Ficus Lyrata maintenance
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Ficus Lyrata prefers a cool, humid, and sunny environment, dislikes humidity, can tolerate semi-shade, drought resistance, and has certain cold resistance. It has the habit of summer high-temperature dormancy and growth from autumn to spring.
Ficus Lyrata prefers cool and dislikes heat, with the main growing period from September to the following May. It is advisable to maintain a temperature of 5°C to 20°C in winter, in which the plants can continue to grow and normal fertilization and watering management can be carried out. If water is controlled to induce dormancy, the temperature should not be lower than 0°C for safe overwintering indoors. In mid-to-late May, with the temperature rising, the above-ground leaves gradually wither, and the plant enters a dormant state. The plant stays in the original pot during the summer, and the pot should be placed in a dry, well-ventilated, and water-free area. By the end of August to early September, as the weather cools down, new leaves will grow from the rhizome, and it can slowly return to normal management. It is worth mentioning that during the summer dormancy, the plant does not need to be completely without water; it can be slightly moist, although the leaves may be a bit dry. The underground rhizome will still grow, just avoid watering on the dry leaf heart.
Ficus Lyrata loves light and should be given sufficient light during the growing period. Insufficient light will make the leaves thin and weak, making the already few leaves look even worse. Plants growing in sufficient sunlight have shorter and sturdier leaves, with a more obvious semi-transparent appearance, which is highly ornamental. However, after May, a sunshade net should be set up to avoid direct sunlight and enter the dormant period earlier.
Ficus Lyrata prefers a humid environment and should maintain soil moisture without waterlogging during the growing period. Although the plant will not die in long-term drought, its growth will stop, the leaves will turn yellow, and even wither completely. Long-term waterlogging in the pot soil can cause rhizome rot. In summer, to avoid waterlogging during the rainy season, the pot can be placed on a shelf or a platform of certain height, and watering should be controlled to prevent rhizome rot due to waterlogging. However, the pot soil should not be completely dry for too long, as this may cause the rhizome in the soil to dry out. From October to the following May every year is the vigorous growth period of the plant. Apply a thin liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer once a month to provide sufficient nutrients for vigorous growth.
Ficus Lyrata has small yellow flowers that can self-pollinate after flowering, and cross-pollination can improve fruit set. The seeds should be collected after maturity to prevent them from falling off. The seeds are gray-black, about 1 mm in size, angular. Ficus Lyrata is usually repotted at the end of August each year (or every 2 to 3 years due to slow growth). The potting soil should be fertile, loose, rich in humus, and have good drainage and breathability. A mixture of 3 parts of deciduous leaf soil or peat soil and 2 parts of vermiculite or sandy soil can be used. I use peat mixed with coal cinder, adding a small amount of perlite and vermiculite, with small coal cinder laid on the soil surface. Remove the decayed and dry roots during repotting, leaving about 1/3 of the leaves above the soil surface when planting. After watering thoroughly, place it in a shady and well-ventilated area for maintenance, keeping the soil moist until new leaves grow from the top of the bulb, and then gradually expose it to sunlight.
Ficus Lyrata can be propagated by播种 (seeding) method, which is suitable for small varieties that do not produce lateral buds easily.
Seeding: This method is suitable for mass propagation and is carried out in autumn. After sowing, cover with a thin layer of soil and cover with a glass plate to keep the soil and air moist, which has a high germination rate. To avoid washing the seeds or seedlings out of the soil when watering, the immersion pot method can be adopted to let the water slowly soak the soil from the bottom of the pot. Detailed seeding references can be found in the seeding post, which is generally applicable.
Ficus Lyrata has few diseases and pests. The main pests are snails and nematodes in the soil that harm the rhizome. The soil can be treated with high temperature to kill the pests and eggs. Nematicides such as furadan can also be mixed into the growing soil.
The above () introduces the specific introduction of Ficus Lyrata maintenance, hoping to bring some knowledge of flowers to flower enthusiasts.