How to transplant ficus? This question is relevant for everyone whose houses and apartments are decorated with decorative foliage. The plant attracts not only with its elegant appearance, but rather unpretentious disposition. However, it still needs competent care in order to delight the gaze for more than one year.
Do I need a transplant
How to transplant ficus? First you need to figure out when to do this.
- The plant ceases to fit in an old pot. Its roots peep out of the drainage holes.
- The soil is deprived of nutrients that ensure the growth and development of the plant.
- Ficus, which has just been purchased in a store, should definitely be transplanted.
- It’s time to replace the old drainage with a new one.
- Ficus breeds.
If the transplant is not done in a timely manner, plant growth will stop. Also, its leaves will begin to crumble and turn yellow. Weakened ficus is less resistant to disease and pest attacks.
When to transplant ficus
Many mistakenly believe that the unpretentiousness of the ficus allows you to transplant it in the fall. These plants are really resistant to disease, have a strong root system. However, they don’t like the transplant, so it’s better to produce it at a “convenient” spring or summer time.
Can I transplant ficus in the winter? Doing this is highly discouraged, unless there is an urgent need.
When is the best time to transplant? Spring is the best time of the year to solve this problem. A plant transplanted in March-April will have time to move from stress to the onset of cold weather.
Which pot to choose
How to transplant ficus? First you need to choose the right capacity for it. For this plant, it is allowed to use a pot made of plastic or clay. If we are talking about an old instance, you can stay on a wooden tub. It is desirable that the container has a decent weight: this will prevent the ficus from accidentally capsizing. From this point of view, clay and wood products are preferable.
These plants prefer tight containers. You can not transplant ficus in a pot that is not suitable in size. The roots will not be able to master the entire volume of soil, as a result of which its acidification will begin. The new tub should be approximately 3-4 cm larger in diameter than the old one.
A few words about the soil
How to transplant ficus? Slightly acidic or neutral - this should be the soil for the plant. It should pass air and moisture well. It is strongly not recommended to use clay soil. In this case, stagnation of moisture is inevitable, followed by decay of the roots.
The composition of the soil should depend on the age of the ficus. For adult plants, a mixture of humus, sand, peat and sod land is suitable in equal proportions. For young specimens it is necessary to mix leaf humus, sand and peat in equal proportions. You can prepare the earth yourself or purchase a finished substrate.
Drainage for ficus
How to transplant ficus? Is drainage necessary? This question arises if the container into which the plant is transplanted already has special openings. A drainage system must still be present. This is due to the negative reaction of ficus even to short stagnation of moisture. The process of decay begins almost immediately, followed by disease, falling leaves. Protecting a plant is always easier than treating it.
With the drainage function, they will do just fine:
- pebbles;
- gravel;
- expanded clay;
- broken brick;
- clay or ceramic shards.
Categorically it is not recommended to use sphagnum, peat, shell. They negatively affect the acidity of the soil, from which ficus suffers. In addition, such drainage will quickly stop fulfilling its task. When laying, you need to make sure that the holes on the bottom of the tub are not clogged with shards or pebbles.
Training
Is it possible to transplant ficus without preparation? No, it is categorically not recommended. A day before the procedure, it is necessary to water the plant with high quality. This will not allow the earth to fall apart, protect the roots from damage.
Next, prepare the container for the ficus. A drainage layer (two to three centimeters) is laid at the bottom, a small amount of earthen mixture is poured on it. If desired, vermiculite or perlite is added: this will provide better air and moisture permeability.
How to transplant ficus Benjamin: step by step instructions
The step-by-step instructions below will simplify the task for beginners. The process can be considered on the example of ficus Benjamin. How to transplant this plant?
- Ficus should be carefully removed from the old tub. Its roots are carefully freed from the old soil. A small amount of water will help soften clods of earth. The roots can be held under a tap or dipped in a basin of water. It is important that no clods remain after cleaning.
- The peeled plant is put in a tub, sprinkled with earth. It is necessary to add the earth in small portions, ramming the roots around the fingers.
- It is important to ensure that the trunk of the ficus does not fall too low in the pot.
- Abundant watering after transplantation is not recommended, a small amount of water is sufficient.
- Repeated watering is carried out a week later, by this time the soil will have time to completely dry.
Transshipment method
The above describes how to transplant ficus at home (step by step). One cannot but pay attention to another method, which is called transshipment. Its advantage is that the root system practically does not suffer. As a result, the plant does not receive much stress. Ficus does not weaken, its leaves do not fall.
The method involves minimal removal from the root system of the earth. The plant is removed from the pot with an earthen lump, which is slightly shaken off. Ficus is immersed in a new tub, and the gaps are filled with new soil with fertilizers.
After a transplant, the plant growth may slow down for some time, and some leaves may fall. There is nothing to worry about, as this is just a reaction to stress. Ficus will recover after three to four weeks.
Transplant after the store
How to transplant ficus at home after the store? After the purchase, the plant really needs a transplant. The substrate in which the ficus is sold is not suitable for prolonged use, it is used exclusively for transportation. In addition, the size of the pot in most cases is not suitable, as a result of which the roots grow excessively due to lack of nutrients.
When should a transplant be performed? It is recommended to do this approximately 7-15 days after the acquisition of ficus. It is necessary to wait this period in order for the plant to adapt to new conditions. It is not worth delaying the procedure longer, as it may die. The transplant is carried out as described in the step-by-step instructions. The transshipment method is not relevant in this case, because the old substrate needs to be removed.
Transplant Care
It is important not only how to transplant ficus correctly. The plant also needs proper care after this procedure. It is important that watering is moderate. It can be carried out only after the soil dries. Ficus foliage should be sprayed twice a day from a fine-grained spray gun, it is best to do this in the morning and evening. To do this, use soft water at room temperature.
How to help the plant adapt to new conditions faster? For this, the ficus can be covered with polyethylene. It needs to be aired twice a day. Shelter is removed when plant growth resumes. The humidity of the environment in which the ficus is located should be 70-80%. Also, the plant needs high-quality lighting, reliable protection against drafts. The ideal temperature for it is 18-22 degrees.
We must not forget about top dressing. It is recommended to resume them approximately three to five weeks after the transplant. This should not be done before, since there may be an excess of nutrients, to which the ficus will react negatively.
It is important
It is not recommended to transship the plant every year in a new pot if it feels great in an old container. The need for transplantation is signaled by roots that peek out from the drainage holes or rise above the ground. Also, the need to replace the soil is indicated by stunting. In this case, you need to make sure that the ficus has stopped growing not due to illness or pest attacks.
An adult plant is not recommended to try to transplant alone. Passing a ficus into a new tub without damaging its roots is much easier for two together. During the transplant, the plant must not be shaken. It must be remembered that he has very fragile shoots and petioles. Any careless movement may cause them to break.