Many people buy ficus because of its beautiful shape and apparent unpretentiousness. In fact, it is one of the most sensitive houseplants. It reacts literally to any change in conditions: watering, lighting or microclimate, warns an experienced gardener, author of the Zen channel “The Wise Gardener” (16+).
The expert spoke about the real reasons why your favorite ficus may suddenly lose its leaves, and also shared a proven recipe for recovery in 10 days.
3 main reasons for leaf fall:
Improper watering
- The leaves turn yellow and fall evenly throughout the bush.
- The soil in the pot remains wet for a long time after watering.
- The roots have signs of rot (black, soft).
Change of conditions
- Leaves begin to fall 3-5 days after conditions change.
- They fall green, without signs of disease.
- The process lasts about 1–2 weeks, then stops.
Lack of light
- The leaves become small and pale.
- The shoots stretch out, large gaps form between the leaves.
- A one-sided fall occurs, most often on the side that is farther from the light source.
How to stop leaf fall in 10 days
When your ficus begins to shed its leaves, it is important to act quickly. The method works even on severely weakened plants. This is how plants in greenhouses are saved.
Prepare the solution. Add 1 tsp to 1 liter of room temperature. sugar, 1 tsp. succinic acid, 1 ampoule of vitamin B1 and stir well until completely dissolved. Water the ficus with the resulting solution. Repeat after a week.
After 7-10 days you will see the first signs of improvement: the leaves will stop falling and new buds will appear.
