Ficus Benjamina Natasha
Benjamin's ficuses are especially popular among florists. One of them - ficus Natasha (ficus natasja benjamina) - is an evergreen plant from the mulberry family, which is increasingly found on the windowsills of residential apartments, offices and other institutions. Ficus Natasha is extremely popular due to its unpretentiousness and beauty. There is something about this flower that creates a cozy atmosphere in the room.
Ficus Benjamina Natasha
Many signs say that in the house where the ficus is located, people quarrel less, problems are solved, and ficuses also help couples with their energy to have a long-awaited child.
Ficus - aliens from Asia, the Australian subtropics, China and the islands of Java and Ceylon; in nature, they reach gigantic sizes: up to 10 m in length. Domesticated ficuses are much more modest in size. For example, Natasha ficus is only 40 cm high. The Natasha variety is formed as a compact bush, the branches of which can be combined in several pieces to make a neat bonsai-type plant.
Description of the plant
Many growers start such a ficus specifically for bonsai art, so a small flower growth will be a plus. The color of this variety is varied: from dark green to green with light blotches, leaves 3 and 1.5 cm in size, a little shiny. Ficuses of this genus do not require too painstaking care, but in order to achieve a beautiful crown of a bush, you need to apply care recommendations: water the plant on time and correctly, feed it.
Home care for such a flower is not difficult, and if all the rules are followed, even a beginner will be able to grow such a plant. Ficus Benjamina variety Natasha is suitable for making various compositions together with other flowers. Before purchasing, you need to find out how to care for the Natasha ficus variety so that the plant pleases with active growth. You can see what the ficus Natasha looks like in a photo or video.
Lighting and temperature for Natasha ficus
Ficus Natasha does not really like to move from place to place - it is better to determine a permanent place of residence for him in advance. Such a place should not be near heating systems or in a draft, the temperature should not fall below 13 ° C and rise above 28 ° C. If the conditions are not to their liking for the ficus, it can easily shed the leaves. It is best to put the ficus near the window.
If the ficus suddenly drops its leaves, you should not worry: the plant adapts and grows overgrown with new foliage if you take care of it. It is very useful to shake the leaves and spray with settled water at room temperature - this will help form a lush crown. Ficus even in miniature looks like a real tree.
Watering plants and feeding
It is better to water Benjamin Natasha ficus in several stages so that the soil in the pot gets wet evenly. The water must be allowed to settle for at least a day, at room temperature.The flower cannot stand the dryness of the earth, but excessive watering is contraindicated. After watering, do not forget to pour out the water from the pan: if left, the roots can rot. If the leaves turn yellow and fall off after purchase, this may be a reaction to improper watering or a change in regime. In this case, you need to adapt the ficus at home, as well as establish an irrigation regime.
If the Natasha variety sheds leaves and it is not a matter of watering, the wrong lighting may have been selected. You can learn more about caring for Natasha ficus in a photo or video.
What can you feed the ficus with? For a plant, the winter season is a dormant period, so there is no need to feed at this time. But the rest of the time, the ficus must be fed monthly. When choosing a mineral fertilizer, you must carefully read the instructions, the dosage must be observed exactly, otherwise the flower may get sick. Nitrogen fertilizers contribute to the growth of a lush crown. It is better to alternate mineral and organic fertilizing, and not to apply together, an excess of fertilizers can lead to fungal diseases.
Ficus Benjamin transplant
Transplanting a flower immediately after purchase is not recommended. After buying a ficus Benj, it will take about 2 weeks for him to adapt at home in a new place. Therefore, the Natasha ficus transplant should be carried out no earlier than 2 weeks, or even a month. The transplant is carried out from the beginning of April to the end of August. Young plants need to be replanted every year, and adults - once every 3-4 years.
A sure sign that the time has come for transplanting is more frequent drying out of the soil, indicating that the roots are cramped in the pot. When starting to transplant, you need to take a new pot 3-4 cm larger than the previous one in width and height. Be sure to put a good drainage layer on the bottom, and pour a special mixture for ficuses with humus, sand and peat on top. Next, you need to carefully remove the flower from the old pot along with an earthen lump, without damaging the roots, and transplant it to a new place. Along the edges of the pot, between the walls of the container, you need to add a little earth and gently tamp it.
Plant propagation
In the ficus Natasha, reproduction can be carried out in the spring. Reproduction is best done by cuttings with 3-4 buds. You can root it in water or plant it in the soil right away, and you need to create a greenhouse effect. You can use a special means for the formation of roots such as "Kornevin". To do this, the stalk should be "powdered" with a composition for the formation of roots or placed in a solution (if it is written so according to the instructions for the preparation) and planted in moist nutrient soil.
While the stalk is forming roots, it should be covered with a transparent film on top. The plant must be in this greenhouse before roots form. Remember to maintain moisture without flooding the soil. As soon as the first roots appear, the ficus can be planted in a permanent pot.
Ficus pruning
Pruning is important to form the correct crown of the tree. Also, with its help, you can restore a dried flower at home and get active growth. If this is not done, the branches will stretch in length and weaken, and this will greatly affect the health and appearance of the plant. Pruning is carried out in February, as soon as the flower begins to "wake up" and the first rudiments of leaves appear. All long and weak branches are cut off. Ficus Benjamin is a fast-growing plant, so pruning should be done as early as the next year after purchase.
It is best to prune young shoots. The longer the branch, the shorter it should be cut. There is no need to be afraid to cut the tops: from such a pruning, the bush will only be more magnificent, lateral buds are formed. The cut is made over the bud, using pruning shears or garden shears, on thick shoots at an angle, and on thin ones - straight. If the branches of the bush have suffered from pests, they must also be removed.The cut must be processed with garden varnish in order to avoid diseases of the ficus. If, when trimming, the milky juice gets on your hands, be sure to wash it off with soap and water.
Pests and diseases
Most often, ficuses suffer from leaf spot and root rot. These types of plants periodically turn yellow and shed their leaves. This is most likely due to an uncomfortable environment. The temperature may be too high or, conversely, low. This tropical plant needs high air humidity, so it is better to install a humidifier next to the ficus or in the hot season to constantly raise the humidity by spraying the bush.
Waterlogging of the earth does not benefit the flower, from this the ficus can get sick with root rot. It is necessary to treat such a disease only by pruning damaged roots and special antifungal drugs. If the fungus has covered the entire flower, a plant transplant is needed. It is also necessary to feed ficuses in moderation, an excess of fertilizers can lead to fungal diseases.
Common pests of ficuses
- Spider mite. Ficuses are most often damaged by them. If whitish spots on the leaves or a thin cobweb become noticeable, the plant is most likely infected. Affected leaves fall off after attacks of a spider mite. After identifying the problem, you must immediately begin to treat the plant with a special preparation for spider mites. Excessive dryness of the air contributes to the appearance of such a pest. It is best to keep and grow the flower on the east or west side. During the period of solar activity, the ficus should be removed from direct exposure to the sun. In winter, so that the leaves do not dry out, it is necessary to maintain the air humidity at a level of at least 50-70%. You can place wet expanded clay or moss next to the flower.
- Shield. This pest feeds on juice from the leaves and trunk, leaving special secretions, which in turn contribute to the appearance of a sooty fungus. This is dangerous because the growth of the plant slows down, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. You can get rid of such a pest only by treating the flower with a medicinal composition, which can be purchased in a specialized store, and getting rid of damaged shoots. As a prophylaxis against the scale insect, it is recommended to inspect the flower daily for pests. If insects are found, and must be removed.
- Mealybug. It is a very small white insect that feeds on plant sap. They get rid of it in the same way as from the scabbard. Mealybugs appear due to improper care or feeding schedule. If a mealybug appears on the flower, it is possible that the ficus is oversaturated with nitrogen. With an excess of nitrogen in the leaves, metabolism is disturbed, and they become vulnerable to attack by pests. With dry air, pests can attack the flower even more actively, so you cannot place the ficus near heating appliances. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to immediately remove dried leaves, since they serve as a breeding ground for insects. From time to time, you should arrange a warm shower for the flower, it will wash away possible insects.
Disease prevention
Problems with ficus appear due to non-compliance with the conditions of detention. You can prevent these troubles if you know what is harmful to the flower. This can be dry air in the apartment, excessive watering or drying out of an earthen coma, drafts, lack of sunlight, frequent movements of the pot, stagnant water in the pan, too frequent feeding. To avoid problems in care, you should study the description of Benjamin's ficus and the rules of care.
Crown formation
From ficus, you can make a real decoration of a room if you know how to decorate a crown using proper pruning at home. Miniature ficuses are most often formed in the form of a ball, a multi-tiered bonsai-style stem, or in the form of some kind of complex shapes.It is best to start forming the crown of the tree while it is still young, older plants grow more slowly. Planned pruning for formation is carried out in early spring during the period of the beginning of active growth. You can cut the ficus at other times if strongly elongated shoots have appeared; branches growing inside the bush, damaged and dry branches are also removed immediately. Often ficuses "braid" together, connecting two, three or more plants into one to give a decorative look and make the crown more luxuriant.
If you have four young ficus plants that individually do not have very dense foliage and you want to combine them into one plant, you can try braiding them. To do this, you need to prepare a larger pot for them (all four root systems should fit in it), carefully remove the plants from the pots, remove the old soil a little and fold so that the trunks are as close to each other as possible. All branches that get in the way are best cut off. Then the plants are planted in a new container, pouring soil along the edges and be sure to tamp.
It is necessary to tamp it so that after watering the plant does not warp to the side or does not fall into the pot. The trunks are wrapped with a thread made of natural material or with a sacking ribbon, beautifully weaving. Then the plant is pruned, forming the crown of the required shape. To give the plant a rounded shape, the side branches and tops are cut off so that the crown forms a ball. If suddenly pests appear on such a plant, it must be remembered that between the trunks entwined with a rope, they will multiply most of all, since there are optimal conditions for this. That is why we must not forget to carefully treat the rope itself with a medicinal preparation.
How to braid a ficus with a pigtail
To weave a ficus in the form of a braid, you need 3 plants of the same size. This is important because the larger plant in the weave will drown out the growth of the smaller one over time. The ficus that was originally large will grow, and the smaller ones may stop growing altogether.
Before weaving, the flower needs to be prepared: cut off all the extra side branches almost to the top. Lignified twigs can not be thrown away, but you can try to root.
Next, you need to decide on the weaving: dense, so that as a result the trunks grow together and you get one plant with a trunk in the form of a braid, or so that they do not fuse and remain just with the trunks woven together. This formation and decision is needed in order to determine how close to each other it is planned to plant them. For splicing, you need to plant very close.
Ficus Benjamin should be removed from the pot, remove excess soil from the sides. Pour the mixture for decorative deciduous flowers into the prepared container at the bottom. Place the ficus in a new pot as if inside as close as possible, if necessary. Weave the trunks, fastening with a thread or burlap tape. As it grows, the ropes can be removed. For weaving, it is better to take a flower with a height of 20-30 cm. Caring for a pigtail will be the same as for an ordinary plant.