The benefits of indoor plants to people have long been known. It is because of this that so often on the windowsills of apartments flaunt whole armada of a wide variety of colors: violets, crotons, cacti - there is nothing to list. Ficus small-leaved is very popular among gardeners - a small but beautiful plant, all year round pleasing its owner with green leaves. Is it so simple with this inhabitant of the home greenhouse?
general characteristics
Let's start with a description of this plant. Ficuses are small-leaved and large-leaved. They are found in the form of shrubs, vines, even small trees - so choosing the most suitable one will not be difficult. Both small-leaved ficus and large-leaved ficus are quite unpretentious to the environment, moreover, they tolerate pruning well, so they can easily replace capricious bonsai - creating green sculptures from them is as easy as from a whimsical Japanese tree.
Ficus species differ in size, shape (it was already mentioned above) and in color of leaves (in some species they are uniformly green, in some with white blotches or fringes, ficuses are also found with crimson leaves). Care for ficus depends on its type. We will talk about this further.
General care rules
Florists note that there are not so many unpretentious plants like ficus small-leaved. Caring for it is trivial simple: to water moderately in winter, containing the plant at a temperature of + 12-14 degrees; in the summer - plentifully.
Ficus with variegated leaves prefer sunny places, they need more light than their counterparts with uniform coloring of the leaf. There is no need to feed the plant year-round - once every two to three weeks is enough during the period of active growth.
Transfer
As for such a sensitive issue as transplantation, it is worth considering the age of the ficus. For young plants, this procedure should be carried out every year. For adults, just one transplant every few years is enough, before that they must undergo pruning so that the plant does not spend extra energy on supporting the life of its dead parts.
Crushed stone will become an ideal drainage material, due to which the ficus small-leaved will gain stability. It is worth considering that the root system needs a lot of space, so it is best to choose a spacious container for transplantation. Transplantation itself occurs by the method of transplanting the plant. Ficus can be propagated by seeds, and cuttings, and air layering - it all depends on its type.
Growing tree
But some lovers set the task of growing not a small bush, but a real tree called "small-leaved ficus." Home care for this plant in this case is a bit more complicated. Instead of the usual direct light, diffused is used (you can install unique screens-screens around the flower pot that will create such an effect). The water from the tap is replaced by melt (which is much softer and, accordingly, more useful for the plant), preferably warm.
In winter, the ficus may need more light, so you have to use additional light sources. To regulate humidity, flower growers install additional bowls with water, which will create a more humid climate for the plant. As noted by amateurs, under such conditions, the plant can grow up to 40 cm per year.
Ficus Benjamin - the fickle in the world of ficus
The most common among gardeners is Benjamin's small-leaved ficus . In nature, it is a real tree, growing up to 20 m high, at home, its growth is entirely dependent on the owner. Some say that this species is one of the most moody. The enthusiastic reviews of many owners, talking about their green favorites, convince us that it’s not so difficult to grow beautiful tall ficus, but first you should study all the pitfalls, and then dive into the world of floriculture. So, what should be considered when caring for Benjamin's ficus?
Lighting and crown shaping
When caring for this plant, it should be remembered that it is vitally necessary for it to have good lighting - otherwise the crown is unlikely to form really beautiful. From time to time, you need to turn the pot so that the leaves are on all sides under the sun's rays - this will help them develop evenly. New shoots grow quickly and, under the weight of the leaves, begin to lean down, due to which the crown will grow horizontally, rather than vertically, which looks rather untidy. Therefore, you need to trim the shoots (this is done with sharp scissors pre-treated with alcohol, and only the shoots themselves need to be trimmed, being careful not to cut the leaves), giving the crown the necessary shape. Another version of the appearance for the ficus is a column.
To do this, several shoots are planted in one flowerpot, which over time will need to be intertwined with each other: in this case, the tree will not need additional support and will grow up briskly.
Turning leaves
And how to care for small-leaved ficus, the same Benjamin, for example, if his leaves suddenly turned pale? Here, the problem is most likely to be an overabundance of light - the leaves simply burnt out in direct sunlight. The problem will be solved by a slight shading of the plant.
As mentioned above, ficus calmly relate to a temperate climate, but at the same time they do not tolerate heat and land. Everything for this plant should be moderate, otherwise it will drop leaves, which will frighten its owner a lot.
Crumbling leaves
Sooner or later, all owners of ficus are faced with the fact that their pets begin to drop leaves. There can be many answers to the question why small-leaf ficus is crumbling: the reasons vary from banal aging to the dissatisfaction of the plant with any conditions of its maintenance. In the first case, you should not worry: in principle, this is normal if the ficus begins to “fade” once every two or three years. If this is not the reason for the changes, you will have to try to understand why the tree is not happy.
Adaptation difficulties
The problem may be that the ficus is small-leaved, only surviving a transplant, not used to a new flowerpot. For example, instead of the usual pot of breathable fireclay, in which the roots breathe better, and the salts from which are more quickly eliminated, he received a deaf plastic. To expose the plant in this case to a new transplant means to cause additional stress. Therefore, you have to wait a bit, giving the ficus time to adapt, and if this does not help, then return it to its usual living conditions.
Lack of lighting
Another reason why the ficus small leaved leaves may be a lack of light. The problem in this case is that artificial light is not always a full-fledged substitute for natural light, and it is an expensive pleasure to constantly illuminate the plant with lamps. And another difficulty may be that when transferred to a too-lit place, the ficus can turn pale (the burnout of leaves has already been mentioned a little higher). So what to do in a similar situation?
Some gardeners go on a rather interesting trick. Opposite the plant, they set up a mirror that reflects sunlight. At the same time, direct sunlight does not fall on the flower, which can harm it even more, but it receives enough light. We must not forget that for the uniform formation of the crown it is necessary to rotate the plant from time to time, giving all shoots the opportunity to absorb such necessary light.
Watering problems
But this is not all the reasons why ficus small-leaved can lose its beauty. The leaves of this plant fall during drought, and with excessive watering. It is optimal to water the plant 2-3 times a week in the summer and once a week in the winter - before the new watering, the soil should be slightly damp. In addition, once every two weeks, the ficus needs to be loosened - so the soil will breathe and dry better. With an abundance of water, the soil will turn into a sticky lump - this is far from the most favorable conditions for the development of the plant, as a result, the grower will first receive a yellowing, and then discard ficus leaves. In the case of a lack of moisture, the leaves will also first turn yellow, drying out, and then completely fall off.
It is also necessary to spray the plant regularly: dryness is the same enemy of the ficus as excessive heat. The frequency of spraying should coincide with the frequency of watering, although it is possible to carry out these procedures on different days - so the plant will better absorb the moisture it receives. Florists are advised to use settled, soft water at room temperature. Watering should not be done according to a clear schedule - it is necessary to saturate the ficus with moisture when the soil dries. In addition, it is recommended to do this in several steps, so that the soil evenly assimilates the liquid.
Water treatments
Continuing to discuss the issue of watering, I would like to tell about such a ritual, often carried out by gardeners, such as “bathing plants”. In no case should you wash the leaves with a rag or something similar - for such manipulations, the ficus small-leaved will offend the leaves, considering the actions of the grower to try to oversaturated with water. If necessary, "rain" the tree is brought into the bathroom, the ground is covered with a film and the leaves are simply sprayed from above by the shower. After this, for some time, the ficus remains in the bathroom, otherwise the leaves may fall from hypothermia.
Conclusion
Yes, green plants are very useful for the home: they moisturize the air, and destroy harmful substances, and delight the eye. But at the same time, their maintenance is always associated with the expenditure of effort. Therefore, approach the choice of a green friend as responsibly as choosing a pet. And then you will succeed.