Reproduction of ficus at home is not a difficult process that even novice growers can do. The main thing is to properly prepare the cuttings and rooting them accurately.
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Harvesting cuttings and rooting them in water
Reproduction of any kind of ficus by cuttings is the same. First of all, you need to prepare cuttings. If the plant is actively stretching up, it's time to do this procedure. This is all spring and the first half of June.
It is highly unlikely that cuttings over 15 cm long will produce any good. But those that are shorter than 10 cm, it is also better to throw it away immediately, without wasting time. Cut the cuttings at an angle using a sharp knife or pruner. You can cut off the shoot both from the top of the plant and from the post. The main condition is the use of a flower with lignified shoots as a mother plant.
Immediately after cutting, a sticky juice is released from the cutting at the cut site. In order for the plant to fully develop, the juice must be completely washed out with running water. You can leave the cuttings in warm water for several hours. This method will also help get rid of the healing juice. After rinsing or soaking, cuttings are dried for 2 hours in the open air.
The simplest rooting method is to place the branches in cups of water. 2-4 vertical cuts at the base of the cutting will allow the root to appear faster. The lower leaves on the shoot must be removed.
The use of biostimulants helps to speed up rooting. Enough 2-3 drops in a glass with a handle. You can use activated carbon - 1 tablet crushed into powder in each container.
Rooting occurs more actively at + 25 ° C and high air humidity. You can create such conditions using a mini greenhouse. From above, on a container with planting material, a bag, a plastic cup, and a cut off top of a plastic bottle are put on. The evaporating liquid is replenished by topping up.
The appearance of the first roots occurs in about 22-30 days. After they reach a length of 3 cm, the cutting is transplanted into the prepared soil. Longer exposure of the shoot in water can lead to root rot.
How to work with nutrient soil
For successful rooting, ficus requires light and nutritious soil. The best mixture is turf and leafy soil with sand and peat. The main thing when creating it is observing the proportions 2: 2: 0.5: 1.
Cuttings not rooted in water are washed, dried and the cut is treated with activated carbon powder. In the soil prepared and poured into the container for planting, a hole is formed into which the shoot is deepened by one bud. The soil is watered with a weak solution of manganese to prevent fungal diseases.
Rooting in the ground requires the creation of a mini-greenhouse, as well as rooting in containers of water. The soil is moistened regularly as it dries up. After 3 weeks, young leaves begin to appear - this is a sign of successful rooting of the ficus.
The mini-greenhouse is removed gradually: punctures are created, removed for a short time. This is how the young plant gets used to the surrounding conditions.
After rooting, the ficus is placed in a bright place, but direct sunlight is avoided on its leaves. The soil should not be allowed to dry out, but excessive watering will destroy the plant. The leaves are periodically sprayed with a spray bottle or wiped with a damp cloth.
Does a ficus grow in your house?
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