How to graft one type of ficus onto another. We grow ficus Benjamin. Formation of the crown at home in the form of a ball. Pruning. Photo. Fundamental rules for pruning and crown formation

Ficus with a beautifully formed crown will decorate any interior. The formation of the crown of ficuses is simply necessary for indoor cultivation.

So that the crown of the ficus does not look one-sided, do not forget about lighting.

Some types of ficuses can be grown as a trunk or a small tree, in which two-thirds of the trunk is free from branches.

Some types of ficuses with a flexible stem, to give them a vertical shape, can be planted 2-4 in one pot. As the ficus stalks grow, they need to be intertwined, and over time they even grow together.

The shoots are allowed to grow to the desired height, after which the tops are pinched off, and a lush crown is formed on top, which can be formed in the form of a sphere, hemisphere, or give it any other shape.

Ficus pruning

Ficus pruning should be done only in early spring, at the very beginning of vegetative growth.

However, not all types of ficuses, after pruning the central (or only) shoot, fork, that is, several shoots instead of one. For example, rubber ficus can continue to grow in one shoot even after pruning.

It is good to cut ficuses, which have short internodes on the shoots. Cut the ficus directly above the bud horizontally if the shoot is still green, thin, or oblique if the ficus trunk has already hardened. Do not leave high stumps, they look ugly, moreover, they can serve as a refuge for fungal diseases.

Wipe the ficus slices from milky juice and sprinkle with crushed coal or cover with garden pitch, this will protect the ficus from diseases. But you can not process anything if the instruments were sterile, the milky juice will quickly dry out and the wound itself will quickly heal.

Sanitary pruning of ficuses

Sanitary pruning ficuses are carried out throughout the entire period. Dried, broken or poorly developing ficus shoots can be cut off permanently so that they do not serve as a source of infection for the entire plant.

If, as a result of prolonged drying of the ficus, all the shoots of it have dried up, especially true for dwarf ficus, or as a result of frostbite, the upper part of the trunk has frozen, you can make a rejuvenating pruning “on a stump”. The plant will quickly recover due to root shoots. This is how the carian ficus, or fig, is restored after prolonged sub-zero temperatures. Subsequently, you can choose one main stem and grow ficus in the form of a trunk, or in the form of a shrub with several shoots.

Pinching, or shortening, pinching ficus shoots

For more lush crown in ficus, for example, ficus benjamin, you need to constantly shorten or pinch the shoots. Pinching - pinching the tops of the shoots. With the help of tweezing, it is possible to cause the growth of side shoots. It is necessary to carry out tweezing in the spring-summer period (February - July), when there is an active growth of ficuses.

Tweezing is done with sharp tools: a knife, blade or nail scissors. Treat all tools used before and after use with alcohol: before tweezing, disinfect the tools so as not to bring spores of fungal or viral diseases into sections, after - in order to wash off the milky juice from them. If it remains on the instruments, it will be difficult to remove it later.

Pinching ficus shoots must be done very carefully, otherwise you can bring the ficus crown into a more deplorable state than it was before pinching. Before shortening the ficus shoot, carefully examine it, where you intend to pinch, how the buds are located below the place where the cut will be. Where the buds are directed on the ficus shoot after the intended cut, future side shoots will grow there.

And one more note: if ficus shoots are tweezed regularly, then the size of the leaves gradually decreases, or rather, leaves smaller in size than they are now appear on the side shoots.

Forming the crown of ficuses using guide devices

The formation of the crown of ficuses involves not only pruning the apical or shortening the lateral shoots of the ficus, but also directing the shoots in the right direction with the help of special tensioners or hard wire. If you notice that several shoots in the crown of the ficus are directed in the wrong direction in which you would like, do not rush to cut these shoots. Take the wire, wrap it gently around the main stem and the desired shoot, then gently bend the shoot in the right direction.

You can change the direction of the shoot using a spacer between the stem and the shoot, or between two shoots. Place something soft under the ends of the spacer, such as a piece of foam rubber, so as not to injure the bark of the ficus.

For the formation of the crown of plants are sold special devices, which are often used by lovers of the art of bonsai.

Pulling the ficus shoots from the main trunk, in order to make the angle between the trunk and the shoot larger, will help pulling the ficus shoot to the bottom and fixing it in this position with the help of weights or tying them to the pot.

After a while, all fixtures or wire can be removed from the ficus, and its shoots will grow in the direction you need. It is impossible to leave devices, and even more so the wire on the ficus, as they can grow. Even if there are traces of damage from wire or other devices on the ficus bark, do not worry, they will soon disappear.

Ficus crown formation by grafting

If the absence of a branch spoils appearance ficus, then such a defect can be corrected by vaccination. This method is often used if you need to quickly form a ficus. Traces of vaccination on ficus quickly overgrow and become invisible.

And finally: that's the miracle ficus)), we have something to strive for)

Image source https://www.flickr.com: Robert Couse-Baker, Benissiva Calling (sparing eyes), Mike, Xavier de Lapeyre, Jessie Hirsch, kohmura masao, Binary Koala, madaise, Tarjeplanta

Rubber ficus is beautiful flower, which you can put in your apartment, in winter garden and even in the office. So that the plant has even more attractive appearance, it is customary for many gardeners to prune rubbery ficus. IN young plant usually there is one stalk that does not need to be formed. True, as it grows, the flower begins to branch and grow.

Of course, in this case, the shrub can no longer be called beautiful, because the branches stick out in different sides. That is why people arrange the crown of a flower.

Important! Pruning of rubber ficus should be carried out on time, when the branches have just begun to diverge in different directions.

In nature, the tree reaches 30 meters in length. Of course, at home, setting such a record will not work, but this does not mean that the plant will sit in one place. Therefore, you should monitor the flower and not allow it to branch and grow strongly. Execution of a series simple recommendations pruning will give the plant a regular and beautiful shape.

How to properly form a crown

Any formation of the crown begins with an understanding of how it should look. Of course, you can take a pruner, cut everything quickly and consider that the procedure is over. And after a while, get branches sticking out in different directions and an almost bare top. This is usually what amateur flower growers do, who, without reading the advice to the end, begin to invent something themselves.

Important! The formation of rubber ficus does not always happen the way you want, due to the characteristics of the variety.

Many believe that in order for a flower to grow beautifully, it must be cut the way you want. This is not entirely correct. If we talk about rubber-bearing ficus, then it is worth noting that it bushes poorly, but only grows upwards, so it will be quite difficult to make a bole or ball out of it. However, this does not mean that everything should be left as it is. Knowing how to trim ficus correctly, you can achieve good results.

Young shoots of a flower develop from newly appeared buds. They, in turn, are divided into lateral and apical. The former usually grow in the axils of leaf blades. By the way, many gardeners called them "axillary buds." As for the latter, they are located at the very top of the stem.

The difference in the kidneys lies not only in the places of their growth, but also in the speed of development. The apical elements grow and develop much faster. At the same time, the axillary ones either lag far behind, or eventually stop growing altogether. Therefore, if it is necessary to carry out the formation of a rubber-bearing ficus and pruning so that a ball is obtained, then one should first achieve the growth of the lateral processes, and not the upper ones.

To implement the plan, it is important to know how to properly cut the shoots.. This is done very simply by pinching the apical buds. At this time, the lateral ones become active and begin to grow to the sides.

The best time for pruning

It is best to carry out the formation of the crown in the spring. This is due to the fact that during this period the dormant period ends in plants, and they are preparing for violent flowering. Experienced flower growers they say that branches cut off in winter or autumn are then difficult to put in order, because they grow the way they want.

flower formation

You need to understand that shaping is not necessarily cutting. Today, there are a number of ways to direct the growth of shoots in the right direction and without the use of a knife or secateurs. Let the flower bloom if you like.

If desired, it is possible to use a pinch or ordinary wire. The latter will need to be wrapped around the stem of the shoot of interest, and then this shoot will simply be pushed aside. If the flower has several stems, then it will not be superfluous to put a spacer between them.

How to plant ficus

Not everyone knows, but twigs can be both grown and grafted. , like other varieties, tolerates the procedure perfectly, so do not neglect it. The branches quickly grow to the main plant and after a while it is even difficult to understand which shoots are “native” and which are not.

Important! It is best to graft young ficuses, because in this case it is easier to change their direction of growth.

If necessary, you can also manipulate an adult flower, but in this case it will be much more difficult to give the shape you want. It should be borne in mind that in the process, existing branches can be broken.

To obtain the desired shape of the tree, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

1. When the ficus reaches a height of 70 cm, you should carefully cut the stalk from the very top of the tree. This is important to do if you want the flower to grow to the sides. Many flower growers immediately plant the cut off part with ficus in the same pot, which makes it possible to get the original shape.
2. If the plant is small, you should use the method of pinching the crown. True, it is worthwhile to understand that only one shoot will most likely grow from a pinched place. To activate the growth of the lateral elements, it is recommended to bend the top of the head a little and fix it in this position. When new kidneys begin to go, the top can be bent.
3. If a novice gardener does not know how to pinch a ficus or does not want to use this method, he can resort to another method that activates the growth of side shoots. The bottom line is to pierce the stem of the plant with a needle.

Important! The lower points will actively grow, so the puncture should be carried out from above and in several places if you want to get violent growth.

Trimming methods

Sometimes gardeners resort to cutting branches. It is important to bear in mind that thin branches are cut straight, and thick branches are cut at an angle. Instruments for manipulation must be clean so as not to introduce any infection that will lead to the death of the flower. Alcohol is recommended as a disinfectant. In addition, you can also heat the tool on fire.

The juice that has come out must be removed immediately, this can be done with a regular napkin. After one month, the flower is fed and transplanted into a freer pot.

Important! Ficus juice is poisonous, so you should not touch it with bare hands, you should wear gloves.

The best forms for ficus

Having figured out how to make the ficus grow in the right direction, you should think about what shape you want to give the plant. As already mentioned, it is not always possible to do what you think to the maximum, but you can at least roughly create what you want. sticking to simple rules, this can be achieved.

Popular today are:

• simple form;
• stem;
• spiral;
• weaving from trunks.

In order for the ficus to grow and be beautiful, you need to understand that it is better to choose the shape based on the size and height of the tree. Most often, gardeners pay attention to simple form, which is easy to give to all varieties of ficus. To create it, pinch the main shoot at a height of up to 13-15 cm. When new young shoots grow and reach 10 cm, they will also need to be pinned. For uniform growth and development, the flower pot is constantly twisted in relation to the sun.

Shtamb

If you want to create a trunk, you must have a flower with a vertical stem. As it grows on the stem, all shoots that grow on the side are removed, leaving only a few upper branches. A similar procedure is performed for so long until the ficus grows to half a meter or a meter. After that, you need to do the top, or rather pinching it. In the case of a thick bole, excess shoots are simply removed.

Spiral

This form is unusual and original, so many people want to create a spiral. To do this, you will need to stick a peg next to the flower, and then wrap a flexible stem around it. As for the side shoots, they are removed. At this stage, it is important to know how to form a rubber ficus crown. Although everything is very simple. Side shoots should not be allowed to grow, and the upper branches should be cut evenly so that they do not stick out in different directions.

Weaving from trunks

Ficus weaving is quite unusual, but at the same time original and effective. In order to create this, several flowers should be planted in one pot, and all of them should be of the same size and shape. At the stage of weaving, the ficus should not be allowed to stretch higher than 15 cm. After that, the gardener can braid still soft trunks the way he wants. If there are more than five flowers, then for the procedure it is better to use a special lattice that will help in weaving.

The formation of rubber ficus is a simple task, if you have patience and do everything slowly, according to the indicated instructions.

The crown of most varieties of ficus without pruning will grow in a chaotic manner, reaching sizes that are not suitable for the room. Timely removal of lateral and apical shoots allows you to give the plant a decorative effect, reduce its length and width, and make it more compact.

Trimming and shaping rubber ficus performed depending on the age of the plant annually or once every 3 years. In addition to forming pruning, you can use the feature of plant shoots to create unique compositions - flexible stems and air layers tied with a pigtail, tourniquet, twisted and directed growth in the opposite direction.

Is it possible to cut rubber ficus

Pruning rubber ficus is needed not only to give the tree a decorative effect, but also to improve the plant. It is necessary to remove excess shoots regularly so that it is healthy, lush, leaves and stems have enough room to grow, all above-ground parts of the bush receive enough light and humidity from the air.

Removal of branches is also carried out for sanitary purposes - sick, rotten, dry, broken branches draw out nutrients, taking them from healthy parts, and can also reduce immunity and cause diseases.

With the help of formative pruning, ficus can be forced to branch or grow compactly. The florist himself determines which crown diameter is suitable for growing indoors different area.

How to form a rubber ficus crown

You need to cut the ficus in accordance with the following rules:

1. The formation of the crown is carried out in the phase of active development from the beginning of spring to the end of summer. If you remove the shoots in winter, the next season the plant will be deformed.
2. If the ficus has recently been transplanted, it is impossible to touch healthy sprouts when creating a crown. Sanitary pruning can be done at any time.
3. It will be bad if you cut off the apical shoot far from the second kidney from the top. In this case, the bare remaining part of the trunk dies off. If you take away the apical shoot along with the buds late, the ficus will not bloom. It is optimal to remove the apical shoot from the second kidney from the top, leaving no “empty” parts of the trunk.
4. Be sure to use sharp tools. If the cut is uneven, pathogenic bacteria can enter the tissue. You can take pruners, garden shears or sharp knife. Before trimming, it is advisable to treat all blades with alcohol or other disinfectants.
5. The cut points on the handle also need processing, a garden pitch is suitable for this.

You can create a crown in the following way:

1. Think about what shape you want to give the whole plant, and indicate the approximate height and width. Young plants can be pruned annually, and if the ficus has already reached 3-4 years, carry out the procedure no more than once every 3 years.
2. Make a cut exactly above the place where the apical kidney will be. A fresh shoot grows from it, and if part of the cutting is exposed, then the crown will not have a rounded appearance, since the exposed trunk gradually dies off.
3. Make the cut beveled at an angle of at least 45 degrees on old thick branches, on thin shoots - at an angle of 90 degrees.
4. The crown can not only be cut, but also thinned out. During the procedure, pay attention to the localization of the upper kidney. Make sure it points outward. If you leave the bud horizontal, the branches will grow in width, vertically in height.
5. Classic shape for trimming the crown - longline. The ficus will have the shape of a ball or oval. To do this, the top and bottom of the crown are cut equally, leave the central branches longer. The lowest branches and the apical shoot are cut off at the root.
6. Ficuses also grow in the form of a trunk. To form such a crown, cut off all the shoots, except for the five located at the top of the trunk. When the plant reaches the desired height, pinch the top bud from the top, then shorten the side trunks as they grow, forming a ball.

When growing a bonsai tree, it is necessary to form not only the crown, but also the root system. Too long roots are removed during the annual transplant, the tops and side shoots are cut off so that the height of the plant does not exceed 50-70 cm.

How to pinch a ficus

In order to pinch the plant, you will need a pruner or knife, a disinfectant solution (peroxide, alcohol), a soft cloth and a container of water.

Then follow the instructions:

1. It is best to perform the procedure in the middle of spring. It is during this period that many new shoots are formed, and the wounds on the trunk that appear during pruning heal quickly.
2. As soon as the plant has reached the height you need, you can pinch. Disinfect a knife or other tool or bake it over a fire.
3. If top shoot the tree is thin, you can cut it below the kidney, making a straight cut.
4. If the length is longer than you need, determine the required height, then find the sheet below that point. Cut the shoot 5 cm above such a leaf, making an oblique cut. The lower level of the cut will be at the level of the kidney on the opposite side. Upper - directly above the kidney.
5. Then moisten a soft cloth and remove the milky juice that appeared along the cut.
6. Fertilize the plant after a month. Before this period, fertilizing is not recommended, since the plant's immunity drops out after transplantation, it may experience stress.

Pinching will allow the plant to produce new side shoots and stop growth at the height you want. Without this, the tree will hit the ceiling in 4-5 years.

Creating unusual shapes

The formation of the crown of the rubber-bearing ficus can be performed not only in the form of an oval or a ball. There are other pruning methods that can result in trees with unique shapes for interior design.

stem tree

Formation of rubber ficus at home in the form of a bole:

1. stamp form can only be created from unformed ficus without lignification on the trunks.
2. Lateral shoots need to be removed regularly until the top 5 branches remain.
3. When the tree reaches the desired height, pinch the apical shoot, remembering to remove the lateral processes.
4. While the stems remain flexible and without bark, it is necessary to organize a backup. Keep the trunk upright throughout the growth period.

The stem can be multi-tiered. For such a crown formation, divide it into 4-5 parts. From the odd ones, make the tiers of the crown, and from the even ones - the gaps between the tiers, for which the shoots are cut 5-7 cm shorter than the rest.

small fence

A rubber-bearing ficus hedge can be made as follows:

• pick up at least 5-7 seedlings and a long low capacity for planting;
• place all seedlings in a pallet in one row or in a circle, the distance between the shoots should be at least 10 cm;
• the fence is formed from the crown - cut at the same height.

It is important to properly trim the ficus for the growth of the "fence". During the procedure, remove the shoots in the same parts of the trunk so that the ficus crowns are equally thick and there are no gaps in the “fence”.

Spiral

To form a bonsai in the form of a spiral, it is not the crown that is cut, but the root aerial part and trunks:

• after planting the cutting, install a support - a wooden stick - in the center of the pot next to the stem;
• as you grow, braid the flexible stem around the support;
• cut side branches;
• when a good stiffness of the trunk appears, carefully remove the support.

You can create a spiral from one or more shoots. If you plant 2-4 seedlings at once, during the braiding of the support, they must be placed parallel to each other so that there is no pinching of the trunks of one of the trees.

Spit

You can give the ficus the shape of a pigtail as follows:

• pick seedlings up to 10 cm long (same height);
• the thickness of one should not exceed one and a half centimeters;
• plant sprouts in a pot nearby so that in the future you can braid the stems into a braid;
• all small branches on the sides are removed, apical cuttings remain;
• before you start weaving, moisten the soil so that the stems become flexible;
• periodically braid a braid from the stems, tie the end of it with wire so that the stems do not start growing in the other direction;
• it is necessary to regulate the strength of weaving - weakly twisted stems will create gaps in the pigtail, and too tight weaving can damage the entire plant;
• so that the holes in the pigtails are the same, you can place pencils or sticks of equal diameter between them.

So that the shoots grow together into one big trunk and the pigtail did not have gaps, you can remove the bark in small parts at the joints of the stems. After about 6-8 months, the composition of the post will grow together into one thick trunk.

Plant care after pruning

After pruning, the ficus can be transplanted, but the procedure can be performed no earlier than after 2 weeks. mature plant no need to replant at all, it will be enough to change upper layer soil on a new nutrient substrate. If the flower transferred the procedure successfully, after 2 weeks you can start feeding.

Pruning can be done no earlier than from the beginning of March until the end of summer. At rest, the plant is not pruned. Watch the growth of new branches, as well as the height of the ficus, by timely pinching so that it always has a lush, uniform crown.

Ficus Natasha – mini-tree, which is bought in order to diversify the interior and decorate the apartment. It is considered a symbol of love and prosperity. According to the signs than more interesting shape in ficus, the faster it grows, the happier the family will be.

In order to avoid mistakes when caring for a plant at home, it is important to know its growth characteristics in natural environment. Since the ficus comes from the tropics, it must be provided with similar conditions.

general description

Ficus Natasha – a dwarf variety of representatives of the Mulberry family, symbolizes well-being and comfort in the house. Under natural growing conditions, it is distributed on the islands of Borneo, Java, Ceylon. wild species sometimes they reach 10 m in height, indoor ones cannot even boast of a height of 45 cm.

Thanks to the thin and flexible trunk, spectacular forms can be formed from ficus benjamin. The leaves are oval, shiny. You can find varieties with plain and variegated foliage.

Home Care

It is advisable for a novice florist to familiarize himself with the rules of care, since after purchase dwarf plant many face difficulties in growing, although this type of ficus is considered unpretentious.

Immediately after purchase

Before heading to the store for a purchase, it is important to determine the location for the ficus, as the plant does not tolerate frequent rearrangements.

The place should not be sunny, diffused lighting is preferable.

Does not like ficus and neighborhoods with heating appliances. During the ventilation of the room, the plant should not be allowed to stand in a draft.

Ficus Benjamin Natasha will undergo adaptation to room conditions. Now it can be transplanted into new land in a pot, slightly larger in diameter than the previous one.

Attention! Very often, the ficus begins to shed its foliage. This is considered normal process adaptation. Don't panic. In order for the plant to quickly get used to the new conditions, it is recommended to spray the foliage more often and do not forget about watering.

Lighting

Temperature

For good growth ficus moderate temperature is required. It is optimal if you maintain indoors + 18-22 ° C throughout the year . When too high temperature and low humidity, the plant begins to shed its foliage.

Watering

Ficus Natasha does not tolerate prolonged drying of an earthy coma. As a result, he will be able to drop all the foliage. Watering should be done as needed, but not allowing excess water to "stand" in the pot.

Half an hour after watering, it is necessary to drain the water that has leaked into the pan. It is necessary to water with warm, settled water, otherwise diseases of the root system cannot be avoided.

The soil

Ficus Natasha prefers fertile soil. During planting, you need to consider that the plant does not like when its roots float in water.

Therefore, a drainage layer must be placed at the bottom of the pot. In flower shops you can buy special soil for ficuses.

top dressing

As a result of the lack nutrients the plant begins to shed its leaves. Fertilizers are applied to the soil during the entire growing season: in spring and summer.

Ficus needs mineral and organic matter, That's why Once a month they are fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, 1 time - composts, manure, peat, etc.. The feeding process is carried out after watering, so as not to burn the root system.

pruning

Formative pruning is carried out in early spring in order to:

• giving the plant a compact appearance;
• to stimulate the formation of new shoots;
• barrel exposure warnings;
• formation of a standard tree.

Ficus Benjamin in the spring there is an active growth. After pruning, new shoots begin to grow, which contributes to the formation of a lush bush. Young branches grow back healthy and strong.

It is advisable to start pruning a few weeks before transplanting and combine the process itself with fertilizing.

Attention! It is impossible to transplant the plant and carry out pruning at the same time, as this will lead to its weakening, perhaps the ficus will stop growing.

Do not prune weak specimens, as stress will adversely affect weakened plants.

reproduction

Summer is good time for propagation of ficus Natalie. The best way reproduction - cuttings.

For cuttings, already lignified shoots are selected, green ones are not suitable, since there is a high probability of not rooting. One cutting should contain 2 to 4 leaflets with buds.

The cuttings are placed in a glass of water and the water is changed daily, as the vegetative parts secrete white juice. After 2 weeks, a callus forms on the cut of the cuttings, then roots appear. Cuttings at this time can be planted in separate pots.

Cuttings can be planted in the soil immediately after cutting, Let them dry for a couple of hours room temperature until the juice stops flowing.

Rooting will be faster if the plant pot is covered with a jar. After the formation of the root system, the jar is removed and the new specimen is taken care of like an ordinary ficus.

Transfer

Transplantation can only be done 3 weeks after the purchase of the plant. Adult specimens are transplanted 1 time in 2-3 years.

Transplant rules:

• the width and height of the pot should only be 2-3 cm higher than the volume of the previous container, otherwise the plant may stop developing;
• at the bottom of the tank it is necessary to arrange drainage;
• after extracting the plant from the old soil, you need to shake off the old soil as much as possible and transplant it into a new nutrient soil;
• when planting, the root system is straightened, the pot is filled to the top with soil and watered.

Further care consists in timely watering, fertilizing, pruning.

Listen to the advice of an amateur grower:

Diseases and pests

Of the diseases of ficus benjamin Natasha can be called root rot, anthracnose, leaf spot, cercosporosis.

The scale insect likes to settle on the plant, in the soil you can see mealybugs, on the surface - sooty fungus.

To do this, remove the ficus from the pot, dry the roots and cut them to a healthy part. When root system dry out a little, treat the cut points with crushed coal, plant the plant in dry soil and do not water for 3-4 days . This time is necessary for the adaptation of the ficus.

The scale insect does a lot of damage. To fight it, you must first treat the trunk, shoots and foliage with a sponge dipped in laundry soap. After 2 hours, you need to wipe the plant with a new sponge, while removing the scale insects. After application folk remedies it is necessary to treat the ficus with insecticides to combat scale insects.

stem shaping

There are many methods on how to form a ficus tree at home.

A dwarf tree can be formed as:

• stem;
• longline trunk;
• sculpture.

Consider all the formation methods in more detail with a photo.

Bush

To form a lush bush, you will need to pinch the main shoot at a height of 10-12 cm from the soil level. After the top is removed from the axillary buds, young shoots begin to develop. When they reach a length of 10 cm, they are also pinched. The procedure is done over the kidney, which is turned outward.

Juice will stand out from the slices for some time, which must be removed with a cotton swab, and then sprinkled with charcoal.

Uniform formation will depend on regularly turning the plant pot towards the sun.

Shtamb

To form a trunk, you need to choose a plant with an erect trunk and remove all side shoots until the height of the ficus reaches 20 cm. Now you need to pinch the top.

This will stimulate the growth of side shoots. At first, the ficus needs support. When the plant adapts, the peg can be removed.

Longline trunk

Such formation is possible only on an adult plant with a pronounced trunk. When the ficus Natasha reaches the required height, pinch the top.

Two-level trunk: the crown is divided into 3 parts, the middle one is bared, that is, the shoots are completely removed, and the upper and lower tiers are formed in the form of a ball.

Three-level trunk: the plant is divided into 5 parts, the branches are completely removed on the second and fourth, and the crown is formed in the form of a ball on 1, 3, 5.

Sculpture

Ficus benjamin can be given a spherical, conical or cube shape. You can make curly pruning in the form of animals or birds.

How to braid ficus Natasha

So that later the ficus can be braided and created a bizarre shape, it is necessary to plant several cuttings in one pot. After pinching and trimming from the shoots you can form whatever you want.

From two copies, you can create a spiral shape by twisting the trunks into a bundle. If 3 plants are planted, you can braid them. The whole procedure must be carried out carefully, trying not to damage the branches.

As the plant grows, it will get used to the shape and it will be easier for it to develop in a given pattern. Weaving should be free.

Here's how to do it right:

The benefits of ficus

Ficus Natalie, having settled in the house, brings great benefits. The foliage of the plant absorbs harmful substances: phenol and benzene, that is - cleans the microclimate.

People call him « family tree» . Beliefs say that when a ficus appears in the house, a baby can soon be expected.

Ficus - unpretentious plant which is not difficult to care for. Settling in the house, he will long years serve as interior decoration. At proper care ficuses can live over 15 years.