Frequently Asked Questions About The Ficus
First FAQ : My ficus benjaminii get many yellow leaves. What can I do about it?
Yellow leaves can have multiple causes. Most likely to significantly damp substrate. This die from the hair roots and the plant suffers from water shortage. Immediate remedial action is possible if the plant pot is a pot in which water has collected. Simply pour, pour no more long term and in the future, the substrate is only slightly moist but not wet hold. Approx. half an hour after casting, you should always check that has collected in the pot of water. If so, this must necessarily be filled.
Another cause may be sucking pests, while the plant tries to fight back by leaf shedding. Before that valuable constituents from the leaves and can be removed, after which they become yellow. In this case, you must first find out about what pest it is before you take further action.
If the yellow leaves occurred shortly after you put the ficus in the spring outside, he does indeed have a sunburn. Here you can do nothing except to prevent future damage by placing it shaded for several days.
Second FAQ: My Ficus lyrata leaves had massive fall. Why is that?
Usually the cause is a change in location, so that now prevail worse conditions than before (eg, colder and / or dark). But it may also be that he suddenly get drafts. Often one can see that the plant pot stands directly on the floor. This can be, especially in the winter, the root ball too cold. When this happen help by put a styrofoam block or put them by a heat mat. Because the roots are very sensitive to cold, which does not apply to the foliage so much.
Third FAQ: The leaves of my Ficus get silvery speckles. What can I do about it?
In all probability it is spider mites or thrips. It is advised greatest haste. Read below for pest, how you should proceed against it.
4th FAQ: The new leaves of my Ficus are always brighter with time. What can I do about it?
It is normal that newly formed leaves are brighter than the old one. However, they darken over after a few weeks. When new leaves appear yellow rather than green, but the older dark green remain, this is a sign of chlorosis, normally knows as iron deficiency. But wait, before you rush now to the next shop and iron fertilizer demand, you should know that iron deficiency is due in the rarest cases that is contained in the substrate too little iron. Rather, the absorption of iron is disturbed. It behaves like a shipwrecked man who swims in the sea water and slowly dying of thirst, although the entire area consists of water, prevents the dissolved salt, that you can use it as drinking water. In the case of chlorosis prevents too high pH, it can be absorbed by the plant. Usually causes hard irrigation water, the pH-value increases with time so far that no iron can be more absorb. Therefore you have to start right here the lever. If you can exclude other causes (eg, pests), you should be the next one to two weeks, the irrigation water provided each with a good shot of vinegar (normal vinegar salad) and set in the future, the pH of irrigation water.
5th FAQ: The leaves of my Ficus are yellowish with dark green veins. What can I do about it?
A very rare phenomenon: it is a nutrient deficiency, you probably have repotted for years not fertilized. Fertilize now with a normal green plant fertilizer once a week in the manufacturer’s recommended dosage. Please do not panic: If you overdo the fertilizer now to send the plant as quickly as many nutrients, you only hurt her! Just normal fertilization, and in a few weeks all the leaves are dark green again.
6th FAQ: I’ve discovered pests. What should I do now?
Read on pest. according to what it is exactly and then fight him.
7th FAQ: My ficus has a waxy secretion on the leaf stalk. What can I do about it?
Nothing – that is Ficus benjaminii completely normal!
8th FAQ: I have many problems with my ficus. Should I repot it in Seramis or Hydro?
Basically no! Another substrate does not solve cultural problems except those which are in connection with the original substrate (phytophagous pests in the substrate). You should first find out what caused the problems, and eliminate the cause. In the repotting can Seramis for the plant, especially when it is weakened, meaning a shock, which has often resulted leaf drop. Switching to Seramis should be considered only in healthy plants into consideration – and then only if anyway has to be repotted. Seramis regarding the lack of pH (see water) and to calculate the nutrient-balancing feature of conventional substrate, so that both hard water and fertilizer at the wrong dosage is with wicked problems. A transition from earth to hydroponics even ends in more than 90% of cases with the death of the plant.
9th FAQ: My ficus ailing. Should I cut it back?
It is ludicrous, as you can get such ideas! As a comparison, if someone with pneumonia in the hospital, so he amputated one leg and not as therapy. Rather, we must always find the cause of bad health (which is sometimes difficult and time consuming) and then remove them carefully. Just an ailing plant is dependent on assimilate all that is perhaps only a few leaves and thereby produce nutrients. Those who cut back a strongly weakened plants, depriving them of potentially last reserves.
Care taken to ensure the proper care: normalize water as fertilizer (usually is too watered and fertilized too much), provide a sufficiently high temperature and place the plant enough light, do not put ailing plants, from darkness into the blazing sun. If you did everything right, the ficus in a few weeks will form new leaves. Only when he recovered really well (ie, a few months later), may form one section done, which only pleases the eye of the beholder, but the ficus will have no benefit.
10th FAQ: When should I prune my Ficus?
When he has become too large or visually unattractive, and if possible in the spring. Dead branches, you can not just remove it at any time but should be even. Are rules for pruning is only a few:
• Only healthy plants cut back
• Best pruned in early spring
• Cut back as far as it is visually meaningful
• The ends of thicker branches with wound closure (store) to seal
11th FAQ: Can I put my Ficus elastica outside when summer?
But for sure! On a sheltered spot in full sun and warm place, it will feel even very good. However, it is necessary to shade them there, first of all, because otherwise they will get, because of his familiarity with the often very dark previous location, sunburn. On site changes, the plants sometimes reacts quite allergic, so you should refrain from it first in the shadows, then into the penumbra and then to be placed on the planned site. It is better to it to be shade with an umbrella for about a week.
