How to Grow a Ficus Bonsai? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Care Methods

In recent years, the ficus bonsai has been one of the choices for many flower lovers growing greenery. Its rustic, desolate yet rich and substantial style is truly appealing, simple yet tasteful, and it has extremely high ornamental value. Among household plant bonsai, it is also relatively popular for its evergreen nature. Now let's take a look at how to grow ficus!

How to Grow a Ficus Bonsai

1. Light: Ficus belongs to subtropical plants and likes a sunny, well-ventilated, warm and humid environment. It is drought-tolerant and tolerant of partial shade. Generally, it should be placed in a ventilated and well-lit spot with a certain amount of spatial humidity. If sunlight is insufficient, ventilation is poor, and there is no certain spatial humidity, the plant can turn yellow and dry out, leading to pest and disease problems, and eventually death.

2. Watering: When ficus is planted in a pot, if it is not watered for a long time to replenish moisture, the plant will wither from lack of water. Therefore, observe it promptly and water according to the wetness or dryness of the soil to maintain soil moisture. Water until water seeps out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, but do not give half-watering (that is, wet on top and dry below). After one watering, wait until the soil surface turns pale and the surface layer of soil is dry, then water a second time. Never wait until the entire potting soil is completely dry before watering. In hot seasons, frequently spray water on the leaves or the surrounding environment to lower the temperature and increase air humidity. Water less often in winter and spring, and more often in summer and autumn.

3. Fertilizing: Ficus does not like heavy fertilizer. Applying just over 10 granules of compound fertilizer each month is enough. When fertilizing, bury the fertilizer into the soil along the edge of the flower pot, and water immediately after fertilizing. The main components of the fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

4. Pruning: Turning a wild stump into a bonsai is a process in which pruning is a very important step. In the first year, first cultivate its root base and nurture its vitality, only removing buds in the wrong positions. Only after the branches have grown thick and become woody in the second year can you use scissors. Pruning should be the main method, with wiring as a supplement. Pruning once a year is appropriate; for vigorous growth, you can prune twice. After the forked branches growing from the shortened branches become thick and strong, prune again. Repeat this process, and if pruning is done properly and skillfully, within four years a good bonsai will appear in your hands.

Ficus Bonsai Leaves Turning Yellow

1. Water-yellow: Young leaves are dull yellow and lack luster, old leaves show no obvious change, branches are thin and yellow-green, and new shoots shrink and stop growing, indicating overwatering. Remove the plant from the pot, place it in a ventilated and shady spot to let the root ball dry naturally, then put it back into the pot.

2. Drought-yellow: Yellowing from lack of water is different from yellowing from too much water. Yellowing from lack of water shows as leaf tips or edges becoming withered and dry, with old leaves turning yellow and falling from the bottom up, but new leaves growing relatively normally. Just pay attention to watering thoroughly and sufficiently.

3. Scorch-yellow: Strong direct sunlight shining on some shade-loving flowers (such as spider plant, peacock prayer plant, hosta, etc.) can easily cause the leaf tips and leaf edges to wither, with yellow spots appearing on the sun-facing parts of the leaves. Moving them to a shady spot is enough.

4. Lack of light: Being placed in a shaded environment for a long time prevents the leaves from getting enough sunlight, so they cannot form chlorophyll. The whole plant's leaves turn yellow and then fall off. Supplementing light can prevent this problem.

5. Fertilizer-yellow: Yellowing of flowers caused by too much fertilizer or too high a concentration shows as dry brown tips on new leaves. Generally, the leaf surface is thick and lacks luster, and is uneven and not smooth, while old leaves scorch, turn yellow, and fall off. Stop fertilizing immediately. In severe cases, use a large amount of water to rinse out part of the fertilizer.

6. Lack of fertilizer: Lack of fertilizer shows as young leaves becoming lighter in color, appearing yellow or pale green, while old leaves are relatively normal or gradually turn from green to yellow. Check the potting soil. If there is caking, change the soil. Usually apply light fertilizer frequently and water with some alum water at appropriate times.

Precautions for Ficus Bonsai

1. Improper watering: When watering ficus, you must adhere to the principle of not watering until dry, and watering thoroughly when you do. Here, dry refers to the surface of the potting soil being dry, not the entire potting soil being completely dry. Of course, even if it is completely dry, it will not cause much harm to the ficus in a short time, because ficus leaves are thick and small and have a certain drought tolerance.

2. Improper fertilizing: Ficus should be fertilized with light fertilizer applied frequently. Avoid using high-concentration chemical fertilizers or organic fertilizers that have not been fermented and decomposed, otherwise fertilizer damage will occur, with leaf drop in mild cases and death in severe cases.

3. Insufficient light: Ficus grows well in an environment with sufficient light. In high-temperature summer periods, if 30-50% shade can be provided, the leaf color will appear even more emerald green, but when the temperature is below 32°C, it is best not to shade, so as to avoid leaf drop.

4. Caused by pests: The pests that cause leaf drop in ficus mainly include red spider mites and scale insects. Although “thrips” also cause damage, this pest only curls leaves and sucks sap, is less harmful than the above two, and is also easier to control. You only need to remove and destroy the curled leaves. Red spider mites are relatively small, and the usual damage site is the underside of the leaves. They are caused by poor ventilation and dry air. You can rinse the whole plant with plenty of water and then spray with acaricides specially used to kill mites, such as mite killers and acaricides. Scale insects mostly damage stems, leaf stalks, and other areas. They vary in size and color, and their shapes include round and oval. They generally do not move, but they are quite harmful and need timely control. You can brush them off with a toothbrush or wipe them clean with a cloth, or spray a 0.2% solution of washing powder or essential balm for control, or spray pesticides such as methidathion for control. All have good results.