Why do ficus leaves fall - reasons
Content:
Ficuses are native to Australian and Asian territories. They moved into the category of indoor ones because of the unusual glossy foliage and size. The culture does not impose special requirements for care, but violation of the standard rules given in the description leads to the development of diseases and attacks by parasitic insects. Inexperienced growers often ask themselves: why do ficus leaves fall and how to solve this problem?
When to sound the alarm if the leaves turn yellow
The loss of a small amount of foliage is normal for a plant if the phenomenon is observed during the autumn-winter period. You need to be wary if the yellowing of the leaves and their loss does not go away with the change of the season, with the arrival of spring. Then the tree requires a change in the conditions of detention and symptomatic treatment.
Ficus leaves fall
Ficus sheds leaves: the main reasons
Frightened by the non-standard behavior of the plant, flower growers are looking for an answer to the question of why the ficus sheds the leaves of the cause and what to do with large-scale shedding of foliage. The main difficulties in growing arise when keeping a flower in a room - he is used to an area in which there is a clear distinction between periods of high humidity and dryness.
Seasonal changes include a mechanism to prepare for a time at which the tree will not receive enough water. It is because of this that they begin to get rid of excess leaves in order to reduce the area of evaporation of the liquid.
When stress factors appear, plants that constantly live in an apartment may lose 30% of their foliage. In this case, it tries to get used to new conditions or expresses its protest against excessive or insufficient watering, lack of mineral elements.
Yellowing of leaves
Temperature regime
Natural changes in environmental conditions can be a clue to the problem of why the leaves of the ficus turn yellow. A decrease or increase in temperature and a decrease in the length of daylight hours become a signal that drought lies ahead. The flower automatically triggers the survival mechanism.
The transitions from season one to season two will activate partial shedding of foliage. At this moment, there is an adaptation to new indicators of lighting, temperature and humidity. In an enclosed space, they change less, but a slight imbalance is enough for the plant to begin to acclimatize again.
Many cultures do not tolerate drafts, being near ventilation shafts or near windows set for ventilation. Sudden changes in temperature are the reason to get rid of some of the foliage.
Air humidity
One of the most common reasons why yellowed leaf plates appear is an insufficient volume of liquid.Trees do not prefer to grow in high humidity, they need well-drained soil in pots and an optimal substrate in terms of nutritional value.
Insufficient moisture leads to foliage rejection for evolutionary reasons. In nature, culture in this way solves the problem of drought, trying to survive under unfavorable conditions for it. Air humidity has less influence on the mechanism of loss of leaf plates in comparison with insufficient irrigation.
Diseases
Ficus sheds leaves the reason and what to do after all, a stressful condition provoked by the development of diseases becomes a source of pathology. The list of common diseases of indoor ficuses includes the following ailments.
Powdery mildew
Trees are rarely attacked by bacterial microorganisms, but Xanthomonas occasionally occurs, resulting in mottled foliage. The bacterium penetrates into the leaf plates through microscopic lesions or natural pores and gradually spreads through the tissues.
The primary symptomatology of the disease is fluid-soaked specks that quickly increase in size. Over time, they merge, capturing vast territories with yellowish borders located at the edges of the plates. With a severe form of the disease, the tree begins to crumble even during the growing season, it is difficult to cure it.
Root rot
The pathological condition is formed under the influence of constantly moist soil, active growth and reproduction of a fungal infection. It captures the root system, eventually affecting the entire plant. The roots become brownish in color, soften and rot. The tree does not receive the necessary nutrition and begins to wilt.
Root rot
Most growers notice root rot at the stage of yellowness, wilting and foliage falling. If symptoms of the disease are found, you need to remove the plant, examine the roots and remove the damaged ones. After replacing the old soil with a fresh substrate, the flower is planted in place. If the disease has affected the entire root system, then the culture must be disposed of.
Anthracnose
Refers to a subgroup of fungal infections that occur when the soil is constantly moist. Initially, the disease manifests itself as yellow fat spots on the leaf plates, then brownish or red-brownish ulcerations appear along the body of the roots. Infected tissues die off, and damaged foliage folds and deforms.
Separately, there are bacterial pathologies that cause the death of a tree. These include bacterial cancer, which is manifested by the swelling of individual areas on the leaf blades, stem or root system. Therapeutic measures against him are powerless; it will not be possible to save the plant. In order to avoid infection of the entire flower garden, the sick individual is destroyed.
Pests
The appearance of parasitic insects is a sure sign that the ficus will begin to hurt and get rid of foliage. In case of light attacks, it will have to be cut, in case of serious attacks, it will be disposed of. Almost all indoor plants are attacked by mealybugs, scale insects and spider mites. The problem is often associated with excessive dry air in the house, which is a favorable environment for parasites.
What to do if ficus sheds leaves due to insects: primary treatment is mechanical removal with a cotton pad and soap solution. Severely damaged shoots are pruned and destroyed - this approach helps to stop the spread of the infection. Some growers prefer to use neem oil solution, which is a natural pesticide.
Shield
Prefers to attack fruit trees and ornamental shrubs with small foliage. The pest pierces holes in leaf plates, on shoots and buds in order to feed on sap unhindered. A sign of damage is yellowish spots on the top of the leaves. They become lethargic and stunted, begin to dry out and may fall off, the plant loses its decorative appearance.
Scabbard on ficus
Mealybug
Insects have a soft body covered with a whitish, waxy material. It protects parasites from moisture loss and heat loss. Colonies of parasites prefer to settle in protected areas of culture - in the axils of the lower foliage. The defeat is determined by slow growth or obvious deformation of the leaf plates, a whitish bloom. The parasite prefers the youngest shoots. During feeding, they secrete a liquid on which dirt settles.
Spider mite
Infection occurs almost imperceptibly, the insect settles on the seamy side of the plates. The main problem is the rapid creation of a colony of spider mites and their spread throughout the green part. Pathology is determined by a thin web, yellowish or colorless leaves.
Incorrect transplant
Transfer work leads to the development of stress in the ficus: it does not tolerate extraction from the ground, changes in its usual conditions. To reduce the negative effect of the transplant, you must adhere to the following rules:
- after carefully removing the flower from the root system, do not shake off the sand - the earthen lump should remain intact;
- the roots of the plant are very delicate and careless handling can lead to their breaking off - the procedure is carried out with extreme caution;
- after transplant procedures, irrigation is mandatory;
- before the start of the transplant, the soil in the container is moistened - dry roots break more easily.
Transplant without damaging the roots
Lack or overabundance of lighting
In the homeland of ficuses, sunlight predominates. They make a similar requirement when living in apartments. A decrease in daylight hours provokes foliage to fall: in case of a serious deviation, the problem can be solved with additional lighting.
Being on the south side requires protecting the crop from direct sunlight - they lead to burns on the leaf plates. In this case, they have to be shaded a little.
Insufficient illumination
Watering errors
When buying a plant, you need to familiarize yourself with the requirements for its maintenance and develop a clear irrigation plan. Both excess and lack of moisture will become a source of foliage loss, the development of fungal diseases and attacks of parasitic insects.
The plant needs uniform watering through:
- in the summer season, soil moistening is carried out more often, as the earthen coma dries;
- in late autumn and winter, the amount of irrigation is reduced.
Prevention of falling and yellowing of leaves in ficuses
Having understood the reasons for the change in the color of the sheet plates and their loss, they draw conclusions on how to prevent such phenomena in the future. Experienced growers are advised to adhere to the following rules:
- Correct watering schedule - uniform volumes of liquid are poured into containers at regular intervals. The frequency directly depends on the level of humidity, temperature and season. In the summer heat, irrigation is carried out more often, in the winter - less often. The peculiarity is associated with the slowing down of processes in the plant and the conditional state of dormancy.
- Illumination - the light does not interfere with the ficus, when removed from the windowsill and rearranged on the table, it will stubbornly turn to the sun's rays. The priority is diffused lighting, which will not be able to provoke burns on the leaf plates, but will fall on the tree throughout the day.
- Pruning is needed to restrict growth. Under favorable conditions, culture is actively embarked on growth and occupies all the free space. The forced measure helps to give the flower a more compact appearance.
Compliance with all of the above recommendations will allow you to grow a healthy and beautiful ficus tree with an active immune system. Immunity is important for all crops - it protects them from a variety of diseases and prevents attacks of parasitic insects.
It is not difficult to care for the ficus, it will not turn yellow and will not shed its foliage. To do this, they fulfill the requirements for looking after ornamental shrubs. Timely watering, top dressing and soil enriched with useful substances will allow it to grow and develop normally.
