Ficus Benjamin is deservedly popular among flower growers. But sometimes the owners of the flower are faced with the fact that he partially or completely dropped all the leaves. How to save the plant and protect in the future - later in the article.

Care Features

Ficus Benjamin is not whimsical, but you should still follow certain rules for caring for him.

Primary requirements:

• diffused light;
• regular watering with warm water;
• spraying leaves;
• fertilizer every 2 weeks;
• air temperature not lower than + 16 ° C in winter and +18 ... + 25 ° C in summer;
• lack of drafts.

Did you know? In Sri Lanka, the Royal Botanic Garden grows ficus, which is more than 140 years old, and the crown area is 2500 m².

Why ficus drops leaves and what to do

The reasons for dropping leaves can be different: improper care of the plant, diseases and pests, as well as natural causes.

Natural causes

Normally, the ficus crumbles in the cold season, that is, in late autumn or winter. In this case, the plant gradually loses a small amount of leaves, which will soon renew. This condition is natural and should not cause concern.

Did you know? Ficus Benjamin in natural habitat can reach a height of up to 30 m.

Improper care

Most often, the reason that the leaves fall off the bush is improper care.

Insufficient lighting

Like any plant, a flower needs ultraviolet light to ensure vital processes, so it must be kept in a well-lit place, but without direct sunlight.

Important! Sun rays can cause burns to deciduous cover.

Temperature violation

Sudden temperature changes cause a change in the color of the foliage (it loses its brightness), and then lead to its fall, so you should maintain a moderately optimal temperature in the room, periodically moistening the air.

Drafts

It is best to place the plant in a place isolated from drafts and streams of cold air. Since a violation of these conditions will lead to illness and redress.

Violation of watering and fertilizing

Abundant watering will invariably lead to the death of the flower, as the root part subsequently decays. With insufficient watering, the roots dry, which leads to leaf fall. It is best to regulate watering depending on the season: increase in summer and reduce in winter. Only observing the watering regime is not enough.

It is also necessary to properly fertilize. As a rule, fertilizer is carried out with ready-made mixtures ("Mr. Color Ficus", "Palm", "Rainbow") 2 times a month in spring and summer. In winter, it is not necessary to do this or to reduce the amount of dressing up to 1 time in 2 months.

Important! Watering and spraying Benjamin's ficus need only with standing water. Once a month do shower for ficus, covering the soil and pot with a film.

Inappropriate location

Frequent change of place or poor arrangement of the pot leads to the fact that the ficus of Benjamin loses its appearance and becomes ill. When choosing a place for a flowerpot, one must take into account the fact that in winter the plant should be away from heat sources that dry the air.

In summer, the plant needs to provide fresh air, the absence of direct sun and drafts. Transferring a pot of ficus from one place to another is undesirable.

There are several varieties of ficus Benjamin, among which are ficus kinki and small-leaved ficus.

Diseases and Pests

Diseases and insects are a common cause of leaf loss by plants. In order to timely treat and save the flower, you need to correctly determine the source of the disease - a fungus or pests.

The main pests include:

• scale shield . It attaches to the bottom of the leaf and looks like a brown scaly tubercle. Sooty fungus appears on its secretions. It is destroyed by wiping the affected leaves with soap and water and spraying the entire plant with an insecticide (Actellik, Aktara, Bankol). With a large lesion, infected areas are cut off;
  

• spider mite . Symptoms of infection with a spider mite are the formation of a thin web on the crown and the appearance of marble spots on the foliage. It is necessary to wash the plant with soap and water, in case of severe infection, treat with Actellik insect acaricide;
  

• mealybug . This is a small white insect, which, gathering in groups, forms cotton wool. It is necessary to deal with it mechanically - wash with soapy water. In a neglected state, treat with a special pest agent - Actellic insect acaricide.
  

• aphids . It is easy to find it on the underside of the leaf. She lives in large groups. It is removed by wiping with a soap solution.
  

Fungal diseases are no less dangerous:

• cercosporosis - affects the lower part of the leaves in the form of growing brown or black dots. It is treated by removing damaged areas or spraying with antifungal drugs (Alirin-B);
  

• Anthracnose is a fungal disease characterized by rusty spots on leaves and stems. Sick leaves are removed, and the plant is treated with fungicide ("Alirin-B");
  

• gray rot - forms mold on the crown. It is often necessary to ventilate the room in which the flowerpot is located and spray with fungicides ("Alirin-B", "Vectra", "Gamair");
  

• sooty mushroom - has the appearance of a gray-black coating. Washed off with soapy water;
• root rot - affects the root of the flower and is difficult to treat. Ficus can be saved by cutting off diseased roots and replanting in a new pot. After trimming the diseased part of the roots of the cut, you need to treat the tablets with activated carbon or charcoal. At the same time, reduce the amount of watering so that the plant recovers after the disease.
  

How to prevent fallen leaves from ficus Benjamin

You can protect Benjamin's ficus from flying around the leaves by taking regular preventive measures:

• adhere to the optimal temperature regime;
• monitor the humidity in the room;
• select the watering mode according to the time of year;
• avoid drafts;
• regularly inspect for pests or fungal diseases.

There are many types and varieties of ficus, among which:

Thus, you need to carefully look after the ficus, and at the first sign of leaf falling - to identify the cause and eliminate the source of the problem. Timely precautions will help to avoid negative consequences and leaf fall.