How to water ficus for proper growth
Content:
Ficus is the most popular flower in Russia. It belongs to evergreen deciduous plants. Such popularity is due to the fact that the flower is unpretentious in care, you can enjoy lush beautiful greenery all year round. Despite this, several rules must be followed, including those related to watering this plant. This is important for the normal flowering and life of the plant.
How often to water the ficus
You need to water the ficus no more than 2 times every 7 days. With the first cold weather, the amount of watering is gradually reduced. From mid-autumn, it is recommended to reduce them to once a week, and from December - once every 10 days.
What a healthy ficus should look like
Water quality for ficus
The best option for watering a plant is rainwater. In winter, you can use melted snow. If there is an opportunity to visit the springs regularly, then fresh spring water, which has unique properties, will have a positive effect on the ficus.
In special cases, tap water can be used for watering if no other options are provided. First you need to collect water, boil it in advance, let it cool. To make the water cool faster, you need to divide the volume into several cans and let them settle. Only after everything is done with this water can the plant be watered.
To prevent the possibility of stopping flower growth, it is recommended to apply liquid fertilizers twice a month from March to the end of August. Such a move will saturate the soil with all the necessary components and stimulate healthy growth of the ficus.
The most popular fertilizers suitable for Benjamin ficus are:
- "Multiflor Aqua";
- "Good Power";
- Bona Forte;
- "Flower Happiness".
Fertilizer for home plant care
Signs of improper watering
Despite the fact that the ficus is a rather unpretentious plant, it is negatively affected by improper watering, regardless of whether it is a lack of liquid or, conversely, an abundance. Among the main signs that clearly make it clear that it is necessary to adjust the irrigation course or water quality for the plant, they note:
- the gradual appearance of rot on the roots, trunk, and also the leaves of the plant. A similar sign is characterized by waterlogging, moisture stagnates in the pot. It can also cause fungal diseases;
- if the rubber-bearing ficus stops growing, and you can see leaves with yellowed edges on the lower parts of the plant, most likely the plant does not have enough liquid or useful trace elements. In this case, it is recommended to apply top dressing and for a while increase the number of waterings per week.
What is the risk of improper watering
If you water the plant, completely ignoring all the conditions, then this can lead to damage to the flower by various diseases or even the death of the ficus. A similar attitude towards the plant is also manifested through the appearance of pests on the leaves. The most common problems associated with improper watering, not appropriate for the season or humidity, are noted:
- loss of leaves, the appearance of yellow spots on both sides of the leaf plate of the flower;
- slow development of a dull shade on the leaf plates of ficus and a complete loss of a bright green shade.
With prolonged ignoring of the rules, the complete drying of the ficus tree is noted.
For beginner flower growers, it will be difficult to adjust the watering plan and top dressing, therefore it is recommended to focus on the standard scheme. For experienced flower growers, it will not be difficult to determine when the plant exactly needs to apply liquid due to dry soil.
What leads to improper care
Features of the procedure in cold and warm seasons
Ficus care rules are divided into winter and summer periods. This is due to changes in temperature and humidity.
Winter period
The cold season means not only winter, but also the end of autumn, when the weather becomes more severe and frosty. It is on such days that the flow of sap slows down in the trunks and leaves of plants, so it does not need as many micronutrients as before. In order not to let the plants die, not to provoke diseases and the appearance of pests, you need to water the ficus no more than 2 times a month.
Since, in addition to the standard application of liquid to the soil, there is also a spray irrigation method, as well as a contrast shower, it is recommended to exclude the last two procedures so as not to injure the leaves of the flower.
Summer period
From the beginning of spring to the last warm autumn days, there is a stable or low air humidity. During this period, plants more than ever need more frequent moisture and irrigation of the soil, as well as the supply of more trace elements. It is during this period that the activation of growth falls, in connection with this, the plant is watered once a week. In addition to standard soil irrigation, it is recommended to practice a warm shower every 30 days, spraying every 15-20 days.
What does ficus look like in summer
Ficus watering technique
Watering ficus is one of the easiest tasks, but it is when adding liquid that you need to pay attention to the following points:
- before proceeding with irrigation of the soil, it is recommended to deepen the finger by 6-7 cm. This is done so that the liquid is distributed evenly and a layer of water does not form above the soil;
- after most of the water has been absorbed, you need to slightly loosen the soil. Thus, the earth will be saturated with useful trace elements, including oxygen;
- there is no need to rush when watering plants. Slowly adding liquid, you need to make sure that it does not start to pour out of the pan. As soon as this starts to happen, you need to immediately remove it from there and after a while continue the manipulation.
The standard fertilization method is quite simple, but in addition to it, you must also use spraying of the flower. To do this, you need a special liquid sprayer.
Proper flower care
Air humidity and spraying
In the summer, the air humidity decreases, which affects the ficus.In the winter season, on the contrary, it rises, which also entails certain nuances that must be taken into account when watering the plant.
By itself, the ficus prefers excessive air humidity, therefore, to create a more favorable environment, periodic watering, regular spraying or rinsing the leaf plates under the shower are required.
At a humidity above 30%, the plants do not need spraying, but if it is below this indicator, then the procedure is carried out with warm or boiled water. The number of sprays is not limited.
Procedure if the plant is withered or overdried
If it happened that the bush was under the influence of abundant or insufficient watering, it is recommended to immediately check the entire plant for the presence of diseases or pests. Then you need to carefully inspect the root system of the plant for the presence of rotten areas. If there are few of them, then they are recommended to be removed quickly.
Proper care - a healthy plant
If spider mites or other pests have already appeared on the plant, then they can be washed off with soapy water. To prepare a soap solution, you will need regular soap diluted in boiled water. A cloth is moistened in liquid and carried over all the leaves of the ficus.
The situation is much simpler with the fact that the plants received less water. You need to carefully loosen the soil to saturate it with oxygen, and then slowly pour in the liquid with fertilizer. In this way, you can easily restore the balance that is disturbed in the flower.
Ficus is a rather interesting and simple plant. Unpretentious care makes it accessible to many people, and an interesting appearance makes it attractive. But, despite this, not everyone knows how to water a ficus at home. But everything actually turned out to be simple.
