttings
The lower edge of the cutting is made obliquely, and sometimes it is additionally split by inserting a piece of a match into the gap. The greens are rolled into a tube and secured with a rope or rubber band. Then the shoot is placed in water or directly in the ground.
For propagation to be successful, work must be done in winter. It is at this time that the ficus secretes the smallest amount of juice, which can become an obstacle to the formation of roots.
A good period for harvesting will be the spring-summer season, when the flower grows and develops most actively.
Proper care and formation of ficus
After the cuttings have acquired their own root system, they need to be planted. Which soil should you choose?
The substrate must be loose, have good throughput and be maximally saturated with nutrients. To prepare it, you need to take sand, leaf and turf soil, humus and peat. All components are taken in equal quantities.
1.5-2 cm of drainage is poured into the “leaky” pot, then a little soil mixture and only then a young seedling. The roots are carefully straightened and completely covered with soil. It is necessary to compact the earthen layers very slightly so as not to disrupt the air permeability of the soil.
In the future, caring for young growth is the same as for adult ficus: maintaining heat, moderate watering, sufficient lighting and timely application of fertilizers. It is recommended to do feeding from the second year of life.
Don't forget about the transplant. “Novices” change containers from smaller to larger ones every year. Strong ficuses are “relocated” only in case of urgent need, when the roots are already crawling out of the container. For the “old people”, it is enough to update the top layer of soil.
Some flower growers are engaged. If the crop is grown as a single-trunk tree, then work is limited to periodically removing dried leaves.
To obtain bushiness, pruning is necessary. First, the apical growth point is pinched off, and after the lateral shoots appear, the process is repeated with them.
By the way, the remaining “unnecessary” pieces can be used as material for cuttings.
It is worth remembering that the juice secreted by ficus is relatively poisonous. It can cause skin irritation, so it is advisable to wear gloves when shaping the plant.
Diseases and pests
Ficus (fíkus), grown at home
The most common insects found are:
- Thrips. The foliage becomes covered with a shiny coating, and red spots appear below.
- Spider mite. Drying blots on all parts of the plant, white or grayish dust, cobwebs.
- Shield. The flower becomes sticky to the touch.
- Mealybug. Light, rough areas appear on the inside of the leaves.
Pest control measures are very similar.
First, the tree needs to be washed under running water, then treated with an insecticide or some folk remedy.
Spider mites are quite dangerous pests that are not easy to get rid of. The reason is that tick larvae are resistant to many drugs. Therefore, when choosing a remedy, you should pay attention to the features of its action and the individuals at what stage it affects.
Sometimes, when attacked by mites, the foliage begins to turn yellow and wither, then dry out and fall off. It is imperative to start treatment on time, otherwise the flower will become so weakened by the pest that it may not be able to withstand treatment with strong chemicals.
First, you should isolate the infected plant. It is best to follow this recommendation when attacked by any pests. Then increase the humidity level. After all, dry air is preferable for ticks.
And yet, both in bathing and in spraying, moderation must be observed. Otherwise, The rhizome or stem will begin to rot. During such events, it is better to hold the pot at an angle or cover the soil with something so that moisture does not get into it.
The flower can be sprayed with Actellik or Neoron. The procedure is carried out at least 2 times. During the first treatment, Neoron only damages the larvae. Therefore, repeated spraying is required.
In addition to medications aimed at killing ticks, there are also those that sterilize females. These measures are also effective.
In addition to treating the plant itself, we recommend disinfecting the place where the flower was located. To do this, wash the window sill and glass with baking soda. It is also better to iron the curtains. Even after complete recovery, it is better to keep the flower in quarantine for some time.
When attacked by scale insects, we recommend both local exposure and treatment with drugs. The first method is to lubricate the bumps with pests with an alcohol or soap solution using a brush or cotton swab. And after that, remove with a brush or cloth.
In addition to insects, rubber fíkus can “suffer” due to errors in care.
Unpleasant smell. Most often, this sign signals rotting of the roots, which occurs due to poor drainage.
To eliminate the “sore,” the plant must be removed from the soil, the roots inspected, dead and diseased ones removed, healthy parts dusted with activated carbon, and planted in a container with new soil.
Falling or yellowing of leaves. Most often, such a nuisance occurs when the water regime is violated. The ficus is either over-watered or, conversely, lacks “drink.” To correct the situation, the soil should either be dried or watered.
The flower doesn't grow. In the case of arrested development, the reason is simple: the pot is too small. All you have to do is replant the culture and everything will return to normal.
While watching the video you will learn about.
Let the rubber ficus attract good luck to your home and delight you with its splendor all year round!
