Ficus Benjamin is deservedly popular among flower growers. But sometimes flower owners are faced with the fact that he partially or completely dropped all the leaves. How to save the plant and protect it in the future - later in the article.
Care Features
Ficus Benjamin is not whimsical, but you should still follow certain rules for caring for him.
Primary requirements:
- diffused light;
- regular watering with warm water;
- spraying leaves;
- fertilizer every 2 weeks;
- air temperature not lower than + 16 ° C in winter and +18 ... + 25 ° C in summer;
- lack of drafts.
Did you know? In Sri Lanka, the Royal Botanic Garden grows ficus, which is more than 140 years old, and the crown area is 2500 m².
Why ficus drops leaves and what to do
The reasons for dropping leaves can be different: improper care of the plant, diseases and pests, as well as natural causes.
Natural causes
Normally, the ficus crumbles in the cold season, that is, in late autumn or winter. In this case, the plant gradually loses a small amount of leaves, which will soon renew. This condition is natural and should not cause concern.
Did you know? Ficus Benjamin in natural habitats can reach a height of up to 30 m.
Improper care
Most often, the reason that the foliage falls on the bush is improper care.
Insufficient lighting
Like any plant, a flower needs ultraviolet light to ensure vital processes, so it must be kept in a well-lit place, but without direct sunlight.
Important! Sun rays can cause burns to deciduous cover.
Temperature violation
Sudden changes in temperature cause discoloration of the foliage (it loses its brightness), and then lead to its fall, so you should maintain a moderately optimal temperature in the room, periodically humidifying the air.
Drafts
It is best to place the plant in a place isolated from drafts and streams of cold air. Since violation of these conditions will lead to illness and a reddened cover.
Violation of watering and fertilizing
Abundant watering will invariably lead to the death of the flower, as the root part subsequently decays. With insufficient watering, the roots dry, which leads to leaf fall. It is best to regulate watering depending on the season: increase in summer and reduce in winter. Only observing the watering regime is not enough.
It is also necessary to properly fertilize. As a rule, fertilizer is carried out with ready-made mixtures ("Mr. Color Ficus", "Palm", "Rainbow") 2 times a month in spring and summer. In winter, it is not necessary to do this or to reduce the amount of dressing up to 1 time in 2 months.
Important! Watering and spraying Benjamin's ficus need only with standing water. Once a month, make ficus showers, covering the soil and pot with a film.
Inappropriate location
Frequent change of place or poor arrangement of the pot leads to the fact that the ficus of Benjamin loses its appearance and becomes ill. When choosing a place for a flowerpot, one must take into account the fact that in winter the plant should be away from heat sources that dry the air.In summer, the plant needs to provide fresh air, the absence of direct sun and drafts. Transferring a pot of ficus from one place to another is undesirable.
Diseases and Pests
Diseases and insects are a common cause of leaf loss by plants. In order to timely treat and save the flower, you need to correctly determine the source of the disease - a fungus or pests.
The main pests include:
Fungal diseases are no less dangerous:
How to prevent fallen leaves from ficus Benjamin
You can protect Benjamin's ficus from flying around the leaves by taking regular preventive measures:
- adhere to the optimal temperature regime;
- monitor the humidity in the room;
- select the watering mode according to the time of year;
- avoid drafts;
- regularly inspect for pests or fungal diseases.
There are many types and varieties of ficus, among which:
Thus, you need to carefully look after the ficus, and at the first sign of leaf fall - identify the cause and eliminate the source of the problem. Timely precautions will help to avoid negative consequences and leaf fall.