Caring for birch figs: pruning, fertilizing & Co.

The birch fig is one of the most popular indoor plants. With a few tips, care is easy and you can enjoy the shiny foliage.

Once the Ficus benjamina is in a location where he feels comfortable, there is not that much to do in terms of care. Nevertheless, there are a few principles to be observed when watering and fertilizing so that the leaves do not drop and the birch fig can grow splendidly.

Tip: Yours is the name Ficus benjamini more common for the birch fig than the correct name Ficus benjamina? The confusion of names probably arose from the fact that the birch fig is also called "Benjamini".

Caring for birch figs: Water properly

A Benjamini is not particularly difficult to care for. It is not for nothing that it is one of the most popular plants for the office and home.

Its water requirement is moderate, so you should only water the birch fig when the soil has dried well. Check with your finger whether the soil surface is still moist. If the substrate feels dry in the top two to three centimetres, you should water the Benjamini. If the site conditions are good, this is the case about once a week. Depending on the pot and plant size and the ambient temperature, this can also be more or less frequent. Rainwater at room temperature is ideal. But you can also let tap water sit for a few hours. Since waterlogging is not tolerated, the saucer or planter should be checked about 15 minutes after watering and excess water poured off. Watering is less frequent in winter. However, the root ball should never dry out completely.

Fertilize properly

So that Ficus benjamina is growing well, you should support it with a complete fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season in March. For example, here is ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer ideally suited, because with its ingredients it not only ensures lush foliage, but also healthy roots. Work the granules lightly into the top layer of substrate and cover everything with a layer of mulch, such as bark mulch. In winter, the Benjamini does not need any additional nutrients.

Tip: When repotting, you can use your Ficus benjamina also fertilize with coffee. For this purpose, the coffee grounds are always used, which should first be thoroughly dried to avoid mold growth on the ground. Then work two teaspoons of coffee grounds into the soil. Since it is slightly acidic, i.e. it can lower the pH value in the soil, it should not be used regularly for the birch fig.

Pruning Ficus Benjamina

If necessary, you can cut the birch fig, because the pruning-tolerant plant drives out again. In addition to removing dried or dead branches, the cut is mainly used to keep the Benjamini small, to achieve a more compact growth or to rejuvenate it.

• Cut shoots just above a leaf node to the desired length.
• Cut for better branching: These pruning measures are best carried out in the spring. All shoots are cut, but at the tips rather than inside the benjamini. Pruning back in spring leads to more branching, but the procedure also saps a lot of energy.
• Cut to taper: If the Benjamini is bare or old, you can shorten all branches except for a third. Late winter is best for this. This measure is ideal for renewing the loose crown of the plant, but the Benjamini will hardly branch.
  After a radical cut, the birch fig is repotted in fresh soil.
• Cut as bonsai: The birch fig can also be kept as a bonsai. In this case, the root cut is added to the crown cut. More to Bonsai pruning of the birch fig you will learn in the associated professional article.

Tip: Gloves should be worn when cutting due to the poisonous milky sap contained in the birch fig. Clothing and floors must also be protected, otherwise stubborn stains can occur.

Repot birch figs

After purchase, you should immediately repot the Benjamini in a high-quality and suitable substrate, since the soil supplied usually does not meet the requirements of the birch fig at all. Here, for example, ours is suitable Plantura organic universal soil, which should be mixed with a third of sand for better permeability. It can store water optimally and contains all the essential nutrients that help the benjamini to grow healthily. Since the birch fig does not tolerate changes of location very well, it should not be repotted too often. Every three to four years in the spring Ficus benjamina however, be provided with a larger pot and fresh substrate. Always look at the root ball and remove unhealthy roots. A drainage layer should also be created in the new pot so that there is no waterlogging.

Ficus loses leaves: causes and measures

Diseases do not always have to be the cause of leaf loss. the Ficus benjamina It also loses leaves in its very natural life cycle, for example when the leaves have become too old. There are the following causes for severe leaf loss:

• waterlogging: As already mentioned, the birch fig does not tolerate waterlogging. This leads to root rot and can result in leaf loss, since water and nutrients can no longer be transported to the leaves in sufficient quantities. In this case, you should repot the Benjamini in fresh, well-drained soil and be sure to create a drainage layer. After watering, the water must be removed from the planter.
• Dryness: A similar problem arises in the case of dryness as in the case of waterlogging. The roots don't rot, but dry up. There is not enough water available to be transported to the leaves. If the soil feels very dry, you should water more generously and repot into good quality soil if necessary. Old and inferior substrate can no longer absorb or store water well.

Tip: If the birch fig is too dry, it can also be dipped. To do this, she is placed in a bucket of water with the pot, but without the outer pot, until no more bubbles appear. Then you should drain them well and put them back in the planter. Substrates containing peat in particular are no longer easily wettable after drying out, so watering alone is not sufficient.

• draft: The birch fig does not feel comfortable in a draughty place. If there is no other reason for the leaf drop, then you should check the site conditions and look for a new place for the birch fig.
• Change of location: Since a change of location stresses the birch fig, it can happen that it sheds the leaves in its new place. It should therefore only be changed if the conditions at the old place are not optimal.
• Dry air: the Ficus benjamina requires a slightly higher level of humidity, which can be achieved, for example, with occasional spraying. When the heating air is dry, it can shed the leaves and it also encourages pest infestations.

Common pests and diseases of the birch fig

If the birch fig is attacked by pests, this can also be expressed in leaf shedding, but usually beforehand in leaf discoloration. If the Ficus benjamina So if the leaves turn yellow or show spots on them, you are probably dealing with lice or mites. Some pests can also be seen with the naked eye.

• spider mites: These pests like to appear when the air is too dry and can be recognized by the cobweb-like webs on the underside of the leaves. The birch fig should be rinsed with lukewarm water and so the spider mites be removed. In addition, the humidity should be increased or the birch fig should be placed in a slightly cooler place.
• scale insects: an infestation scale insects can be recognized by the small animals themselves, which are hidden under their brownish shell in the leaf axils. The scale insects should be wiped off and the birch fig should be cut back.
• Aphids: Just like spider mites, you will too aphids Come on. These can be recognized by the light spots that they leave behind on the leaves when they are sucked out. Aphids and scale insects can also be removed with biological agents, such as ours Plantura Pest Free Neem, which is simply administered via the irrigation water and is obtained from the seeds of the neem tree.
• Verticillium wilt: This is a fungus (verticillium), which usually infects the plant from the ground and clogs the drainage channels so that no more water can be transported. As a result, the leaves wither. When cutting open a shoot, dark discolorations can usually be seen in it. Cut back the birch fig heavily and repot the plant in fresh, well-drained substrate.

In addition to the birch fig, the fiddler fig is a popular houseplant of the genus ficus. With us you will learn how to do it Planting and caring for fiddleheads.