How to Stimulate Growth in a Ficus
Ficus benjamina, also known as weeping figs, are popular indoor trees. As temperamental as they are attractive, making a ficus grow can be like getting a supermodel to eat a five-course meal--difficult, but possible. The most important things to remember are not to panic, and not to take it personally. Even the most stubborn ficus tree will thrive and grow if you know how to help it. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Let the sun shine in. Ficus trees do not like too much dim lighting, so make sure your tree gets plenty of morning or afternoon sunlight.
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Keep the temperature in your home between 65 and 75 degrees F. Ficus trees do not like temperatures below 55 degrees F and will not grow if they are too cold.
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Do not over-water your ficus. Poke a finger into the soil to see how moist it is. Your ficus does not need to be watered until the top half inch of soil is dry.
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Feed your ficus tree once a month with slow-growth fertilizer diluted to the manufacturer's directions. Do this only during the spring and summer months; ficus trees naturally go dormant during the fall and winter.
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5
Pinch off any yellow leaves that appear. Dropping leaves is a normal part of a ficus' growth.
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Check for mites or other bugs. They will be clearly visible on the leaves. If you see any bugs--they look like little white specks--on your ficus, add 10 to 20 drops of dish soap to a gallon of water and mist the entire tree. Repeat as needed. Once the bugs are gone, the ficus should grow just fine.
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Re-pot your ficus only if it is obviously root-bound. Ficus trees are oddly habitual and do not respond well to being moved or manhandled. If your plant has more than tripled in size since you purchased it, it may be time to re-pot it.
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Tips & Warnings
Mist your ficus tree during the warmest and driest months, as they thrive in humidity.
Do not use anti-bacterial soap on your ficus.
Don't run for the watering can if you see yellow leaves. Over-watering is the leading cause of sickly ficus trees.
