One of the popular plants growing on window sills is ficus. This flower is impossible not to love. He is quite unpretentious in care and does not require the creation of special conditions. The main conditions for normal plant growth are regular watering and periodic top dressing with mineral fertilizers. In addition, in order for the flower to please the greenery all year round, a balanced compositional ground for ficus is needed.
What soil does the ficus like
Experts advise using a land substrate for transplanting ficus, which includes peat, river sand and ordinary land. Other components can also be added to the soil that have a beneficial effect on the development of the plant.
Beautifully growing ficus
Ready soil for ficus can be bought in stores. This is ideal for gardeners who do not have the opportunity to purchase individual ingredients for self-creation of the mixture.
It is necessary to approach the purchase of soil seriously, carefully studying its composition and features. Proper soil mix should have neutral acidity. Weak acidity is allowed when applying mineral fertilizers and other top dressings. You can correct this indicator by adding lime or a little dolomite flour. They have a lot of magnesium and calcium, which normalize the pH value.
It is better to abandon mixtures with a high clay content. Such soil for ficus slows its growth, as it has a high absorption.
The composition of the soil should be such substances:
- nitrogen (200-600 mg / l);
- phosphorus (200-350 mg / l);
- potassium (300-600 mg / l).
Nutrient soil
In the future, the lack of nutrients is compensated by the applied mineral fertilizers. The presence of vermicompost is also welcomed, as this earthworm vital product stimulates the development of the flower and increases the possibility of its quick survival in a new container. The introduction of charcoal makes the soil more loose.
Ficus does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. Moisture negatively affects the condition of the plant and can lead to rotting of the roots. To solve the problem, drainage is needed that can remove excess water from the tank.
Important! The increased moisture content often leads to the appearance of small worms. In this case, you will have to carry out chemical treatment or just transplant the plant to a new place.
Land for ficus: what soil to use
Trying to understand which land is most suitable for ficus, you need to consider that young plants grow better in looser soil, and mature bushes prefer fertile soil with a high content of nutrients and good drainage.
From the substrates offered by manufacturers, it is better to choose packages marked "ficus" or "palm." They differ from each other in the number of ingredients and the content of mineral additives. Purchased soil is not processed before use. It can be immediately poured into a container where the indoor flower will grow.
Soil preparation at home
Many gardeners prefer to create soil for Benjamin's ficus with their own hands. This allows you to clearly control all the components, if necessary, adding the necessary substances for normal plant growth.
Important! Self-prepared soil mixture must undergo special treatment. To do this, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or an oven, heated to a temperature above +90 ° C.
The recipe for the correct substrate for ficus:
- For the Benjamin variety, leaf soil, peat and humus are taken in equal proportions.
- After mixing, fine sand and pebbles are added.
- All is mixed again.
- After processing, such soil is used for planting when creating a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot.
Drainage
For Palmer, you need to mix one part of turf, two parts of leafy soil and sand. Still need pebbles, expanded clay or crumb bricks.
Note! When choosing which land to plant ficus in, do not forget about creating a good microclimate for the plant. If the soil is improperly selected, the ficus can change the color of the paint or discard sheets.
Proper land sterilization
Any natural substrate needs to be sterilized by heat and chemical treatment. The thermal method may include:
- Freezing. This option is much simpler. It is enough to leave the soil in the cold, and in the spring, after thawing, use for planting. But at the same time, the seeds of most weeds remain viable.
- Heat to high temperatures. Wet soil is poured on a baking sheet with a thin layer, and within an hour it warms up at a temperature of about one hundred degrees. When processing, you need to mix the ground several times. Some gardeners use a water bath in which the desired result is achieved by steaming. Disinfection time is also about an hour.
The downside of heat treatment is the reduction in the number of beneficial bacteria, so you can additionally use chemical tillage. Specialists recommend such drugs as Fitosporin, Baikal-EM-1 and others. They contain beneficial bacteria that inhibit pathogenic microbes. In addition, they contain many bacteria necessary for the nutrition of ficus.
Major mistakes in preparation
Most often, growing a favorite flower on the windowsill, the owner tries to water and feed him at least every other day. This leads to a burn of the root system and rotting of its parts. In order for the ficus to take up faster and have good growth, it should not be watered and fed heavily.
Landing process
When it is decided what land is needed for the ficus, it is first planted in a small pot. After a year, a plant with a lump of earth is transshipped into a larger container. The process of annual transplantation is required up to three years. Then this is done once every three years, and after five years of development it is enough to carry out the procedure after six years. It is recommended to choose pots a couple of centimeters wider than the ficus root system.
Transplant with a lump of land
Important! The air temperature at the time of transplant should be above +18 degrees. After this, you should observe its condition for some time and, if necessary, water it a little.
What to do with the old land
Old soil can be taken to the site or after fertilizing and sterilization can be used for planting new flowers. This is important, since during use all useful substances are pulled out of it, and pathogenic bacteria start in the soil. Often the land for ficus after the cleaning is mixed with biological products and left alone for several months.
Plant nutrition
Thus, the land for ficus should contain all the ingredients necessary for normal growth, it is easy to pass water and provide comfortable conditions for normal growth. Only with the optimal mixture the plant will delight with beautiful leaves.
