The calendered , evergreen leafage andgraceful outgrowth habit of weep fig(Ficus benjamina , U.S. Department of Agriculture flora hardiness zone 9 through 11 ) make it a valued houseplant and landscaping plant . As a garden works , it can hold out 40 to 150 long time and usually grows to a mature height of up to 35 feet , according to a tree detail phonograph record issue by the Cal Poly Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute . data provide by the Missouri Botanical Garden state that as a houseplant , cry figure broadly speaking hit from 2 to 10 feet tall .
Watering Needs
During its growing time of year from give to fall , cry fig require moist soil but should not be kept forever pixilated . For houseplant , water the works soundly until water comes through the drainage mess . permit the top layer of soil to dry before watering again . In fall and winter when cry fig is n’t growing , reduce watering and allow 1 to 2 inches of stain at the top of the container to become wry . For weeping FIG in the landscape , keep new plant well - watered for the first year , applying sufficient water system to go beyond the tooth root zone . Dig a lowly hole or use a probe to check off water system penetration . Give established tree supplemental water during times of drought in summertime , up to once a hebdomad . If houseplants begin to drop leaves , it ’s usually a reaction to move the plant or to stresses such as unlawful lacrimation or light atmospheric condition . A common misunderstanding is to increase watering , which can further stress the plant . Investigate the probable causal agent of leaf drop . The presence of yellow leave shake off from the plant life signals that the plant life may need more water . When green leaves miss , it ’s usually a sign of overwatering or location change .
Pruning Guidelines
Prune cry fig to keep it to size or to encourage bushiness . Clean all pruning dick with a cloth imbue in rubbing alcohol to keep off spreading diseases . White sap ooze from pruning cuts . Wear glove , longsighted sleeves and closed shoes because sap may devil your skin . Protect surface such as pavement , concrete and flooring by laying down a tarpaulin to grab the sap . Make pruning cuts just above a leaf or a foliage scar . you’re able to crop weeping fig at any sentence , but a good clip is in the leaping before young growth begins .
Fertilizer Needs
Fertilize houseplant every three or four workweek during the spring and summer , using a half - intensity answer of a H2O - soluble fertilizer such as 20 - 20 - 20 . merge 1/4 teaspoon with 2 quart of piddle and apply the resolution until it runs out the drainage holes . step by step decrease the fertilizer applications as fall approaches , and stop over fertilizing altogether during winter unless the plant is actively growing . For outdoor plants , use a control - exit fertiliser such as 15 - 9 - 12 , which hold up for 8 to 9 month . Apply it in saltation before growth starts at the rate of about 3 pound per 250 hearty feet . Calculate the footage from about 6 inches out from the trunk to about 6 inch beyond the tree ’s drip line . mingle the fertiliser into the top layer of ground and water well .
Frost Protection
Weeping figs are damage by vulnerability to freeze temperatures . fetch container plants indoors before the first frost is predicted for your expanse . When freezing temperature are predicted for landscape gardening plant , cover them with rime cover , burlap or other material . Hold it off the foliage with stakes or a framework . Some tree may be too tall to wrap up . If damage occurs , remove the drained parts before new outgrowth start in spring .
Pests and Diseases
Weeping common fig tree is generally pest- and disease - free . Sometimes wanderer mites , aphids , mealybugs or scale insects can infest industrial plant . Remove these pests as presently as they ’re observed . Use a strong flow of water system to wash off spider mites and a cotton swab dip in fret alcoholic drink to wipe off aphids and mealy bug . Scrape off scale dirt ball with your fingernail ..
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