Taking Care of Ficus Trees

The Ficus tree is a popular houseplant, and is relatively easy to care for. Your Ficus will want to be placed near a bright window or other light source because they thrive in light. Having direct light helps avert many Ficus problems, which can seem to start as soon as you bring your Ficus home. Here are some more tree & plant care tips to ensure you have healthy growing plants.

It is very common for a new Ficus to lose its leaves. It is estimated that a Ficus typically loses approximately twenty percent of its leaves when it is taken into a new environment. So, do not be surprised if your Ficus does a bit of shedding when you bring it home from the store. The reason the Ficus loses leaves usually comes down to one of three circumstances, with changes in the environment being tops on the list.

Additional causes of leaf loss are improper watering of your plant, and insect or pest infestation and damage. Losing Ficus foliage or leaves is the most common problem owners of this common house plant encounter. However, it is not cause for concern as leaf loss is normal during the regular care and feeding of your plant. Just as we humans shed skin cells on a regular basis, the Ficus sheds leaves. Unless more than twenty percent of your leaves drop off, your Ficus is still pretty healthy and probably going through a change based on one of the three reasons mentioned, regardless which of the varieties of Ficus you have.

One of the best gardening tips for Ficus trees and plant species is to water your plant more if it is getting a lot of light, and water it less when there is less light available; this is because the plant is healthier and growing more during high light times, and is more dormant during periods of low light. Simply put, less light means less growth and need for watering for your Ficus. You want the soil to be wet, but never soggy. You also want to check annually to make sure your Ficus has not outgrown its pot size and become root bound which can cause increased leaf drop. If your Ficus becomes root bound you will need to repot in a larger size container. Expect increased leaf loss during the adjustment period.

The Ficus is prone to insect problems. Usually this will show up as yellowed leaves before actual leaf drop. Common insect infestations with Ficus include mealy bugs and spider mites. The Ficus species is also prone to scale. If you find that your leaves and foliage are turning from their normally glossy green to a yellow, or have any yellow spotting then you probably have an insect problem. Although you can care for some of these infestations on your own, it is best to consult a pest control service. The professional service will be able to properly identify which type of insect you are dealing with and give you appropriate measures to control the pests. Using a service is important because you may have other susceptible plants in the home and pest infections spread quickly.