Ficus grafting. How to form a Benjamin ficus crown: we reveal all the secrets

Ficus with a beautifully formed crown will decorate any interior. Ficus crown formation is simply necessary for indoor cultivation.

So that the crown of the ficus does not look one-sided, do not forget about lighting.

Some types of ficus can be grown in the form of a trunk or a small tree, in which two-thirds of the trunk is free of branches.

Some types of ficuses with a flexible stem can be planted 2-4 in one pot to give them a vertical shape. As they grow, the stems of the ficus need to be intertwined, and over time they even grow together.

The shoots are allowed to grow to the desired height, after which the tops are pinched, and a lush crown is formed on top, which can be formed in the form of a sphere, hemisphere, or give it any other shape.

Pruning ficuses

Pruning of ficuses should be done only in early spring, at the very beginning of vegetative growth.

However, not all types of ficuses, after pruning the central (or single) shoot, give a fork, that is, several shoots instead of one. For example, rubber-bearing ficus, after pruning, can continue to grow in one shoot.

It is good to prune ficuses, which have short internodes on the shoots. Make a cut of the ficus directly above the bud horizontally, if the shoot is still green, thin, or oblique, if the trunk of the ficus has already hardened. Do not leave tall stumps, they look ugly, and they can also serve as a refuge for fungal diseases.

Wipe the slices of the ficus from the milky juice and sprinkle with crushed coal or cover with garden pitch, this will protect the ficus from diseases. But you can not handle anything if the instruments were sterile, the milky juice will dry out quickly and the wound will heal itself quickly.

Sanitary pruning of ficuses

Sanitary pruning of ficuses is carried out throughout the entire period. Dried broken or poorly developing ficus shoots can be cut off permanently so that they do not serve as a source of infection for the entire plant.

If, as a result of prolonged drying of the ficus, all the shoots have dried up, especially for a dwarf ficus, or as a result of frostbite, the upper part of the trunk is frozen, you can make a rejuvenating pruning "on a stump". The plant will quickly recover from root growth. This is how the Carian ficus, or fig, is restored after prolonged sub-zero temperatures... Subsequently, you can choose one main stem and grow the ficus in the form of a stem, or in the form of a shrub with several shoots.

Pinching, or shortening, pinching ficus shoots

To obtain a more lush crown from a ficus, for example, from Benjamin's ficus, you need to constantly shorten or pinch the shoots. Pinching - pinching the tops of the shoots. With the help of pinching, it is possible to induce the growth of lateral shoots. It is necessary to carry out pinching in the spring-summer period (February - July), when there is an active growth of ficuses.

Pinching is done with sharp tools: a knife, razor blade or nail scissors. Treat all instruments used before and after use with alcohol: before pinching, the instruments are disinfected so as not to introduce spores of fungal or viral diseases into the sections, then - in order to wash off the milky juice from them. If it remains on the instruments, it will be difficult to remove later.

The pinching of the ficus shoots must be done very carefully, otherwise you can bring the crown of the ficus into a more deplorable state than it was before the pinching. Before shortening the ficus shoot, carefully examine it, where you intend to pinch, how the buds are located below the place where the cut will be. Where the buds on the ficus shoot are directed after the intended cut, future lateral shoots will grow there.

And one more note: if pinching of ficus shoots is carried out regularly, then the size of the leaves gradually decreases, or rather, on the lateral shoots, leaves appear smaller in size than they are now.

Formation of the crown of ficus using guiding devices

Formation of the crown of ficus involves not only trimming the apical or shortening the lateral shoots of the ficus, but also the direction of the shoots in the right direction using special tensioning devices or rigid wire. If you notice that several shoots in the crown of the ficus are directed in the wrong direction in which you would like, do not rush to cut these shoots. Take the wire, wrap it neatly over the main stem and the desired shoot, then gently bend the shoot in the desired direction.

You can change the direction of the shoot using a spacer between the stem and the shoot, or between two shoots. Place something soft under the ends of the spacer, such as a piece of foam rubber, so as not to injure the bark of the ficus.

To form the crown of plants, special devices are sold, which are often used by lovers of the art of bonsai.

Pulling the ficus shoots from the main trunk, in order to make the angle between the trunk and the shoot more, will help pulling the ficus shoot to the bottom and fixing it in this position with weights or tying them to the pot.

After a while, all devices or wire can be removed from the ficus, and its shoots will grow in the direction you need. It is impossible to leave devices, and even more so the wire on the ficus, so they can grow. Even if there are traces of damage from wire or other devices on the bark of the ficus, do not worry, they will soon disappear.

Ficus crown formation by grafting

If the absence of a twig spoils appearance ficus, then such a defect can be corrected by vaccination. This method is often used if you need to quickly form a ficus. Inoculation marks on ficus grow quickly and become invisible.

And finally: this is a miracle ficus)), we have something to strive for)

Image source https://www.flickr.com: Robert Couse-Baker, Benissiva Calling (sparing eyes), Mike, Xavier de Lapeyre, Jessie Hirsch, kohmura masao, Binary Koala, madaise, Tarjeplanta

Every florist who grows wants to see beautiful branched trees, and even with intricately woven trunks.

But not everyone knows how to form a ficus at home.

Moreover, these plants grow only upward and will not develop a lush crown without human help. We will talk about the methods and rules for creating a dense green crown.

Did you know? The ancestors of ficuses are typical for the Indian jungle 30-meter trees with giant horizontal branches and rounded meter-long leaves. In their shadow, they can hide up to 300 square meters land.

Description and features of culture

At first glance, it seems that the process does not require additional skills and knowledge, in fact, all of the above requires talent and patience. Let's take a closer look at how to make a ficus branch.

Regular

Any work aimed at developing the lateral branches of the plant using conventional technologies should be carried out between February and July. If you ignore this rule, the plant may have enough strength to develop a single sprout, the ficus in this case will grow in only one direction.

The method consists in pinching the apical shoots of a young ficus. Experiments on old specimens can end up ruining them, since it is very difficult to wake up dormant buds.
Thus, a bush can be created from a straight trunk. For its uniform rounding, flower growers recommend exposing it to the sun on different sides, periodically turning the pot.

Some craftsmen resort to using cytokinins - hormones that slow down the aging process of the plant organism and without removing the apical bud, stimulate the development of its lateral branches.

This method is very effective, since during processing, hormonal substances do not delay deciduous processes, due to which the lower zone of the flower remains covered with foliage.

It is possible to do without additional means by bending the thin trunk into an arc so that its top is directed downward. Then the growth hormones will accumulate at the top of the bend and the lateral buds will sprout. The disadvantage of this method is the retardation of the development of the stems.

Also influence the shape of the crown indoor tree it is possible by adjusting the lighting. This method is good for correcting malformed plants. In direct sunlight, they can get severe burns, but the diffused light from the south side is just what you need.

Another effective way to force a tree to branch is trim the bark above the bud.

Botanists call the technology kerbovka and advise making deep and wide cuts at the bottom of the lignified trunk.

Unusual (weaving, circular lattice, shaping of a standard tree)

Sometimes the beautiful plexus of ficus stems created by flower growers is breathtaking. It turns out that you can create such masterpieces at home.

To do ficus weaving, first of all, it is necessary to plant several equally developed sprouts up to 15 cm long in one pot. Their two shoots growing side by side will make a wonderful spiral, from three - a braid, from four or more - an unusual lattice. It is important to foresee the places where thickening will form in the future, and leave gaps, as well as pinch off the lateral shoots.

To obtain flat fence, the plants are planted at a certain distance on one line. And when the stems reach the desired height, they are connected with special clamps or with an ordinary thread, polyethylene tape. Moreover, as it grows, the compression is slightly weakened so that unaesthetic scars do not form on the bark.

To speed up the process, experts advise to carefully cut off the bark at the junction of the shoots to get a kind of grafting.

Important! From excess or lack of moisture in the rubbery ficus, foliage curls.

A circular lattice will turn out if you plant young plants in a circle. To get the trunk in the form of a stretched spring, a peg is stuck in the center of the pot, and flexible stems are wrapped around it, removing side branches as necessary.

The pinnacle of perfection can be called the shape of the ficuses curled around the moss (coconut) column. Its moist base constantly nourishes the plant, stimulating the growth of aerial roots. This promotes intensive intertwining and fusion of the sprouts.

If these procedures seem too time-consuming to you, you can experiment with creating the shape of the trunk. To do this, on a young flower, it is necessary to pinch off the apical bud after it reaches the desired height. Usually, for floor-standing specimens, this is done at a level of 1 meter. The lateral branches are cut so that the cut passes over the bud facing away from the bark.

But this is not the limit of gardeners' fantasies: a unique shape can be created from a tall ficus, forming a multi-tiered stem from it. To do this, the first step is to remove the upper growth point, conditionally divide the trunk into several parts and give them a rounded shape. The spaces between the tiers are cleared of all branches and foliage.

Did you know? The oldest rubbery ficus under the name "Homer's tree" grows in Buenos Aires. He was planted back in 1781. From time to time, the branches of the green giant sagged strongly, so they were reinforced with concrete supports.

How to form a rubbery ficus at home

Whatever technology you choose for your rubber ficus, so as not to ruin it, it is important to know how to properly form the crown, which you can choose from a photo on the Internet or in a magazine or book. In addition, you need to strictly follow the rules, which can be conditionally divided into several groups. Let's consider each in more detail.

Without pruning ficus

If you stimulate the growth of side branches with special preparations, lighting and other wisdom, it is important to consider:

The growth of ficus branches can be regulated by manipulating the pot and directly with the plant itself. The principle of all procedures comes down to giving the sprouts a vertical position.
Frozen in growth, the bud will go up if the container with the flower is tilted so that the future shoot looks up.
A horizontally tilted branch will grow branches in the upper zone.
On the drooping stem, lateral branches will actively develop, and the trunk will also strengthen.
One-sided specimens will sprout on the other side if they are turned with their bare trunk towards the sun.
A multi-tiered ficus can be obtained much faster when planting sprouts of different heights in one container.
Additional fluorescent lamps will accelerate the appearance of a rounded ficus crown.
In order for the woven trunks to evenly build up the green cap, the pot must be periodically turned towards the sun in different directions.
With sufficient humidity in the room, the ficuses take root. They are by no means removed, but sent into the soil.
Among the cytokinins, an impeccable reputation is found in the drugs Kartolin (may be labeled 2 or 4), Benzyladenin, Zeatin. It is important to use them, strictly following the attached instructions.

Did you know? In India, the homeland of rubbery ficuses, the locals used them to create pedestrian bridges. From the branches and aerial roots of plants growing on the shores of water bodies, a base and handrails were woven. In some cases, the length of such structures reached more than 30 m.

With cropping

There are nuances when forming ficuses with the help of tools:

In cases of creating a bushy crown, the cut of the apical bud should pass at a level of 10-15 cm from the ground. A maximum of 4 sheets can be left.
The pinching of the lateral buds is carried out only on specimens turned away from the bark. Otherwise, young shoots will thicken the crown greatly.
All sections must be wiped with a damp cloth until the release of milky juice ceases. Then it is treated with charcoal ground into dust.
With an increased density of the crown, part of the branches that are directed inward towards the central trunk are cut off.
Kerbovka is carried out with a sharp tool (preferably with a blade or scalpel).
Properly made bark incisions look arched, roof-like or transverse. If you are removing a portion of the bark above the kidney, do this by cutting out a rectangle, triangle, or crescent.
If you are faced with the task of correcting the irregular shape of the tree or forming a certain conceived figure, then you should resort to grafting. The method is carried out by transplanting one plant to another, it is very laborious and not always effective. The reason is the milky juice secreted from the sections of both parts, which prevents the ficuses from growing together.
After the cuts, there should be no stumps - this is a favorable environment for the formation of fungi.

The crown of most varieties of ficus without pruning will grow in a chaotic manner, reaching a size that is not suitable for the room. Timely removal of lateral and apical shoots allows you to give the plant a decorative effect, reduce its length and width, and make it more compact.

Pruning and shaping of rubber-bearing ficus is carried out annually or once every 3 years, depending on the age of the plant. In addition to formative pruning, you can use the feature of plant shoots to create unique compositions - flexible stems and air layers are tied with a pigtail, a plait, intertwined and directed growth in the opposite direction.

Is it possible to cut rubber ficus

Pruning ficus rubber is needed not only to make the tree decorative, but also to heal the plant. It is necessary to remove excess shoots regularly so that it is healthy, lush, leaves and stems have enough room for growth, all aerial parts of the bush receive enough light and moisture from the air.

Branches are also removed for sanitary purposes - sick, rotten, dry, broken branches draw out nutrient components, taking them from healthy parts, and can also reduce immunity and cause disease.

With the help of formative pruning, the ficus can be made to branch or grow compactly. The flower grower himself determines which crown diameter is suitable for growing in rooms of different areas.

How to form the crown of a rubbery ficus

You need to cut the ficus in accordance with the following rules:

Crown formation is carried out in the phase of active development from early spring to late summer. If you remove the shoots in winter, the plant will be deformed next season.
If the ficus has recently been transplanted, you cannot touch healthy shoots when creating a crown. Sanitary pruning can be done at any time.
It will be bad if you cut off the apical shoot far from the second kidney from the top. In this case, the exposed remaining part of the trunk dies off. If you take away the apical shoot along with the buds late, the ficus will not bloom. It is optimal to remove the apical shoot at the second from the top kidney, leaving no "empty" parts of the trunk.
Be sure to use sharp tools. If the cut is uneven, pathogenic bacteria can enter the tissue. You can use a pruner, garden shears, or a sharp knife. It is advisable to treat all blades before cutting with alcohol or other disinfectants.
Cutting points on the cutting also need processing; garden var is suitable for this.

You can form a crown in the following way:

Think about what shape you want to give the entire plant, and indicate the approximate height and width. Young plants can be pruned annually, and if the ficus has already reached 3-4 years old, carry out the procedure no more often than once every 3 years.
Make a cut exactly over the place where the apical kidney will be. A fresh shoot grows from it, and if part of the cuttings is exposed, then the crown will not have a rounded appearance, since the bare trunk gradually dies off.
Make a cut at an angle of at least 45 degrees on old thick branches, on thin shoots - at an angle of 90 degrees.
The crown can not only be cut, but also thinned out. During the procedure, pay attention to the location of the upper kidney. Make sure it faces outward. If you leave the bud horizontal, the branches will grow in width and vertically in height.
The classic form for trimming the crown is tiered. The ficus will be in the shape of a ball or oval. To do this, cut the top and bottom of the crown in the same way, leave the central branches longer. The lowest branches and apical shoot are cut at the root.
Ficuses also grow in the form of a trunk. To form such a crown, cut off all but the five shoots at the top of the trunk. When the plant reaches the desired height, pinch the top bud from the crown, then shorten the side trunks as it grows, forming a ball.

When growing a bonsai tree, you need to form not only a crown, but also root system... Too long roots are removed during the annual transplant, the tops and side shoots are cut off so that the plant height does not exceed 50-70 cm.

How to pinch a ficus

In order to pinch the plant, you will need a pruner or knife, a disinfectant solution (peroxide, alcohol), a soft napkin, and a container of water.

Then follow the instructions:

It is best to perform the procedure in the middle of spring. It is during this period that many new shoots are formed, and the wounds on the trunk, which appear during pruning, quickly heal.
Once the plant has reached the height you want, pinching can be done. Disinfect or heat a knife or other tool over a fire.
If the top shoot of the tree is thin, you can cut it below the bud by making a straight cut.
If the length is longer than you need, determine the required height, then find the sheet below that point. Cut the shoot 5 cm above such a leaf by making an oblique cut. The lower level of the cut will be at the level of the kidney on the opposite side. The upper one is directly above the kidney.
Then moisten a soft napkin and remove the milky juice that appears along the cut.
Fertilize the plant after a month. Before this period, feeding is not recommended, since the plant's immunity drops out after transplanting, it can be stressed.

Pinching will allow the plant to sprout new side shoots and stop growing at the height you want. Without this, the tree will hit the ceiling in 4-5 years.

Creation of unusual shapes

The formation of the crown of rubber ficus can be performed not only in the form of an oval or a ball. There are other pruning methods that can produce uniquely shaped trees for room design.

Stamper tree

Formation of rubber ficus at home in the form of a trunk:

A stamp shape can only be created from an immature ficus tree without lignification on the trunks.
Side shoots must be removed regularly until 5 upper branches remain.
When the tree reaches the desired height, pinch the apical shoot, remembering to remove the lateral shoots.
As long as the stems remain flexible and without bark, support should be provided. Keep the trunk upright throughout the growth period.

The stem can be multi-tiered. For such a formation of the crown, divide it into 4-5 parts. From the odd ones, make the tiers of the crown, and from the even ones - the gaps between the tiers, for which the shoots are cut shorter by 5-7 cm of the rest.

Fence

A rubber-bearing ficus hedge can be made as follows:

pick up at least 5-7 seedlings and a long, low container for planting;
place all seedlings in a pallet in one row or in a circle, the distance between the shoots should be at least 10 cm;
the fence is formed from the crown - cut at the same height.

It is important to properly cut the ficus for the growth of the "fence". During the procedure, remove shoots in the same parts of the trunk so that the crowns of the ficus are equally dense and there are no holes in the “fence”.

Spiral

To form a bonsai in the form of a spiral, not the crown is cut, but the root aboveground part and trunks:

after planting the cutting, install a support - a wooden stick - in the center of the pot next to the stem;
braid the flexible stem around the support as it grows;
cut side branches;
when there is good wood in the trunk, carefully remove the support.

You can create a spiral from one or more shoots. If you plant 2-4 seedlings at once, during the braiding of the support, they must be placed parallel to each other so that there is no pinching of the trunks of one of the trees.

Scythe

You can give the ficus the shape of a pigtail as follows:

pick up seedlings up to 10 cm long (the same height);
the thickness of one should not exceed one and a half centimeters;
plant sprouts nearby in a pot so that in the future you can braid the stems into a braid;
all small branches on the sides are removed, the apical cuttings remain;
before starting weaving, moisten the soil so that the stems become flexible;
periodically braid a braid from the stems, tie the end of it with a wire so that the stems do not start growing in the other direction;
it is necessary to regulate the strength of weaving - weakly twisted stems will create gaps in the pigtail, and too tight weaving can lead to damage to the entire plant;
so that the holes in the pigtails are the same, you can place pencils or sticks of equal diameter between them.

So that the shoots grow together into one large trunk and the pigtail has no gaps, you can remove the bark in small parts at the joints of the stems. After about 6-8 months, the composition of the post will grow together into one thick trunk.

Plant care after pruning

After pruning, the ficus can be transplanted, but the procedure can be performed no earlier than 2 weeks later. Adult plant no need to replant at all, it will be enough to change upper layer soil on a new nutrient substrate. If the flower has undergone the procedure successfully, after 2 weeks, you can start feeding.

You can carry out pruning no earlier than from the beginning of March until the end of summer. At rest, the plant is not pruned. Watch the growth of new branches, as well as the height of the ficus, carrying out timely pinching so that it always has a lush, uniform crown.

People in whose apartment a ficus grows receive a strong energy boost. Nowadays, breeders have bred a large number of beautiful forms and varieties of this plant. In regions with a warm climate, they serve as a decoration for avenues, streets, squares and parks.

Description

Described about a thousand different types ficuses that grow in Australia, Asia, America and Africa: each of them has its own habitat.

The plant removes the accumulated fatigue, aggression and irritation, adds decisiveness and confidence.

This tree has long been revered in the Hindu religion. Buddhists built temples near the sacred ficus. According to legend, it was under the ficus that Prince Gautama reincarnated as Buddha, and here he communicated with followers. Pilgrims from all over the world tie colorful ribbons on the branches of the ficus tree. Christians also highly value this tree. In the Holy Bible, the ficus leaf became the first garment for Adam and Eve.

Varieties

The identification of different types of ficuses is carried out on the basis of the general appearance of the tree, the shade of the bark, the characteristic leaf venation and features internal structure Sikoniev:

ficus Benjamin (ficus brilliant)... The tree is evergreen. Leaves are glossy, green in color, grow up to 13 cm in length, up to 6 cm in width. Light-loving, slight shading has a positive effect on the intensity of the color of the leaves. Breeders brought out many interesting varieties and forms. The plant looks very elegant: it is often used for landscaping the interior, in the art of bonsai;
ficus Benjamin (ficus brilliant)
rubber ficus (elastic or elastic ficus). Under natural conditions, it is an evergreen tree up to 30 m high, with a brown trunk. Grows in a damp swampy forest. The leaf blades are glossy, dark green in color, grow up to 25 cm in length, up to 10 cm in width. It takes the 2nd place in terms of latex content (Brazilian Hevea is the leader), and therefore it was previously cultivated on plantations to obtain rubber. As an indoor culture, rubber ficus is one of the most popular and oldest species. The plant is light-loving, but it must be protected from direct sunlight and drafts;
rubber ficus (elastic or elastic ficus)
lyre ficus. Homeland are tropical West African forests. The tree is evergreen, in natural conditions it reaches twelve meters in height, the trunk is brown-gray. The leaves are glossy, hard, dark green, light green on the back, grow up to 50 cm in length, up to 25 cm in width.The plant has a powerful silhouette and looks spectacular in the interior ( winter garden or rooms with high ceilings). Best placed near a window;
ficus lyre
ficus microcarp (small-fruited ficus). Under natural conditions, this evergreen tree is about 25 m high. It grows in the coastal forest, on the river banks. Leaf blades are bright green, light green on the back, grow up to 13 cm in length, up to 5 cm in width. The trunk is brown-gray. Photophilous, but in direct sunlight, the leaf blades acquire a light green tint.
ficus microcarpa (small-fruited ficus)

How to care for ficus at home?

The room should be light, but the plant should not be placed in direct sunlight (the leaves will begin to fade and become a light green hue).

Ficus is a short-day plant. In insufficient light, the leaf blades begin to turn yellow and crumble.

The irrigation regime is determined by the air temperature in the room, the size and material of the flowerpot, the duration of exposure to sunlight. If a two-centimeter layer of earthen substrate has dried out, then it needs to be watered. Water the plant over the entire surface evenly, the amount of water depends on the planting time and the depth of the flowerpot. If the water is hard, it must be filtered or boiled, then allowed to cool.

For the growth of most species of this plant, the optimal temperature regime is in the range of 18-28 ° C. Ficus must be protected from drafts.
In winter, the plant needs to provide optimal moisture. It is recommended to spray the ficus with warm water from a spray bottle every day. It is also necessary to ensure additional lighting using special lamps. Watering the ficus in winter should be moderate. Water for irrigation must be defended for a week.

Leaves turn yellow and fall - what to do?

The main reasons for this phenomenon:

natural - the life of ficus leaf plates is 2-3 years, then they become yellow color and die off. This happens with the lower leaves. There is no need to worry about this, it is a natural process;
change of place - symptoms of yellowing and shedding of leaves can be observed due to the stress suffered after transplanting or rearranging the flowerpot to a new place. Before transplanting, you need to choose the right flowerpot and soil substrate; immediately after transplanting, the ficus does not need to be watered. If the leaves turn yellow after changing the location, you need to return the flowerpot to its original place;
improper watering- the plant should not be heavily watered. Watering is carried out after the soil is completely dry. In case of violation of the irrigation regime, it is recommended to take a break for 14 days. If the leaves continue to turn yellow, the ficus is transplanted by cutting off the decayed roots;
containment breach- the room should not be too cold or dark. In summer, the plant should not be in direct sunlight. In winter, the optimum air temperature is 18-20 ° C. The pot should not be placed near the door, next to heating devices and fans;
pests and diseases- when they appear, you need to purchase specialized chemical agents and process the plant.

Crown formation and pruning

Correct crown formation does not allow ficuses to grow to the ceiling. It is necessary to shorten the shoots and prune the plant, direct the shoots in the required direction with the help of wire and various devices, which are removed after a while. In order for the crown to be lush, you need to periodically shorten the shoots (you can not do it from the end of October to mid-January). Sanitary pruning is carried out year-round, removing dead branches.

You can form a standard plant by cutting off the branches by 2/3 of the lower part of the trunk. Ficus, formed from cuttings planted close, which are braided into a pigtail, looks beautiful.

Crown formation is corrected by grafting. The lack of branches is also corrected by grafting. This is typical of the use of ficus in bonsai art so that the plant quickly takes on the desired shape. Also carry out multiple pruning of the roots. To make the bonsai look neat, you need to periodically trim the crown (2-4 leaves when 6-10 new leaves grow). The manipulation is carried out with sharp disinfected scissors, the cuts are treated with garden varnish or charcoal.

How to transplant?

Plants are sold in a peat substrate without a drainage layer. To transplant ficus, you need to carefully remove it from the pot, first laying it on its side or turning it upside down. The acidity of the soil substrate should be in the range of pH 6.0-6.2. If the root system takes up the entire pot, the plant must be transplanted into a larger container (2-6 cm, depending on the size of the ficus).

Young plants need to be transplanted annually, and 5-6 year old ficuses and older are transplanted once every 2-3 years.

The root collar is not deepened into the soil substrate. A drainage hole should be made in the pot, on which a layer of expanded clay or coarse sand is placed, then a layer of moistened soil substrate is poured. Ficus is placed in a pot, then the substrate is poured.

How to propagate ficus?

Basic breeding methods:

cuttings - use green lignified and semi-lignified apical cuttings. A stalk with 2-3 internodes must be cut obliquely, the released milky juice should be washed off so that it, when frozen, does not clog the cut. Then the cutting is dried for 60 minutes and planted in sand (soil with sand) at a slight slope. It is necessary to provide soil heating, humidity in the region of 80% and a temperature of 24-28 ° C. Cuttings can be covered glass jar or plastic bottle without a neck. Rooting occurs after 20-60 days;
air layering - an oblique cut is made on a suitable branch, then a match is inserted into this place (so that the edges do not close), wrapped with wet moss and tied with black plastic wrap. Moss moisture must be controlled. After 60-90 days, roots are formed: the branch must be cut off and planted in light soil;
seeds - the method is used if it is impossible to get planting material in the form of cuttings;
in vitro culture is a very popular breeding method these days. It is used when it is necessary to obtain a large volume of planting material.

Diseases and pests: treatments

If you provide the plant proper care, it will not be damaged by pathogens and pests.

Ficuses can attack the following pests:

scale insect - feeds on cell sap, leaves sticky coating... The plant needs to be treated with actellik 3 times (every 10 days);
aphid - damages young shoots and leaf blades. Ficus must be treated with an insecticide;
mealybug- pest excretion white, look like pieces of cotton wool. The plant must be sprayed with confidor, after 14 days, the treatment is repeated;
spider mite - damages delicate leaf blades, sucks out cell sap. Ficus must be treated with insecticides;
nematodes - pests damage the root system, on which growths are formed.

If various spots appear on the surface of the leaf blades, these may be manifestations of a disease caused by a fungus - powdery mildew or black sooty mushrooms. The affected leaves must be removed, then the crown and roots must be treated with a fungicide solution.

Ficus is one of the most popular ornamental deciduous plants. It's easy to look after him. The plant grows well, perfectly purifies the air, decorates any room.

Ficus Benjamin is an evergreen plant in the form of a shrub or tree, capable of growing up to 25 meters in nature. Today it is especially popular among flower growers and can become a real long-liver in a family home. This representative of the Ficus genus can be given any appearance, depending on the process of forming its crown or trunk. To make it a true home decoration, you should familiarize yourself with the basic nuances of the formation of its crown.

Fundamental rules for pruning and crown formation

Crown formation is essential for beautiful and harmonious growth in a pot. Formative pruning is advisable to perform in early spring, namely in late March or early April. Before the shoots begin to actively germinate, there is enough time for the sections to tighten, and the plant to recover from the stress experienced.

Benjamin ficus is usually pruned in early April.

To carry out the trimming procedure, you will need garden pruner(or a sharpened knife), a clean cloth, disinfectant solution, and charcoal or activated charcoal.

Important. Manipulations should only be carried out with a clean instrument to avoid infection and disease development. In this regard, the secateurs or a knife are disinfected in advance with alcohol or a solution of potassium permanganate.

The actual pruning process comes down to a few simple steps:

Thick branches are cut at an angle as close to the buds as possible. The thickest shoots are cut 20 cm, leaving at least 5 leaves on them. Thin shoots are cut off above the bud and shortened by a third.
The cut sites are wiped with a clean napkin to remove the escaping milky juice.
Sections are sprinkled with powdered activated charcoal or charcoal, you can cover it with ordinary garden pitch.
Sections of thin shoots may not be processed, but it is necessary to remove excess juice, since they cause white spots on the leaves.

In ficus, it is allowed to remove the shoots inside the crown: as a result of this manipulation, it will be thoroughly illuminated by the sun and ventilated. Otherwise, a massive leaf drop may begin.

Ficus is cut with a special garden pruner.

It is allowed not only to cut the crown and branches, but also the roots. There are times when the roots of long-lived bushes protrude above the surface and can even wrap around the pot. A similar phenomenon has a bad effect on the condition of the plant, the supply of nutrients to it is disrupted.

Types of pruning and crown formation

Among florists, several types of pruning and forming the crown of Benjamin's ficus are widely used.

Sanitary pruning of ficus

This method consists in the regular removal of dried, damaged, broken off, yellowed or poorly developing shoots that can become a source of infection or infection with fungal diseases.

Old and weak shoots attract all kinds of pests and bacteria, so it is extremely important to carry out sanitary pruning on time. Cut off pathological parts of the shrub close to a healthy place. If the defective shoot is located under the very ground, the cut should be carried out near the base.

Rejuvenating Ficus Pruning

With rejuvenating pruning, dried shoots are removed.

Rejuvenating pruning may be necessary after frostbite or drying of the "top" of the plant. It allows the ficus to grow at a fairly rapid pace thanks to the root growth. A similar procedure is recommended for those types of Benjamin ficus that have well-developing long shoots and eventually lose their foliage due to lack of moist air or exposure to high temperatures.

Rejuvenating pruning involves the elimination of shriveled shoots almost to the ground. The remainder should have at least two kidneys. Do not be afraid to remove 90% of the entire length of the shoot - intensive and careful pruning guarantees active growth and development of the plant. If, nevertheless, there is a fear of damaging the tree, you can carry out the procedure in two stages: first, cut off one half of the shoots, and later tackle the second.

Ficus crown pinching

Pinching - systematic shortening of shoots will help to form a beautiful and lush crown of Benjamin's ficus. This procedure is a kind of pinching of the tops, due to which the upper part of the shoot is removed and the development of lateral shoots is stimulated.

Usually pinching is carried out in spring or summer, but it is also allowed during the period of active growth of the plant from February to July.

Grafting for crown formation

This method is widespread in floriculture practice, since it allows in a short time and without special efforts rid the plant of such a flaw as the lack of branches. Traces from such a procedure will not be visible over time - a young shoot will appear in the place where the twig is missing.

The main difficulty in grafting is the release of juice after cutting, which makes it difficult for the trunk and new shoot to grow together. Of course, these places can be washed and dried, but the effectiveness of the event is significantly reduced.

It is possible to form the crown of the Benjamin ficus by grafting.

Using the grafting method, you can not only form a ficus crown, but also combine different varieties the mulberry family, creating the so-called "Friendship Tree".

Methods for weaving ficus Benjamin

If there are several Benjamin ficus sprouts in the pot, you can braid the braid. If the potted plant is lonely, then you will have to wait for new shoots to appear.

You can start braiding the braids as soon as the plant reaches 13 cm in height. When the tree grows up a little, the next turn of the pigtail is made. To prevent the braid from unraveling, first of all, it is wrapped with soft woolen threads that will not aggressively dig into the trunk.

In this case, the threads should lie on the trunk at an angle of 45 degrees. It is advisable to bandage them once every two months. If milk comes out in the place of the winding, it means that the trunk was damaged by tightly drawn threads, which must be loosened immediately. A weaving option for a plant with two shoots will be a spiral.

Attention. It is allowed to braid shoots only of the same size, otherwise the stronger ones will strangle the weaker ones.

After mastering the technique of weaving braids and spirals, you can try to form from ficuses hedge that looks very impressive. For this, plants are planted in a row or in a circle at an equal distance from each other.

Ficus shoots, more than 13 centimeters high, can be braided.

How to form and grow ficus trunks

To give the stem of the plant the necessary shape, several specimens of ficus are planted in a flower pot. They should be equivalent semi-lignified shoots, the length of which is 15 cm or more.

To create a braid trunk, three plant shoots are planted in advance. To form a trunk in the form of a spiral, two shoots are enough, which, as they grow, intertwine in accordance with the intended curl.

Weaving the trunks into a braid or spiral should be accompanied by the complete removal of side shoots. Crossing should be carried out not too tightly and firmly, so as not to disturb the thickening and development of the trunks.

No less interesting solution is a weaving of six or eight young trunks. But for this method, the trunks are planted at a distance from each other, and a cardboard tube is inserted into the center between them, after which the adjacent trunks alternately intersect.

Varieties of the crown of ficus Benjamin

Before proceeding with the formation of the ficus, it is worth deciding on the shape of the crown, of which there are a considerable number.

Krona-shtamb

You can form a crown-stem in a ficus tree with a formed central shoot.

In this case, the work should be carried out with the ficus, the central shoot of which is fully formed. To give the desired shape, all lateral seedlings are cut off, only 5 upper young shoots are left. Such manipulations are carried out until the plant grows to the desired mark.

To support the still fragile soft trunk, an even lattice is tied to it - a trellis. As soon as the tree gains strength and matures, she easily untied.

Before the direct formation of Benjamin's ficus, you need to perform a number of activities:

decide where the tree will stand: if on the floor, then the distance of the crown to the floor should be at least 1 m; if on the table - then from 50 cm and above;
after reaching the desired height, pin on the central shoot - this way it will not interfere with the full growth and development of lateral shoots necessary for the formation of a crown in the shape of a trunk.

Forming a ficus in the form of a two or three-barreled stem is also not difficult. To do this, when pruning, 5 shoots are left from the bottom, after 30-50 cm, 5 more shoots and 5 from above. In the process of germination, all excess shoots are cut off, and the cut site is lubricated with charcoal in order to prevent fungal diseases.

Crown bush

Before the formation of a crown-bush in ficus Benjamin, the main shoot should be pinned to activate the growth of lateral buds. Once they reach a length of about 10 cm, they are also pinned. In case of excessively strong regrowth of shoots and the formation of excess density, internal shoots can be thinned out.

Braided crown

A painstaking and original version of the formation of the crown of a plant, which makes it possible to realize the most interesting ideas. Using this method, you can create all kinds of braids, spirals, nets or hedges.

It is quite difficult to form a braided crown in a ficus.

Crown sculpture

To create such a crown, varieties with small leaves are used, as for Benjamin's ficus. In the process of formation, the plant is given any shape: a geometric figure, a silhouette of a bird or animal, etc.

Ficus Benjamin Bonsai

Benjamin ficus bonsai is very convenient to grow at home. In the role flower pot there should be a shallow container with legs and with a drainage hole.

The desired shape is given to the trunk using a wire. Since the bark of the ficus tree is very thin and easily injured, it is recommended to use a thin wire with insulation to create an image, and put a soft cloth under it.

The main manipulations for creating such a plant are carried out in several steps:

after rooting the seedling, the trunk is wrapped with wire in the place where the bend is planned (do not tighten too tight - this is fraught with the formation of scars on the bark);
after that, the tree must be bent in the required direction;
after a couple of months, the ficus will "remember" the proposed shape and it will be possible to remove the wire by carefully cutting it in several places (you cannot unwind the wire, since you can damage the shoots).

In this video, a florist shows how to properly prune Benjamin's ficus.

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