What to Do When Ficus Bonsai Leaves Turn Yellow and Fall Off
Ficus bonsai refers to potted ficus trees shaped through various techniques, using ficus as the material and ornamental display as the purpose. Ficus has extremely vigorous vitality and is very easy to care for and manage, but sometimes problems arise, such as yellowing leaves and leaf drop. Below, the editor introduces the causes and solutions for yellowing leaves and leaf drop in ficus bonsai.
Situations of yellowing leaves in ficus bonsai:
1. High humidity
Improper watering causes great harm to ficus. Overwatering, or high environmental humidity, can cause root rot in ficus, resulting in large-scale leaf drop. Ficus is more difficult to grow in the north. Humidity must be controlled well indoors; too low humidity can also cause yellow leaves.
2. Large temperature differences
Ficus is suitable for growing in environments with small day-night temperature differences. An environment like - where you wear a fur coat in the morning and gauze in the afternoon is completely unsuitable for ficus growth. When the temperature difference exceeds 10°C, large-scale yellowing and blackening of leaves will occur.
Therefore, during regular care, place the potted plant in a ventilated and well-lit position, and provide shade in time during summer.
3. Improper fertilization
Ficus likes fertilizer, but too many fertilizer applications can harm its growth. In mild cases, leaves turn yellow; in severe cases, roots rot. During the growing period of ficus, the amount of fertilizer varies according to the season. Reduce or stop fertilizing in winter. In other seasons, fertilize once a month, choosing dilute liquid fertilizer, mainly with balanced fertilizer, preferring lighter over stronger concentrations.
4. Pests and diseases
Aphids, red spider mites, scale insects, etc. When pests and diseases occur, the plant suffers damage to varying degrees, causing root rot or damage, which leads to yellowing leaves. When yellowing leaves appear on the plant, check the growth condition of the roots to see if there are dead roots, rotten roots, or damaged roots. Spray pesticides promptly for prevention and control.
Situations of leaf drop in ficus bonsai:
1. Insufficient light
Ficus grows well in environments with sufficient light. During high-temperature summer periods, if 30-50% shade is provided, the leaf color will appear even more emerald green, but when the temperature is below 32°C, it is best not to provide shade, to avoid leaf drop.
2. Improper watering
Overwatering leads to water-induced yellowing, while long-term water deficiency leads to drought-induced yellowing. Both situations cause ficus leaf drop. Therefore, watering ficus must follow 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 potting soil being completely dried out. Of course, even if completely dried out, it will not cause great harm to ficus in a short time, because ficus leaves are thick and small, with a certain degree of drought tolerance.
3. Improper fertilization
Too much fertilizer on ficus causes fertilizer-induced yellowing and leaf drop, while lack of fertilizer also turns old leaves from green to yellow. Therefore, use the method of light but frequent fertilization, avoiding high-concentration chemical fertilizers or unfermented organic fertilizers, otherwise fertilizer damage will occur, with mild cases causing leaf drop and severe cases causing death.
4. Caused by pests
Aphids, red spider mites, scale insects, etc. When pests and diseases occur, the plant suffers damage to varying degrees, causing root rot or damage, which leads to yellowing leaves. When yellowing leaves appear on the plant, check the growth condition of the roots to see if there are dead roots, rotten roots, or damaged roots. Spray pesticides promptly for prevention and control.
The main pests causing leaf drop in ficus are red spider mites and scale insects. Although there is also damage from "thrips," this pest only curls leaves and sucks sap, with less harm than the above two, and thrips are also easy to control - simply remove and destroy the curled leaves. Red spider mites are relatively small, generally harming the underside of leaves, caused by poor ventilation and dry air. After rinsing the whole plant with plenty of water, spray with acaricides, such as Mite-Clear, Kete, etc. Scale insects mostly harm stems, leaf stalks, and other areas, varying in size and color, with shapes including round and oval. They generally do not move, but cause relatively great harm and require timely control. They can be brushed off with a toothbrush or wiped clean with a cloth, or controlled by spraying a 0.2% solution of laundry detergent or essential balm, or by spraying pesticides such as methidathion. All are effective.
5. Newly purchased ficus bonsai dropping leaves
It may be that the ficus itself is not healthy enough, or that it does not adapt to the environment after being brought home. Therefore, when purchasing, choose a healthy bonsai with spreading leaves, deep green and glossy color, and no pests or diseases on the whole plant, and the potting soil should be loose, fertile, and breathable. After bringing it home, place it in a relatively bright indoor area or in the courtyard, with temperatures between 10°C and 30°C and little fluctuation, not lower than 5 degrees in winter, not higher than 35 degrees in midsummer, and pay attention to ventilation, frequently spraying water on the leaves, etc.
Besides the above situations, there is another possibility: the ficus branches or root system are damaged. Whether to prune the branches can be decided based on the situation, while for the root system, the only option is to find a way to heal the wound as quickly as possible. If fertilizer is applied before the root wound has fully healed, the root system not only cannot absorb it, but overly concentrated fertilizer will force water from root cells back into the substrate. After four weeks, it is recommended to apply nutrient solution sold in flower markets. During this process, too much water increases the chance of wound rot on the root system. A relatively dry substrate is beneficial for new root growth. To provide enough water and nutrients, one can only spray more water on the leaves.
Finally, the editor reminds you that ficus bonsai should generally be placed in a ventilated and well-lit area. In daily care, pay attention to watering, fertilizing, pruning, and pest and disease control. Ficus needs a certain amount of spatial humidity, otherwise, with insufficient sunlight, poor ventilation, and no certain spatial humidity, the plant is prone to yellowing and drying, leading to pest and disease outbreaks, or even death.