Friends of ficus benjamina, hello! Already Autumn:it's time to bring in your Ficus which has made the most of the summer! So follow my advice to keep a beautiful Ficus benjamina in top shape!
Mr. Ficus - even more so if its foliage is variegated (green/yellow for example) - loves bright light, but it hates burning itself out in the sun. I therefore try to find a very bright room in the house without direct sunlight! Otherwise, hello leaf fall...
Mr. Ficus also likes a slightly humid atmosphere (radiators tend to dry out the surrounding air too much. Misting its leaves with a water sprayer will give it a little ambient humidity which will do him good. I always use distilled or rainwater to avoid ugly lime stains on the leaves!
Mr. Ficus appreciates the fresh pieces , even in winter. I pamper him by placing him in a little heated room (15°C is more than enough)! And he thanks me by preparing lots of small soft green leaves...
Mr Ficus needs water , but not too much ! Once a week , I water my ficus with non-calcareous water (rainwater for example) and a little fertilizer by bringing it inside (special green plant sticks , three times a year depending on the size of the pot). I always wait for the soil to dry out a little between two waterings.
Mister Ficus moult. Yes Yes ! Part of its leaves fall every year and this is normal. What is less is that it loses green leaves . There, either he has caught a draft or the ambient temperature has changed suddenly, or he is stressed because his potty has just been moved, or because it is too dark. Mr. Ficus depressed in the fall. Reflex:I don't increase watering , it will pass by itself.
Natural treatments:
- yellow leaves =mites (also wrongly called red spiders). A good regular misting can limit their proliferation. If necessary, I use a biological remedy to eliminate them when the attack is too strong or a few drops of diluted black soap in the sprayer.
- scale insects =floury (white and mobile) or with a shield (brown and fixed) they are real bad luck! They suck the sap of Mr. Ficus which is weakening. For mealy plants, an auxiliary can easily get rid of them (specific ladybugs) for shields, a cotton swab soaked in methylated spirit gets rid of them on a small amount.
My mom has a magnificent Ficus (it has sometimes been used as a Christmas tree, that is to say) and some can become superb with good care! Surfacing of the pot each spring (replacement of a little topsoil) and a small maintenance pruning is sufficient for larger subjects. The must ? Give him an outing to the garden - but especially in the shade!!! - from April to October :he will love it! But tie the tallest subjects securely to avoid a catastrophic fall.
You also have a Ficus benjamina of impressive size ? How did you manage to keep it in good health ? And what natural secrets have you found to eliminate parasites that contaminate it or save a seriously ill person? Quick quick ! Jardimaline awaits all your best comments on this topic!
