Ficus is a rather unique flower, because unlike other indoor plants, it only grows upward. Not every gardener will be happy about this fact. Indeed, in this case, you will have to regularly prune in order to give the ficus the necessary shape. However, not everyone can do this task, because only a few know how to trim a ficus.
Features of the plant
One of the well-known representatives of the mulberry family is the rubber plant, which is usually classified as a member of the genus Ficus. The usual habitats of this plant are India, as well as southern part of Indonesia and western Africa. In countries with harsher climates, this flower has become widespread as a ornamental plant. However, it is valued not only because of its attractiveness, because large varieties This ficus tree serves as raw material for the production of rubber.
Specimens that grow in natural conditions have impressive sizes, which can be up to 40 m in height. Moreover, they often form support roots. The latter are distinguished by the fact that they penetrate deep into the ground, where they take root. More compact is the rubber-bearing ficus, grown at home, since most often it reaches a height of up to 10 m. After routine pruning, this variety begins to look even more miniature.
Beneficial features
Ficus rubber is interesting for many not only because decorative properties, because when grown indoors you can maintain a healthy atmosphere. The cleansing effect is provided by the leaves, which filter the air like a pipe. As a result of such filtration, the output is air enriched with oxygen.
Many plant growers are attracted to the rubber ficus by the fact that it does not create problems in care. Instances grown at home do not form flowers, and at the same time they are demanding in terms of growing conditions. The main thing is to make sure that the plant is protected from direct sunlight, as well as to carry out regular watering and periodically give it a warm shower.
Physiology of ficus growth
Ficus rubber can be given any shape. To do this, you just need to trim it correctly. As a result of this operation, from an inconspicuous-looking plant you can get unique home decoration. Moreover, even a novice gardener can master this task, but first he will have to familiarize himself with the pruning rules and adhere to them.
The change in the shape of Ficus Benjamin occurs due to new shoots, which usually appear from the buds. Ficus has only two of them:
- apical (located at the very top of the bush);
- lateral, or axillary (located in the axils of the leaves, where the petioles of the leaves are closely adjacent to the trunk).
The apical bud shows the most fast growth, ahead in this regard of the lateral ones, which develop very slowly or show no signs of development at all. It is enough to remove the top bud so that the side buds can begin to develop well. Usually the shoots begin to grow in different directions. As a result of such manipulations, the plant begins to change its crown.
Before you start forming the crown, it doesn’t hurt to find out what time of year is best to do this.
Many people believe that It is best to hold this event in the spring, and they will be right. The formation of the crown, planned for this time of year, makes it possible to give the plant more splendor, since it is in the spring that the ficus is created best conditions for growth. Using a similar approach, a gardener can grow a Ficus Benjamina that will be well developed, with fully formed shoots in all directions.
It is not advisable to postpone pruning ficus Benjamin to a later time, for example, autumn or winter, since in this case the shoots will develop within a specific area. This will cause the ficus to look lopsided. It must be borne in mind that at this time of year the ficus begins to use nutrients , which he accumulated in his escapes. As a result of pruning the shoots in the fall, you will leave the Benjamin ficus without these reserves, jeopardizing its survival.
During the formation of the crown, it is necessary not only to change the length of the shoots, but also to adjust the direction of their further growth. For this purpose, special tension devices are usually used.
Crown formation without pruning
There is no need to rush into pruning the rubber ficus. First, it’s worth thinking about whether there is an urgent need for this. There is a simpler way to form a crown, which involves changing direction and securing the necessary shoots. This approach to the formation of the crown allows you to minimize injuries to the plant, which can continue to grow, pleasing the owner beautiful view. After waiting some time so that the branches can take a new position, the fixing devices are removed.
During pruning it is necessary take into account the age of the plant. This operation causes the least harm to young bushes. You need to be more careful with mature plants: since their shoots are not very flexible, shortening them and other similar actions can seriously injure the plant.
Ficus rubber: how to form the crown correctly?
The rules below designed for single ficus bushes, forming into one trunk.
In general, pruning ficus rubber is a simple task. The main thing is that you need to strictly follow all the rules for conducting it. Yes, it is necessary to be very careful with milky juice, which is dangerous to humans due to its toxicity. To avoid undesirable consequences, this work must be carried out wearing protective gloves.
Formation of an unusual crown
If necessary, even a novice plant grower can give the ficus rubber plant quite original shape.
In the process of pruning ficus benjamina or rubber plant, care must be taken to so that the braid does not subsequently open. To do this, it is recommended to garter the trunks using soft threads. It's best if they are woolen. Typically, dressings are performed every two months.
In some cases, for the normal development of the ficus, the installation of a support is required. In this case, you can easily see how spectacular and original the rubber plant will be.
Conclusion
Ficus rubber, however, like other representatives of this family, is best known for its decorativeness. However, this does not mean that the grower will not have to take measures for this. If you know how to form the crown of ficus Benjamin, then you can easily cope with the rubber-bearing species.
You should know that only those specimens that are subject to regular pruning. After all, the beauty of the ficus can be achieved through the formation of the crown. Beginning gardeners can also prune ficus benjamina beautifully at home, because ficus plants are very compact plants, so there are no particular difficulties in carrying out this operation.
How to properly form a ficus crown
How to form a beautiful tree from a ficus seedling? There are many options for pinching and trimming to achieve best result. Simple rules for working with various types ficus will be of interest to all gardeners. In another article, read about what you need for this.
How to properly pinch ficus benjamina and rubber plant
For home design Ficus Benjamin is especially interesting. It forms branches extending from the main trunk, which can be pruned annually, giving the plant its most unusual shape. In addition, Ficus Benjamin has a flexible trunk, which can easily be bent in different directions during growth.
Pruning and pinching branches is best done during active growth plants - in spring or early summer.
Most species grow upward with one shoot and do not form lateral branches without pinching. Therefore, if you want to get side shoots from the main trunk, it is important to properly pinch the growing points.
How to form a ficus at home in the form of a ball, into a tree, in the form of a braid from several trunks
From several seedlings planted nearby, you can weave braids and spirals, which look very unusual and beautiful. A ball-shaped crown can be obtained from a standard tree.
For two or three years, everyone was lower. There should be five upper branches left from which you can begin to form a ball. Every month during the warm season, the tops of the branches are pinched, stimulating the growth of side shoots.
To braid a flexible trunk in the form of a braid, several ficus seedlings of the same size are planted in one pot.
When the ficuses grow to 30 centimeters in height, cut off the side shoots at the bottom of the trunks with a clean blade or pruning shears and intertwine the seedlings with each other. The trunks are tied with soft woolen thread. As it grows, the weaving is constantly updated until the tree grows required height. Do not forget to remove the threads, otherwise they will grow inside the trunks.
How to form a ficus in a spiral
To form a ficus in a spiral, plant it in flower pot There are two seedlings nearby. When their trunks are at least 30 centimeters in height, they begin weaving in the form of a spiral, cutting off the interfering side shoots. The intertwined trunks are fastened with twine or woolen thread.
If the stems are difficult to bend, you can open them in the bathroom hot water, let off steam, and bring the plant into the bathroom for half an hour (do not put it under hot water).
For ficus weaving, it is important to choose days suitable for Lunar calendar to work with the plant when the Moon is in fertile signs of the Zodiac.
The article pays attention to a number of current issues, each of which is directly related to ficus trees and rarely can be covered in such detail. It is recommended that you read the article about.
How to make ficus lush, thick and fluffy at home
What to do to make the ficus quickly take root, branch and give off lateral shoots, and be beautiful
In order for the plant to begin to branch as quickly as possible and produce lateral shoots, it is necessary to do regular pruning, as well. New branches will begin to appear on the sides, the flower will become beautiful.
How to make a ficus bonsai yourself, a short master class
In order for the roots to form a crown in accordance with the bonsai style that you have chosen, you need to prune the shoot several times, so growth in height will be stopped. Pruning is carried out until the desired volume of the trunk is obtained.
You can use a garter or use wire. The top is attached to the base of the tree. And with the help of wire you can give the required form branches. After a few weeks it will be possible to remove it.
How to form a ficus in the form of a standard
To make a ficus standard, you need to start removing the side shoots almost immediately after planting, only 5 shoots remain. As soon as the desired growth is achieved, you need to stimulate the growth of the side branches; for this, those on top are pinched.
Most types of ficus are very hardy and unpretentious plants. But in order for them to develop harmoniously and delight the owners with a beautiful crown, experts recommend including regular pruning in the care of ficus. Let's look at how to form a beautiful ficus and how to prune it correctly.
Beginners are often interested in whether it is possible to trim an overgrown ficus and whether removing part of the branches will harm it. In fact, in order for the ficus to grow lush and healthy at home, periodic pruning is not only possible, but also necessary.
Firstly, this is necessary for sanitary reasons: if broken or dry branches are not trimmed, they can damage the entire houseplant. Secondly, proper pruning helps rejuvenate the ficus at home. Finally, shaping the crown will make it more expressive. Moreover, you can’t do without pruning if you want to grow.
Trimming time and tools
The time for cutting branches is selected depending on the purpose. If the task is to form a ficus and want to make it fluffy, you need to choose a period of active development of the plant in spring and summer. For indoor ficus this is most often March-July. Forming the crown during the dormant period can make the plant skewed, since shoots in the fall grow only in the place where you pruned. In addition, the branches that grow in the fall draw from the plant juices “stored” for the winter and can weaken it.
You cannot cut off healthy shoots to form a crown if there has been a recent transplant. And here sanitary pruning damaged branches should be dealt with immediately, without waiting for a special time, and it should become an obligatory part of the care.
To trim your green pet, you will need large and small garden scissors and pruning shears or a knife (for different thicknesses branches house ficus). Don't forget about disinfectants, since it is impossible to properly trim a ficus without them: before trimming the branches, the tools must be treated with alcohol, and to treat the cut points suitable for garden var.
When pruning a plant, you need to use sharply sharpened tools: if the cut site is uneven and “soaked,” bacteria can penetrate through it.
Sanitary pruning
To ensure that the flower grows correctly at home, you need to periodically inspect it - this way you will immediately detect damaged branches or branches that are beginning to dry out. True, some deciduous varieties of ficus trees expose branches only in the fall, only at this time allowing diseased areas to be noticed. In any case, according to the conditions of proper pruning, you need to get rid of them immediately, otherwise they can spread the disease to the entire plant.
In addition, I cut off old and weakened branches, as they become “easy prey” for pests and infections. You need to shorten such a branch, completely covering the damaged area. If a diseased shoot grows from the ground, it must be pruned at soil level.
Sooner or later, all ficus trees begin to need such care.
Anti-aging pruning
Let's look at how to trim a ficus for rejuvenating purposes. It is necessary to resort to such pruning more often if the flower or the top of the ficus has been damaged due to the cold in the house or for other reasons has begun to dry out.
You can make the ficus start producing a lot of new growth again by cutting off all the branches and leaving only a bare stump. Such pruning of the ficus will give impetus to the appearance of new shoots coming from the roots. Dwarf house ficus plants respond well to it.
For ficus with long shoots, on which the foliage begins to dry out due to too dry air or heat, we cut off the branches almost completely, leaving no more (but no less) 2 buds on each. After this, many cuttings grow, allowing both to grow a new “pet”, if you use a cut branch, and to form a lush, beautiful crown of the old one.
Finally, we will learn how to form a beautiful crown of a ficus.
Crown formation is a creative activity. Before forming a plant, you need to think about the shape of the top and how tall the plant should be. Correct shaping on ficus trees is not done very often, so you need to take into account all the details so as not to make a mistake. Let's understand the rules.
To ensure a beautiful plant shape, the cut is made strictly above the place where the future apical bud is located: a new shoot on the ficus grows from it, and if you leave the “bare” part of the cutting, this will give the plant an unpleasantly plucked appearance.
When pruning, you need to take into account the rule that on thick old branches the cut should be beveled at an angle of 45 degrees, and on thin branches it should be straight.
If there are too many internal shoots of the ficus, they can be thinned out so that it is lush. To do this, when pruning, pay attention to the location of the upper bud: it should be directed outward. Horizontally or vertically - depends on whether you want to achieve crown growth in width or height.
To make the plant especially beautiful, choose one of the classic forms - tiered, in the form geometric figure etc. By forming the top of a beautiful ficus, you can “peep” the techniques and forms of bonsai and copy them, without even making the plant small, since these “indoor pets” are very pliable. A tree with an originally shaped trunk will fit perfectly into a room or office interior.
To get beautiful young plants, you can use the formation of a trunk. How to form a standard correctly? This is done by cutting off all shoots except the five at the top. Figure out in advance what the height should be. When the ficus grew to the right size, the top bud from the crown, and then you need to cut and shorten the side shoots - this way we form a neat circle. There can be not only one upper tier; specialists can form up to three “floors”. This way you can only work with young ficus trees.
If you decide in advance to transplant and grow several plants together, you can trim them so that the crown appears uniform. This is especially important in cases where a composition with beautifully intertwined trunks is formed. When growing on a houseplant, all side shoots are also removed.
To make the crown especially lush, in the shape of a bush, you can trim the top of an adult plant and then use pinching, which involves periodically cutting off the shoots from above, which activates the lateral buds. Proper pinching is carried out subject to deadlines, that is, in the spring or during the summer.
For a pruned plant you need special care, often additional watering and. Immediately after you cut the branches, the plant cannot be replanted; it must recover from “stress”.
When a home bonsai is grown and the cutting is transplanted into a small container, the roots of the plant are also subject to formation: when the right approach those that are too long should be removed, as should most of the tops.
If you have made the correct cut of the branches in compliance with all the conditions, the crown of the plant will be lush and your pet will be admired by both family and guests.
Video “Proper pruning of ficus”
From this video you will learn how to properly prune ficus at home.
– popular houseplants, 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 active growth begins, there is enough time 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.
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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 need to grow 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 with thick copper wire, and then gradually bent so that the plant takes on the desired shape. 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 is easier to make the crown in the form of a geometric figure - a 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.