Rules for the care of ficus small-leaved

Small-leaved ficus is a fairly popular house plant. It adapts well to new conditions and is unpretentious in leaving. Benjamina is a small-leaved representative who attracts with her unusual appearance that stands out among all other varieties of ficus.

Description of external data and variety

Ficus small-leaved Benjamin in vivo represents a bush or a tree. its height reaches 10 m. At home, its height is about 2 m.

The stem is gray in color with small lighter veins. The branches lean down. The leaves are small, oval in shape with an oblong tip. The leaves have a dense The foliage color can vary from light green to emerald.

Benjamin’s small-leaf ficus is represented in a huge number of all kinds of indoor varieties. They vary in size and shade of foliage. Daniel is a representative with monochrome leaves of a dark green hue. Monique is distinguished by delicate twigs with foliage of a light shade, slightly uneven along the edge.

Nicole is a ficus with a sharp, elongated leaf with light edges.For the Safari variety, a spotty color is a characteristic feature. Baroque is the most whimsical of all varieties, its main difference is the leaves twisted in spirals.

The birthplace of ficus is the subtropics and tropics of India, China, and Southeast Asia. Benjamin grows in the Philippines and in northern Australia. Belongs to the family of evergreens of the mulberry family.

How to care

Home care requires some knowledge. They place a flower in a well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight. Any plant in direct sunlight receives burns. Since Benjamin’s ficus grows in a humid environment, it is necessary to provide sufficiently humid conditions in the apartment. However, this does not mean that you need to fill the tree.

Excessive watering will lead to decay of the root system. Humidity can be increased by regular spraying; in summer, it should be sprayed several times a day. Rotting should not be allowed, and this is the most common difficulty that owners face. The reasons are improper placement and care:

• excessive soil moisture;
• unstable temperature conditions;
• insufficient lighting;
• cold watering water;
• drafts.

Temperature conditions

Benjamin’s ficus small-leaved leaves the foliage under inappropriate temperature conditions.The optimum temperature is 20-25 ° C. In winter – 17-15 ° C. A decrease below the established mark can cause not only dropping leaves, but also the death of the plant.

If the temperature drops rapidly and there is no way to fix the situation, you need to warm the root system. When the roots are warm, the plant is able to tolerate temperatures below 15 ° C for some time. Unfortunately, you can’t put a flower near heating appliances, so you won’t be able to warm it this way.

Watering

Water the small-leaved ficus when the outer soil layer dries. With a lack of fluid, the ficus partially discards the foliage, and with an excess, the root system rots and the foliage becomes lighter. In winter, the number of irrigations is reduced.

Water is used only at a steady, room temperature. So that the growth of small-leaved ficus is more intense, spraying is carried out. Occasionally, the leafy part of the tree should be washed in the shower. If it is possible and the size of the crown is sufficient for this, the ground part is immersed completely under water.

Fertilizer

The ficus small-leaved is fed from spring to autumn. Use universal substrates for decorative foliage plants. If in winter the plant is in a warm room, top dressing is continued, but in a reduced concentration. If the apartment is cold, top dressing is stopped altogether.

To accelerate the growth of the ground part, epin is used. When feeding alternate organic and inorganic additives. Before starting recharge, make sure that the soil is sufficiently moist. In no case should the nutrient mixture fall onto the leafy part.

How to transplant

Care for small-leaved ficus includes a competent transplant. Sooner or later, the time will come to transplant the plant. Young sprouts at home are transplanted once a year during the beginning of the movement of juice in the spring. Adult trees are transplanted once every couple of years, when the roots are already tightly braided over the entire earthen lump. Very large specimens change only the upper earthen layer.

Pots can be made of any material. The main thing is to use drainage when transplanting. Each time when transplanting the pot, they take 2 fingers more than the previous one. Used universal soil or a self-prepared mixture of deciduous soil, peat and sand. When using self-prepared mixtures, it is necessary to fry it in the oven so that the tree does not get sick.

How to propagate

Reproduction of small-leaved ficus occurs in several ways:

• cuttings;
• seeds;
• air layers.

The easiest method to propagate the plant is to cut the stalk 15 cm long.Do not forget that the plant secretes poisonous milky juice, therefore, manipulations should be done very carefully. After pruning, the sprout is placed for several hours in a warm liquid so that this juice comes out. It is recommended to add activated carbon to the water so that the tip does not rot. When the roots appear, the sprout needs to be planted in the ground, covered with a jar or polyethylene.

When the first sprouts appear on the handle, the polyethylene is gradually removed so that the plant grows accustomed to the room’s microclimate. Ficus can be grown from seeds. They are sown in early spring and covered with a package on top, after which they put the pot in an open sunny place. When two sprouts appear, they should be planted in different pots.

Layering propagation is practiced only for individual complex varieties. To grow a new tree by this method, a round bark is cut on an adult plant and wrapped in moist sphagnum. Spend additional hydration and wrap with polyethylene. After the appearance of the roots, the sprout is separated from the adult plant and transplanted under a packet into a separate container.

What is sick

Why is there a rash is ficus small-leaved? – this is the question most often arises for tree owners. Small-leaved ficus drops leaves under any uncomfortable conditions. Most often, ficuses infect insects pests:

• scutellum;
• powdery worm;
• thrips.

The mealy worm can be assembled by hand. To remove the scab and thrips, you can use drugs such as Fitoverm and Actara. By the state of the leaves, you can determine what the plant lacks, and quickly correct the situation. If the leaves are pale, then the tree is not enough light. Ficus should be moved to a lighter place or set the backlight next to it.

The foliage withers and turns yellow due to excessive watering. The plant should not be watered for a while. If this move does not help, you will have to transplant the plant into another soil and remove the rotten roots, then disinfect with a solution of activated carbon. The main problem is dropping leaves. This phenomenon does not always indicate problems.

In the fall, part of the foliage crumbles. If the fall of leaves is massive, it is necessary to revise the conditions of detention, perhaps to rearrange the flower in another place. Maybe the temperature has dropped below normal and the tree is very cold, then you should insulate the earth.

How to prune

Any plant that has the shape of a tree needs to be formed crowns. Ficus Benjamin is characterized by active growth. If the flower is on the windowsill, it should be rotated every 14 days, so that the crown develops evenly. In addition, annual pruning is necessary.

Typically, a cut is made over a still sleeping bud in the spring. The cut must be sprinkled with activated carbon. In young plants, it is enough to pinch off the top. Some craftsmen plant several plants in a pot and bind their trunks intricately, in the places where the trunks touch, the bark should be cut. This creates unusual openwork trunks that can be seen in the photo.

Bonsai lovers also often use this particular type of ficus. The tree is planted in tight containers and not fertilized.The branches must be fixed in position with wires and weights. When the crown is formed, stretch marks can be removed.

Conclusion

In addition to large-leaved representatives, small-leaved ficuses are found. In appearance, the ficus of Benjamin is different from the rest of the mulberries. The undemanding evergreen tree with glossy leaves is very popular among flower growers around the world.

The need for small-leaved ficus is minimal compared to other representatives. A tree loves sunlight. The native land of the plant is subtropical and tropical forests, so it prefers high humidity, but not excessive watering, you should not confuse these 2 things.

Although ficus and unpretentious plant, but with elementary conditions of detention should be considered. The tree responds to any discomfort by dropping leaves. It is often attacked by insect pests, which can be eliminated with fungicides. However, the foliage falls not only due to improper care, but also due to the natural process in the autumn.

The tree is used to form bonsai. The most experienced flower growers plant several plants in one pot and bind their trunks. In places of contact make cuts. As a result of this work, weird bizarre trunks are obtained.