Features of the content of ficus Benjamin in a home flower garden

Creating a green corner in an apartment does not always require a significant investment of time and effort. It is easy to make sure of this - just include a ficus named after Benjamin in your home flower garden. In Latin, its name sounds the same - Ficus Benjamina. He is a real find for those who are just starting their experiments in growing indoor flowers, and for busy people. It is effective and relatively unpretentious, lends itself well to formation and quickly adapts to changing conditions of detention. Benjamin's evergreen ficus outwardly differs greatly from other representatives of its genus, which only enhances interest in it.

Lighting

The path of the plant to indoor gardens has been a long one, and it starts from tropical and subtropical latitudes. Wild varieties of Benjamin ficus are found in India, China, southeast Asia, the northern part of the Australian continent and the Philippine Islands. The climate of these places provides them with maximum comfort, providing the trees with plenty of sunshine and warmth. Good lighting is the key to success in growing a flower and at home. Shading affects Benjamin's ficus not in the best way: its growth slows down, and its decorative effect is greatly reduced in its variegated representatives.

The flower does not like the bright sun. Under its direct rays, the delicate leaves of the plant are covered with burns and turn yellow. When caring for a tree, you need to take care of diffused lighting. The best option would be to put a pot of Benjamin's ficus by the window or on a windowsill facing southeast, east or west.

Advice

In the warm season, the flower can be taken out to the loggia, balcony or veranda, placing it in partial shade.

In late autumn and winter, when it gets dark early, the ficus will have to be artificially illuminated. Special phytolamps will help him to safely endure a difficult period at home. The flower reacts sharply to a lack of light: its leaves fall off, and development stops. Abrupt changes in conditions of detention also have a bad effect on him.

If it is necessary to move the pot with a tree to a darker room, Benjamin's ficus is prepared for the "move" gradually. But it is more correct to immediately determine a permanent place for the plant. If it was not possible to avoid trouble and the flower is opal, there is no need to rush to throw it away. Having provided the tree with proper care, you can count on the gradual restoration of the lush crown, although this process will not be quick.

Temperature and humidity

Ficus Benjamin is thermophilic. He feels good if the air in the room with him is warmed up to at least 25 ° C in summer. But in extreme heat, when the thermometer rises above the 30 ° C mark, he suffers. In winter, the plant needs coolness, during this period at home the temperature is optimal for it in the region of 16-18 ° C.

If in the summer a pot with a flower is on the street, you will have to constantly monitor the weather forecast. On cool evenings, when the temperature drops below 15 ° C, it will need to be brought indoors. Otherwise, you shouldn't be surprised that the ficus is opal. The plant does not tolerate hypothermia of the soil, as well as drafts. Because of them, the growth of the tree stops. It is impossible to tolerate sudden temperature changes when growing Benjamin's ficus at home.

Proper flower care includes regular spraying. One of the main reasons why the leaves on the tree fall off is dry air. It will have to be sprayed daily, repeating the procedure 1-2 times.Such care is especially important in the winter, when the operation of heating devices greatly dries the air.

It is desirable to increase air humidity in other ways:

• special devices;
• placing containers with water or wet moss around the flower;
• installing the pot on a pallet filled with wet expanded clay.

Watering

It is possible to grow a tall and densely leafy Benjamin ficus only if the watering of the flower is properly organized. Its frequency is determined by the conditions of the tree:

• air temperature;
• its moisture;
• plant age;
• degree of illumination;
• season.

It is also necessary to take into account the features of the Benjamin ficus variety selected for breeding.

In the summer, the next watering is started when the earthen lump in the pot dries up by 2-3 cm.In winter, such care is carried out less often, reducing the amount of liquid introduced. But the soil should remain slightly moist even during the dormant period. You cannot fill the plant. This is fraught with the development of a dangerous disease - root rot - and the appearance of dark spots on the leaves of the ficus. Lack of moisture is also dangerous: because of it, the tree sheds its leaves and becomes vulnerable to spider mites.

The procedure itself is correctly carried out in several stages. So the soil ball is saturated with water more evenly. Benjamin's ficus does not like stagnation of moisture at the roots, so they plant it in a pot with drainage holes. The liquid accumulated in the pan after watering is removed when 30 minutes have passed since its end.

Moisten the flower with settled or boiled water. It should not be cold, its optimal temperature is room temperature. Ficus Benjamin responds well to warm showers. It is carried out every 2.5-3 weeks, making sure that no water gets into the pot. After completing the procedure, the plant is left in the bathroom until the water drops on the leaves dry out. This will protect him from hypothermia.

Such a shower solves several problems at once:

• provides the flower with the necessary moisture;
• removes dust and dirt from its leaves;
• used instead of watering.

Top dressing

With the entry of the ficus Benjamin into the phase of intensive growth (spring-summer), feeding is included in caring for it. They are carried out using the root method. Fertilizers of organic and mineral nature are suitable for the flower, but they need to be alternated, alternately adding one or the other. Given the complex nature of the flower, you can purchase a special composition for it, designed to feed ficuses or decorative leafy crops. In winter, when the plant falls into a dormant period, feeding is stopped.

The frequency of procedures is determined by the seasonality.

• From March to April, nutrient formulations are applied once a month.
• In May, the interval between dressings is reduced to 3 weeks.
• In the summer, Benjamin's ficus is watered with a fertilizer solution every 2 weeks.

In the spring, it is better to feed the tree with compounds containing a lot of nitrogen. This will allow him to form a lush crown. Closer to winter, it is worth switching to fertilizers rich in other elements. Combined with a lack of light, nitrogen can cause the plant to stretch and weaken it.

Advice

When planning a ficus transplant, you can forget about feeding for the next 2 months. The new soil is already enriched with nutrients, which will be enough for the plant for this period.

Replacing the pot

The tree is transplanted in spring or summer. There may be several reasons for it:

• the roots of the ficus covered the entire soil lump and appeared from the drainage holes;
• the soil in the pot dries quickly;
• the flower was recently purchased, and the soil in the container with it is transportable, which does not provide the plant with normal conditions for development;
• the tree was struck by fungal and other diseases.

Young Benjamin ficuses (under the age of 4) need an annual transplant. For older plants, the pot is replaced less often - once every 2-3 years. But the top layer of soil in a container with them is updated every spring.

The pot is chosen not too large, otherwise it will be more difficult for the tree to take root and its growth will slow down.The diameter of the container should differ from the previous one by a maximum of 3 cm.

Ficus Benjamin grows well in loose soil with neutral acidity. The composition of the following components is ideal for him:

• turf land;
• leafy land;
• bottom peat;
• sand.

The components are mixed in a 2: 1: 1: 1 ratio. If there is no way to prepare a substrate suitable for the plant, you can purchase ready-made soil. A thick layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot and lightly sprinkled with earth, after which they begin to transplant.

It is carried out at home, transferring the plant from one container to another. Watering the ficus well and holding it by the trunk, carefully remove it from the old pot and put it in a new one. The top layer of soil must be removed, but it is not worth shaking off the soil from the roots. They are quite fragile in the flower and are easily injured. If this happens, the transplanted plant will be sick for a long time, and its growth rate will greatly decrease. Having put the ficus in a pot, the voids are filled with fresh substrate, slightly crushing it. The tree is given 2 days to adapt, after which it returns to the usual watering regime.

Breeding features

Reproduction of ficus Benjamin is carried out in 2 ways:

• cuttings;
• air layering.

A new tree can be grown by cutting off the tip of a mature shoot with a couple of leaves and placing it in water or wet sand. The container with cuttings is left in a bright place, periodically changing the liquid to a fresh one. When roots appear on them, they are planted in loose soil. At this stage, it is not difficult to care for the ficus, you just need to make sure that the substrate is constantly slightly moist.

In order for the stalk to take root faster, it is provided with greenhouse conditions by placing it under a glass jar or film. The shelter is removed when the young ficus starts growing. You can root the cutting and immediately in the soil. If the substrate does not dry out, there will be no difficulties in the question of how to propagate the plant.

An air cut from Benjamin's ficus is obtained by cutting its trunk in a circle. Such reproduction is usually practiced if the flower is fallen. Wet moss is applied to the top of the wound and wrapped with a film so that air does not enter under it and the water does not evaporate. The tree will take about 2 months to form new roots. When this happens, the trunk will need to be trimmed and the cuttings planted in a pot.

Advice

Reproduction of ficus Benjamin will be successful only in the spring and summer. If the plant has entered the resting phase, it makes no sense to spend energy on rooting the cuttings.

Crown formation

Pruning Benjamin ficus in combination with pinching allows the grower to be creative. You can form a plant in different ways. It tolerates the pruning procedure well, but it is recommended to carry it out in the spring. So the axillary buds - the ancestors of new shoots - will wake up at the tree and its crown will turn out to be more magnificent.

You need to cut the flower with pruning shears, having previously treated its blades with alcohol. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is also suitable for disinfection. It is not worth shortening the main trunk too much, by a maximum of 20 cm. After the procedure, at least 5 leaves should remain on it. Trimming side shoots does not obey strict rules, it all depends on the wishes of the grower. Having finished the formation of the crown, fresh wounds are treated with crushed charcoal. This will help prevent diseases of the tree and stop the production of milky sap. The adult Benjamin ficus often requires thinning pruning. Too dense crown deprives some of the shoots of light, and the leaves on them begin to die off.

You can form a flower like a bole. To do this, you need to cut off all the lateral branches of the ficus, except for 5 located on the crown. To get a beautiful floor boom, they should be at a height of 1 m.If the tree is standing on the table, the formation is carried out below - at a distance of 40 cm from its surface. By the same principle, a stem is formed, consisting of several levels.Leaving 5 shoots on the tree, 30-50 cm of the trunk above them are exposed. This is followed by 5 new shoots and another 30-50 cm of empty space. It is better for a young plant to provide support in the form of a trellis. Having strengthened, the flower will not need it.

They also give a beautiful shape to the trunk of the Benjamin ficus. For this, 2-3 plants are placed in one container. They should be located close to each other so that their trunks can be twisted together. Weaving can be different: braid, plait, abstract form - it all depends on the design idea. They fasten the shoots with trellises and clamps, not forgetting to loosen them as needed.

Why do the leaves of the ficus Benjamin turn yellow

The yellowing and flying around of the leaves of the Benjamin ficus is not always a signal of trouble. In the autumn-winter period, this is a normal process for the plant. The formation of the trunk requires the flower to get rid of the lower leaves. About tenth to twentieth of them fall off. You should not be afraid of this - with the arrival of spring, new ones will appear in their place.

If the leaves on the ficus suddenly began to turn yellow in spring and summer, most likely, the technology of its cultivation has been violated. In this case, you need:

• review the irrigation regime;
• remove the pot from the draft;
• provide the plant with a comfortable temperature for it;
• check if the flower has enough lighting;
• make sure the tree is free of pests (spider mites, scale insects, aphids, mealybugs).

In addition to yellowing, a characteristic sign of excessive moisture is the presence of white bloom on the leaves. If he appears, the tree needs to be urgently saved. From the swampy soil, it is transplanted into a new substrate, having previously removed the decayed roots. The yellowing of the leaves of the Benjamin ficus can be accompanied by the appearance of small black spots on their inner side. This is an alarm bell, signaling a clear violation of agricultural technology, which can lead to the gradual death of the plant.

Do not delay with first aid measures and when pests are found. Benjamin's ficus will quickly relieve aphids by spraying with a solution of laundry soap. In the fight against other dangerous insects, preparations with an insecticidal effect will come to the rescue.

Another reason for the yellowing of the leaves of the Benjamin ficus is a lack of minerals. What kind of fertilizers to feed the flower can be judged by the localization of the problem. If it affects only old leaves located on the lower branches, there is a lack of magnesium. By yellowing young leaves, the plant indicates a lack of iron.

Ficus Benjamin is an interesting flower that, with proper care, will delight the eye with its splendor crown and bright colors all year round. And numerous variegated plant varieties also attract attention with a variety of bizarre patterns. At home, the height of a flower can reach 2-3 m, but here everything is in the hands of its owner. If you want to save space in the apartment, you can form a plant as a small tree that will decorate a table or shelf.

There is an opinion that it is not easy to care for Benjamin's ficus because of his capriciousness. In fact, this is not the case. The flower has certain requirements for the conditions of detention, but even beginners in gardening can handle them. Providing the plant with a constant place, good lighting, warmth, high humidity, no drafts, adherence to the watering and feeding regime will allow you to grow a truly luxurious tree.