What to do if your ficus benjamina has sticky leaves and white spots

Ficus rubber - main diseases and their treatment

What to do if your rubber ficus is sick? Diseases of rubber ficus appear due to improper care of the plant. That is why the first recommendation of specialists on the way to overcoming plant diseases is balanced care, timely watering, proper fertilizing and replanting. There are diseases of ficus rubber that are caused by various parasites. These are spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs and many others. In this case, the main thing is to notice the disease in a timely manner and diagnose it correctly. Only specialists can understand the nature of the plant disease and recommend the correct treatment. So, diseases of rubber ficus with photos. Consultation with specialists and proper treatment of the plant.

How to cure a rubber plant at home?

Problems usually arise while the plant is at home. In this case, many gardeners turn to colleagues for help, posting photos of affected leaves and stems. But it is not always possible to get the correct answer from other gardeners.

Typically treatment proceeds as follows:

Diagnostics. It is necessary to understand what happened to the ficus.
Locate the affected area and remove it if necessary.
Treat the tree with fungicides.
Continue proper care and monitor progress.

Fungicides usually really help. But in the presence of rot, more radical methods are required. The affected area is removed using a sharp knife, which must first be treated in an alcohol-containing solution . The cut area must be treated with activated carbon.

Reproduction of Ficus Benjamin

My gorgeous ficus became the envy of my friends - flora lovers, and then I had to think about ways to propagate ficus Benjamin. The easiest way is to cut off the apical cutting with leaves and root it in water, and then plant it in the ground. But you can root the cuttings immediately in moist soil - thanks to its aerial roots, the ficus takes root very easily.

The method of propagation by air layering is also common among experienced gardeners: a circular cut is made on the ficus stem, which is tied with damp moss; the moss and part of the stem are hermetically sealed on top with a film or a transparent plastic bag so that the moss does not dry out, and after two months, when the bag with moss is full roots, the stem is cut below the layering and planted in the ground. There is one caveat: Benjamin's ficus needs to be propagated in the summer, since in other seasons it is busy either growing or resting. And, by the way, try to move the ficus as little as possible - most of all it loves peace.

Root rot

If a ficus gets sick with root rot, it means that you did not follow the plant’s watering regime at one time. In this case, the root system begins to actively rot, and the stems and leaves wither, gradually losing their brightness and acquiring a grayish color.

Interestingly, if the infection gets into the soil, it may not spread to the flower for some time. But sooner or later this will happen, and then the only correct solution will be to throw the plant and the pot in the trash.

Video on the topic: Diseases and pests of ficus

The presented video talks about how to save ficus from various diseases.

Ficus is a picky plant. Does not require special knowledge or care skills. But if you don’t pay attention to it at all, and don’t follow the basic rules of maintenance, the flower will begin to fade. Some ficus diseases can cause not only deterioration in appearance, but also its death.

How to treat a tree against aphids?

It is recommended to use industrial poisons immediately. Ficus reacts painfully to any pests. If you don't kill all the aphids right away, they will kill the tree sooner.

There are three types of chemicals:

It is better to use contact chemicals as they provide an immediate effect . Systemic ones change the chemical composition of the plant juice, it becomes poisonous. There is a risk that the tree will begin to fade later.

Ficus benjamina transplant

A plant brought from a store is usually transplanted from a shipping container into a permanent pot only after two to three weeks, giving the plant time to adapt to its new home. But sometimes the ficus still begins to lose leaves. Professionals say that this is how the tree reacts to changing conditions. If you don’t know how to transplant Ficus Benjamin, follow these rules:

You can replant a flower from a transport pot 2-3 weeks after purchase;
for replanting, use universal soil or a special soil mixture for ficus;
after transplantation, the plant is not fed for two weeks, although in general ficus Benjamin needs frequent feeding;
It is recommended to replant an adult plant once every two to three years, and this is best done in the spring, using a loose substrate for ficuses and not forgetting to place a drainage layer in the pot;
old ficus can be rejuvenated by removing dried branches.

Despite following these rules, the ficus may still lose leaves for several weeks when transplanted - but there’s nothing you can do about it, you’ll have to wait for the plant to take root.

When dropping leaves is a harmless cost of growing ficus

There are situations when the falling of ficus leaves is a purely technical issue. It’s not worth worrying about and swearing at the flower:

No one can cancel the natural aging of leaves
. The always working law of the Universe says: “If it has arrived somewhere, it means that it has departed somewhere.” The ficus unfolds new leaves, and the old ones - large and located closer to the base of the shoots - die off.

Grew 5 times in a year

Look at the condition of Ficus Benjamin adjusted for natural light reduction
. There is clearly less sun, to which the plant can react with a small fall of leaves. Variegated varieties (with variegated colors) are more demanding on lighting than those with dark green varnished foliage. All that remains is to either add light (by moving it to a sunny windowsill or using artificial lighting), or wait for spring, when light pruning will return the bush to its former splendor.
Variegated "Benjamins" drop pure white leaves or those with very little green pigment
. This is a snow-white leaf for us - unusual, exotic, enchanting. Ficus is a useless ballast that will end up on the windowsill at the first opportunity.

“Where is the chlorophyll? What if I find it?”

Falling leaves from 1 to 4 per day (for giants, a little more is acceptable) can be considered the norm. The costs of loving ficus!

Signs of scale insect infestation

You need to start taking measures to save the ficus if:

A sticky coating resembling syrup appeared on the leaves. This substance is called honeydew or honeydew. The scale insect, being voracious, often draws more juice from plants than it can absorb and releases its excess outside. Such an environment is fertile for the appearance of sooty fungus, which also causes damage.
Upon careful examination of the ficus (preferably under magnification), you can see the larvae and females of the scale insects, which have a dirty gray or brown color.
Damaged areas of leaves begin to be overgrown with new tissue, so bumps appear on its surface. Ultimately, the sheet plate takes on a deformed appearance.
Ficus leaves turn red and gradually die.
When the infection is advanced, individual shoots begin to die, and the growth of the entire plant stops.

If the pest’s “work experience” exceeds more than 2 years, then its parasitic activity leads to massive death of leaves and drying out of branches. The bark on the trunk and shoots begins to crack.

Why is it dangerous for indoor plants?

The danger of sticky plaque for indoor flowers is as follows:

by releasing juice, the plant loses nutrients and moisture;
sticky coating prevents the evaporation of excess moisture from the leaves and its entry along with nutrients to the above-ground parts of the plant;
the process of photosynthesis is disrupted, which is why the leaves turn yellow and fall off over time;
The sticky and sweet sap serves as a breeding ground for the development of bacteria that can harm the plant.

Therefore, the appearance of a sticky coating is an alarming sign in which the plant must be urgently examined for the presence of pests.

We analyze the reasons for the fall of ficus leaves

Let's start with the simplest answer to this question. The yellowness of the leaves is a consequence of the natural process of dying. The lifespan of each leaf can be about three years, and then it disappears. You may not pay attention to such episodes in your pet’s life.

But, if leaf fall has begun, this trouble requires analysis. Experienced gardeners know that massive loss of foliage is always associated with a stressful situation, and stress can be caused by various reasons.

A common reason for the appearance of yellow leaves is the movement of the ficus to other living conditions.

Let's say you bought a ficus in a store and brought it home. This is enough for a vulnerable plant to react by yellowing and dropping leaves. In this case, it is necessary to immediately create comfortable conditions for the plant. Provide the required temperature, humidity, lighting, and protect from drafts.

The remaining common causes of yellowing and dropping leaves are mainly associated with improper care of the ficus. Let's list them:

Excessive watering . Watering the ficus should occur at certain intervals, focusing on the condition of the top layer of soil. If it is dry enough, you can “water” the ficus, but if the soil remains wet the next day after watering, remove excess moisture. In a situation of excess moisture, not only can the foliage turn yellow and fall off, but the roots of the ficus may also begin to rot, which will force you to take even more efforts to save your pet.
Insufficient watering, dry soil and air in the apartment. This situation is especially typical in winter, when hot air can come from heating devices. Place the pot with the plant away from hot air currents.
Insufficient lighting. Ficus of this variety is a big lover of light. And when purchasing a flower, you should worry in advance about its additional lighting in the autumn-winter season, so as not to provoke the loss of foliage. Also, under the scorching rays of the sun, Benjamin's ficus cannot withstand it for long and sheds its leaves.
Presence of drafts in your home. When you ventilate the room, try to take the ficus pot out of the room or place it in a place where drafts do not penetrate. It is better to place the ficus away from balcony doors.
Low indoor temperatures . If the temperature drops below 12 degrees, the Benjamin ficus begins to freeze. You should move the plant to a warmer place as quickly as possible, or you can use a heater.
Insufficient humidity . The situation can arise both in the summer, when the hot rays of the sun penetrate, and in the winter, when heating devices are operating. Ficus needs constant spraying.
Insufficient feeding . It is necessary to feed the ficus every month and also maintain the balance of minerals by using fertilizers.

This is a basic list of possible causes of ficus leaves falling. But in Benjamin’s life, sometimes unexpected situations arise that require the experience, knowledge and additional thoughts of flower growers.

Symptoms of diseases

Ficus turns black

The leaves are covered with small black dots and specks, mainly on the inside.

This is how Cercospora fungal infection manifests itself. Subsequently, the leaves may change color, lose turgor and fall off.

How to revive a ficus?

To save the plant, it is necessary to remove all the affected parts and treat the plant and soil with fungicides - Fundazol, Kurzat, Oksikhom. The entire surface of the leaf turns black, then it falls off.

An oversight in care is to blame - the ficus suffers from excessive watering and constant soil moisture. In this case, you should change the humidification mode, reducing it by at least 2 times.

It is recommended to moisten the soil no more than twice a week.

Darkening edges indicate burns from direct sunlight.

Another reason is that the ficus is hot. It stands close to heating appliances or on a windowsill under the scorching sun.

It is enough to move the pot with the plant to the western or eastern window and remove it from heat sources.

The appearance of asymmetrical, varied black spots indicates improper soil or excess nutrients.

Help: the optimal composition of the soil is sand, leaf soil and peat in equal quantities.

The ficus "Benjamina" should be replanted in a fresh substrate and the addition of mineral complexes should be reduced.

As you can see, proper care of the Benjamin ficus is very important for the plant, so we have prepared several useful materials about the secrets of its propagation and the peculiarities of growing it at home.

Methods for treating fungal diseases

Fungal diseases can be treated in several ways.

They are:

Spraying with fungicides. If simple methods (changing temperature, air humidity, etc.) do not help, then move on to fungicides. Spraying a flower with a solution makes it possible to get rid of almost all fungal infections.
Trimming. Pruning is often carried out when fungicides can be dispensed with or they have not had the desired effect. This method is especially relevant for root rot, when some roots can still be saved. In this case, the ficus is taken out of the pot and the root system is carefully examined. Rotten roots are cut off and thrown away, and after that the plant is transplanted into new soil and a new flowerpot.
Folk remedies. This technique is good when the disease has just made itself felt. In this case, the flower can be treated with soapy water, garlic or alcohol.

Information about possible diseases

Diseases and pests are the main enemies of any ficus. Since “you need to know the enemy by sight,” every gardener needs to become familiar with all existing diseases characteristic of a given plant.

Yellowed leaves. This symptom is quite common among diseased ficus trees. Often, the culprit is excessive dry air in the room, which often happens in winter, as well as when ficus trees are located next to hot radiators. Due to the influence of hot air, leaves may turn yellow, wither and fall off. Loss of leaves leads to the death of the plant. In order to solve the problem, move the flower to another place where a special humidifier is installed. Another best option is to cover the battery with a blanket and constantly spray the flower. The leaf may also turn yellow due to stress, which occurs due to the frequent movement of the flower around the apartment. It is important to choose the best place for the ficus right away, so as not to lead to unexpected consequences later.

Leaves fall off or become shredded. In this case, we can safely say that your plant lacks vitamins and nutrients. You can get rid of this indoors by replanting it in another, more balanced soil. When doing this, use only properly prepared substrate. It should include an equal amount of peat, sand and leaf soil. After replanting the plant, water it with a moderate amount of liquid. Another reason for this manifestation, as well as the change from a healthy appearance to a dry and faded appearance, is an excess of liquid in the soil. For watering to be successful, you must always allow the soil to dry completely. Without doing this, the root system will rot and the plant will die. If the soil is already flooded, wait until it dries or transplant the ficus into another soil, eliminating the damaged roots. A sign of poor watering is the appearance of dry and wrinkled leaves (you can see them in any photo of a diseased flower). Such neglect leads to drying out of the roots and subsequent death.

Pests of Ficus Benjamin! How to deal with Ficus pests!

Diseases and pests of Ficus "Benjamina" Indoor plants.

Why do FICUS leaves turn yellow and fall off? Problems with ficus benjamina and their solutions

Are the leaves covered in brown spots? This means that the air temperature in your apartment is more than high for this flower, or the plant lacks moisture. It is possible that you overdid it with fertilizing. Leaves fall from the bottom of the ficus - sometimes the cause of the fall is not disease at all, but the natural process of aging. If this is really the second option, then the trunk should not be exposed, because this indicates the need for replanting in another soil, or additional fertilizer. The leaves are dying: dying is attributed to a serious illness caused by various viruses and infections. Treatment in this case is carried out with insecticidal preparations after examining the flower.

Fungicide for the treatment of rubber

The fungicide solution helps control pests well. Today there are several biological poisons that help effectively fight ficus diseases:

Copper-containing (iron sulfate, manganese, potassium). Effective against anthracnose, powdery mildew and a number of pests.
Organic , based on a number of chemical compounds. Used against fungi. The effectiveness depends on the specific plant and the severity of its damage.
Biological - fights diseases, rot and insects well.

In specialized stores you can always find the necessary drug to save the plant.

Thus, spots on ficus leaves are an alarm bell. This means that the plant has been attacked by pests, bacteria or fungi . It is urgent to understand what the reason is and begin to act. Untimely control methods can cause the death of the tree.

Determining the type of disease

It is necessary to correctly identify a tree disease. This will allow you to correctly apply the remedy to save it:

Infections are the result of exposure to bacteria. They may not be noticed immediately. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of dark spots, traces of rust, or yellowing of the leaves on the ficus leaves. For control, it is best to use fungicides. They must be applied taking into account the level of damage to the plant. In most cases, 2-3 waterings over 10 days will be sufficient.
Fungal infection - can be detected by a characteristic odor and the appearance of rot on the stem or leaves. It is also possible for plaque to form in various colors. It is necessary to fight by removing the affected area. To prevent relapse, you should use fungicides.

Harmful insects

Some plants are better equipped to handle pests, while others need a little extra help. Before purchasing a ficus tree, it is important to research what problems are common with these beautiful trees.

Mealybug. They are small white furry sucking insects that gather in large clusters. They may appear after watering as they crawl to the surface of the soil. They can be seen in areas of the plant where branches meet the main stem. There are several ways to treat insects. You can spray the foliage with horticultural oil or treat the soil with chemicals. If you don’t want to use chemicals, then spray a soap solution. The liquid is prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon of soap per 4.5 liters of water.
Centipedes. These are brown insects with a long body and many legs. If they appear, it is likely that the soil was not sterilized before the tree was planted in it. The best way to combat this problem is to change the soil and sterilize the new one. The pot should also be cleaned - this is the only way to ensure that the grower is free of pests.
Shield. Like other insects, scale insects do not tolerate high humidity and soapy treatment. Saving a plant from it is not difficult, you just need to spend a little time on processing.
Thrips. This is an insect that is difficult to get rid of and even more difficult to see because it is so small. You can inspect the foliage for the appearance of small dark spots, that is, waste that they leave on the ficus. To get rid of them, you first need to water the plant from the shower, then spray it with neem oil.
Whiteflies . They often attack the flower. They immediately become visible due to their white coating. To prevent their occurrence, it is necessary to use neem oil sprays. Standard yellow sticky traps also work well.
Spider mites. You can get rid of them with a simple soap solution or a strong shower.
Aphid . When branches and leaves curl, this may be a sign that aphids have appeared, which, in turn, are also carriers of bacterial diseases. They get rid of it with an alcohol solution, which needs to be used to wipe the trunk and leaves.

Fungal infections

Gray rot or Botrytis: appears in flowers kept in a warm room with high humidity.

The ficus is covered in places with a gray coating. When shaken, dust rises up. The leaves begin to darken and then die.

To eliminate the disease, remove all affected areas of the flower and allow the soil to dry. Next, regulate watering and ensure frequent ventilation.

Sooty fungus: appears on the surface as a black coating. The precursor to the disease is the secretions of insect pests.

For small affected areas, treat them with soapy water, passing a sponge over each one separately. Severely affected units are removed and destroyed, and the stems and roots are sprayed with fungicide.

Pythium, late blight, rhizoctonia: fungi provoke rotting of roots and stems. The plant stops growing and gradually dies. It will not be possible to save it; it must be eliminated before other flowers become infected.

For prevention, moderate watering is needed, once a month with a weak solution of manganese.

Powdery mildew: appears as white powdery spots. Its appearance is provoked by high humidity and heat. For treatment, spray with a solution of copper sulfate and soda ash: dilute 10 g of soda, 2 g of laundry soap in a liter of water, stir 2 g of sulfate separately, pour the mixture into the main composition. Bring the volume to 2 liters and spray with it.

Rust (anthracosis): expressed by spreading yellow-brown spots, the edges of the leaves look burned, sometimes pitted with ulcers. To get rid of it, the plant is cleaned of affected areas and treated with a fungicide.

Advice! To make an accurate diagnosis, it is better to compare the identified signs of ficus disease with photographs, and then their treatment will be more productive, and other flowers will be protected from infection.

Common problems

If you do not comply with the growing conditions, then the ficus will not look healthy. It is not necessary that the bush is affected by insects or disease; sometimes the problem is due to insufficient lighting. Pale and yellowing of the leaves indicates a lack of the required amount of light. In this case, you just need to move the pot closer to the window, and in winter add artificial lighting.

The appearance of brown spots is a sign of a burn from direct sunlight.

Why did spots appear on the leaves?

Most often, such problems appear as a result of the following actions:

improper watering;
unsuitable temperature conditions;
exposure to disease, insects or fungi;
cramped pot.

Brown dots

They often look like rust. The reason for the appearance may be the following:

damage by fungal spores;
exposure to direct sunlight;
pest attack.

You need to carefully examine the leaves to determine what is causing the brown spots.

Black

The reason for their appearance may be:

pest attacks;
fungal diseases.

An effective method of control is treatment with fungicides.

Yellow plaque

In this case, the plant was affected by fungal spores. They are usually found in the ground.

To fight you need:

Inspect the plant.
Transplant it into another pot, completely replacing the soil.
Treat with fungicides.

Plant pests

Large succulent leaves of ficus are attractive to many harmful insects. Pests of ficus "Benjamina" are: fungus gnats, true and false scale insects, nematodes, spider mites, thrips, mealybugs and aphids.

Spider mite

It is almost impossible to see microscopic pests without magnifying devices. But traces of their activity are very characteristic and easily recognized.

Light-colored dotted specks form on the leaves of an infected ficus, and all above-ground parts are covered with many fine cobwebs. Such plants stop developing, lose their decorative value due to yellowing and falling leaves, and begin to wither and become sick.

Shchitovka

It looks like an oval plaque of beige, chestnut or gray color. It can be picked off with a needle from the surface of the sheet. Since the body is protected by a waxy shield, it can only be destroyed by systemic insecticides that penetrate the body through plant sap.

Photo: scale insect on ficus "Benjamina"

Thrips

Small pests with an oval body that resemble flies. They are difficult to notice due to their inconspicuous coloring - steel, black or brown. They settle in large colonies and feed on the sap of the plant, severely inhibiting its growth.

In addition, they carry many viral diseases and stain the ground parts with their secretions, attracting fungus.

Mealybug

Small pests with an oval body covered with a whitish coating, reminiscent of starch or flour. They leave two types of discharge - a sweetish liquid that attracts sooty fungus and cotton wool-like lumps in which the eggs are placed.

selo.guru

What to do if there is a sticky coating on indoor flowers

Pests that leave a characteristic mark are dangerous in themselves. By feeding on the sap of flowers, they gradually cause the plants to dry out. However, that’s not all: pathogenic fungi thrive on sticky leaves. As a friendly duo, insects and mushrooms will quickly destroy your flowers.

While there are few pests, you can try to do without chemicals. Bath the plants well with a soapy solution, several times with a break of 3-4 days. You can make it from regular laundry soap (yellow) or special green soap.

In case of severe damage, one bath is not enough. You will need more serious means in the form of insecticides. Fitoverm, Aktara, Aktellik, Fufanon, Confidor have proven themselves well.

Ways to combat insects without “chemistry”

You can try to deal with mealybugs without resorting to chemicals, especially if there are not too many insects. Amateur gardeners have tested many folk remedies for mealybugs, and some have shown high effectiveness.

Stages of work:

First, the plant is isolated.
Cut off the affected shoots and leaves, buds and flowers, ovaries and fruits.
Using tweezers, a damp swab or a cotton swab (a toothpick or a match with cotton wool wound around it), remove lumps of fluff and insects from the stems and large leaves, penetrating into the leaf axils and folds, not forgetting to look under the leaves.
All affected areas should be wiped with alcohol or a pharmaceutical alcohol tincture of calendula (vodka is not suitable due to the low concentration of alcohol). This will help remove the smallest wandering larvae, as well as sticky plaque.
The bottom of the pot and under the rim should also be treated.
The pseudobulbs of orchids are wiped with alcohol, having previously cleared them of dry scales.
After these procedures, it is recommended to treat the plants three times at weekly intervals. For this, special solutions are prepared, choosing one of the convenient options; They are applied to plants by spraying or brushing. When spraying, cover the soil in the pot from getting the drug.

Folk remedies (optional):

Lemon and/or orange peels - daily infusion of 50 g per liter of boiling water.
Garlic (cloves) – chop 8 cloves, pour in a liter of boiling water, leave for 4-6 hours, strain.
Tobacco decoction: 100 g is boiled in a liter of water for half an hour, after a day it is filtered and diluted 2-3 times with water. The product is poisonous and must be handled very carefully!
Pharmaceutical oil extract of horsetail. An infusion of dry horsetail herb is also prepared: 100 g per liter of boiling water.
Olive oil – 1 tbsp. l. for half a liter of water. The oil film interferes with the breathing of pests.
Soap solution: 1 tsp. crushed laundry soap per 1 liter of water. You can use store-bought insecticide Green soap (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water). It is recommended to add 2 tbsp to the solution. l. vodka. This remedy is used several times every 3 days.

You can try to destroy the root bug with hot water. The roots are immersed for a quarter of an hour in a large container of water, the temperature of which is strictly +55 degrees.

After treatment, it is recommended to replant the plants. The pots are thoroughly washed with a strong soap solution, and the suspicious soil is fried in the oven.

Mealybugs on ficus, control measures

Very often, ficus benjamina leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and fall off. If this is not due to errors in care or moving the flower to another place, then perhaps the reason for this phenomenon is damage to the plant by mealybugs. To detect the pest, you need to inspect the leaves and stems of the ficus.

It is not difficult to spot the pest. His body is shrouded in a whitish substance - powdery wax. It looks like cotton wool or felt. The plant is harmed by females and larvae. Infection is indicated not only by the appearance of white cocoons, but also by the flow of white juice from damaged leaf blades or stems. In this case, the surface becomes sticky.

If measures are not taken immediately, the pest can cause not only individual leaves to dry out, but also shoots to stop growing, and then the death of the entire plant.

The reproduction rate of this dangerous pest is enormous; one female, whose body length is on average 3-5 mm, lays up to 600 eggs. They are also in a soft white cocoon. The process of laying eggs lasts about two weeks, after which the females die.

Young individuals begin to actively feed on plant juices, white threads appear around them and reproduction repeats. At temperatures above 24 degrees and high humidity, scale insects grow and reach sexual maturity very quickly.

It is very difficult to fight insects; cocoon fibers protect insects from direct exposure to insecticides. In addition, scale insects adapt very quickly to the products used. In the initial stage of the lesion, you can use traditional methods:

first wash the leaves with added soap
then rinse them with running water
sprinkle with infusion of tangerine or lemon peels

More serious measures to combat this pest are as follows:

radical pruning of all parts of the plant affected by scale insects
two - three times treatment of the plant with Decis and Karbofos preparations according to the instructions for the preparation; in severe cases, the damaged parts are cut out before spraying

The main prevention is compliance with quarantine after purchasing new plants. Even purchased bouquets should not be placed next to indoor flowers.

Prevention of diseases

Proper bush care will help minimize the risk of ficus disease. You should adhere to the watering schedule, feed with mineral components and cut off dry leaves and branches on time. The plant also needs to receive the daily norm of light and heat; the air in the room should not stagnate.

To protect the rubber ficus from infection and pests, you need to follow a number of rules:

The newly acquired flower must be kept in quarantine for some time. Typically, the isolation period is no more than a week. It is better to keep the ficus in a separate room so that the disease is not transmitted through the air. If after a week of quarantine no infectious diseases have been identified, the plant can be placed next to others.
It is advisable to inspect flowers every day. Particular attention should be paid to the lower part of the stem and the inner surface of the leaves.
Every month, ficus foliage should be treated with soapy water. This procedure is vital for bushes located on open loggias or growing outdoors.

Why do ficus trees get sick?

First of all, improper maintenance conditions lead to withering:

strong changes in air temperature in the room, or its constant overestimation;
dry air, drafts;
insufficient or, conversely, too bright lighting;
inconsistency with the watering regime: too frequent or, on the contrary, insufficient;
improper mineralization;
contaminated soil.

Having corrected these shortcomings, the ficus will quickly return to normal and reward it with bright colors.

But some diseases are caused by more serious reasons: ficus can be attacked by fungal diseases and pests, photos of which will be given below. They require more attention and time, and in some cases, disposal of the flower.

Relatives of the rubber ficus

The plant has many varieties, but the most popular are Robusta, Abidjan, Belize, etc. The species are very diverse in appearance, so there are some differences in approaches to keeping them in the house.

Robusta (F. Robusta)

- the most unpretentious species, enriched with broadly oval leaves, with a pointed tip bent downwards. The central vein is clearly visible on both sides.

Abidjan (F. Abidjan)

decorated with luxurious glossy leaves, grows vertically and reaches 1.5 meters in height. Young leaves are wrapped in a blanket and colored dark burgundy.

On a note! Ficus rubber acts as an environmental filter. The green leaves of the plant, passing air through themselves, enrich it with oxygen and cleanse it of harmful accumulations of phenol and benzene.

Tineke

– the decorative pattern of the leaves forms irregular spots of white and green. It has a moderately capricious appearance, so this rubber-bearing ficus requires more careful care at home to avoid brown spots on the white areas of the leaves.

Pruning: how and why it is done

The resilient tree is pruned to give the plant a more spectacular lush shape. Ficus pruning is carried out in the spring:

pruning the upper part - cut off a cutting at the highest part (small, 10–12 cm);
by planting several specimens in one large pot, but for rubber-bearing ficus, this method is rarely used.

How to form a beautiful ficus crown? The formation of the crown occurs through the removal of the apex, when the axillary (lateral) buds are able to develop. The time when the crown is formed is of great importance: spring is considered the best period. If the processing and formation of the crown is carried out in the autumn-winter period, the result will be an ugly, one-sided elastic ficus.

The formation of rubber ficus in an apartment can be done without pruning - you just need to fix some shoots. This method helps protect the plant from unnecessary injuries. Before forming a crown, you need to find out the age of the plant, since mature trees are more difficult to tolerate this procedure.

You can often find very unusual forms of plant crowns. To get an original specimen, you just need to plant 2 - 3 shoots in a pot, gradually removing the side shoots and developing only the trunk. Pruning and creativity will create an original green sculpture, you just need to figure out how to pinch the ficus at the top.

Chemical treatments

Spraying with potent drugs is especially important during the period of the emergence of new generations of scale insects. Immediately after birth they are most vulnerable, so there is a high chance of death after the first treatment. At the same time, adult individuals can remain undamaged thanks to a special shell on their back, so a set of measures will have to be carried out to obtain a lasting positive result.

Important!

The principle of operation of the drugs is not only in contact with insects, but also in absorption by leaves and flowers. Entering the sap of the plant, they kill pests in the process of their vital activity, so their death is inevitable, it simply depends on the prevalence of the population and its generation.

Preparations with a high oil content have proven themselves in practice. They kill mealybugs, but can be dangerous to healthy parts of indoor plants, so experts recommend treating only those parts where the insects are clearly active (see photo).

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Features of home maintenance

If a rubber ficus appears in the house, even novice gardeners can successfully care for this plant at home. You just need to remember a few basic rules and stick to them.

Temperature

The plant can withstand summer heat up to 30 degrees, and comfortable winter temperatures range from 15 to 22 degrees. You should not allow the temperature to drop to 10 °C, as it can be detrimental to the plant. Growth directly depends on the availability of heat.

Watering schedule

Watering the plant in summer is done twice a week, in winter - once every seven days.

The plant should not be flooded - this may cause the tree to lose its leaves. The natural conditions of the places where it grows have taught it to withstand short-term lack of water. It is critical for the plant to dry out the top layer of soil to a depth of 3 fingers. It is best to water frequently, but moderately, rather than rarely and abundantly.

Lighting

The necessary lighting is bright, diffused, without direct sunlight. The sun's rays cause severe burns to the leaf, it dies and falls off. It thrives in shaded areas, although the plant’s growth may slow down a little and the lower row of leaves may fall off. With a lack of sunlight, it easily adapts to artificial lighting.

Humidity level

There are two modes of providing humidity for the plant: summer and winter.

In summer, it needs to be sprayed daily, and at intervals of several weeks, the leaves should be washed with a sponge to evenly distribute the liquid. A “bath day” is carried out once a month, when the plant is washed in the shower with warm water. The soil is covered with a film.

In winter, the leaves are only wiped with a damp sponge. To maintain soil moisture, the container with the flower is isolated from heating devices.

Ficus rubber: enemy or ally

Like any houseplant, indoor ficus is ambiguous in the manifestation of its properties and impact on the inhabitants of the apartment. The benefits and harms of ficus have been well studied, have scientific justifications and mystical signs of action. For example, in India, childless couples are advised to first start a cactus at home - and soon they will have a baby.

However, there is also scientific evidence: doctors in the rubber ficus found components on the basis of which medicines are created for the treatment of women's diseases, preventive agents for oncology, as well as joint diseases.

It is strictly forbidden to keep this variety of ficus in houses where there are people with asthma or those who are predisposed to it: a high concentration of rubber in the air can cause an attack of suffocation.

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Ficus rubber: appearance, features

Under natural conditions, the rubber-bearing ficus looks more like a tree, reaching a height of 30 meters. At home, its height is much more modest - no more than 2 meters. Ficus leaves are large, have a rich dark green color, smooth, glossy, elongated and pointed at the top. The length of the leaves can reach 30 cm, width - 20 cm.

A new leaf of ficus rubber is initially wrapped in a reddish stipule, which gradually dries out and falls off when the leaf turns.

It is impossible to observe rubber-bearing ficus flowers at home!

The juice, containing latex, some enzymes and alkaloids, is useful to the plant itself as a remedy for wounds and cuts caused by external mechanical stress. It was the juice that caused the emergence of mass plantations of rubber ficus in the world, as the basis for the production of rubber. However, the juice is dangerous for humans: it causes acute skin irritation and even the development of dermatitis.

Bacterial diseases of ficus

In addition to fungal and infectious diseases, there are also bacterial ailments. They are no less dangerous for ficus Benjamin. Particularly common are Agrobacterium tumafaciens and Xanthomonas.

Agrobacterium tumafaciens is a disease in which the entire flower is covered with small blisters. Over time, these bubbles turn into scales and peel off. With this disease, any treatment is useless, so the flower must be destroyed.

Xanthomonas is a blistering disease. Over time, each bubble increases in size and turns brown. No treatment will help in this case, so the flower is simply thrown away.

Soil composition and fertilizers

Ficus elastica needs a soil composition that contains turf, peat, river sand and leaf soil (proportions 1:1:1:1).

It is necessary to feed during the period of active growth, from spring to autumn. Mineral and organic fertilizers in liquid form are added to the soil with water, alternating with nitrogen in large quantities. You can use sapropel, compost or ash. When fertilizing, it is necessary to prevent the solution from getting on the buds and leaves.