Pests and Illness
Whereas leaf drop because of altering environmental situations is way extra prone to trigger issues in your plant than another situation, you may additionally bump up in opposition to a couple of bugs.
Illness pathogens come to name even much less usually, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a good suggestion to pay attention to the potential culprits.
Pests
Indoor pests lack pure predators, which permits them to unfold just about unchecked.
What’s some of the widespread signs of a pest infestation? I’ll offer you one guess…
Should you mentioned dropping leaves, you win! There are a couple of widespread pests that you just’ll see on indoor vegetation.
Aphids
A big aphid infestation may cause leaf drop and yellow stippling on the leaves.
You’ll mostly see them on the inexperienced rising ideas, however they’ll feed wherever.
Spraying often with neem oil is an ordinary methodology for coping with these pests.
As a result of they’re so widespread, it’s best to you’ll want to discover ways to spot and get rid of these pests should you haven’t already.
Our article on how you can take care of aphids supplies useful info to information you thru the method.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs, bugs within the household Pseudococcidae, are one other widespread houseplant pest. They may feed on ficus vegetation, utilizing their piercing mouthparts to attract sap out of the tree.
Once they congregate in teams, these little wingless bugs are lined in a waxy coating that makes them look extra like some kind of fungal illness than a pest infestation.
Be taught extra about figuring out and coping with mealybugs right here.
Scale
Scale bugs seem as little brown or black lumps on the leaves, stems, or trunk.
You’ll be able to take away them by wiping with a cotton swab that has been dunked in a little bit of rubbing alcohol.
It’s a bit tedious, and you have to to do it once more each few days over the course of some weeks, nevertheless it’s efficient.
For extra ideas, take a look at our information to scale.
Spider Mites
Spider mites love dry situations, and it simply so occurs that dwelling interiors are usually drier than the outside.
These tiny spider kinfolk are sapsuckers they usually go away behind extraordinarily advantageous webbing – which is normally what is going to first tip you off to an infestation.
The crimson spider mite (Tetranychus spp.) is the most typical. Be taught extra about how you can take care of these teeny-tiny pests in our information.
Illness
F. benjamina is never troubled by illness. Rotting roots are actually the one situation you might want to look ahead to.
Root Rot
Root rot will be attributable to two issues. The primary is standing water across the roots, and the second is illness.
Extra particularly, root rot is attributable to the fungi Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum. Each of those species thrive in oversaturated soil – so in different phrases, don’t overwater your ficus!
As a result of it’s unimaginable to inform whether or not root rot is the results of a fungus or whether or not the roots are merely drowning in an excessive amount of water, you’ll have to deal with for each possible causes.
First, take away the plant from the pot and rinse away all the soil. Trim away any mushy or black roots.
Subsequent, deal with the roots with a biofungicide. Mycostop is a wonderful possibility that’s very efficient. Combine it with water based on the producer’s instructions and spray the roots.
Wipe the container clear and sanitize it with a 1:10 combination of bleach and water (one half bleach to 9 components water). Fill it with contemporary potting soil.
Repot the plant, and wait two weeks earlier than treating the soil with the identical biofungicide, following the producer’s instructions. Deal with yet one more time two weeks later.
Mycostop Biofungicide
Decide up Mycostop in five- or 25-gram packets at Arbico Organics.
Discover our detailed information on stopping and treating root rot right here.
Discover Success with Weeping Figs
Weeping figs have a foul status amongst some growers.
They’re recognized for dropping their leaves on the slightest provocation – and lots of have resorted to putting synthetic ones of their properties to keep away from pointless cleanup.
Hopefully this information has put you on the street to success with this elegant houseplant. Understanding what to look at for, and what to keep away from, goes a good distance in the direction of making your plant joyful.
Are you rising a weeping fig? If that’s the case, have you ever had any hassle with leaf drop? What triggered it? Tell us within the feedback under so we will share our experiences!
Should you’d wish to add a couple of extra ficus vegetation to your assortment, you could be desirous about a few of our different guides subsequent: