Why are there rusty spots on the ficus. Diseases and pests of ficus: prevention and treatment of plants

Firstly, ficuses wither due to the conditions of detention:

sudden changes in room temperature
not enough wet air, draft;
lighting: too bright or not enough
unstable ficus irrigation regime: frequent or rare
incorrect mineralization;
painful ground.

There are also diseases that are caused by other serious causes. These include fungal viruses, pests. In such situations, the plant requires more attention and strength.

The disease of a plant is primarily told by its leaves. They will look painful, yellowish, with streaks and a number of other signs.

yellowing of flower leaves

The reason for the yellowing of ficus leaves is often dry and too warm air in the room, or too strong lighting. This usually happens during heating season when the ficus is placed on the windowsill, on the south side. Ficus leaves are burned by the sun's rays, as a result of which they begin to turn yellow and die. How to deal with yellowing leaves.

Remove your flower from the sun or batteries, humidify the air in the room, use a special humidifier. Some resort to a soaked towel, after which they hang it on a heater or put it in the sun. Try spraying ficus leaves more often.

It is important to remember that it is forbidden to spray a ficus or any other plant if after that it remains in the sun. This leads to life-threatening plant burns.
The leaves will turn yellow even if you often transfer it. The plant does not have time to properly adapt and so signals its well-being. You must first decide where your ficus will be located.

If the leaves shrink and start to fall

Causes of falling leaves of ficus

There are several reasons for this problem:

Your ficus is missing nutrients: try changing the soil by replanting the plant. Use leafy soil, peat and sand (in equal proportions). Remember to water your ficus immediately after transplanting.

A high level of moisture in the soil: this can be understood from the spots appearing on the surface of the leaves, yellowing of the edges and falling off. Wait until the soil is dry and continue with moderate watering. If the ficus continues to fall off, then immediately transplant it into new soil and remove the rotten roots.

Remember that the condition of ficus leaves also depends on rare watering. In this case, they may begin to dry and wrinkle. If this problem is not solved immediately, then the roots may suffer. Then the flower will not be able to live on.

High room temperature, dry air, excess feeding. The leaves become stained and you can get rid of this phenomenon only after removing the causes of the appearance.

Falling leaves on the bottom of the ficus

If, when the leaves fall, healthy ones immediately grow below, then there is no reason for concern. If new leaves do not appear, then try replanting the plant or choose additional top dressing.

What to do if the leaves die off after eliminating the above causes
Often, damage to which pests or infection are involved is to blame. Nessesary to use disinfectants. To pick up necessary funds, you should analyze the plant itself and identify the cause

fungal infections

Gray rot, Botrytis

These types of diseases can be found in ficuses that are in conditions of excessively humid air with high temperatures.

A gray coating appears on some parts of the sheet. If you shake it, dust will fly up. Ficus first darkens, then over time, the leaves begin to die.

You can cure a flower by removing all the affected leaves of the flower, and then let the soil dry out. After that, stabilize the watering and provide the room with regular ventilation.

Sooty fungus disease

Soot fungus disease is detected by signs such as a black coating on the outer part of the leaf. Insect pests remain the precursor of such a disease.

If the affected areas are small, then they can be removed using a soapy solution. Walk a sponge dipped in soapy water over each ficus leaf. If the lesion has caused severe damage to the leaf, it can only be removed, and try spraying the plant root and stems with a fungicide.

Phytophthora, pythium, rhizoctonia

following diseases. Such fungi lead to decay of both the roots and the stem. Gradually, the plant stops growing and eventually dies off. It is unlikely to come out, so remove it so as not to infect other plants near the infectious one.

For preventive purposes, resort to a moderate watering regimen, water the plant about once a month with a weak concentration of manganese solution.

powdery mildew

Disease powdery mildew you will recognize it by its white spots. This disease is provoked by high temperatures and humidity levels.

Such diseases are treated with the use of a solution. mixed blue vitriol, soda ash. For 10 grams of soda, two grams of households. soap. These components must be diluted per liter of water. Separately stir 2 grams of vitriol, pour the resulting liquid into the original mixture. Increase the volume until you get 2L and spray it on the affected areas.

rust disease

Rust is one of the most common diseases in both houseplants and garden flowers. It is expressed through patches of yellow and brown on the surface of the leaves. The edges of the leaves look like burnt. He will have ulcers on him. For treatment, ficus is cleansed of diseased areas and treated using a fungicide.

Try to identify the most accurate disease for your plant by comparing the signs you found with photographs on the Internet or in this article. Then the treatment of your ficus will be the most productive, and you will be able to protect your neighboring flowers from infection.

insect pests

Insects are rarely seen with the naked eye. They become noticeable only after reproduction in a certain amount. An important part of caring for your ficus is a thorough periodic inspection of the plant.

Shchitovka settles on the back of the ficus leaf or on the stem itself. Swollen spots indicate the presence of scale insects Brown. Shchitovka lives due to the juice of the plant. After it, a sticky coating will remain on the sheet. It is he who gives the opportunity to develop soot fungus.

spider mite

You will recognize it by the presence of spots of brown and gray shades on the sheets. In some parts of the ficus, there may be a subtle cobweb. Spider mites thrive in dry and warm conditions. Due to such factors, spider mites multiply rapidly and live.

Leaves susceptible to spider mites dry out and fall off. Maintain a neutral humidity level in the room, do not forget to spray the plant, sometimes wipe the leaves with a solution of laundry soap.

Aphid

Aphids are characterized by the presence of a powdery sticky coating, yellowness of the leaves and their deformation. Aphid traces become a breeding ground and soil for a fungal infection. This will definitely end with the death of the plant. To destroy aphids, they resort to treatment with soapy water or insecticides. Aphid insects can be located on many plants in the apartment.

For the growth of homemade ficus does not require complex care. In conditions modern apartment he feels great, but is still prone to many diseases. It is important to correctly identify the problem in order to choose the appropriate treatment method.

Ficus flower diseases appear due to lack of prevention and adverse external factors(high heat, excessive humidity). Often a flower becomes infected from nearby plants.

Ficus diseases and their treatment

It is easy to determine the disease by appearance flower. The smallest changes are immediately noticeable on the leaves. Common problems are:

Yellowing;
New leaves grow small, quickly fall off;
Leaf death from below.

Leaves may acquire yellow color due to improper lighting and dry warm air. Sunlight and heat from a running battery or heater will quickly lead to this problem. Also, you can not often change the place of "habitat" of the flower. For successful adaptation, he needs constant conditions.

Solution: remove from heat and direct sunlight, humidify the air.

Important: the leaves can be sprayed with water more often, but this should not be done when the sun is shining on the flower. The liquid will quickly evaporate, leaving burns on it, which will only aggravate the situation.

If new leaves grow small and fall off, then the problem is in the soil. Need a transplant into a soil with a balanced composition, the right fertilizer. Falling, accompanied by the appearance of spots yellow color, indicates an excess of moisture. Moderate watering will help after the soil has completely dried.

Be careful: rare watering of a flower will have a bad effect on its condition. First, the leaves will dry and deform, after a while the roots will dry out completely. This will lead to the death of the ficus.

Leaves fall from the bottom of the flower regularly - this is a natural process. Do not worry if new, healthy colors and correct form. If the stem of the flower becomes more and more exposed, then it is necessary to transplant it or use special fertilizer.

If, after feeding and transplanting the plant, leaf fall continues, the cause is pests or infection. Help chemicals for their destruction (insecticide). It is necessary to carefully examine the leaves from above and below, the trunk and the ground. Precise definition ficus disease is possible only taking into account the variety and specific symptoms.

Diseases of ficus benjamin

This species is common due to the beautiful glossy leaves and stems that can be intertwined. Grows up to 3 meters high with proper care.

ficus benjamina

Causes of ficus disease:

Not proper care;
Fungal infection;
Reproduction of pests.

Due to incorrect care, problems appear in the form of root rot and the appearance of spots on the leaves.

Root rot develops due to systematic waterlogging of the soil. In a humid environment, a fungus develops that affects the roots. This leads to the fact that the leaves change color to yellow, become lethargic. Within a short time they darken and fall off. The soil may become crusty. As a result, the plant dies.

How to treat it? Pull the flower out of the pot and shake it lightly, clearing the roots from the ground. If they are dark and soft, the plant has died and nothing will help it. When the main part of the roots is healthy, you need to cut off the spoiled roots. You also need to get rid of diseased leaves and branches. Transplant the plant to new pot with fresh soil.

You can water the flower only after the appearance of new leaves and continue to maintain the watering regime.

Perhaps the appearance of light brown spots localized at the tips, along the edges or the entire area of the leaves. Then they dry up and fall off. Too high temperature, dry air leads to this. Often this happens due to an overabundance of fertilizers in the soil. Eliminating the causes of its occurrence will help get rid of the problem. It is necessary to put the plant in more cool place, increase air humidity and postpone soil fertilization.

Pests and infections are associated with other problems.

If rust appeared on the leaves of ficus Benjamin, then the matter is in the fungal disease Anthracnose. Botrytis similar to it, but in this case the spots become yellow-brown. Over time, the spots turn into ulcers, the plant throws off the foliage and dies. For treatment, it is necessary to remove all affected leaves, treat the ficus with a fungicide solution and rearrange it in a less humid place.

Fungicides are chemical solutions used to control fungus on plants. They also treat the seeds to remove the spores of the fungus. The concentrate of the substance is toxic to humans, but a properly prepared solution will not harm.

Cercosporosis is another fungal disease that appears on the ficus as numerical black dots from the bottom of the leaf. As the disease develops, they turn yellow and fall off, the plant dies. Treatment according to a similar scheme: remove the affected areas, treat with a solution against the fungus, water less often.

White bloom on the leaves indicates a mealybug. At the initial stage, a solution of laundry soap will help, if the flower is severely affected, then diseased leaves are removed, the ficus is treated with a fungicide.

When the ficus grows in a warm and humid room, it can be affected by gray rot. This is a mold, if you shake the leaf, you can see how its spores scatter (similar to gray dust). Brown spots appear on the foliage, if you do not take action, they grow. Leaves darken and fall off. This disease is treated with a solution of the drug against fungi. You need to water the flower less often during the treatment.

Diseases of rubber-bearing ficus

This evergreen with large shiny leaves, it is often grown as an ornamental and, like other species, is susceptible to diseases of a different nature.

rubber ficus

The most common leaf diseases in him are:

Blackening and falling off.
The reason is waterlogged soil. Solution: let the soil dry, cut off rotten roots, water only when a third of the ground level in the pot has dried out.
The appearance of red spots.
These are burns formed due to direct sunlight after spraying. Especially true for plants located on the south side. It will be correct to rearrange the plant in a shaded place, but not in the darkest corner.
White spots.
They talk about hypothermia ficus. It is necessary to rearrange the pot in a place where there are no drafts. The most frozen leaves will eventually dry out and fall off on their own. Others will remain stained. If you create normal conditions for the ficus, then new leaves will grow in a uniform color.
Acquisition of an abnormal shape at the edges.
The problem is in the root system, most likely, small roots were harmed during transplantation or from waterlogging. Solution: water the ficus less often, add nutrients to the roots.

More often than others, it is the rubber-bearing ficus that affects anthracnose. In this case, you need:

Reduce watering to a minimum.
Set the pot away from other plants (or isolate with a partition).
Remove leaves that show spots.
Remove the old soil and disinfect the pot.
Treat the roots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and transplant the plant into new soil.

Also, small brown strokes may appear on this type of ficus, which indicates a pest. These are Thrips larvae. The result of their vital activity is also a silvery coating and small red dots. It is necessary to treat the leaves and soil with a fungicide solution. Simply removing the affected leaves will not work - the larvae also live in the ground.

This is a popular variety of rubber-bearing ficus. It grows up and sometimes needs special supports. It is unpretentious in care and resistant to pests. But with a frank failure to maintain normal conditions, it can get sick.

ficus robusta

So, you need to pay attention if the leaves turn yellow and quickly fall off. The reason may be a draft or improper care - lack of light, rare watering.

formed on the leaves brown spots- the soil is waterlogged. Over time, the smell of rot may appear. It speaks of suffering root system and you need to inspect the roots, transplant the flower and adjust the watering regime.

A scab or spider mite appears if the flower is in a room with warm and dry air. Regular spraying of the crown and optimum temperature(25-30°C in summer, 16-20°C in winter) will solve the problem.

When the care is carried out correctly and regularly, there are no pests, but the Robusta ficus continues to drop leaves - this indicates stress. It manifests itself if the plant is often rearranged, or placed in the wrong place(for example, a corridor).

Ficus pests

These insects infect ficuses of any kind:

Shchitovki;
Mealybug;
Spider mite.

Scale insects feed on flower sap. As a result: yellowing and falling of the leaves. They look like plaques, most of all they can be seen from the bottom of the leaf along the juiciest places - the veins. Color gradation from yellow to red-brown. Size - from 1.5 to 4 mm. Main symptom: sticky discharge. Control measures are selected depending on the degree of damage:

Soap solution treatment;
Insecticide use;
Removal of diseased areas.

Mealybug (soot, dew) - most often found on old ficuses growing in a warm and dry room. The long insect reaches up to 5 mm, moves a little. The worms are covered with white fluff, which makes their places of accumulation look like cotton wool. Can be destroyed by wiping the affected areas cotton pad soaked in alcohol, or by cutting them off. In difficult cases, use chemical compounds.

Spider mite - the most dangerous pest, as it is difficult to notice (size from 0.1 to 0.3 mm). Settles at the bottom of the leaf on any plant, if the air is warm and dry. Signs - a thin whitish cobweb. Leaves affected by the mite fall off, preliminarily turn yellow. The plant looks sickly, stops growing.

spider mite

You can remove it by increasing the humidity of the air. You can also rinse the plant with water. room temperature. Be sure to regularly air and inspect the plant. If the infestation is severe, resort to using an insecticide.

Separately, it is necessary to highlight the soot fungus. It appears as a black film on leaves and shoots. It develops on secretions of scale insects or worms. It is easy to wash off with soapy water. The fight should not be with the fungus itself, but the cause of its appearance.

The correct temperature regime, regular watering and a well-chosen place for ficus are the key to its health and long growth. If there is still a problem, the flower should be carefully examined and immediately treated.

Ficus is considered unpretentious plant, however, if you do not follow the basic rules and requirements for the conditions of detention and care, and he can become seriously ill and even die. As with other indoor plants, ficus problems can arise from improper care, fungi and bacteria, as well as insect pests.

care issues

How to properly care for ficus so that it is not overcome by diseases? Let's start by buying a plant in flower shop- here the flower is examined for signs of possible diseases and pests. Ficus leaves should be dense, dark green, if there are yellow, white or brown spots and dots on the leaves, then the plant is sick and you should not buy it so as not to infect other house plants.

The ficus brought home is kept separately from other plants for a week. If diseases and pests do not manifest themselves during this time, it can be placed next to other flowers. You should not put flower pots too close to each other - in crowded places, diseases and pests multiply and are transmitted faster.

At least once a week, ficus, and other indoor plants, should be inspected in order to notice diseases and pests in time, and take appropriate measures. Once a month, ficus leaves are wiped with soapy water, it is better to take laundry soap, which does not contain chemical additives that can harm the plant.

Non-infectious ficus diseases occur in adverse conditions- in case of improper lighting, non-compliance temperature regime, excessively humid or too dry air, poor-quality watering, deficiency, or vice versa, an excess of minerals in the soil.

Ficus leaves turn yellow if the air in the room is too dry. This phenomenon is observed both in hot summer and during the heating season. The leaves wither and dry due to the constant presence next to heaters that radiate heat. If the leaves fall off too much, the plant cannot be cured and it dies.

Therefore, in the summer, the ficus is not kept on the windowsill under the direct rays of the sun, and in the winter they are removed further away from batteries and other heating appliances. Spots on the leaves can also appear due to sunburn.

Air for ficus can be humidified using a special humidifier or any container of water placed next to it.

If there are not enough nutrients in the soil, the new ficus leaves become smaller, and the old ones turn yellow and fall off. In order to prevent the development of the disease and the death of the flower, it is transplanted into fresh, mineral-rich soil, or fed with fertilizers. The substrate for transplantation is prepared from sand, leafy soil and peat. If the flower is too large and difficult to transplant, you can replace the top of the soil and water it properly.

Excess fertilizer can also cause brown spots on the leaves, so fertilizers are used in strict accordance with the instructions on the package.

If yellow spots appear on the leaves, or the leaves turn yellow from the edges, most likely there is too much moisture in the soil. Watering should be stopped and the soil should dry out. Worst of all, if excessive watering causes root rot, in which case it is very difficult to cure the plant. If the rot has not completely affected the roots, the diseased fragments are removed, and the healthy ones are planted in another soil, having previously disinfected the pot.

Ficus problems can also appear due to insufficient watering, or watering of poor quality. tap water. The leaves will begin to dry, turn yellow, crumble. If the drought has had a detrimental effect on the leaves, then the roots are also in poor condition. Ficus in overdried soil is placed in a deep container with water for 2-3 hours, so that the earth is completely soaked. With this procedure, part of the soil may end up in a container, so the earth is poured into the pot after the procedure.

In tree ficuses, the leaves fall off due to age, this is not a disease, and no treatment is required. lower leaves it falls off, but new ones grow at the top of the trunk, so the trunk never becomes bare. However, if new leaves grow very poorly, or do not grow at all, you need to consider transplanting ficus in new ground, or about top dressing.

fungal diseases

There are several viral and fungal diseases that damage ficus leaves and roots. Let's call them:

Gray rot- with this disease, mold appears on the leaves and stems, which flies into the air after shaking the leaf. Damaged leaves become covered with brown spots, then darken completely, and fall off. Gray rot fungus develops well in warm and humid air, so the room should be ventilated as often as possible.

To cure a ficus, damaged fragments must be removed at the very beginning of the disease, otherwise it will not be possible to save it. Healthy parts are sprayed with fungicides. Watering at this time is reduced.

Sooty fungus - A good environment for the development of this fungus is the sticky secretions of aphids, scale insects and other insect pests. The sooty fungus leaves behind a black coating on the leaves.

Powdery mildew - with this disease appears on the leaves white coating in the form of flour. In the initial stages of the disease, white plaque is easily washed off, so the leaves can be wiped with soapy water. If the state of the plant is neglected, it is very difficult to cure it - the affected leaves are removed, and the healthy ones are sprayed several times with fungicides.

Cercosporosis is a fungal disease that develops from Cercospora fungi at high humidity. With this disease, small brown or black dots appear on the wrong side of the leaf plate, which gradually grow. As a result, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. If the disease is not stopped, the entire plant may die.

Treatment of the disease consists in removing damaged leaves and spraying with antifungal drugs.

Anthracnose - a disease in which the edges of the leaves appear rust spots that turn into sores. Leaves affected by anthracnose die off, as a result, the ficus may die entirely. The treatment is similar - treatment with fungicides.

Root rot is a disease caused by waterlogging of the soil. Damaged roots are not able to provide the ficus with good nutrition and moisture, as a result, it dies. In this case, it is impossible to save the plant, it is thrown away along with the pot.

To prevent rotting of the roots, it is necessary to water the ficus moderately, as the soil dries out, using clean water. As preventive measures ficus once a month can be watered with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate, and a little charcoal can be added to the soil mixture when planting and transplanting.

Harmful insects

Ficus pests also cause spots and dots on the leaves, but they can only destroy the plant if they multiply and spread too much. The danger of insect pests is enhanced by the fact that their sticky secretions are a breeding ground for fungi that lead the ficus to death.

Ficus pests are quite numerous - these are aphids, scale insects, spider mites, thrips, nematodes, mealybugs.

Shchitovka - the first sign of the appearance of this insect on the ficus is brown convex spots on the wrong side of the leaves, sometimes spots appear on the stem. The scale insect feeds on the sap of the plant, and leaves a sticky coating in which a soot fungus develops.

In order to cure ficus from scale insects, the leaves are washed on both sides with soapy water, and then treated with Aktellik. Processing is carried out for three weeks in a row, 1 time per week.

The mealybug also sucks the juice from the leaves, which causes them to deform and stop growing. The worm settles in the axils of the leaves, so when processing these places, special attention must be paid.

The mealybug is disposed of by mechanical cleaning of the leaves, and treatment with soapy water and tobacco solution once a week. When running, the ficus is sprayed twice with confidor every 10 days.

The spider mite develops well in a dry and warm room. After a tick, gray or brown spots remain on the leaves. The insect reproduces very quickly, the leaves damaged by it wither and dry out.

For the treatment and prevention of the disease, the air humidity is increased, the leaves are sprayed, wiped with soapy water. With a strong spread of insects, the flower is sprayed with an insecticide, or an infusion of garlic, and covered with a plastic bag.

Thrips are small black insects that occupy the leaves from the back. They feed on plant sap, leaving brown spots behind. Thrips actively reproduce at high temperatures and high humidity. White and yellow spots appear on the leaves, they dry and fall off.

If the ficus is affected by thrips, it is sprayed several times with a solution of pyrethrum or chemicals- Tanrek, Actillik, Aktara.

Aphids turn healthy leaves yellow and misshapen, causing them to fall off. But first, sticky secretions appear on the leaves, attracting other insects that spread fungal and infectious diseases. If you do not take action, the plant may die completely. To get rid of the pest, the ficus is washed with soapy water, treated with insecticides.

Nematodes infect the roots of plants, small beads of growths appear on them. Nematodes are dangerous with toxic secretions that enter the stem and leaves from the roots. Under the influence of nematodes, the ficus fades, and can completely die.

At the first signs of the disease, the ficus is taken out of the pot, the roots are examined, immersed for 2-3 hours in an insecticide solution, and then planted in a new soil mixture.

Most varieties of ficuses are hardy plants that differ a high degree adaptation to room conditions. Although this tropical inhabitant is used to growing in high humidity and plenty of sunlight, it is successfully bred in offices, apartments, and public spaces.

If brown spots appear on the leaves of a ficus, the plant has been attacked by insects or a disease has struck. Most often, this variety has to deal with non-infectious problems that are caused by the wrong actions of the grower.

Possible Causes of the Problem

dark spots- a sure sign of a violation of the processes occurring in the tissues of the plant. Discoloration or discoloration of the leaves, their thinning or deformation always indicate mechanical damage, such as pests, or a fungal disease.

Also, a change in the color of the foliage often indicates that the care of the ficus is incorrect or untimely.

Wrong care

Brown spots on ficus leaves often develop through the fault of the plant owner as part of improper care:

Low concentration of nutrients in the soil. Lack of fertilizer leads to disruption of all processes that are responsible for the growth of new shoots and foliage. Ficus reacts especially sharply to a lack of potassium and phosphorus. Don't wait without these ingredients. saturated shade leaves, new shoots and growth. If you do not fertilize at least once during the growing season, the ficus will deform, the leaves will darken and become thinner.
Too dry or too humid indoor air. Excessive dryness leads to drying of tissues, including leaves. First they turn yellow, then brown and eventually fall off. When air humidity exceeds 70%, ficus tissues begin to rot, which is expressed by the appearance of brown spots, softness of the trunk, and a decrease in bark formation.
Bad lighting. V dark rooms, especially in dry air, the plant loses its immunity. Ficus is not only prone to disease and becomes an easy "prey" for pests, but also gradually fades and dries up.

The regularity of maintenance also matters. For example, it is better to water ficus more often, but in small portions. The gradual and smooth moistening of an earthen coma in a pot contributes to the full saturation of the roots and the entire plant with moisture.

Non-compliance with the temperature regime of the content

Temperatures below +20 or above +30 degrees are not suitable for ficuses. This range is optimal for exotic cultivation. The decrease threatens with hypothermia and the subsequent death of part of the tissues, more often the process begins with the tips of the leaves. A prolonged increase in temperature leads to a rapid loss of moisture, respectively, the color of the leaf blade changes.

Climatic indicators in rooms where ficuses are grown must be adjusted in accordance with the growth phase. From the beginning of spring to the beginning of autumn, during the growing season, it is especially important to give ficus required amount water during tides and sprays, maintain the temperature and protect it from drafts. In the dormant phase, which lasts from October to April, the plant can tolerate a slight drought and a drop in temperature to +18 ... +20 degrees without loss.

Watering errors

Over watering is dangerous. In the case of ficuses (except for ampelous forms), it is better to underfill water into the soil than to flood the plant too often and cause waterlogging of the soil. The water accumulated in the ground leads to the fact that the roots, constantly being in a humid environment, slowly rot. Some of them die off, the rot, called root, rises higher and already affects the shoots and foliage.

At the same time, the spots have not only a brown color, but also a characteristic structure - the tissues soften, become watery, black blotches may form.

Development of the disease

Often the leaves become covered with brown spots due to the development of various diseases:

Gray rot rare, affects many houseplants. A whitish mold appears on the leaves, formed by spores of the fungus. The crown gradually fades, the leaves darken, while the spots grow, covering more and more healthy tissues. To combat this type of rot, fungicides are used, as well as treatment with a soap mixture.
Root rot. If you constantly pour a large amount of water into the pot, then the rot quickly spreads to all ficus tissues, it will be difficult to save it. In this case, only transplanting the apical shoot into a smaller pot is used.
fungal diseases . Develop under adverse conditions of detention - absence in the room fresh air, finding a flower pot in an open sunny place, low or too high temperatures, high humidity of the air or soil. The spores of the fungus multiply rapidly, appear as dark brown, reddish, black or brown spots, with the development of the disease, a whitish fluff appears. To combat fungal infections, fungicides are used, as well as additional spraying with a solution of potassium permanganate and soap.

In addition to diseases, ficus is attacked by pests. Many of them are sap-sucking - they feed on the juices obtained from the plant. Aphids, thrips, scale insects, mealybugs bite through leaves, sometimes trunks and petioles, suck out nutrients. At the site of damage, first small, and then large brownish spots appear. The tissues in these places become thinner, holes appear on the leaves. In addition, the ficus withers, can lean towards the ground, and does not release new shoots.

Control and prevention measures

Before starting treatment, find the cause of the discoloration of the leaves of the flower. To do this, it is necessary to periodically inspect the ficus, paying special attention to the back of the leaves, the bases of the petioles and the lower part of the stem. This is where most insects live. If large individuals are found, they can be collected by hand, then treated with a soft washcloth with soapy water and sprayed with insecticides.

If a flying insect is found, treatments must be repeated until the entire colony is completely exterminated. The fact is that during spraying, flying pests can move to other plants in the room, and then return to the ficus again.

In the fight against fungal diseases, spraying with a fungicide solution will help. In this case, the affected leaves and shoots must be carefully cut. They contain a large number of spores of the fungus, so the pot is also subject to processing, upper layer soil and flowers adjacent to ficus.

Ficuses do not respond well to intensive care. Do not flood the plant, provide it with normal humidity and temperature, do not rearrange, especially in the first year after planting. Perform all procedures, such as pruning, transplanting or propagation, carefully. The plant is subject to stress from a change of position, does not like drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations.

Kira Stoletova

Ficus is especially popular among home decorative bush flowers. Caring for him is quite simple, however, like many flowers, he is prone to various diseases. Ficus diseases are quite simple, their causes are mainly poor conditions, lack of prevention, or a diseased flower in the neighborhood.

Treatment of the bush largely depends on the nature of the disease. In some cases, florists recommend using medicinal rubbing and spraying, but sometimes the plant has to be cut off at the root, because this is the only way the flower can be saved.

Causes of diseases

Why do ficuses get sick? Various factors contribute to this, but most often the fault is the wrong care of the flower:

lack of light and strong temperature fluctuations;
dry air;
non-compliance with the irrigation regime: too much water or its lack;
lack of mineral nutrition or excess fertilizer;
land unsuitable for the form of a flower.

If the plant began to wither and drop foliage, you should check the conditions of its maintenance. At first, it is worth changing the location of the pot and reviewing the watering regimen.

If after a few days the ficus continues to die, pests or a fungus have become the cause of the ficus disease. In this case, it is necessary to inspect the leaves and branches for spots or mold. Their presence indicates harmful insects. Depending on the cause of the ficus disease, their treatment also varies.

Foliage diseases

Any ficus disease primarily manifests itself on the leaves. Leaf diseases have several external manifestations:

Yellowing

Yellowing leaves may be due to dry indoor air. A similar phenomenon can most often be observed in winter, if you put the plant near the battery. The leaves begin to dry and wither, their color turns from green to yellowish. If the ficus loses too much foliage, it will die. To solve this problem, you need to rearrange the pot to another place and spray the leaves with water every few days.

Do not get carried away with rearrangements: ficus prefers stability and can experience stress from frequent changes of location. A nervous shock in plants manifests itself in the same way: the foliage turns yellow and falls off. You should initially choose the optimal location of the indoor flower.

Fineness

The smallness of the leaf, poor elasticity and the rapid fall of the crown indicate a lack of mineral components in the soil. Ficus needs proper nutrition. If the foliage of the plant began to degenerate and fall off, the flower should be transplanted to another land. The new soil should contain sand, peat and leafy soil. After transplanting, the ficus should be watered and not disturbed for a while.

If the leaves turn yellow at the edges and quickly fall off, this indicates increased soil moisture. Between waterings, a strict period of time must be observed: the soil must have time to dry completely, otherwise the root system may rot.

Sheet reset

Falling leaves at the bottom of the stem are most often not a sign of disease. This is a natural process associated with the old age of the flower.

If the tree trunk is too bare, the ficus is uncomfortable in a pot. Such a plant should be transplanted.

dying off

Crown dieback is usually the first symptom of infections and harmful insects. In this case, the foliage must be treated with special preparations or soapy water.

If ficus leaves began to die off quickly, a thorough examination should be carried out to identify the disease. To verify the correctness of the diagnosis, you can use the atlas of plant diseases, reflecting ficus diseases with photographs of lesions.

Pests

Rubber ficus pests are live microorganisms and insects that feed on the leaves, sap or roots of the plant. Most often they fall into the pot along with poor-quality soil. Sometimes an infected plant can be accidentally purchased from a store.

Pests are a major threat to indoor plants because they are easily transferred from one flower to another. Signs of pest damage can be expressed in different ways.

Shchitovka

To combat the scab at home, you will need soapy water and Actellik. First you need to treat the foliage with a soapy solution, and then disinfect the affected area with the drug.

Mealybug

The disease looks like small pieces of cobwebs on the foliage, in which the brown insect lives.

The worm feeds on the sap of the plant, slowing down the development of the broad-leaved ficus. Also, the pest can be airborne to other indoor flowers.

Ficus care during infection consists in destroying the web and wiping the leaves with soapy water. From the worm helps well folk remedy: water infused with tobacco. Similar procedures should be carried out daily until the flower is completely healed. If the disease has affected most of the plant, it should be sprayed with confidrome.

spider mite

This pest appears in warm and dry rooms. The tick does not pierce the leaves of the plant, but gnaws through the skin to the pulp and sucks out the liquid. After itself, the insect leaves brown spots. The tick multiplies very quickly and creates a colony, in a week the rubbery ficus can be completely covered with cobwebs.

Affected foliage quickly dies off. There are two kinds spider mite: yellow and red.

To get rid of the insect, you should increase the humidity in the room. The leaves of a diseased ficus should be sprayed with water and wiped with soapy water. As a treatment, you can wrap the flower in a tight plastic bag for several days, and then treat it with ground sulfur or garlic tincture. For accelerated recovery, ficus is sprayed with insecticidal agents.

thrips

Such pests prefer a colonial way of life and settle on the inner surface of the leaf. A favorable environment for thrips is a warm room with high humidity. After an insect, brown spots with a dark convoy remain on the foliage of the ficus. The crown of the plant quickly turns yellow and dies. In addition, the pest is a carrier of many infections.

To destroy thrips, a solution of pyrethrum is used. The plant is treated twice a day for a week. There are other drugs designed to help in the fight against this insect:

Aktar;
Actillik;
Tanrek.

Aphid

It is one of the most popular pest species worldwide. Aphids are highly active in warm time year, in addition, it is able to infect many plants, because it can fly.

Aphid settles in a small colony with inside sheet. Such leaves begin to curl, and then turn yellow and die. To save the plant from the invasion of aphids, ficus leaves must be treated with soapy water or Feverfew.

Nematodes

A sign of the settlement of insects on the plant are small nodular swellings that appear on the root system. The selection of nematodes are poisonous to flowers and, eating the roots, these worms poison the plant itself. The flower begins to wither and lose foliage. These pests are dangerous because the infected bush is no longer suitable for reproduction. Also, in the initial stages of the rubber ficus disease, symptoms do not appear.

Various insecticidal preparations will help get rid of nematodes. However, if the disease has already broken out with might and main, it is better to discard the plant in order to exclude infection of other indoor flowers.

Fungal lesions

Gray rot

This fungus looks like gray mold. The affected area is the leaves and trunk of the plant. If the ficus is slightly shaken, the mold comes off the foliage and flies off with fine dust. The affected crown quickly turns black and falls off. Most often, this disease manifests itself in a damp and warm room.

To treat gray mold, cut off all infected parts of the flower. For prevention purposes, it is necessary to ventilate the room, control the quantity and quality of water for irrigation.

sooty fungus

Treatment at home consists in treating the foliage with a cloth dipped in soapy water. If the disease is prolonged, infected leaves should be cut off. The plant itself will help reanimate the funkicide solution.

VARIETIES of Ficus Benjamin. Description and photo of varieties of Ficus Benjamin.

Cercospora - black lesions in the form of spots. Over time, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off.
Anthracnose - rusty spots along the edges of the leaf. The fungus covers the leaf not only with dots, but also with wet ulcers. Diseased leaves also fall off.
Botrytis is distinguished by a brown lesion, which gradually captures the entire leaf. The spots are characterized by a black halo.

In the case of leaf fungus, treatment should be timely. All infected parts of the ficus are carefully cut and disinfected with a fungicide. You should also process the foliage of neighboring plants.

Root rot

This type of fungus appears in the soil with high humidity. The plant begins to wither, the crown becomes gray. Rot spots spread along the trunk and roots.

Treatment in this case is impossible. Such a plant is thrown out along with the pot, since even thorough disinfection does not always save from the fungus. The disease can remain dormant in the soil for a long time and become active if the humidity level in the room is too high.

Too much frequent watering can seriously harm the ficus, even if the soil is not infected with the fungus. If you constantly fill the plant, the so-called dropsy is formed on the flower. These are small plugs on the inner surface of the leaves. Such a defect is not treated and the affected foliage is simply cut off.

Prevention

Proper care of the bush will help minimize the risk of ficus disease. You should adhere to the watering schedule, feed with mineral components and cut dry leaves and branches in time. The plant also needs to receive daily allowance light and heat, the air in the room should not stagnate.

To protect rubbery ficus from infection and pests, you need to follow a number of rules:

The newly acquired flower needs to be kept in quarantine for some time. Usually the period of isolation is no more than a week. Ficus is best kept in a separate room so that the disease is not transmitted through the air. If after a week of quarantine infectious diseases have not been identified, the plant can be placed next to others.
Inspection of flowers is advisable to carry out every day. Special attention should be given to the lower part of the stem and the inner surface of the leaves.
Every month, ficus foliage should be treated with soapy water. Such a procedure is vital for bushes located on open loggias or growing on the street.

Conclusion

To get beautiful and healthy flower, you need to carefully monitor its comfort. If you know what the weaknesses of such a rubber-bearing ficus are, what are its diseases and how to treat it, everyone can grow a beautiful bush.

The pot and tray need regular disinfection. The earth is also cleaned of pests with a solution of potassium permanganate.

You can not put plants close to each other: there must always be a certain distance between them. With excessive tightness, an infectious disease can affect all pots.