We plant ficus in a pot according to all the rules

Ficus in any of the seasons perfectly coexists in the room with other indoor flowers and revives the atmosphere in it. Planting a ficus plant in a pot is not so difficult if you know how the plant reproduces. Ficus is very popular with flower growers, since its cultivation at home is quite within the power of even beginners in this business. It is only necessary to adhere to the stages of cultivation, while taking into account the small nuances.

These plants develop best at home in the spring and summer. First you need to decide in what way the reproduction will take place: by a shoot, an air layer, a leaf or cuttings.

Reproduction using shoots

For this procedure, it is worth separating a process with two leaves from an adult plant. The bottom sheet should be removed immediately, and the top sheet should be cut by 1/3 and the juice that flows out should be blotted with a cloth or napkin. Then place the scion in a small container of water. A couple of activated carbon tablets should be added to the liquid.

It will be correct, as the water evaporates, to add it so that the process does not dry out. The future plant should stand in a container with liquid for about a month. Find a bright and warm place for the shoot, but do not expose the plant to direct light. With the appearance of the first roots, you can plant the ficus in a pot.

Advice

Plant the plant in universal soil. It is inexpensive and contains all the minerals necessary for ficus.

If you do not want to keep the process of this plant in liquid for a long time, you can immediately plant it in the ground. In this case, this must be done after processing the slice. The shoot is planted in loose soil. After disembarkation, it is necessary to build at home a semblance of a mini-greenhouse from a transparent glass, an ordinary bag or a can.

In such a greenhouse, the optimum humidity and the required temperature regime for the future plant will be kept. The rooting process takes approximately 20 days. After that, the young ficus will grow. But do not rush to clean the greenhouse right away: wait for at least one new leaf to look out. Open the mini-greenhouse periodically so that the plant gets used to the room conditions, and after a while, remove it completely.

Reproduction using a leaf

Ficus can grow not only with the help of shoots, but also from a leaf. However, if you just cut off a leaf from an adult plant and plant it in the ground, then it will develop, but it will not become a full-fledged indoor flower. To grow a real specimen, it is worth cutting off a leaf with a small piece of a stem. The cut must be made oblique. Take the leaf from the side stems or from the central trunk.

Juice will flow from the cut part of the stem. To remove it, place the stem under running water. After that, dry a piece of the stem and roll the sheet into a tube, tied with a thread. Then you need to take a stick and stick it through the hole in the rolled sheet. Now you can plant a young plant. Just stick a stick with a piece of stem into the ground - the stem will take root by itself.

Propagation using cuttings

Favorable seasons for the propagation of this plant by cuttings at home are spring and the first half of summer. During this period, the ficus starts growing leaves and roots. For rooting purposes, take the tops of the shoots correctly: it is much easier to get a tree this way. Also, in order to reproduce this plant, you can take the middle part.

Do not cut long cuttings for planting.There are many leaves on them, so the plant will actively evaporate liquid through them, and the cutting itself, which does not yet have roots, will wither. In order to be able to plant a cutting, it must contain about 3-4 nodes (these are the points on the shoot where the leaves begin to grow). Put it in water. The container with water, where the cuttings are located, should be placed in a bright, warm place, but not under direct rays of light.

Basically, ficus quickly starts up small roots. But it is important to use only tap water. Do not change it if the cutting feels great and does not start to rot. You can only add fresh. Planting a ficus in a pot is carried out when the roots are already well developed on the cuttings. Water the plant abundantly after planting. Carry out secondary watering when the soil in the pot dries well.

Propagation using air layers

Also, this plant reproduces by air vents. For this procedure, make a small incision, about 1/3 of the stem, on the top of the trunk or on its lateral processes. Insert a stick into the incision so that it does not overgrow (you can use a match). It will be correct to overlay the incision with moss and tie it with cellophane over it. Moss the moss periodically to keep it wet.

In about a month, the first roots will appear. Then the stalk must be cut and planted in a pot. Cuttings planted in a pot in early spring take root faster and better.

Watering ficus

Ficus is an extremely moisture-loving plant that requires abundant regular watering. When watering the plant at home, make sure that the entire lump of soil is moistened and water gets into the pan of the pot. In summer and winter, ficus requires a different volume of water.

In summer, the plant grows intensively. Water it once every 2-3 days during this period. In winter, the frequency of watering can be reduced to 1 time in 10-14 days. Use water for this, the temperature of which is slightly higher than room temperature (by 1-2 degrees). To prevent the water from standing in the pot and flowing into the pan, arrange drainage: you can put expanded clay, shards or pebbles on the bottom of the pot.

Advice

The chlorine and calcium salts found in tap water are not good for the plant. Therefore, before watering, boil the water or put it to settle.

In addition to watering, spray the plant at home. A couple of times a week, sprinkle it with water from a spray bottle or wipe the leaves with a damp cloth: this will remove dust from the leaves and increase the efficiency of photosynthesis.

Plant care and feeding

Ficus is an extremely unpretentious plant that feels great in a small shade. The optimum temperature for ficus in winter is 20 degrees Celsius, in summer the plant can withstand higher temperatures. But do not allow the plant to be indoors at temperatures below 12 degrees.

Feed the plant in the spring and summer (until early autumn) once every 2 weeks. It is recommended to use the following products as a natural fertilizer at home:

• nettle infusion;
• wood ash;
• mullein.

You can also buy specialized fertilizers for ficuses at a flower shop. Suitable are "Rainbow", "Ideal", "Giant", "Uniflor growth" and others. Feed the plant carefully and avoid high doses of fertilizer.

Sometimes the leaves of this plant may begin to fall off. This usually happens due to a change of location or over-watering. In this case, the roots of the ficus begin to rot, and the leaves themselves lose their vitality. If the soil is too damp and there is water in the pan, reduce the frequency of watering.

If you moved the ficus to another place in the room, then the plant may experience shock at the same time, hence the dropping of leaves. Be sure to monitor the level of illumination in the apartment. With a lack of light, the plant will grow slowly. If there are drafts in the room, then this plant will also not feel very well.

Output

At home, for a comfortable existence, the ficus needs proper care and certain knowledge from the owner of the plant. However, ficuses grow successfully even in public places, and even more so in an apartment.

So, the following conditions are the key to successful adaptation of a plant brought home:

• average indoor humidity;
• lack of drafts;
• placing the pot away from the battery;
• protection of the plant from direct sunlight.

For the correct development of a young potted plant, breathable, fertile soil, moderate watering and timely feeding are necessary.