Ficus is very tall, what should I do? Ficus rubber: how to form a crown

You will need

• -sharp knife or pruning shears;
• -alcohol, peroxide and any other disinfectant solution;
• -soft cloth;
• -a basin with water.

Instructions

Best time for pinching ficus - spring. It is in the spring that new shoots form most quickly. The wounds that are inevitable during such procedures heal quite easily in the spring. This reduces the risk of plant disease. Therefore, you should not touch the plant before the end of February or the beginning of March.

Wait until the ficus reaches optimal height. Disinfect the knife. It can be wiped with alcohol or doused with hydrogen peroxide. The knife must be very sharp, since the ficus trunk is quite difficult to cut. You can heat the knife over the fire for a few minutes. You can pinch in two ways. If you are satisfied with the current height of the ficus and its upper shoot is quite thin, cut it just below the growth point. In this case, you can make a straight cut.

Ficus that is too large must be trimmed differently. Determine the desired height and find a leaf or branch that is below this point. Trim the ficus 5-8 cm above this leaf. The cut in this case should be oblique. Its bottom is at the level of the bud, on the opposite side of the trunk. The top of the cut should be located directly above the kidney.

Use a soft cloth soaked in water to wipe off the milky sap from the barrel. The cloth cannot be wrung out; it must be thrown away. The water itself will stop further juice secretion. The ficus does not require any further treatment of wounds; they will heal perfectly on their own.

Wait a month and feed the ficus. After feeding, it should begin to grow rapidly. You can transplant it into a pot of larger diameter (so that the old pot fits freely into the new one). But you don’t have to do this; it’s enough to change some of the soil in the first year. After the first successful operation, you can continue to form the ficus crown. For this next spring Pinch the side shoots in the same way.

note

Ficus sap is poisonous. It is better to pinch and trim this plant while wearing gloves. Try not to get the milky juice on the mucous membranes of your nose and mouth.

Keep in mind that after pruning and pinching, the ficus trunk does not grow.

Helpful advice

When starting to form a crown, keep in mind that not all ficus trees tolerate this well. Wounds usually heal quickly, but side shoots do not appear easily on all plants. Therefore, observe the ficus before pinching the next shoots. If your ficus does not particularly want to branch, you can make a lush crown in another way. Just plant several cuttings in one pot.

My ficus has grown - it is already 1.80 cm in height.

I want to pin it so that it will send out shoots to the sides. How to do this correctly?

Larisa, Ukraine, Makeevka

Judging by the photo, you have ficus rubbery(Ficus elastica) Robusta. A truly very tall variety of ficus, it will grow as long as the ceilings of the room allow or until you start pinching and trimming the shoots. In nature (in the tropics) this ficus grows into huge tall trees up to 50 meters in height.

Before pinching or pruning, it is important to know that ficus trees secrete poisonous milky juice, so you need to take care of your safety - the “milk” should not get on the skin, and especially on the mucous membranes.

Now is not the time to pinch the ficus; this should be done in the spring. In spring, the ficus grows actively, and it will be able to heal wounds faster. In addition, it is in the spring that dormant buds wake up, new shoots form, and you can quickly get the result of formative pruning. And if you prune a ficus in the spring, it may and will branch, but the new shoots will be thin and ugly and will grow slowly.

You can start pruning in late February-early March.

If you are satisfied with the height of the plant, then you only need to pinch the top of the central shoot - the growth point. If you want to trim your ficus shorter, then you need to trim the plant 5-7 centimeters higher the desired sheet(branches). But be careful - after trimming and pinching the central shoot, the trunk itself will never grow again, so think about its optimal height in advance.

On thin branches, the cut can be made in a straight line; if you trim the trunk, then the cut must be made obliquely (the top of the cut is above the bud, the bottom is on the opposite side at the level of the bud).

All manipulations must be carried out disinfected sharp knife or pruning shears. Scissors are only suitable for very narrow branches; if you cut the trunk with them, you will injure the plant. Disinfection of pruning tools can be done by heating them over a fire or wiping them with alcohol.

After trimming you need remove milky juice with a cloth soaked in water (do not wring out the cloth, the water will stop further secretion of milk). There is no need to cover or sprinkle the wounds of rubber ficus with anything.

After 3-4 weeks, the ficus needs to be fed– this is necessary to stimulate growth. It may be worth replanting it in a larger pot (2-3 cm larger in diameter), this will also stimulate branching. However, if you do not plan to greatly reduce the height of your plant, such a transplant will be difficult - then just update upper layer soil. Replanting and renewing the soil should be done no earlier than 2 weeks after pruning, which in itself is stressful for the plant.

If everything goes well and side branches appear, you can also pinch them off to make the crown thick and compact. If the branches point too strongly upward, or asymmetrically to the sides, then at the growth stage their direction can be adjusted using wire.

You can also try to root several plants in one wide pot (for this, your ficus can be propagated by cuttings).

Unfortunately, the rubber ficus is not very prone to forming side shoots. It is impossible to predict in advance how the crown will grow. Some specimens very successfully produce side branches, while others continue to produce branches at the top over and over again. In such cases, these branches can be cut off or also pinched until you finally get the result you expect. You can wait for this for years, or it may happen the first time.

Your plant is in good shape, judging by the photo, we hope that you will be able to form a beautiful crown for your ficus. We wish you good luck!

Dear readers, you can ask us your question about flowers on the page “ ”, we will try to answer it and publish the answer on the pages of our website.

And this is how the rubber ficus grows in nature in its homeland. 🙂

– popular indoor plants, characterized by a high rate of growth and expansion of leaf mass. Therefore, they are favorite objects for forming small indoor trees with a crown of various shapes.

Growing decorative ficus is not at all difficult. By regularly carrying out its formative pruning, you can get a beautiful tub plant and even a tree grown in the “bonsai” style.

In the article you will learn everything about forming the crown and trunk of Ficus Benjamin at home, as well as about pruning and pinching the plant.

Basic rules for pruning

Formative pruning of Ficus Benjamin is carried out in early spring, at the end of March or beginning of April. Before the beginning active growth There is enough time left for the cuttings to heal and for the plant to recover from the resulting stress.

To carry out pruning you will need garden or wood pruning shears. Activated carbon, a clean napkin and a disinfectant (alcohol or potassium permanganate solution).

Before the procedure, you need to disinfect the pruning shears with alcohol. or a solution of potassium permanganate to prevent any infection and the development of the disease.

Thick branches are cut at an angle as close to the bud as possible. Thin shoots are cut above the bud, shortening them by 1/3.

After pruning, wipe the cut areas of thick branches with a clean napkin to remove the milky sap that flows out. Then the sections are covered with crushed charcoal or activated carbon.

Sections of thin shoots do not need to be processed, but it is better to remove the sap that flows out, as it may leave white spots on the leaves of the plant.

In addition to shaping, there is also sanitary and rejuvenating pruning of ficus Benjamin. Let's look at how to shape a ficus benjamina.

Sanitary pruning

Sanitary pruning of the plant can be carried out not only in the spring, but also at any other time of the year if necessary. It consists of removing dry, diseased and poorly developed shoots.

Dry branches must be removed as they look unsightly. They are also removed for safety reasons: sometimes dry branches become sources of various fungal infections.

If any ficus disease occurs, the affected areas of the shoots are cut off and burned. To do this, you should not wait for spring; such pruning is carried out as soon as possible.

Poorly developed shoots are removed because they are not very decorative. They also increase the density of the crown, preventing light from entering it.

Anti-aging pruning

This type of pruning is done to restore decorative look very old ficus plants or plants whose shoots for one reason or another have lost their viability.

Sometimes, when the soil dries out strongly and for a long time, almost all the branches of the tree dry out. In this case, the ficus should not be thrown away; you need to carry out anti-aging pruning.

This procedure is carried out in early spring before the growing season begins. All dead branches are cut out, and living ones are shortened by half. Moreover, not only the main shoots are cut off, but also shoots of the second order. All sections are carefully sprinkled with activated carbon.

When the crown is completely dry, Ficus Benjamin can be trimmed “to a stump” by removing all branches and trimming the trunk. The remaining stump should be no higher than 7-10 cm. Gradually, the plant will restore the crown, growing new young shoots.

Types of crowns and ease of formation

There are several types of crowns that can be created by pruning Ficus Benjamin:

• Bush;
• Standard;
• Tiered standard;
• Sculpture.

Also, most varieties can be used for growing miniature trees"bonsai".

Although Ficus Benjamin - tall tree, it is very easy to grow a bush from it. For this purpose young plant pinch the central shoot. As a result, side branches begin to actively grow. In just a year you can get a lush and beautiful plant.

Standard forms are distinguished by a clearly defined trunk and crown. There is a single and tiered trunk with a crown divided into several tiers, between which there is a trunk without shoots. Growing such a tree is a long process that can take 3-4 years.

The sculpture is created from small-leaved varieties. The tree is given a pre-conceived shape. Pruning is carried out annually and very carefully; the shape of the tree must be regularly adjusted.

This article is often read with:

Bush

To form a bush, both low-growing and tall ficuses are used. Small-leaved varieties are very popular: they make the bush more lush. To quickly form a bush crown, 2-3 cuttings are simultaneously planted in a pot close to each other.

After planting, as soon as the rooted cutting 15 cm high begins to grow, it is pinched from above, leaving at least 5 leaves. This stimulates the growth of 4-5 side shoots.

When the side shoots reach a length of 10-15 cm, their tops are also cut off. In this case, the remaining upper buds should be directed not inside the crown, but outward.

All sections should be wiped with a napkin to remove white juice and sprinkled with activated carbon.

After the second pruning, when the shoots of the third level reach a length of 10-15 cm, a fairly dense bush is obtained. If the bush is very dense, you can cut 2-3 branches from the middle of the bush and thin it out.

When growing a bush crown, you need to illuminate the plant evenly or periodically turn it to the light in different directions so that the shoots grow evenly.

Stamb

Standard crowns are forms with a pronounced trunk. To grow a trunk, a single cutting is planted. During its growth, all the resulting lower side shoots are removed, leaving 3-4 upper ones.

If you want to grow a standard tree 50 cm high, then the length of the lower part of the trunk without branches should be 15-20 cm.

Typically, desktop specimens have a height of up to 50 cm, and floor-standing ones are much higher: 90-100 cm.

After the lower part of the trunk is formed, they begin to build up the crown. When the plant reaches the desired height, the top shoot is cut off by 5-10 cm.

After this, the side shoots begin to grow intensively. They should be left only within the crown. If they form in the lower part of the plant on the trunk, they must be removed.

The standard crown of the ficus can be given various shapes . The spherical crown is very popular and beautiful, but no less decorative oval shape, extended upward or to the sides. When creating a crown in the shape of a ball, you need to leave shoots of the same length when pruning.

Tiered standard

Tiered trunk is a form of tree with a crown divided into parts. Between its tiers there remains a bare trunk without branches. Such a tree can have 2 or more tiers.

Sometimes tiers are built up gradually. First, a regular standard tree with a round or oval crown is formed. Then pruning is carried out in such a way that the central shoot grows upward.

Gradually, it will be possible to form a continuation of the trunk, and then a new tier of the crown. This is the longest process of forming a longline trunk.

It is much faster to plant 2 cuttings at once and fasten their trunks with wire. Gradually, below they will grow together into a single trunk. The plants will be separated at the top.

Each of them can be grown as a regular standard, but their crowns will be on different heights. If you plant cuttings with different leaf colors, you can get very beautiful tree with different colors of crown tiers.

A tiered trunk can be grown from one cutting. It should grow upward, forming an elongated tall single trunk. After the formation of the lower part of the trunk, its crown must be divided into 3 parts.

The lower and upper parts will be two tiers of the trunk, the central part will be the bare trunk located between them. In the center, all side shoots are removed and the top of the tree is pinched. The tiers are formed like a regular single trunk.

Bonsai

Almost all varieties of ficus benjamina can be used for growing bonsai. But the Viandi variety is most suitable for this purpose. It is characterized by a low growth rate and a wavy, curved trunk. From cuttings of this variety you can grow a bonsai the fastest.

The technology for growing these dwarf trees for Ficus Benjamin and for other species is practically the same. Bonsai are grown in low, wide containers filled with depleted soil, which promotes a slow growth rate. The roots of the tree are pruned 2-3 times a year, after which it is planted in the same container. The plant is also pruned 2-3 times a year.

Beyond trimming great importance attached to the formation of the trunk and branches.

The branches and trunk are wrapped around thick copper wire, and then gradually bent so that the plant acquires the required form. Usually after such procedures, after 4-5 years the plant looks like a real tree in miniature.

Sculpture

It is very difficult to grow a crown in the form of a sculpture; work on it takes long time. Creating a tree in the shape of an animal or bird is only possible experienced florist. It’s easier to make a crown in the form geometric figure- cone or cylinder.

Even the formation of a simple geometric crown takes several years.

In this case, it is necessary to prune the plant annually in the spring, cutting off the branches so that the crown takes on the desired shape.

Usually the branches directed outward are left, and the crowns growing deeper are cut out.

At the same time, the outer part of the crown branches out greatly, so it becomes easier to give it the desired shape.

Shaping the trunk - ficus weaving

Not only the crown of the Ficus Benjamin looks very beautiful. Trees grown using the ficus weaving method are a real work of art.

These are tall plants bare trunks which are intertwined with each other. Most decorative element Such a plant is precisely the trunk; its crown is formed, as a rule, of a simple spherical shape of a small size.

Many varieties of ficus are suitable for growing plants with intertwined trunks, but they must have straight and thin shoots. The Viandi variety, which is often used for growing bonsai, is not suitable for weaving, as it has twisted, curved shoots.

In order to intertwine the trunks, 2 or several cuttings are planted in one pot. They must be of the same size so that one of them does not grow faster than the other and does not clog it. For the same reason, it will not be possible to weave varieties with different growth rates into one trunk.

There are the most different schemes ficus weaving. The simplest of them are the spiral and braid.

For a spiral, you need to plant 2 cuttings in one pot; to braid a braid, you need 3 plants. There are also more complex ways weaving, which will require many more cuttings, sometimes several dozen. Such trees are usually grown only by professionals; they are very expensive.

To grow a “pigtail”, 3 ficus cuttings measuring 15 cm or more are planted in a pot close to each other. As soon as they begin to grow, you can start weaving. The lowest part of the cuttings should not have side shoots. If they are present, they must be removed, and then carefully make the first interweaving of the trunks.

To ensure that the intertwined trunk retains its shape, the cuttings should be fixed. A thick one is suitable for this. wool thread or copper wire. The shoots are fixed above the weave. After this, the plant is cared for as usual until the cuttings grow enough that the next weaving can be done.

Every 2 months you need to check the fixation points and, if necessary, loosen the thread or wire. As they grow, the intertwined plant trunks thicken, and fixation can cut into them and injure the bark.

When the braid reaches the desired height, it must be tightly secured with wire or a metal bracket above the place of the last weave. The fixation will be securely hidden by the regrown tree crown. After a few years, when the trunks have firmly grown together, the wire can be removed.

To perform other, more complex weaving patterns, you may need not only wire, but also metal carcass, around which the weaving of the trunks of many plants is carried out.

Now you know how to form the crown of ficus Benjamin. You can find out about superstitions associated with Ficus Benjamin.

Initially, the ficus has only one stem, but over time new branches appear on it. And then you need to pinch the plant correctly to form a beautiful crown. To do this, just follow a few simple rules.

If the ficus grows only upward, without producing lateral shoots, then over time it can turn into a tall little deciduous tree. But this can be avoided by simply trimming and pinching the top periodically.

The most popular method experienced gardeners- This Japanese way pinching. The procedure is quite simple. When forming the crown, you need to twist the branch to the bud from which new side shoots will subsequently appear.

The procedure is as follows:

• it is necessary to determine which branches will be superfluous when creating a beautiful tree crown;
• Each selected branch should be carefully bent into a loop and bandaged to the trunk.

Important! If juice appears at the bend, it must be washed off the plant.

After a few weeks, the buds remaining up to the bend will produce new shoots.

Why is pinching needed?

Ficus is a tall plant, some species grow up to 2–3 m. Pinching and cutting off excess shoots allows you not only to keep the flower growing at the desired height, but also to form a beautiful crown. In addition, this procedure allows you to rejuvenate the plant.

How to properly pinch at home?

In order for the procedure to be successful, the owner of the ficus needs to know the following:

1. It is important to choose the right time for pinching. Otherwise, the plant can easily die.
2. Ficus juice is poisonous and can cause burns or allergic reactions. Therefore, all manipulations with the plant must be carried out with gloves.
3. It is better not to combine pruning with another procedure, for example, replanting.

Ficus can be easily pinched at home if you follow the established rules.

Timing for the procedure

Experienced gardeners know that perfect time for pinching ficus - spring. It is during this period that the plant becomes active, forming new shoots and buds. Therefore, the procedure will not be too stressful for the flower, and all “wounds” will quickly heal.

Important! Pinching in autumn or winter can lead to the death of the ficus.

Pinching Instructions

Before you start forming the crown, you need to decide on the choice of knife. It should be sharp enough to cut thick branches straight away. The knife must be disinfected with alcohol or peroxide. If the plant is young, then unnecessary shoots can simply be cut off.

But if the ficus is already several years old, then you need:

• determine the point that will become the top;
• the cut should be made at a distance of 6–8 cm from the sheet;
• branches should be cut obliquely;

When pinching, it is necessary to rinse all cut areas with water. Since the sap of the plant will slow down the growth of new shoots. To form an ideal crown, pinching and pruning should be done annually.

Important Rules

The procedure for forming a crown largely depends on what the gardener wants to achieve. For example, to get the form standard tree necessary:

1. Choose a young, unformed ficus without lignification.
2. Then gradually remove the side shoots until 5 top branches remain.
3. When the ficus reaches the required height, the top shoot should be pinched and the side shoots removed.
4. For young stems without bark, you need to build a support. It will be needed until the ficus finally grows.

Such a standard can be multi-tiered. To do this, the crown is divided into 4–5 parts. The odd ones will be the crown tiers, and the rest will be the spaces between them. To form the latter, shoots are cut 5–7 cm shorter than in tiers.

In addition to the standard, there are several other ways to design a beautiful crown. This is a bush and an arc. To form the first type, it is important to ensure that the ficus does not grow upward, but produces lateral shoots. This is controlled by pinching the flower annually.

The arc is created very simply - the upper part of the plant is bent and secured to required height. The upper buds begin to produce new shoots, making the plant more voluminous. As soon as the side shoots reach the desired length, the fixation is removed. The branches of the ficus will remain in the same position, forming an interesting arc.

Further care

After the stress suffered due to the procedure, the ficus needs additional feeding. It is added immediately or wait 1-2 weeks until the plant adapts. If necessary, you can transplant the ficus into new pot. This is true for plants that no longer fit in the old container.

How to pinch so that it bushes and is lush?

For plants that are too tall, the procedure for forming new side shoots remains relevant. The owner of a ficus can use several methods:

1. Japanese method. Suitable for small flowers that do not fit on the windowsill.
2. Trimming. If you remove the top of the plant, the ficus will produce new shoots. This will make the flower more magnificent. But it should be borne in mind that if the procedure is performed incorrectly, the ficus will continue to grow upward.

Important! When using the Japanese pinching method, branches can be tied not only to the trunk, but also to pegs specially driven into the ground.

Is it possible to pinch Benjamin if it only grows upward?

Ficus benjamina bushes on its own. But in some cases it can quickly grow upward without producing lateral shoots. This is often due to insufficient lighting or poor watering and fertilizing. It is possible to pinch Benjamin in such a situation, but it must be done correctly.

What to do if it stretches very upward?

When a flower stretches upward, in the process it sheds lower leaves. Most buds form at the top of the plant. Therefore, you should not allow it to grow too high.

If the ficus needs to be made larger and smaller, then they resort to pruning the plant. But it is important to remember that the cut should only go obliquely and be located above the kidney. In addition, gardeners use the following methods:

1. They lower the excess branches down and tie them to the trunk or pegs. This allows the buds on top to produce strong shoots. The procedure is carried out several times in order for a sufficient number of side shoots to grow.
2. Sometimes kerbovka allows you to achieve the appearance of new shoots. To do this, a small incision is made above the dormant kidney to about a third of its depth. The bark in this place needs to be removed to weaken root nutrition.
3. IN special cases gardeners use special stimulation of flowers with plant hormones - cytokinins. With their help, the lateral axillary buds begin to dominate, rather than the apical ones.

Important! Any cuts are made with a disinfected knife, otherwise you can provoke the appearance of fungus or infection.

Any ficus owner knows that the plant requires careful care. Otherwise, you may end up with the top of the flower hitting the ceiling. Therefore, annual pinching in the spring is a necessity. And you should start forming a crown of the required height and volume as early as possible, while the ficus is still young.

The rubber-bearing ficus occupies a prominent place in the apartment, office or public institution. Rubbery or elastic, and also rubber, it is called because its juice flowing from the wounds solidifies and resembles a substance such as rubber or latex.

In India, the homeland of this tree, it grows to a huge size, covering the shadow of its crown with up to 250-300 square meters. Based on this tree, breeders developed a small and easy-to-place tree. And to make it look compact and exotic, a system for trimming its crown has been developed.

Having become more familiar with these representatives of the mulberry family, every lover indoor plants will take on growing ficus.

Similar trees to this tree are:

• Fig or fig, fig tree;
• Mulberry or mulberry, mulberry;
• Breadfruit;
• Cow tree, reminiscent of the taste of milk;
• A paper tree from which the highest quality paper is produced;
• Anchar or upas is a poisonous representative of the mulberry family, the hero of A.S. Pushkin’s poem.

Few home growers call ficus rubber - just ficus. Indoors, the height of the plant is regulated by pruning, and depending on the tastes of the owners, it can be from 1 to 2 meters, although in its homeland the tree reaches the height of a 10-story building. young tree in the jungle it grows very quickly and forms aerial roots.

In India, and in our country too, ficus is considered a tree of prosperity and prosperity. Ficus, according to home gardeners, perfectly purifies the indoor air from germs and bacteria.

The leaves of a young plant are pinkish in color, with age they acquire a thick green color, petiolate, and arranged alternately on the stem. Their size is up to 35 cm in length and up to 25 in width. Ficus does not bloom indoors.

Ficus pruning

When grown indoors, the plant requires crown-forming pruning. If you cut only the top of the tree, there will be no effect. Ficus does not branch, and the cut top bud will grow in one direction. The plant will be one-sided and will not decorate the room.

Trim time

To form a beautiful crown, rubber-bearing ficus is pruned in early March, at which time the tree’s vigorous growing season begins.

Correctly performed pruning in early spring will awaken axillary buds, which in turn will give rise to lateral branches.

If for some reason it was not possible to prune the plant at the beginning of spring, this action is carried out only if there is an urgent need, if the ficus quickly began to gain growth.

When pruning in winter or late autumn, one single upper bud will awaken, which will give the ficus a one-sided shape, and the decorativeness of the plant will suffer significantly from this.

Crown care rules

• For literate spring pruning the instrument must be sharpened and disinfected;
• From the top of the plant, 3 to 5 leaves, approximately 20 cm, are separated;
• The thin stem should be cut parallel to the soil in the pot, above the top bud. If the stem is thick, the cut is made at an angle of 40-45 degrees;
• When cutting side shoots, they must be cut without the stump, as rot and mold may appear on it;
• The juice on the cut is removed with a clean napkin, and the cut site itself is treated with anti-putrefactive and antifungal drugs, for example, trichodermin;
• When the side buds begin to grow, it is better to transplant the rubbery ficus into another, larger container. The transplant is performed one month after circumcision.

Important! Juice rubber ficus poisonous, pruning and other work with the plant is carried out using protective equipment (rubber gloves, points).

Features of growing ficus

There is no doubt that the plant is grown indoors because of its decorative properties, that is, its beautiful crown. And in order for this part of the ficus to really please the eye, you need to remember the following things:

• Plant heights of more than 2 meters are not allowed indoors, and ficus does not have side shoots. A flower can develop quickly if it grows 30-40 centimeters per year;
• The exterior of the plant consists mainly of its glossy large leaves, which can have a smooth dark green color or a variegated white-green pattern;
• Ficus is unlikely to bloom indoors; it needs pollination by exotic insects.

Lighting

Since the homeland of the plant is India, the country is warm and humid, ficus loves diffused light and high humidity. It is advisable to place pots with plants near eastern or western windows. If the flower is placed in partial shade, its growth will be quite slow, and at the same time the leaves will fall off at the bottom of the stem.

Attention! When placing a ficus indoors, there is no need to place it in a draft.

Temperature

Optimal performance temperature regime are:

• During active growing season – 20-25 0 C;
• In winter, 15 0 C is enough for ficus, but not lower.

The soil

Rubber-bearing ficus loves well-loose soil with proper drainage. Prepare the soil from peat, turf, sand, and leaf soil.

But you can purchase the substrate at flower shop, called "soil for palm trees".

Watering and fertilizing

The ficus should be watered as the soil in the pot dries. The frequency of the procedure is determined by the air temperature and humidity in the room. Excess moisture in the ground causes leaf shedding. And if there is insufficient air humidity, systematic spraying or wiping the leaves with a damp cloth is necessary.

For water procedures with ficus it is better to use rain or snow water. Feed the plant with complex fertilizer with a high nitrogen content.

How the dense crown of a ficus is formed.

When plant owners want to achieve an extensive, dense crown, they do the following:

• The main stem of the ficus is bent and pinched until the upper bud sprouts;
• The main stem is pierced with a needle a third of its diameter, piercing lower each time.

Ficus diseases and pests

The plant is resistant to visits from harmful insects, but spider mite and scale insects can covet large beautiful leaves.

You can kill them with insecticides or a solution of laundry soap.

Pathogenic diseases practically do not affect ficus.

Reproduction

Growing young ficus is not difficult. The cuttings obtained by pruning are germinated and planted in prepared containers. This procedure is well known to every home gardener.

If the plant begins to grow weakly, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the owner is to blame for this; in this case, the ficus lacks:

• Lighting;
• Fertilizers (feeding);
• Space in the pot for root development.

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