How to breed ficus, proper care and replanting
Its unpretentiousness, the ability to actively saturate the air with oxygen, and the abundance of varieties (more than 900) did not leave the ficus without the attention of indoor plant lovers. Thanks to its qualities, ficus often found in office spaces.
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To breed or not to breed?
Research has shown that a member of the mulberry family is capable of converting toxic substances in the air into sugar and amino acids. Eastern medicine uses ficus for its own purposes: treating intestinal, skin and cancer diseases. You should not carry out self-treatment; ficus juice is poisonous.
Asthmatics should refrain from growing this plant due to the rubber produced by the flower. According to one of the signs, ficus promotes the birth of a child if placed in the bedroom. This is explained by the ability to produce substances that help in the treatment of female diseases. In addition, ficus in the bedroom purifies the air, which improves sleep.
Ficus propagation: when and how
Indoor ficus does not bloom, so it reproduces vegetatively. April and May are the most favorable times for this, as plants take root most actively during this period. Flowers love warmth, but not direct sunlight. Three ways to propagate ficus trees:
- Cuttings
- By layering
- Leaf
Ficus benjamina.To promote better rooting of the new plant, the day before cutting the cutting, water the ficus abundantly. This will help it take root better in the future. For this, an upper or side shoot 10-15 cm long is selected. The cutting angle is approximately 45 degrees.
It is best to use a sharp blade so as not to damage the plant tissue and not slow down the process of root emergence. As soon as the cutting is cut, it is placed in water, because the ficus at the cut secretes milky sap to heal damage and must be washed off. The base of the cut can be cut.
The young shoot is cut across, the woody shoot is cut crosswise. After 2-4 weeks, roots appear and the cuttings can be planted in the ground. You can plant immediately after cutting. In this case, the cut must be washed and dried. But it is impossible to control the appearance of roots or their possible decay.
The same manipulations are performed with the lyre-shaped ficus, but by placing the cuttings in water, you can add activated or charcoal. The lower leaves should not be in water. Roots appear after a month. For the best rooting, ficus can create a greenhouse effect. Rubber ficus can branch or elongate. In the second option, the top is cut off in the same way as the previous options.
The cuttings are planted directly into the ground. Before this, the washed cut is sprinkled with charcoal. You need to create a greenhouse over the cutting (cover it with a jar). When the flower has grown large enough, it should be propagated by layering. Firstly, this method is suitable for old plants whose cuttings do not produce roots. Secondly, this will help the flower acquire a more decorative appearance.
Using a sharp knife, make an incision at an angle from the bottom of the selected branch. A match is inserted into the incision and the milky juice is wiped off.
A bag is formed from polyethylene at the incision site. Sphagnum moss (wet moss) will be placed in this bag. This is done to prevent the plant from rotting. After a month, roots appear at the site of the cut. The bag should be removed from the plant no earlier than two to three months after the roots have formed. Then the escape cut off and planted in the ground.
It is important to maintain high humidity at first. Leaf propagation. In essence, this is the same propagation by cuttings, but the cut is made without indentation from the internode, but directly along it, so that a piece of it remains. If you just cut off a leaf, it may take root, but it won’t turn into a full-fledged plant.
Necessary care
Ficuses do not like direct sunlight. But when there is insufficient light, the plant grows upward and produces fewer leaves. Doesn't like drafts. Loves daily spraying with warm water. If possible, you can wash it in the shower. The amount of watering does not change much with the seasons. During the growth period or in the heat, it is better to increase watering slightly, and reduce it in the fall.
Water with lukewarm, settled water. Ficus needs pruning to form a crown. This increases branching and awakens the buds. Pruning should be done annually to maintain shape. The top of the plant is pruned once in its entire life. Shortening the side branches, once every couple of years. A week and a half after trimmings you need to fertilize the flower. The cut area is dipped with a soft cloth.
Planting and transplanting
The pot is selected to be slightly larger than the size of the roots. You should not buy a pot that is too spacious.It will be difficult for ficus to grow in it. The root system of the flower is susceptible to rotting due to high humidity, so you need to take care of good drainage.
Crushed bricks or small pebbles are suitable for this. Birch charcoal will help prevent the process of rotting roots in the soil. The best time for planting and replanting is spring, but after purchasing a flower, replanting must be done immediately. The soil for ficus is formed from the ratio of two parts of leaf soil, and one part of peat and humus. Or instead of humus, turf soil and sand are added.
Everything is mixed in equal parts. The ficus requires replanting after a year or two, provided that the pot is selected correctly. An adult ficus is replanted no more often than after 5 years. The top layer of soil is replaced annually. If appears white coating salt, then you can change the layer earlier. Proper care of your ficus will ensure a long life for your green pet. And its owner not only receives a beautiful ornamental plant, but also benefits it.
Video about different methods of propagating ficus:
