6+ Guidelines on How to Grow Your Own Ficus Benjamina

Ficusses feel best outdoors in their natural tropical habitat of Asia, India, the Pacific and Australia where they grow up to 30 meters high. They form an intricate pattern with numerous trunks and the roots growing on the surface and getting as big as the trunk itself. The roots can merge together or merge with branches creating bizarre natural works of art. You can also enjoy its fruit as it fructifies generously twice a year.

But due to its unpretentious needs and beautiful dark green leaves this shrub is very popular as an indoor plant for any type of climate. The plant is very popular in offices and all kinds of governmental institutions. It can be used as a green fence for the warmer climates where the night temperature does not fall below 15 C. It does not grow as big as it does in its natural habitat plus you will not be able to get much yielding from it either unless you are lucky to get a few small green figs.

Professional Advices for Beginner Gardeners

No matter if you are growing your ficus benjamina the usual way from the cutting off the adult tree. Or you go the unusual way by germinating it from the seeds. We have you covered. Look through the advices we have prepared for you and growing ficusses will be so much easier.

1. If you have a graft then place it in the glass of distilled water and plant it in the pot once it takes roots.
2. Some online seed stores are offering bulk seeds which germinate at 55 to 60% rate. The manufacturers claim that you can put those tiny seeds directly into the pot. They also claim that the seeds will germinate in a few months if you keep the soil wet. We advise you to germinate the seeds on the chopped sphagnum moss and plant them in the pots once they take roots.
3. Think through a location for the pot. You need plenty of indirect sunlight as well as warm temperature and no draughts. The pot can be taken to the garden or the patio during warmer months. Ficus benjamina needs 22 to 15 C and lots of indirect sunlight. Direct rays can burn the foliage.
4. Provide it with the distilled water regularly. Do not use tap water as it contains lime and salts. Over moisturizing as well as under watering can cause ficus benjamina problems such as leaf drying or root rot.
5. Fertilize twice a month during an active growth period of spring and summer and once a month in autumn and winter.
6. Prune the tree regularly. If taken good care of ficusses tend to grow rapidly. Cut two leaves for every new 6 to 8 leaves for the better foliage. They take pruning really well so you can turn it into a shrub or a tree.

A Ficus to Be Proud Of

Ficus is not only the decoration of your room. They are very useful as they are known to kill the pneumonia germs as well as clean the air off the toluene, xylene and formaldehyde. Now that you know everything about how to grow ficusses you can grow a really beautiful shrub. Lots of people are interested in growing these beautiful plants but following our tips you can make yours really stand out. There are numerous types of ficusses out there so perhaps you would like to try other cultivars once you have grown the first one.