Why ficus sheds leaves. Methods of preventive control of leaf fall in ficus benjamin

Among the many indoor plants, ficus, which has reached Russia from tropical forests and has several species, is in special demand. It is quite unpretentious, easily fits into any interior and does not require particularly careful personal care. And, nevertheless, sometimes the owners of this evergreen "resident" of the apartment have a number of questions. Most often they boil down to why ficus leaves fall off at a frequency exceeding the established norm.

Why do ficus leaves fall?

Nature ordered in such a way that 3 years after planting, the ficus leaves are replaced. Therefore, its owners usually do not pay attention to such a reincarnation. Also, with climate change and drought, some of the ficus species lose their leaves so that there is no strong need for moisture. During this period, they need to create special conditions, which include low temperatures and rare watering.

It happens that the plant is still very young, the conditions are fully consistent with the required, and the leaf fall still begins. And, quite impressive. Such an event requires a search for causes. Because it is better to be safe than to forget about the problem.

The most obvious prerequisite for leaf renewal can be pests. Everything is simple here: if, upon careful examination of the plant, deformations and pigmentation are found, then it was struck by a disease, fungus or microorganism. Some pests can be seen even without special devices.

Several factors usually lead to their appearance, which also contribute to the shedding of leaves in ficus.

1. Wrong climate for the plant. Either too high ambient temperature, or insufficient humidity. This is often indicated by curling leaves.
2. High humidity and low temperatures are also bad for the plant. Nor will he appreciate sudden changes in climate. Moreover, not only a general decrease in air temperature, but also a local one can lead to hypothermia. The latter occurs due to improper watering, contact with cold surfaces (window glass in winter time). It is impossible not to mention the draft, which is harmful not only to humans, but also to the plant. It appears even from the fan and air conditioner with a direct direction of the cold air flow.
3. Soil condition. Excessive moisture or dryness affects leaf fall. Overflow is usually accompanied by a characteristic aroma of decay.
4. Violation of the acid-base balance of the soil in which the plant is planted. The optimum pH value is 6.8. Anything that deviates from this figure by more than 0.2 leads to an increase in toxicity. It leads to a deficiency of a number of nutrients and can even "kill" the plant.
5. An excess of chemicals that the plant is treated with in order to control pests or prevent their occurrence. It is worth remembering here that all pesticides, insecticides and similar agents should be used only when absolutely necessary and with strict adherence to the dosage prescribed in the instructions.
6. In addition, the fact that the ficus begins to shed its foliage in response to any environmental changes cannot be discounted. For example, for an elementary change of location. Problems are possible not only when moving to another apartment, but also when moving the pot to the next room. Therefore, it is better to choose a permanent place for the pot in advance.
7. Do not be afraid if, immediately after buying a plant, it will “greet” the owners with a thinning crown. The same reaction is characteristic of ficus when pruning and transplanting. In addition, he has a negative attitude to the poor lighting that is typical for winter.
8. And the last factor in ficus leaf fall that needs to be mentioned is the possible burn damage at the roots. They occur in most cases when fertilizers are applied to dry soil.

The thinning of the crown and the exposure of the trunk can also signal the elementary aging of the plant. The fall of the lower part of the foliage of the ficus in the absence of other problems is quite normal.

Ficus sheds leaves. What to do?

In order not to encounter ficus acclimatization and, as a result, leaf fall, it must be bought where environment as close as possible to the one in which he will live. This will allow the plant to endure the move with minimal stress. If all stores have similar conditions, they will have to be recreated at home. For example, purchase additional lamps and a humidifier. It is also not recommended to purchase a plant in the cold season. Ficus will not appreciate the differences in street and room temperature.

The lack of light, from which all ficuses suffer, is compensated by changing its location, as well as using artificial lighting. The plant should receive its share of light exactly 12 hours.

Drafts, as a reason for the elimination of leaves, are also eliminated by transferring the ficus to another place. It should not be located near doors and vents, as well as in the path of the air flow of the air conditioner or fan.

A humidifier handles dry air. If you cannot afford such a unit at the moment, you can spray the plant daily from a spray bottle. It is necessary to carry out the procedure up to 3 times a day.

The causes of crown thinning associated with violations of the chemical composition of the soil and the disease of the plant itself are eliminated by transplanting and treating with appropriate chemicals. These are mainly insecticides of the Fitoverma type. It is worth knowing that the ficus does not appreciate the frequent change of soil. Therefore, the replacement of depleted soil is carried out by pouring new soil into the tub.

My mother-in-law gave me a ficus. I brought it home, put it on, and in the morning - oops! Some of the leaves are lying on the table. I stealthily (so that my husband would not see) collected them, read on the Internet about caring for this plant, on the way home from work I bought top dressing for the scoundrel ...

And the same picture awaited at home: the beginning of leaf fall. I don’t know how my second mother grew a plant that accurately conveyed her capricious nature, but the ficus had to be urgently saved, otherwise my reputation as a flower grower would die for a long time. And I did cure this picky plant!

Certainly! But this is - if we talk about plants that turn green in open ground. For example, religious or fig ficuses growing along the streets of warm countries shed their leaves every year. In this way, the plant is preparing to survive a particularly dry or cold month.

By the way! Both of the above-mentioned types of ficus, getting to a permanent place of residence on the street of a warmer and more humid country, cease to be deciduous. Still, because plants no longer need to survive by saving moisture by dropping leaves.

The same applies to "domesticated" plants. Of course, the same fig at home needs both moderate watering and “hibernation”, but it will “fall” into it completely undramatically, that is, without losing its crown.

Loss of leaves on a houseplant

If the ficus grows, its trunk and branches turn from green to brown (this process of growing a plant is called lignification), then it is not scary if, over time, the lower leaves turn pale, turn yellow and fall off. Their time is just coming.

Most often this happens in autumn and winter, and immediately new leaves grow at the top.

It is much worse if the top or the whole plant “goes bald” at a time. This means either a serious mistake in caring for indoor decorative leaves, or a progressive plant disease.

Features of leaf fall in ficus Benjamin

To understand what exactly caused the leaf fall, take a good look at your pet. As you know, trouble does not come alone, and if it is a disease, other factors will also give it away.

Abrupt change of scenery

Benjamin is a terrible conservative. If you bring it into the house and the climate inside turns out to be completely different from what it was before in the store or the “mother's” greenhouse, it can “get nervous” and begin to crumble.

The same symptom may occur when first meeting with a shower or pruning. This is such a plant - with any hint of stress, the leaf fall season immediately begins.

excess water

Excessive watering, lack of drainage holes in a pot...

In this case, the leaves will not just fall off, but will begin to darken - especially advanced cases even with the stem. In addition, the pot will smell musty, and the plant itself will begin to wither from the top of each shoot.

lack of moisture

The leaves will dry and curl before falling off. Yes, and on the ground you will see that it is already a solid dusty lump.

lack of light

If in summer there is usually enough light for ficuses, then in winter it is not (especially variegated, that is, spotted varieties). Finding out that Benjamin requires highlighting with a phytolamp is simple: his leaves grow smaller and darker, turn yellow and crumble. At the same time, the branches are ugly stretched and, as it were, “lose weight”.

Dry air

Again, this problem is especially relevant in winter, when ficuses grow on window sills, and a radiator plows from below. However, in the summer (if the temperature always exceeds 30 degrees, and there was no rain for a very long time), the ficus also suffers.

Symptoms: the tips of the leaves dry up and turn brown, and in small ficuses they become wrinkled and crumble.

Cold

For most ficuses, this is a temperature below 17 degrees. A plant that is in a draft or wind, standing on a cold windowsill, touching an icy window with a branch, or simply watered can also freeze. cold water.

Too little nutrition

Of course, in this case, the ficus does not immediately shed its leaves. If there is little food for him, at first he will lag behind his “peers” in growth (even during the active growing season, that is, in spring and summer), his leaves will grow small and pale.

But then they still sprinkle, starting from the bottom. Therefore, ficuses need to be replanted (replacing the depleted soil with fresh and “tasty”), and also fed with fertilizers, homemade or from the store.

Too much feed

Black dots will first appear on the leaves, then they will turn completely black.

cramped pot

If there is not enough space for the roots in the “house”, they do not work well. Yes, and there will not be enough soil. In general, the plant will begin to suffer from the same lack of nutrients, and even if you begin to water it regularly with top dressing, the situation will not change without transplanting into a larger pot.

Root burn

I often write about the need to fertilize after watering. If you pour them into dry soil, the plant will not perceive them well, and especially difficult cases this will damage its roots.

Too acidic or alkaline soil

Sometimes people transplant home flowers into the soil collected in the country, without even thinking about its quality, because "tomatoes grow there, and nothing." But if the ficus soil is not neutral or slightly acidic (6.5 or 7 pH), the symptoms will be the same as with overfeeding or undernutrition.

Disease, harmful insect

In the first case, the leaves will become spotty, tuberculate or overdried before falling off (perhaps not totally, but in places).

In another, you will notice either the most uninvited guests, or traces of their vital activity: sticky juice, “flour” from a mealybug, yellowish dots on leaf plates in places of scoundrel bites.

Sometimes, due to pests, the leaves begin to curl into a tube.

Poisoning with a floricultural chemical

If you sprinkle a triple dose of insecticide, pesticide, and so on on a ficus, not only a harmful insect or disease will be defeated, but Benjamin himself. Still, after all, with a headache, we ourselves drink only one tablet of an anesthetic, but certainly not the whole package!

Sometimes several troubles happen to a plant at once. For example, ficus can suffer both from a lack of watering and from dry air.

And how are things going with elastics, microcarps

Although different ficuses are not similar, their whims and illnesses generally coincide. So the problems with watering, lighting and humidity, which we talked about above, are relevant not only for Benjamin, but also for other types of ficuses.

By the way! The same elastica, like Benjamin, tends to lose with age lower leaves. And if a couple of pieces have fallen from the bottom, and the leaves on top and on the tips of the shoots look healthy and well-groomed, everything is fine.

You will learn more about the rubbery ficus that is turning yellow and losing its leaves from this video:

What to do in such a situation

Everything is simple here: urgently find out the cause of all evils, eradicate it, and then grow the ficus correctly.

For instance:

• If the plant has suffered from stagnant moisture, it should be transplanted into fresh soil without delay. Inspect the roots exposed during transplantation, cut off all rotten ones, rub the sections with charcoal (activated) charcoal.
• Is stress to blame? Try to strengthen the ficus with an energy drink (Zircon or Epin have proven themselves well). They are bred, but not poured into the soil, but are used to wipe the leaves of the plant.
• Ficus needs to be fed? Be sure to look in the store for food specifically for this type of domestic plants (even if you are offered a station wagon, it is better not to take it for a sick ficus). It has been noticed that in summer this culture perceives dry fertilizers better, and in winter - liquid ones.
• Harmful insects are washed off with a swab wet with soapy water. Many stop there, but it is advisable to treat the plant with a purchased insecticide ... Or an acaricide if you are fighting ticks. Do you know what insects eat your ficus? You can try to take a picture of them to show the poison dealer. Or buy a broad-spectrum insecticide-acaricide - this is a poison "against almost everyone."
• Ficus is sick with rot or fungus? This is the most dangerous diagnosis. All affected leaves, branches and roots must be cut and cleaned, the places of “operations” should be wiped with coal, and then the entire plant should be treated with a medicine - a fungicide. Do not forget: they (like insecticides) do not have the most pleasant smell, and even toxic. Immediately prepare yourself a mask or scarf on your face, gloves. At the time of processing the plant, it is better to send it for a walk at home.

In general, your plant will not be beautiful until you learn basic principles ficus care. Fortunately, they are simple, and the same for all species. That's how simple and without extra words tells about the care of our ornamental leaf biologist:

Kira Stoletova

When growing ficuses at home, flower growers often face problems associated with caring for home flowers. It is not uncommon for a ficus to have leaves falling off.

There comes a time

For many ficus lovers, the period when the latter suddenly begins to drop leaves comes as a complete surprise. They begin to look for reasons leading to the fact that the leaves turn red, darken to the color of rust, their tips are wrapped inward, bent and deteriorated.

So, for the flower of Benjamin (Balsamina) and its curly variety Nitida, the slightest change in the state of room comfort becomes the reason for the loss of leaves: a change in care methods, a transplant, an attempt to propagate in winter or autumn.

Ficus, even with proper care, annually loses leaves, this natural process foliage change in winter. Fall occurs at the onset of the autumn-winter season. This is due to the aging of vegetation and the need for its renewal. Immediately with the arrival of cold weather, the leaves fall, become lethargic, turn yellow, curl and crumble. In winter, the leaves on the ficus fall off or dry up not entirely, but only the lower ones, attributable to the beginning of the trunk. With the onset of spring heat, new and young ones will grow on an empty ficus trunk.

Reasons for falling leaves

If the ficus dropped its leaves or they dropped, wilted, bent, curled up, turn yellow and brown, fly around not only when the cold season sets in, the reasons lie in improper care: home flower something is missing.

One of the most common causes of leaf fall is a change climatic conditions, in which the plant is accustomed to develop, which often occurs during its reproduction or transplantation.

Often, changing the location of the flower pot is a temporary phenomenon, so that a flower with twisted leaf blades hangs the foliage down and then throws it off. In such a situation, it is quite realistic to restore the former beautiful crown of the flower, root it until the leaves of the ficus have completely fallen off.

In the list of common reasons why ficuses shed their leaves, infections and care problems appear first. In most cases, they are easily removed. Timely measures taken allow you to reanimate the indoor flower.

Avitaminosis

The lack of nutrients in the soil where the ficus grows leads to the crushing of the leaves. With inadequate feeding and improper care, when a too dry climate and excessively high temperatures are created in the room, the situation is aggravated: the ficus leaves become smaller, you can see how they drooped and dried out, which often leads to abscission. With insufficient fertilizer, the ficus, as a rule, begins to fall off in the direction from the bottom up.

Rot

When yellow spots appear on the leaves of the ficus, we can talk about rot on the root system of the plant, which manifested itself due to excessive watering. An excess of liquid that does not have time to evaporate from the soil layer in a pot leads to decay, yellowing, leaf fall and death.

Hypervitaminosis

Oversaturation of the land with fertilizers also adversely affects the quality of ficus foliage. For such reasons, brown spots appear on the leaves - speckles, the foliage turns black and flies over time. Falling occurs randomly.

Pests

The presence of a spider mite, aphids, scale insects and other insect pests on a plant looks like convex spots of a brown or brown hue, leaf blades turn white from plaque.

Signs of rot and soot fungus are black or red spots of mold, which are located on the outer part of the leaf blade and may be present on the stem of the plant. Ficus leaves affected by a fungal infection begin to turn yellow and fall off. not detected in time fungal disease becomes a frequent cause of plant death, and in a short time.

Initial measures

When asked what to do if the ficus leaves fall, most flower growers advise to find out exactly the cause of this process and eliminate it by establishing proper care.

At various kinds ficuses can be traced to different causes of falling leaves. It depends on how exactly you need to care for the plant.

ficus benjamina

The reason for yellowing and falling leaves in the ficus Benjamin can be:

• A change in the usual conditions of detention, since this species does not tolerate a change in conditions, temperature fluctuations, and a decrease in the light regime. Moving ficus Benjamin from his usual warm place to a colder one will be the reason for dropping his leaves.
• Sudden changes in temperature and hypothermia as a result of contact with cold window glass or placing a flower container on a cold ceramic surface, so the place for the pot is chosen so that the leaves do not freeze.
• Unfavorable conditions: an excess of light regime, excessively dry air, overdried soil, leading to the appearance of yellow spots and yellow edges at the leaves.
• Imbalance in top dressing: lack of micro and macro elements, as well as oversaturation of the soil with fertilizers.

The natural process of replacing ficus Benjamin foliage falls not only on autumn period. The foliage of this species can also fall off during the winter, losing its crown by 10-20%. If the indoor flower begins to lose foliage daily, it is worth analyzing its watering and sufficient illumination.

rubber-bearing species

This ficus is the most stable and can withstand almost any conditions of maintenance and care, however, it may also have reasons to shed its leaves, including:

• waterlogging of the soil and stagnant water,
• lack of lighting in the room,
• excessive fertilization of the land with fertilizing,
• low temperatures and the presence of drafts.

Another reason why a rubbery ficus can shed its leaves is not suitable for it. flower pot. If for indoor flower Benjamin's pot would be more suitable, a little constraining it, the rubber-bearing species prefers freedom, therefore the container for its cultivation should be larger in size, not constraining the plant, otherwise its leaves begin to shrink in size and fall off after a while.

The subtleties of preserving the ficus crown

During the cultivation of various types of ficuses, many flower growers noted for themselves that this plant reacts unfavorably to certain factors.

sunlight

Not all species like direct sunlight on the leaves. If the variegated types of flowers are photophilous, some ficuses, for example, Benjamin, prefer shading for a comfortable state of health.

Water

Ampel large-leaved varieties ficuses love frequent spraying. To preserve their foliage, sufficient moisture is most important, therefore, in the process of growing, many flower growers set the flower pot directly on pallets with pebbles or expanded clay and constantly keep them moist.

Unlike ampelous species tree-like ficuses like their soil layer to be dried and there are no lumps.

Transfer

Frequent replanting adversely affects the quality of the foliage of all types of ficuses. Often, for this reason, indoor flowers begin to shed their leaves, because experienced flower growers are of the opinion that a plant should be transplanted no more than once every two years.

Why do ficus leaves fall

Why Ficus Benjamin sheds leaves. Main reasons

Why ficus leaves turn yellow

Ficus feeding is carried out from March to September. In a state of rest, which occurs in winter, fertilizers are not applied to the soil. In addition, due to the reduction of daylight hours in flowers, the photosynthesis process is reduced to zero, and the root system does not need as much water as in summer, so the number of waterings is minimized so as not to flood the plant.

Before applying fertilizers to the ground, it must be moistened in a day by spilling warm water.

In order to avoid burning the root system, mineral fertilizers should be used to feed ficuses in the dosage prescribed in the instructions. Otherwise, the oversaturation of the earth will be one of the reasons why the ficus will begin to shed its leaves. For the initial fertilization of the land, the dose is advised to be reduced to half. A plant weakened by parasites and fungal infections is not fully fertilized, the amount of top dressing for it is also reduced.

Ficus Benjamin is a very attractive plant. Falling branches, variegated leaves attract the eye. But what to do when Benjamin's ficus sheds its leaves, loses its main decoration? Only proper care will help to cope with this problem.

Where to put the ficus?

You need to find in advance a suitable place for the flower in the room. Movements have a bad effect on the well-being of the ficus. Therefore, it is undesirable to rearrange it. Moving from a store to a permanent place of residence is a lot of stress for a plant. Often in such a situation, Benjamin's ficus drops its leaves. It is better to buy it in the warm season, so as not to catch a cold on the way.

Lighting for ficus should be quite bright, but diffused and uniform. In winter, if the plant is located far from the window, the bush may take irregular shape. The temperature in the room should be at least 15 ° C. It is necessary to ventilate the room, but avoid drafts.

Care and watering

It needs to be watered abundantly in summer, less in winter. The earth on top can dry up to 1/5 of the volume of the pot. To saturate the entire earthen clod, you need to water in several stages. Soil moisture should be medium. If the leaves of the ficus have fallen, this may indicate rotting of the roots. Humidity should be at least 50%. In summer, it is advisable to spray the ficus. Sometimes you can give the plant a warm shower. The earth in a pot must be covered with a film. So that the ficus does not freeze after bathing, it must dry out, then you can already transfer it to a permanent place.

Transfer

A young ficus needs to be replanted every year, after four years - less often, as the roots grow. The best time- spring or early summer. Transplanting is easier to do after abundant watering. The roots must be removed from the pot along with an earthy clod, removing only upper layer. The diameter of the new pot should be 3 cm larger than the old one. It is imperative to place drainage and some soil in it, then install the ficus roots. Sprinkle with fresh earth along the edges and on top, slightly compact. big ficus transplanting is difficult, you can limit yourself to replacing the top layer with fresh soil.

Reproduction by cuttings

In spring and summer, when the ficus is actively growing, you can get layering from it. To do this, cut off the tops of the shoots with two leaves and put in a container of water. You can dig cuttings with wet sand. Water needs to be changed sometimes. When the roots appear, plant the plant in a pot, covering it with a jar or film. After the appearance of a new leaflet, the shelter can be removed.

crown formation

The ficus itself is quite beautiful, but it needs pruning. It stimulates the development of axillary buds from which branches grow. The plant is getting bigger. Ficus Benjamin tolerates pruning well and takes any given shape. To disinfect the secateurs, it must be treated with alcohol or potassium permanganate. The central shoot cannot be cut more than 20 cm. At least five leaves should remain on it. Lateral branches can be shortened or removed completely if the crown is too dense. Lack of light can lead to leaf drop. Chopped charcoal is used for sprinkling slices. To get a bole, you need to remove all side branches, except for the top five. If the ficus is on the floor, the crown is formed at a height of about one meter. For a desktop trunk, shoots are left at a height of 40 cm.

A young ficus needs support, its trunk is very flexible. To form a beautiful composition, sometimes several plants are planted in one pot. Flexible trunks are gradually twisted or intertwined, giving them bizarre shapes. Trellis and supporting clamps need to be loosened as the stems grow.

Why does Benjamin's ficus shed its leaves?

The reason may be a lack of nutrition. The ficus has a rather capricious character, it is better to buy special fertilizer for it. The plant should be fertilized twice a month, in spring and summer, alternating mineral and organic substances. In winter, you do not need to fertilize, at this time the plant almost does not grow. Moreover, even for complementary foods, ficus can react with leaf fall. If you turn it or move it from its usual place, the leaves may also turn yellow and fall off. This happens especially often in winter.

Seeing that Benjamin's ficus sheds its leaves, its owner, of course, will be upset. After all, this plant is valued precisely for its lush crown. The leaves of different varieties of ficus are dark green, variegated or white, yellowish. Leaves with a clear pattern look especially elegant, for example, dark leaves with a wide white stripe along the edges. The shape of the leaves resembles a drop or a boat. Their surface is smooth, and the edge can be smooth or wavy. The leaves are up to 7 cm wide and up to 12 cm long.

Why are the leaves falling? Ficus Benjamin - evergreen. But each leaf lives no more than three years. That is why they die from time to time. It's worth worrying if Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves in in large numbers. It is rather difficult to comply with all conditions of detention, so any ficus sometimes turns out to be bare. Possible reasons lot.

The female scale insect sits motionless on the leaf, covering the laying of eggs. It secretes a sticky secret, on which fungus often develops. This causes even more damage to the plant. That's why Benjamin's ficus sheds its leaves. It is easy to remove the scale insect from the sheet, but it is not always possible to completely get rid of it. The wax shell protects this insect from the action of insecticides. It is better to wipe the leaves and stems with infusion of garlic or plain vodka. Then the top layer of soil should be removed, it may contain larvae. These procedures should be repeated several times a week.

If the leaves of Benjamin's ficus turn yellow, it may be affected by a spider mite. These are small arachnids up to 1 mm in length. Their presence on the leaves appears first as white or yellow dots and specks. Then the discolored and thinned areas increase in size, the entire leaf dies and falls off. The tick multiplies rapidly in warm and dry conditions. Therefore, the plant must be sprayed regularly. In case of damage by a spider mite, ficus should be treated with sulfuric or phosphorus preparations, not disregarding secluded places, for example, cracks in the windowsill. It is better to alternate medicines so that ticks do not develop resistance to them. The eggs remaining in the soil can remain viable for several years. It is not easy to remove a spider mite, so it is better to monitor the humidity of the air, and take action at the first signs of the disease.

Prevention of leaf fall

So, in order to avoid such a nuisance with Benjamin's ficus, the following conditions must be met:

• the plant must have a permanent place;
• it is necessary to maintain the optimum temperature, to observe sufficient air humidity;
• should be carried out good drainage and moderate watering.

Despite the capricious nature, Benjamin's ficus does not lose popularity, because it is able to decorate an exquisite winter Garden or greenhouse, as well as the interior of any room.

Ficus Benjamina is a very beautiful, but at the same time very gentle creature. He reacts very painfully to any change or discomfort, dropping foliage. Let's see what could be the cause of leaf fall and how to avoid it.

Where to place the ficus - the place matters!

Ficuses are very popular among flower growers. This plant has many varieties, they look very beautiful, they grow quite quickly. adult indoor plant- 1.5-2 meters in height. His greenery is small, but dense, forms a dense beautiful crown. One minus - ficuses are very capricious. And ficus Benjamin, originally from tropical Asia, the owner beautiful greenery- one of the most finicky specimens. He is even often called the "prince and the pea", because he reacts to any stress and discomfort by dropping leaves. And there are many reasons for stress.

Ficus Benjamin is a plant from the Mulberry family. The tree is the symbol of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. In the wild, it reaches a height of 25 meters. In the botanical garden of Sri Lanka, the largest representative of the species grows at the age of 150 years, its crown area is 2500 square meters.

Of course, it is worth immediately cutting off cases when the leaves of Benjamin's ficus fall in winter or late autumn. If their number is not large, then this is the usual preparation of the plant for winter. Each leaf lives only three years, after which it will inevitably fall off. In this case, new greenery will appear on the tree in the spring. It is worth worrying only if the foliage crumbles in large volumes. There are many reasons for this, but in most cases, the flower can be saved by providing proper care for the fastidious ficus.

Benjamin is very sensitive to change of place. Almost certainly, as soon as you bring him home from the store, he will turn yellow and bald. To avoid this if possible, choose a ficus in a store without special conditions for keeping tropical plants. Find out the conditions in which your flower grew. If it was additionally illuminated or humidified, then it is worth creating similar conditions at home. Well, to acquire such a "pet" better in summer, this will provide less painful transportation. Compliance with these rules will soften the acclimatization for the ficus.

He is stressed not only by a radical change of location, but also by a simple rearrangement from one room to another. Therefore, before buying, decide on a place in advance so as not to move the pot often.

Benjamin loves light and warmth, so you need to choose a sunny place for him. Ideal - next to the southern window sill. It is near, and not on it, because direct sunlight will damage it. Diffused light is much better. Make sure that the leaves do not touch the glass. In the cold, it can freeze them, and in the heat, burn them.

For ficuses with variegated colors, sunlight is especially important. If it is not enough, the leaves lose the contrast of the pattern and become faded.

It is also worth protecting the flower from drafts, this is their worst enemy. Choose a place away from air currents so that you do not disturb it when airing. Including do not place it near a fan or air conditioner.

Choose a place where you can provide a constant temperature. Ficus is hard to tolerate drops. The norm for him is 17–23 degrees, try to maintain it throughout the year. The fact is that Benjamin is stressed even when watering with cold water, not to mention the change in air temperature.

If the leaves wither and curl, it means that the room where the ficus is placed is too cold.

Proper care is important for the health of the plant

Ficus Benjamin is native to the tropics. Therefore, it is necessary to provide him with sufficient humidity, he is used to 70-75%. In winter, when the heating is on, it is better to use a humidifier. Or spray regularly with water from a spray bottle.

If the tips of the leaves dry, then the air in the room is too dry.

The most difficult thing in caring for ficus is to provide proper watering. If there is not enough water, then it will shed its leaves. It works defense mechanism, which reduces water consumption during a drought. Overwatering is even more dangerous. It leads to root rot, and this process is irreversible. It will be almost impossible to save the flower.

To avoid mistakes in watering, it is recommended to check the soil with your hand. It is necessary to let it dry 1.5–2 centimeters deep between waterings, and if the plant is large, then 3–4 centimeters. In winter, it is worth completely reducing watering, making it once every 10 days.

It is also worth monitoring the fertility of the soil. A young ficus needs a transplant every year, it best tolerates it in the spring. It is necessary to transplant very carefully, the root system of the ficus is very fragile, and it is easy to damage it. An adult plant can be transplanted every three years. Thus, the soil is updated, the root system gets more space and oxygen for growth. Loose slightly acidic or neutral soil is suitable for a flower. The bottom of the pot should be well laid with drainage.

Processing with "Epin" or "Zircon" helps the ficus to recover and accelerates the appearance of new leaves.

Leaves may fall due to a lack of nutrients if the plant has not been transplanted for a long time, changing the ground, and not fed. In this case, it is worth introducing a fertilizer diluted with water for decorative foliage. Remember that fertilizer should be added to moist soil, otherwise there is a risk of burning the roots. Also, in order to prevent depletion, you can change the topsoil every few months.

In winter, the plant does not grow, so it does not need to be fed. Additives to the soil may be required only if the leaves of the ficus are very yellow. It means he lacks iron. Feed him ferrovit or iron chelate according to the instructions.

What pests are dangerous for ficus - causes of leaf fall

Pests can also cause leaf fall, for example spider mite, thrips or scab. It will be difficult to restore the greens, so it is better to carry out prevention. Treat the flower every six months with special means.

Enemy number one for Benjamin is the scale insect. She drinks the sap of the tree, thereby making it weaker. The leaves immediately fall off. You can identify the pest by looking at the greens. On it you will find small black bugs. The scale insect sits motionless on the leaf, covering the eggs with itself and secreting a sticky secret. It is he who provokes the fungus, so dangerous for the plant. For treatment, you need to thoroughly wash the larva with soapy water. Ficus is also desirable to be treated with a special preparation. The shield is sufficiently resistant to them, as it has a strong wax shell that protects it from spraying, so the procedure should be repeated several times with a weekly break. It is also worth replacing the top layer of soil, as eggs could get into it. Severely affected branches are best cut off entirely.

Spider mite can be recognized by white and yellow spots on the leaves and thin cobwebs. He feels good in a dry and warm room, so in addition to treatment with special preparations, it is worth increasing the humidity and washing the leaves with soapy water. It is quite difficult to remove a tick; the larvae laid by it live in the ground for several years. Therefore, do not allow the air to dry out and carefully monitor the plant. Start treatment at the first sign of illness.

The mealy worm is also worth looking for on the leaves, it looks like a small white worm. Accompany treatment with drugs by wiping with soapy water.

To process the leaves, instead of a soapy solution, you can use garlic. To do this, 60–80 grams of grated garlic are infused in a liter of boiling water. The cooled infusion can be sprayed or wiped with greens for disinfection.

Also, the leaves fly around because of thrips. If the air in the room is dry and the temperature is 20-25 degrees, then they begin to spread rapidly and can harm neighboring flowers. And they affect both the greens and the stems themselves. These pests respond well to insecticides, so use them as soon as the disease is detected.

With pests, the main rule is not to start the situation and take action as soon as possible. Then the chances of saving the flower are very high.

Also, small-leaved ficus often sheds leaves due to fungal diseases.

root rot. With this disease, the ficus not only leaves the foliage, but the trunk also darkens, and from the base of the plant comes bad smell. It's root system rot. Most often this happens due to too much watering. The second reason for the occurrence may be a lack of oxygen, for example, due to a crust on the soil surface. It is extremely difficult to save a flower, but if you notice a disease on early stage nevertheless, try it.

To do this, dig or pull out the ficus and inspect the root system. Rotting roots will be soft and black. If everyone is like that, it means that the plant cannot be saved. If not, then cut off all the dead roots, leaving only the living ones, and transplant the flower into a new pot with fresh soil. To facilitate the restoration of the ficus, cut off some of the branches and leaves.

Anthracosis. This "coal disease" appears from too much humidity and high temperature, from the greenhouse effect. That is why ficuses are contraindicated in greenhouses. The leaves are covered with black spots that look like ulcers. For treatment, you first need to cut off all the affected leaves, and then treat the ficus with fungicides. And, of course, reduce the humidity in the room.

Subject to the few whims of the ficus and a quick response to diseases, any leaf fall can be stopped. And remember, the less leaves a tree has time to lose, the easier it will be for it to restore its main advantage - a lush crown.