The Love-Hate Relationship of Ficus Tree Care
The Love-Hate Relationship of Ficus Tree Care
Unless you are a horticulturist, chances are that you don't have any idea there are hundreds of species of the ficus tree. Ficus benjamina is one of the most popular indoor plants around and are what most people think of when talking about ficus tree care in the home. Also called the weeping fig tree, the ficus benjamina is considered an ornamental plant and can be trained using bonsai methods.
Tree Moods
The ficus tree is sensitive and subject to mood changes depending on how well its ficus tree care is carried out. Providing too much light, too little light, not enough water, and too much water, moving it just a few inches … the poor ficus can and will drop leaves at the slightest environmental change. Therefore, one of the most important things to consider in terms of ficus tree care is placement of the tree because once you choose a place you don't want to move it except under certain conditions.
It's All About the Water
Too many people inadvertently over-water their ficus tree causing the leaves to turn colors. In ficus tree care, you should always stick your finger in the soil to feel for moisture. If the soil is moist within a few inches of the top, then hold off watering it but if it is dry, give it a good dousing. What you do not want to do during ficus tree care is to provide extra water when the leaves turn yellow; instead, hold back on the water because yellowing leaves is a sign that your tree has had its fill of the wet stuff.
Most ficus trees prefer humid climates and of course, your home is likely not humid enough to satisfy it. Therefore, you should mist the trees several times a day to provide a simulated humid setting as part of its ficus tree care plan. You can provide humidity another way through the use of a humidity tray which is just typically a planter saucer filled with gravel to collect with the excess water. This water run-off in the tray is evaporated around the plant which creates the humidity needed for the ficus.
Steady Lights, Temps and Fertilizer
Ficus tree care requires a filtered, bright light source which avoids exposure to full sun during the day. In addition, avoid placing your ficus in the line of fire for heating and air conditioning vents as it is not conducive for maintaining a relatively even temperature controlled environment.
Fertilizer is an important part of ficus tree care and must be done each month during the primary growing season. You should avoid applying fertilizer during the winter and instead administer a slow time-release fertilizer during the active growing season instead.
Final Hints
Ficus tree care requires diligence and patience, particularly when rationing water during the winter months. If you are unsure of yourself during the finger soil moisture test, set your mind at ease and purchase a meter which registers moisture levels in soil. In addition, keep in mind that several things tend to set a ficus off, causing them to develop yellow leaves before dropping. Therefore, always check the light levels and moisture levels as well as drafts and humidity conditions. Ficus tree care has always been a love-hate relationship for many people simply because the ficus is a diva in the plant kingdom world.