How to Spray Bug Spray on Ficus Trees

Spray your ficus to help it stay healthy.

According to a study by NASA, incorporating live plants into your home decor is one way to help the air inside your house stay as clean as it can be.The ficus tree is just one of the plants listed among those that can help absorb up to 87 percent of toxic air in your home each day. Take good care of your ficus tree, and it will help take good care of you.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Ficus tree
• Spray bottle
• Horticultural oil

1. Water your ficus tree thoroughly before spraying it for bugs. arrosoir image by danimages from Fotolia.com

   Water your ficus tree thoroughly one to two days before you plan to spray the tree with horticultural oil.

2. Choose a kind of horticultural oil that is safe for your ficus tree. Follow the instructions on the container of oil on how to mix it if it requires mixing. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle.

3. Choose a day when the weather forecast indicates no wind or rain for at least two days.Take your ficus tree outside before you spray it. Set the tree in a shaded area where it isn't exposed to direct sunlight.

4. Set the sprayer on the bottle so it sprays a fine mist. green spray bottle image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com

   Set the sprayer on your spray bottle so it will spray a fine mist. Spray the top and underside of the ficus leaves, the branches and trunk with a fine mist that will bead up but not run off. Let the spray dry.

5. Spray the ficus tree again, if necessary, according to the manufacturer's instructions on the container of horticultural oil, following the same process as you did the first time you sprayed the tree.

Tips & Warnings

• Horticultural oils can be found at home and garden-supply stores.

• You can also make up a mixture of 1 tbsp. of plain dish soap added to 1 pt. of cool water to spray on your ficus trees.

References

• The Health Benefits of House Plants, Including the Top Nine Healthiest Plants!
• Ficus Tree Problems