Ficus Microcarpa or Ginseng is an attractive shrub that is valued by gardeners for its dense crown and unusual root shape. But growing this plant is not so easy, because it cannot be called unpretentious. In this article you will find everything about ficus Ginseng: photos, step-by-step care at home, growing problems.
Description
Ficus Ginseng, the home care of which we will analyze, belongs to the Mulberry family. In its natural environment, the shrub can be found in the tropical forests of Asia, where it reaches a height of 25 meters. In the apartment, the size of the culture is more modest. However, with proper care, ficus Ginseng at home grows up to 1.5 meters.
The distinctive feature of this plant lies in the unique shape of the roots, reminiscent of ginseng or mandrake. The smooth stem of the culture is gray-brown, noticeably thinner than the rhizome. The crown is dense with glossy leaves, long15 cm wide and 5 cm wide.
Ficus is often given the shape of a bonsai. But to get this type of plant, you have to work hard and create comfortable conditions for the plant. They will be discussed in the next part of the article.
Lighting
When caring for Ficus Ginseng at home, it is important to create optimal lighting for the culture. The plant loves an abundance of light, while direct sunlight is contraindicated for it. Therefore, install the pot on an east or west window. The south side of the room will work, but here the plant should be shaded during the midday hours.
Temperature
To ensure proper care of ficus ginseng at home, keep indoors from +18 °C to +23 °C. At the same time, try to avoid temperature fluctuations and drafts. The plant does not like heat, so in the summer, regularly ventilate the room. In winter, the temperature can drop to + 17 °C. But during this period, it is important to keep the culture away from heaters and batteries, as hot air is detrimental to it.
Water and humidity
Regular and abundant hydration is the basic rule of care. At home, water the Ginseng ficus as the top layer of soil dries up. Increase irrigation in summer and reduce in winter. Water with warm settled water. Despite the love of moisture, the shrub does not tolerate stagnant moisture in a pot. From this, its roots quickly rot. Therefore, drain excess liquid from the pan.
Ficusfeels comfortable in a room with high humidity. To improve this indicator, place water containers next to the pot and spray the foliage of the crop every day. Give Ginseng a warm shower once a week.
Feeding
Fertilization is an important care rule. At home, feed ficus Ginseng once every 14 days. At the same time, try to alternate between organic and mineral fertilizers.
Cutting
Ficus Ginseng, the home care we are reviewing, needs regular pruning. Especially if you want to give the shrub a bonsai look. Therefore, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer, cut off excess branches and shorten the elongated shoots. And also remove the shoots growing deep into the crown. Places of cuts must be treated with garden pitch. The milky sap of the plant is quite poisonous and causes skin irritation. To avoid this, be sure to wear gloves when handling the culture.
These rules are suitable for flower growers who have purchased a shrub with an already formed bonsai look. If you decide to make an oriental tree on your own, then direct the crown along the growth of the largest branch. To do this, tie the desired shoots to the trunk with wire. And after 6-7 weeks, carefully cut and remove the "frame", being careful not to damage the branches.
Transfer
If you provide proper care for ficus Ginseng at home, the plant will grow quickly and it will become cramped in an old pot. Therefore, regularlytransplant the culture into a container 4–5 cm larger than the previous one. For young trees, hold this event at least once a year. Repot mature plants every 2-3 years. It is best to do this in late February - early March.
Soil
Ficus Microcarpa (Ginseng), home care for which we are interested, is not particularly picky about the soil. The main thing is that the soil is fertile and slightly acidic. A universal mixture for ficuses and palms is suitable. If you want to make the substrate yourself, then mix the following components in equal parts:
- turf;
- peat;
- leaf land;
- coarse sand.
Before planting or transplanting a plant, be sure to calcine the soil in the oven or hold it for a couple. So you protect the crop from bacteria and pests that live in the soil.
Propagation by cuttings
If desired, you can grow a new ficus from an adult plant. And the easiest way to do this is by cuttings. But keep in mind that in any case, the roots of the daughter plants will differ from the mother plants.
Start the procedure in the middle of spring. Propagate the crop as follows:
- Cut a few shoots 8-10 m long from the top, while making sure that they have at least 2-3 he althy leaves.
- Milky juice stands out from the slices for some time. Therefore, put the branches in a container of boiled water for 2-3 hours. It is advisable to periodically change the fluid.
- Take outcuttings from the water and let them dry for 10 minutes, and then treat the cut points with a root stimulator.
- Deep cuttings into moist peat-perlite or peat-sand substrate.
- Cover the planting with polyethylene or glass from above to create greenhouse conditions for the plants.
- Place the cuttings in a well lit area, but out of direct sunlight.
- Keep the temperature in the greenhouse within +25 °C and ventilate the plants daily. Also, don't let the soil dry out and mist the soil regularly with warm water from a spray bottle.
A month after planting, carefully tilt the shoots and see if roots have formed. If they appear, then cut off all the leaves, leaving only the apical pair. 14 days after pruning, apply diluted fertilizer to the soil. And after three months, plant the cuttings in separate pots with a diameter of 10 cm.
Reproduction by root appendages
This breeding method is quite simple, and even a beginner grower can handle it. In addition, you can resort to it at any time of the year, but it is only suitable for adult plants. So, how to get a new ficus:
- Cut off a part of the ficus root and put it in water for 2-3 hours to wash out the milky juice. It is advisable to change the fluid 3-4 times during the process.
- Plant the root in a peat-sand mixture so that 3 cm of the appendage remains above the soil surface.
- Cover the landing with a film and put it in a lighted place, but not in direct sunlight.
- Once a weekwater the soil with warm settled water and air the greenhouse daily.
When 2-3 leaves appear on the root, remove the film. Continue to care for the plant like an adult. When the culture is strong, transplant it into a separate pot.
Growing problems
Often flower growers face such home care problems:
- Leaves have fallen on ficus Ginseng. If this happens, then, most likely, the plant suffers from insufficient watering. And also a similar phenomenon occurs due to keeping the culture in a cool room, irrigation with cold water and the action of a draft.
- The leaves and branches of the flower have become thinner. This is how the plant reacts to poor indoor lighting or lack of nutrients in the soil.
- Dark spots have formed on the leaves and the roots have rotted. This phenomenon may occur due to excessive watering. To save the flower, transplant it into new soil, but before that, remove the rotten roots. Adjust irrigation further.
Give proper care of Ginseng ficus bonsai at home, and he will thank you with excellent growth and attractive appearance. This is not so easy to do, however, the efforts will not be in vain, because as a result you will get a plant that will become an ornament and pride of your collection.
