How to grow Ficus lyrata robustly
Are you wondering how to grow Ficus lyrata robustly and the plant cultivation methods and techniques? These tips will surely be helpful to you. Let's learn about it together!
Ficus lyrata is a tropical plant that thrives in warm and humid environments. It is common in southern China, and I've seen many of them when I visited Shenzhen. They can be found in parks and on the streets, and some new residential areas also cultivate them. In the north, we can only keep them indoors, or they will freeze to death in winter.
The leaves of Ficus lyrata resemble a violin and have a nice texture. It has high ornamental value and is an excellent foliage plant, often growing long aerial roots.
I've tried growing it several times and have had failures. Overall, I find the maintenance difficulty to be average. I previously kept one indoors, and due to the overly dark environment and poor ventilation, it kept having problems, such as rust disease, red spider mites, and issues like etiolation and leaf drop.
The one I'm growing now is in an outdoor garden, and it can be moved indoors during winter. As long as the temperature does not drop below 5 degrees, it can safely overwinter.
When kept in an outdoor garden, it has never had any problems and is very tough, surviving wind and rain, and exposure to sun and wind, and growing healthily.
It is often said that Ficus lyrata is shade-tolerant, but I think this statement can mislead people. Shade tolerance is relative. For example, it can grow with slightly less sunlight outdoors, and it's also fine in a well-ventilated and brightly lit indoor area.
However, it is not as resilient as Epipremnum aureum, so I suggest giving it more sunlight and ventilation for healthy growth. As mentioned earlier, a dark and poorly ventilated environment can lead to poor growth, etiolation, and the occurrence of diseases and pests, which are difficult to treat.
My experience is that Ficus lyrata is not particularly afraid of sunlight, though it cannot be exposed to direct sunlight in summer. My plant has been kept outdoors, and many in the south are also grown outdoors without any sunburn issues, growing very well.
However, I must tell you that the climate in the south is relatively humid and suitable for its growth. If you, like me, are growing Ficus lyrata in the north, I suggest you mist it once a week to increase humidity. Don't mist it too often, as it can lead to fungal growth, such as rust disease. The main cause of rust disease is poor plant growth, high humidity, and poor ventilation.
Spring is the peak growing season for Ficus lyrata, and you can apply a little fertilizer when it sprouts to promote growth. Slow-release and fast-release fertilizers are both suitable. Slow-release fertilizers release nutrients slowly, usually over two to six months, depending on the brand. Applying fertilizer every two to three months is normal.
Fast-release fertilizers have a shorter release time, completing the release in seven days. I suggest applying fertilizer every ten days.
You can apply fertilizer as long as Ficus lyrata is growing, and stop when it is not growing. This way, you will have a healthy and good-looking plant.
Why? If you don't fertilize during the growth period, the new branches and buds will become weak due to insufficient nutrients, and the leaves will also shrink, making them look very unattractive. Applying fertilizer during dormancy is meaningless, as the plant cannot absorb nutrients, and it also increases the risk of fertilizer damage.
The above content introduces how to grow Ficus lyrata robustly and the cultivation methods and techniques. I hope it can help you, and I also hope everyone comes to see more green plant and flower experience and knowledge!