How often to water ficus at home?

Ficus is a genus of plants of the Mulberry family, which has over 100 species. In indoor conditions, 4 species are usually grown, so flower growers often have questions related to agricultural technology: how and at what time it is better to water the ficus, what fertilizers to use for fertilizing, whether the plant is sick and how to deal with pests. Consider one of the exciting issues related to proper watering.

How to properly water ficus?

In the natural habitat of ficuses - in the tropics - it rarely rains. They may be absent for months. But when the rainy season comes, drops soak through the ground. Many, after reading special literature, think that it is necessary to maintain soil moisture all the time. If you do this, haphazard watering will lead to mold on the surface of the soil. And mold, in turn, will lead to decay of the root system. Root rot is difficult to treat, you will have to completely remove the plant from the pot, cut the roots to a healthy part, treat with disinfectants and transplant the reanimated ficus into new soil. At the same time, there is no likelihood that such a specimen will take root and grow.

Important!

If, while reading a note in a magazine, you come across the phrase "ficuses need frequent watering," you can close this article without regret, because in fact it is not.

Amateur flower growers are very scrupulous about watering, sometimes they even try to postpone it to a later time. However, this manipulation is only good in winter. If you do not follow the rules of watering in the hot season, you can make yourself new problems. Overdrying the soil and air contributes to the appearance of spider mites. Get rid of such pests very difficult, they draw out all the juices from the plant, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. The tree looks bare and unattractive. It will take a long time until it builds up the green mass.

Advice

If the ficus Benjamin begins to fall leaves, most likely, a spider mite has wound up on it. You can fight the pest with folk remedies and insecticides, using three treatments at intervals of 7 days.

Watering ficus should be:

• regular;
• seasonal;
• thorough.

Let's consider all types in more detail.

Regular watering

Regular watering is a procedure during which at a certain time, that is, on the same day of the week, flower growers moisten the soil in the pot.

In addition to regular watering, the ficus needs a shower - once a month it is required to “bathe” the plant in the rain, after covering the pot with plastic wrap.

It is also necessary to wipe the foliage with a wet soft cloth. Hygiene is important: such manipulations cleanse the pores and prevent the development of many diseases.

Seasonal watering

When the weather is hot, the ficus needs watering 2 times a week. Do not forget about wiping the foliage with damp material.

Watering in the winter depends largely on the humidity in the room. In addition to batteries that dry up the air, many people use heating devices that completely "consume" oxygen. This contributes to the dry air that plants suffer from.

You can increase the humidity in the room using an additional container with water installed next to the ficus. Some growers buy decorative fountains and install them near the flowers. Due to the constant circulation of water in the fountain, the air is humidified.

In winter, it is recommended to water through a sump.In this case, the plant consumes as much water as it needs.

Important!

When growing ficuses with artificial lighting, you will have to increase the humidity of the air, since fluorescent lamps heat the air. But this only applies to white lamps.

Water should be watered with water at room temperature. On the Internet, it is often said about how to water well with rainwater. This begs the question: what is the beauty of such watering? And if there is no rain for a whole month, what to do with the plant? Leave him to certain death? It is recommended to water it with ordinary tap water, but at settled, room temperature. If you water it with cold water, the root system gets stressed, which affects the growth and development of ficus.

Abundant (thorough) watering

In the summer, the ficus needs thorough watering, and in the winter - once every 7 days, "refreshing". But at the same time, it is recommended to observe your pets, because it may happen that they need additional watering - it is important not to miss this time, otherwise the root system will dry out.

Important!

Ficus loses leaves not only when pests appear, the lack of moisture can also serve as the cause of leaf fall. If the plant is not watered for a long time, it can completely shed the foliage. In addition, sometimes young twigs dry up, which cannot be restored, even after forced watering.

What water to water ficuses?

So, we figured out how often the ficus should be watered. Now you need to figure out what kind of water to choose for irrigation. The water in the villages is rich in iron, and in the cities a chlorinated "cocktail" flows from the tap. Neither one nor the other will be useful. The way out is simple - water must be defended or melted water must be used. It is advisable to first boil the tap water and cool to room temperature.

Advice

When the water has settled, in no case should it be stirred and shaken, since all the dregs will rise from the bottom and, when watering, will get to the roots. In this case, the soil will pick up lime, and this cannot be allowed.

Watering Algorithm

When watering ficus at home, you will need to observe some nuances.

• Before the next watering, you need to check how dry or wet the soil is in the pot. To do this, you need to stick your finger into the ground 5 cm deep. If you neglect this manipulation, there is a risk of flooding the plant.
• Then you need to loosen the soil to provide oxygen access to the root system.
• Watering should be slow. If, during watering, water begins to show through the drainage holes, it is worthwhile to postpone watering for a while, drain the excess water, and then slowly water the plant again.

Using a fine atomizer, it is recommended to humidify the air near the pot with ficus.

The consequences of improper watering

During the cultivation of ficuses, many growers are faced with problems such as yellowing and falling leaves, wilting of the plant. It is important to know why this is happening. Insect pests, viral diseases or improper watering can be the cause. Therefore, before taking on insecticides, it is worth analyzing the care of a green pet.

Improper watering leads to the following phenomena:

• discoloration of green mass;
• yellowing and falling foliage;
• drying out the tree.

If the problem lies in insufficient moisture, you need to properly water the ficus - and the problem will disappear by itself. In the future, it is recommended to regularly monitor the condition of the soil and avoid overdrying and waterlogging.

The beauty of foliage and undemanding care have made ficus a favorite plant of many flower growers. In addition, it enriches the air with oxygen, humidifies it and removes dust. Knowing the rules of caring for a plant, you can grow a beautiful and healthy tree that will decorate your home.