Stains on ficus - what to do. Causes of brown spots on ficus leaves. Harmful insects are the enemies of ficus

No matter how well the grower cares for the ficus, it happens that spots appear on the foliage. They can be not only brown, but also white. Their appearance is not always associated with fungal or other infection; sometimes it is simply necessary to give the plant quality care. To know how to fix the problem if the ficus is sick or the leaves are drooping, it is important to learn how to identify the source of the problem.

Black spot

Black spots on the top of the ficus are the first sign that a fungal disease is infecting the tree. They initially appear as dark and fuzzy on the upper side of the leaves. A yellow ring forms around the outer edge almost immediately. Eventually, the entire leaf turns yellow, dies, and falls off the tree. The spots can spread to other trees if the disease goes untreated.

Fungicide is the best treatment for controlling an outbreak of black spots on ficus trees. Scientists and plant growers recommend fungicidal treatment with chlorothalonil. This is a broad spectrum drug. Frequency of treatment – ​​spraying leaves every 7-10 days. Be sure to read the instructions for use on the bottle to know the amount and frequency recommended by the manufacturer. Shake the bottle before using the fungicide.

Chlorothalonil is toxic and should not be sprayed indoors. Infected leaves are then removed and destroyed to prevent the spores from spreading to other trees.

Brown spots

Brown spots on leaves can be caused by root rot. This is the most common cause of brown leaves, usually due to overwatering. Overwatering and poor drainage cause rot that spreads from the roots to the leaves of the plant. The only way to be sure that a ficus has this particular disease is to check the roots. If they have brown spots, you will need to not only cut off the damaged ones, but also change the pot with soil.

One of the interesting things about root rot is that it tends to affect older leaves first. Another key symptom is a falling crown.

The lesion may begin with small black dots and then grow larger. It is worth using a moisture meter to take moisture readings at the base of the roots. Root rot is usually treatable, especially if the problem is addressed early. Make sure you have a well-draining container, fast-draining potting soil, and that you don't water too frequently.

Brown spots on leaves can be caused by a bacterial infection. It is one of the most difficult problems, which is almost impossible to combat, since effective drugs do not yet exist. The key characteristic of bacterial brown spots is that they are less black and more brown in color.

The bacterial spot attacks any part of the plant, including large, young leaves. If new shoots appear with slow growth, yellowing and brown spots, they must be removed immediately. These growths have irregular edges and can occur anywhere, including at the edge of the leaf or where it meets the stem. In this case, you will need to remove the plant, since it cannot be cured.

Sometimes rough, dried spots appear on the foliage. They indicate direct sunlight, which simply burns out the greenery. In this case, it is worth hanging a curtain on the window or simply closing it so that the light is diffused.

Edema is a physiological disorder that occurs when a ficus tree consumes too much water. The disease initially appears as water-soaked bumps on the undersides of leaves. The cells burst, forming brown, brownish-red, yellow or black spots with a rough, corky texture. Milky sap leaks out of the plant, causing additional dotting as it dries out.

This problem can make the plant unattractive, but rarely kills the ficus. Although affected leaves cannot be cured, spreading swelling to new shoots can be prevented by reducing watering and allowing the flower to dry out. In this case, you will need to avoid getting the leaves wet during watering, increase the amount of light and improve ventilation.

You should always remember that ficus is not tolerant of movement and changes in the amount of light, which can cause its leaves to become covered with brown spots and then die. Dieback makes the flower vulnerable to other diseases and pests. Control is the only option to avoid the problem.

Cold damage and frostbite also cause young leaves to appear distorted or shriveled and brown, while older shoots develop large brown spots. It is necessary to avoid such traumatization of the flower, do not place it near the air conditioner or ventilation holes. Do not leave the container with ficus outside if the temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius. Ficus also reacts to inconsistent watering. Too much or too little water can lead to this problem. Fertilizers high in nitrogen should be avoided.

White spots

Some diseases, such as powdery mildew, cause white spots on ficus trees. This fungal infection is often the result of infestation by insects that have white scales while living on the plants. Powdery mildew can also cause symptoms such as a white fungal coating on the crown and stems and leaf curling. It can be easily controlled using fungicides.

The use of funds should occur at the first sign. Insects tend to be more difficult to control. Spraying should be done with insecticides; you can get rid of most problems by simply increasing the humidity or using a soap or alcohol solution; horticultural oils work very well. Sometimes you may see small waxy spots on the foliage, most often this is quite normal, so there is no reason to worry.

At first, spots can be confused with diseases or pests, but in fact, for ficus, the appearance of such spots is normal. Some plant growers have concluded that this is either the plant's way of ridding itself of minerals and salts in the soil, or of attracting pollinators. The white spot goes away on its own, but if desired, you can simply wipe it off.

Yellow spots

Yellowing leaf edges are usually a symptom that gradually spreads to new leaves. In most cases it is caused by prolonged underfeeding of the plant. To solve the problem and prevent further development, it is necessary to choose the right complex fertilizers; however, you should not exceed the dose to compensate for the previous mistake, otherwise you can cause more harm.

In any case, you must follow the instructions on the package or bottle and do not exceed the stated dose.

Small small red spots are a sign of the appearance of a mite, which pierces the leaf with its proboscis and feeds on the sap of the plant. The problem can be eliminated with the use of specialized drugs. Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum or Glomerella fungi, causes yellow spots that darken to brown. It is very difficult to get rid of the disease; you will have to make a lot of effort. It is best to treat with insecticides, but do it outside.

Anthracnose is spread through water. Control measures include choosing disease-resistant varieties, avoiding watering or getting the leaves wet, and planting or locating ficus in areas with good air circulation. Chemical control includes applying mancozeb fungicides at the first sign of disease.

Other spots

Botrytis forms large rusty spots with concentric rings. Tiny, slightly raised, dark green or red formations on the lower surface of the leaves are the main symptoms of the disease described. Corynespora spots may appear on young shoots in the form of large reddish dots. There are several other fungal diseases that equally often affect ficus plants. Cankers caused by fungi are crusty lesions that can girdle and kill shoots.

Ficus rubber is the most striking representative of these plants. They love him for his unpretentious existence and extraordinary beauty.
Ficuses and their care
- not a very difficult task. Moreover, these plants are not very susceptible to diseases and various small pests. Diseases of rubber ficus: general information
Most often, all diseases of the rubber ficus are, in one way or another, associated with the conditions of its maintenance. The most common complaints are that the leaves of the plant wither, turn yellow or even fall off. In such cases, before resorting to any chemical treatment methods, you just need to try to change the conditions in which the plant is located: stop watering it abundantly or, on the contrary, it is worth doing this, try to put the ficus in a brighter place, replant it.
Diseases of rubber ficus can also appear due to various pests. They can appear in rooms with dry air humidity (aphids, spider mites, nematodes, scale insects) and in rooms with high humidity (fungal infections). In order not to miss the moment of the appearance of pests, ficus plants benefit from regular preventive inspection. Signs of whiteness in rubber ficus
Despite the assertion that ficus trees are resistant to various pests and damage, they are still not completely immune from this. And the most common phenomenon of rubber ficus disease is changes that occur in the leaves. Many amateurs have come across this phenomenon closely.
The flower developed wonderfully, was lush and beautiful, but at one moment the leaves lost color, began to wither and fall off. This means that a spider mite has appeared on the leaves and is sucking the juice out of them. It is not difficult to fight it: just wash the leaves with tobacco infusion or throw a polyethylene cap over the flower for some time (2 days). Mites can only appear in a room where the air is very warm and fairly dry, so it is useful to constantly maintain air humidity in the room where the flower is located.
Sometimes spots and dots of different shapes appear on ficus leaves. This is a signal that a scale insect has settled on the plant.

, which sucks the juice from the leaves, making them sticky and unpleasant in appearance. It is also destroyed by washing the leaves with a tobacco-soap solution. If the leaves of the plant are kept clean at all times, scale insects will not appear.
Ficus itself does not tolerate drafts, and if it stands in such a place, this adds to the likelihood of mealybugs appearing on the plant, which spreads in the wind at high speed. Its first signs are the appearance of white deposits on the leaves, similar to small pieces of cotton wool. Inside such “cotton wool” sits the insect itself, sucking the sap from the plant and ultimately leading to disease of the rubber ficus. In this case, washing the leaves alone is not enough; double treatment with a special chemical will be required. for example, “Confidor” with an interval of two weeks.
Young ficus rubber plants, whose leaves are still very tender, can be affected by aphids, which, if not eliminated, can destroy the entire plant. In this case, the plant must be treated several times with any chemical preparation against these pests.
How to water ficus trees correctly
Overwatering your ficus is known to be harmful to the plant. If the soil does not have time to dry out from watering to watering, springtails, small, white insects that live in entire colonies, will appear in it. To get rid of them, you need to completely immerse the pot with the plant in water several times, with a short break. In this case, the insects float to the surface and must be drained from the pot. This is done until the water becomes clean, without the presence of pests.
The soil is dried and the need for watering is monitored. But it’s not just the leaves of the plant that attract pests and diseases. The root system can also become a focus for the development of rubber ficus disease. Therefore, when replanting, the roots of the plant must be inspected for the presence of knotty growths on them, the size of which resembles the head of an ordinary pin. If they are present, the plant is infected with nematodes, which secrete very harmful substances that pass through the vessels of the plant into the leaves and lead to the complete death of the ficus.
Measures to combat such contamination usually have no effect. This disease can be introduced by planting a diseased plant, so you need to carefully examine the roots before planting the ficus.
Fungal diseases of rubber ficus
In addition to diseases that develop due to insectivorous pests, rubber ficus trees suffer from various forms of fungal diseases. They appear in the form of spots, different in shape and color. Fungal diseases of ficus are provoked by sunburn and the presence of places on the leaves damaged by insects. The presence of pests leads to the appearance of black sooty fungi on the plant.
Poor ventilation in the room where the ficus stands will lead to the appearance of a white coating on the leaves. It is easily removed, but after a while it appears again. This is powdery mildew that settles on the leaves. If spots appear on several leaves, they can simply be removed from the plant entirely.
And if most of the leaves are affected, the plant must be treated, for example, with a “fungicide” - a special chemical preparation against the fungal disease of rubber ficus. Moreover, it is necessary to treat not only the crown of the plant, but also the root system. By creating the ficus the necessary conditions for life and growth, the plant will be beautiful, strong and healthy, and all diseases will bypass it.

white dots appeared on ficus benjamina

white dots on ficus why

white dots on rubber ficus

white dots on ficus

Re: Ficus diseases and their diagnosis. One time I put Ficus on the balcony in the summer. In the evening I already noticed a cobweb on the ficus and small white dots in the veins of the leaf.

Sometimes spots and dots of different shapes appear on ficus leaves. Poor ventilation in the room where the ficus stands will lead to the appearance of a white coating on the leaves.

If the ficus breaks at the base, but there is no growth point or bud left, then there is no way to help it. Very beautiful, like a bush, with small leaves. Fell in love with him! But there are some white dots along the edges of the leaves.

I grow ficus on the balcony, I began to notice that the leaves began to curl up and become covered with white spots. Ficus Natalie began to appear whitish spots on the leaves, after spraying with Actelik the new leaves are clean.

White waxy dots of ficus benjamina in some varieties are a varietal feature, not a disease. Good afternoon, I also have spots on my ficus, my ficus itself is dark green and the spots are light green and mostly on young leaves, it seems

And if you notice protruding white spots on the leaves of your ficus, don’t worry ahead of time. Like other ficuses, this one contains milky sap in its leaves, which often makes itself felt.

Ficus fruits are nuts enclosed in a fleshy receptacle (fig). When damaged, ficus trees release white sap. It is not dangerous if not ingested.

Difficulties and mistakes in caring for ficus. If diseases and pests are excluded, the main reasons for the ill health of ficus trees are disturbances and sudden changes in conditions. Not required. White spots on the edges of leaves. Natural phenomenon.

Mites suck the juices from the ficus, so white dots appear on the plant, which unite into large spots as the disease progresses. The plant sheds its diseased leaves one by one.

However, the ficus is becoming bald, and some of the leaves are covered with dark brown spots, turning pale and slowly drying out. Girls, please tell me. My ficus has some white lumps about the size of sugar on the underside of the base of the leaf January 19, 2010

Ficus pests. Mealybugs are small, white, cotton-like groups of sucking insects. Cercospora blight is tiny dark spots on the back surface of leaves caused by the fungus cercospora spp.

What about ficus trees? Completely inexperienced with plants, the flowers were almost inherited. There are three specimens of Ficus Benjamin. Two variegated, in connection with which questions. The leaves range in color from white-green to

Problems when growing ficus. If new leaves of a ficus become smaller, and old ones turn yellow and fall off, it means that the plant is not infected. The disease is characterized by the appearance of a white, easily erasable coating on the leaves, shoots, flowers or buds of the plant.

Damaged: rose, chrysanthemum, hibiscus, azaleas, ficus, fuchsia, ivy, orchids. gray, ash-like spots with a yellow border and black dots of pycnidia inside. Development on leaves and stems of very small rounded white spots, with gray

February 23, 2010 Hello, help me determine the cause of the appearance of white dots on my ficus benjamina. It sits on the windowsill and is watered once a week. How did you offend him?

White spots on the lips can appear for various reasons. Not every person has encountered such a phenomenon. However, those who have personally encountered this pathology most often simply ignore it.

White spots on the ficus are probably powdery mildew. Diseased leaves must be promptly removed and destroyed. And for healthy ones, treat all sides with horsetail decoction with a soft sponge December 9, 2011

I myself don’t know what it is, but all my rubber-bearing ficuses have such spots along the edge, this is some kind of individual feature of the ficuses, but not a disease or a pest, perhaps they secrete excess salts that way

Ficus, like all indoor plants, can get sick from time to time or become prey to pests. Of the diseases that this plant can suffer from, the most common are root and tuberous rot, as well as leaf spot. The most common pests include spider mites, scale insects and mealybugs. In addition to all of the above, the ficus gets sick from improper care.

The most common problem when growing ficus benjamina is considered to be yellowing and falling leaves, and the most common questions are: why does ficus benjamina shed leaves, ficus benjamina why leaves fall and ficus benjamina leaves turn yellow - why? Let's look at the answers to these questions.

Why do ficus benjamina leaves fall?

Air temperature

Yellow leaves - lack of care

This plant not only does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature, but also reacts poorly to air that is too cool or too hot. When the temperature drops below +17°C or when it rises above 25°C, the plant may shed its leaves.

Air humidity

Ficus benjamina loves moist air; when the air humidity drops, the plant's leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. In this case, there is only one way out: increase the humidity: either spray the plant several times a day, or buy an air humidifier.

Watering

Violation of the watering regime also leads to yellowing and falling of leaves, and this occurs both from underwatering and from overwatering of plants. To determine whether the plant needs to be watered, you need to: pierce the soil with a stick and see how dry it is; if the wet layer is 2-4 cm from the surface, you can water it.

Fertilizers

It is worth paying attention - the leaves are falling

In addition to everything described above, the leaves of this plant turn yellow and fall off due to disease and pest damage. Read about diseases and pests below

Ficus benjamina diseases

Root rot

The cause of the disease can be called a fungal disease of the root system. Root rot or root rot can occur when the soil is systematically waterlogged. So this disease can be called a consequence of improper care.

Surgical treatment of root rot

If in the pot where the ficus grows, a crust forms on the surface of the soil, then the disease begins to progress due to the lack of oxygen.

Signs of the disease: the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither, then darken very quickly, and the plant dies as a result.

The disease can only be treated if you pay attention to it at the very beginning. Root rot can only be treated surgically.

Treatment of root rot

If the plant shows signs of the disease indicated above, the plant should be removed from the pot and the soil should be carefully shaken off the roots. After the roots are cleaned, inspect them very carefully. If the roots of your ficus have almost all darkened and are very soft to the touch, then nothing will help the plant and you can throw it away.

Pruning affected roots

If the roots are mostly white and quite elastic, then the plant can be saved and this must be done immediately. To do this, cut off all darkened and softened roots. You should also prune the crown; first, remove all leaves and branches with traces of the disease. After this, estimate in percentage terms what part of the roots you cut off; the same percentage of roots should be removed. This is done so that the plant can devote all its energy to recovery and restoration, and not to maintaining a large crown. After this, you need to take a new pot and plant the plant in fresh soil. Next, you need to water the ficus with a solution of the fungicide carbendazim.

Place the ficus pot in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight. Watering can be done only when the plant moves away and produces new leaves. After recovery, follow the watering regime to avoid the disease in the future.

Leaf spotting - care problems

Ficus leaf spot

Leaf spotting on this plant usually occurs due to improper care. Before determining the cause of the disease, you need to carefully examine the plant. Poor care, anthracyclosis and cercospora can lead to the disease.

Care problems

Signs of the disease: Light brown spots appear at the ends of the leaves, along the entire leaf or its edge; over time, the leaf dries out and falls off. If you do not pay attention to such symptoms, the plant may become seriously ill and lose part of its crown.

Such signs indicate problems in caring for the plant; this may be due to high air temperature, dryness and low humidity, or the cause of the disease may be an overdose of fertilizers.

Anthracnose on ficus leaves

Treatment of the disease

Treatment in this case is quite simple and consists of eliminating the causes of the disease. It is necessary to lower the air temperature, increase its humidity, and not fertilize for a long time.

Anthracnose

This fungal disease also leads to the formation of spots on the leaves, but these spots are of a slightly different nature than those described above. The disease is caused by the fungi Gloeosporium and Colletotrichum.

Signs of the disease: Dark brown spots appear on the leaves, which later develop into cankers. The leaves fall off, if the disease is not treated, the plant dies over time.

Cercospora blight on ficus leaves

Treatment of anthracnose

Leaves with signs of disease should be removed immediately, then the plant should be treated several times with a fungicide solution. The frequency of treatments depends on the fungicide you choose. You should also reduce the humidity in the room, as the disease can progress in a humid environment. You also need to reduce watering and ventilate the room more often.

Cercospora

This is also a fungal disease, most often caused by high air humidity. The causative agent is the fungi Cercospora spp.

Signs of the disease: the leaves on the underside are covered with small black dots. Subsequently, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, if the disease is not treated, the plant dies over time.

Treatment of cercospora

Scale insects on ficus leaves

The affected parts of the crown are removed, and then the plant is sprayed several times with an antifungal drug. The frequency of treatments depends on which drug you have chosen. The room where the plant is located needs to be ventilated more often, and the plant itself needs to be watered less frequently.

Ficus pests

The most common pests of ficus are scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites. Most often, pests are caused by improper care.

Shchitovka

The scale insect is a rather harmful insect and also causes trouble because a sooty fungus forms on its sweet secretions. The insects appear as black or dark brown, raised, hard growths; if you find a juvenile, it will be soft and light brown. The scale insect can be found on any part of the plant. The scale insect feeds on the sap of the ficus, because of this the leaves of the plant begin to lose color and fall off

Sooty fungus on ficus leaves

Control measures

It is not easy to fight the scale insect, since its body is protected by a fairly strong shell. Make a very thick soap solution and treat the entire surface of the plant with this solution. You can treat the plant with Actellik by diluting it as indicated in the instructions. If the infestation is very severe, it is best to prune by trimming away the severely affected parts of the plant.

After you have removed the scale insect, you need to remove the consequences of its vital activity - sooty fungus.

Sooty mushroom

This fungus is a black coating on the secretions of the scale insect; it interferes with the breathing and growth of the plant, and it must be removed.

Mealybug

Control measures

Everything is simple here, the mushroom is washed off with a weak soap solution.

Mealybug

The mealybug is a small white insect, as if covered with cotton wool. The body of the insect is elongated with long bristles along the edges. It affects indoor plants and settles on leaves or stems.

Control measures

The easiest way to combat it is to treat the plant with a strong soap solution, first removing the insects. It can be treated with any chemical against pests.

Spider mite

Spider mite

If you notice a thin whitish web on the trunk of a ficus, inspect your plant more closely; it may have been infected by a spider mite. If marbled spots are found on the leaves, then we can say with confidence that this is a mite. It is quite difficult to examine the insect itself, since the spider mite is very small in size. The leaves subsequently turn yellow and fall off, the plants themselves grow poorly and lose their healthy appearance. Over time, they may completely wither away.

Control measures

Before you start fighting spider mites, increase the humidity in the room, as the mite does not tolerate humidity. Wash the plant with soapy water, and if that doesn’t help, spray it with Actellik.

Ficus can be classified as an unpretentious indoor plant. It grows well in apartment conditions, and the basic requirements for caring for it do not differ radically from the requirements for maintaining other types of plants.

But, despite its unpretentiousness to environmental conditions, ficus, like other indoor flowers, is susceptible to various diseases. And basically, ficus diseases are associated with such obvious reasons as lack of prevention, infection from other neighboring plants and non-compliance with maintenance conditions.

How to prevent ficus diseases

With sufficient proper care, ficus trees will feel comfortable and will delight you with their good health. But, unfortunately, you can catch an infection or become infected with pests from other plants, when transplanting into new soil or while being outdoors. Therefore, first of all, it is always necessary to take preventive measures:

• For a “recruit”, a week’s quarantine is mandatory. The ideal option is a room isolated from other plants. If after quarantine you do not find any signs of disease, the ficus can be placed among the other flowers.
• Inspect your ficus daily for signs of disease and pests.
• Wipe the leaves monthly with soapy water. This procedure must be carried out after a long stay of the ficus on the balcony or in the garden.
• Regular cleaning of trays and pots; soil disinfection using a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• Maintaining the required distance between plants: you cannot place flower pots very close to each other. In excessive crowded spaces, infectious diseases and pests are easily transmitted.

The main task of gardeners for the favorable development of ficus is to create optimal conditions. Illiterate maintenance of flowers contributes to frequent pest damage, fungal and viral infections.

Causes of diseases

Ficus diseases can also be associated with unfavorable conditions of its maintenance:

• Incorrect lighting and temperature in the room where the ficus is kept;
• Insufficient air humidity;
• Unsatisfactory watering of the plant: lack or excess of moisture;
• Poor mineralization or overfeeding with fertilizers;
• Unbalanced soil composition.

It should be noted that the most common complaints are related to wilting, yellowing or falling leaves, and it is more prudent to first change the existing conditions: increase or, conversely, reduce the amount of watering, change the location of the ficus from the shade to the sunny side or, conversely, remove away from sunlight, replant the plant in new soil, and the like.

Leaf diseases

Let's find out what leaf diseases this plant has.

• The leaves are turning yellow

A common cause of yellowing ficus leaves is dry air in the room. This happens especially often in winter in plants located next to heating radiators. Hot air dries out the leaves, they gradually turn yellow, wither and fall off. If a large number of leaves are lost, the ficus may die. What to do? The best way to solve the problem is to move the flower to another, more suitable place for it, and install a humidifier. If this is not possible, cover the battery with a thick blanket and spray the plant more often.

Another reason for the yellowness of the leaf may be stress associated with the frequent movement of the ficus from place to place. Try to immediately determine the favorable location of your flower, taking into account your convenience, so as not to disturb it in the future with all sorts of rearrangements.

• Shredding or falling leaves

Signs such as shredding of new leaves, yellowing and falling of old ones indicate a lack of nutrients. What to do? Replant in new balanced soil. When replanting a flower into a new pot, you need to prepare the correct substrate. It must contain equal parts of peat, sand and leaf soil. After transplanting the ficus, the soil should be watered moderately.

The appearance of yellow spots and yellowing of the edges of leaves, their lifeless appearance and falling off will most likely be associated with an excess of moisture in the soil. The main rule for watering ficus is to let the soil dry before the next moistening. Excess moisture will lead to rotting of the root system and further death of the plant. If, however, the soil was flooded, you must wait until the soil dries completely. And if the leaves suddenly fall off, replant the flower in dry soil, removing the rotting roots.

Unfortunately, poor watering of the plant can have negative consequences - dry and wrinkled leaves. In this case, not only the leaves, but also the roots of the ficus dry out, which, accordingly, can also cause the death of the flower.

The appearance of brown spots on the tips and edges of leaves is associated with high room temperature, lack of humidity or frequent fertilizing.

• Falling leaves at the bottom of the trunk

In most cases, in tree-shaped ficuses, the falling of the lower leaves is natural and associated with aging. However, the trunk should not be exposed. This sign indicates the need to replant the ficus, or perhaps that the replantation was made in an unbalanced substrate, or that additional soil fertilization is required.

• Leaf dieback

A serious disease that is associated with more serious problems: infections and pest damage. In such a situation, insecticidal preparations cannot be avoided. To correctly diagnose the disease, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination of the leaves and stem.

Ficus pests

Shchitovka

Symptom: the appearance of brown convex spots, mainly on the inside of the leaf along the veins, but it is possible that they may also appear on the trunk and surface of the leaves. Scale insects suck the juice from the plant, leaving behind a sticky coating, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of sooty fungus.

Control measures: first of all, it is necessary to manually clean the leaves with a soap solution. Then treat the plant with Actellik three times over a period of two to three weeks.

Mealybug

The external one resembles pieces of cotton wool, inside of which a brown pest settles, sucking the juice from the leaves, while retarding the growth of the plant. Easily and quickly transferred from flower to flower by wind and draft. Most often it settles in the axils of leaves.

Control measures: mechanical cleaning of leaves from scale insects and cotton wool, spraying three times with soapy water or tobacco solution every week. In severe cases, treat the plant with confidor in two doses with an interval of ten days.

Spider mite: yellow and red

A favorable condition for the appearance of spider mites is dry and warm air. The mite damages the surface of the plant by biting into tender leaves and sucking out the juice. Leaves behind gray-brown spots. This pest reproduces very quickly. Large colonies form a web on the flower, the leaves wither and fall off.

Control measures: increasing air humidity, frequent spraying of leaves, periodic shower for the flower and treatment with a soap solution. To treat the plant, you can also cover the plant with polyethylene for three to four days, and then spray it with ground sulfur or garlic infusion. If quick treatment is necessary, any insecticidal preparation should be used.

Trips

Settles in small groups along the veins on the inside of leaves. Leaves behind dark brown stains. High temperature and high humidity promote active reproduction of thrips. The leaves appear an uneven yellow-white color, then they dry out and fall off. In addition, this insect pest spreads viruses.

Control measures: repeated spraying of the ficus with a solution of pyrethrum or the preparations Aktara, Actillik, Tanrek, etc. Repeating the procedure is extremely important, since insecticides act only at a certain stage of thrips development.

Aphid

Aphids are dangerous not only for their intrusiveness and activity in the spring and summer, but also for their very rapid infection of other plants due to their ability to fly. It mainly collects in clusters on the undersides of leaves. Affected leaves turn yellow and curl.

Control measures: wash the leaves with soapy water or diluted pyrethrum.

Nematodes

A clear sign of nematode damage is the appearance of beads and nodular growths the size of a pea on the roots. The toxic secretions of these microscopic filament worms penetrate through the root system into the trunk and leaves, discoloring them, and the ficus gradually withers. The disease is dangerous because at the initial stage of infection it is impossible to notice any changes in the development of the ficus. Such a plant can no longer be used for vegetative propagation. If only you cut off a perfectly healthy leaf and grow a new ficus.

Fortunately, almost all pests can be eliminated in one way or another with the help of insecticides. It is much more difficult to cure a plant from serious infectious and fungal diseases. In most cases, it is not always possible to detect signs of disease at an early stage, and in advanced cases, treatment is already useless. But still there is always a chance to save your favorite flower.

Fungal diseases

Gray rot

Externally it appears in the form of gray mold covering the leaves and stem of the ficus. If you shake the leaf a little, it easily flies up, forming a cloud of floating dust. Affected leaves darken and die. The result of this fungus is damp and warm air.

Control measures: decisively remove all affected parts of the ficus. Ventilate the room more often, reduce the frequency and volume of watering. Be sure to let the soil dry out during the day.

Sooty mushroom

A favorable environment for the formation of sooty fungus is the sticky secretions of pests: scale insects, aphids, etc. It looks like a gray-black coating on the leaves.

Powdery mildew, on the contrary, has a characteristic white color and is easily erased.

Control measures: treat the plant with a sponge moistened with soapy water. If the affected area is large, then it is necessary to remove all infected leaves and spray the leaves and roots with a funcicide solution.

Fungi on leaves

Cercospora – small black spots. In severe cases, the leaves turn yellow and die.

Anthracnose - rusty spots, burn areas along the edges of leaves, turning into an ulcerative state. The consequences are identical - the leaf dies.

Botrytis - yellow-brown spots that increase in size. Characterized by a visible black-brown areola.

Control methods: remove all affected parts of the plant and treat with a fungicide.

Root rot

The consequence of the appearance of this fungus is constant waterlogging of the soil. The ficus gradually fades, acquiring a grayish appearance. Foci of decay appear on the stem and roots.

Control measures: do not exist, the plant must be thrown away along with the pot. This infection can lie dormant in the soil for a long time.

The causes of diseases in indoor ficus plants can be not only fungi and bacteria. Saturated watering can, for example, cause such a popular nuisance as dropsy. Externally it appears in the form of plugs on the inside of the leaf. It is no longer possible to cure such a leaf.

Control measures: none, remove all affected leaves.

As diverse as ficus diseases are, the reasons for their occurrence are just as primitive. Compliance with basic rules of care, regular preventive maintenance and love for indoor plants are the main conditions for the successful and favorable maintenance of your ficus.

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This plant of the mulberry family is considered unpretentious and is well suited for growing indoors. The care and maintenance of ficus are very standard and do not require much effort or material costs.

However, despite its unpretentious environment, this flower, like many plants, is also susceptible to some diseases and pests. In most cases, the causes of ficus diseases are such obvious things as the lack of preventive measures to protect plants from pests, location with already infected indoor flowers, or critical conditions for keeping the plant.

If the rubber ficus, Benjamin, Melanie, dwarf or other varieties of this plant often have leaves that turn yellow and fall off, or stems or roots rot, then the reason for all this is a serious disease of the plant. Diseases of indoor plants are infectious and fungal. The following types of diseases are dangerous for ficus:

• Mold. This disease is also called gray mold. It appears on the stem and leaves of the ficus, which becomes covered with brown spots, and then completely sheds the damaged foliage. It is quite easy to recognize this mold: when you shake the leaves, gray dust rises in the air. This fungus loves a warm and humid environment - this means that the room where the flower stands needs to be ventilated often.
• Root rot. Occurs due to excessive waterlogging of the soil. Characteristic signs are wilting, areas of rotting on the stem and roots, and a gray tint on the leaves of the plant. Nothing can save such a plant; all that remains is to throw it away, preferably along with the pot.
• Sooty mushroom. This disease occurs after an invasion of aphids or scale insects, as these pests leave sticky secretions on which sooty fungus develops. This disease can be identified by the black-gray coating that covers the flower mold.
• Fungus Anthracnose and Botrytis. These fungal diseases are similar in appearance. Anthracnose is characterized by brown spots that look more like rust that affects the entire foliage of the plant. Botrytis covers the leaf blade with yellow-brown spots that are constantly increasing in size. Gradually, ulcers form in place of these spots, from which the leaves begin to die and fall off.
• Cercospora blight is another fungal disease that occurs due to excess air humidity. The appearance of fungi of the genus Cercospora is characterized by brown and black dots covering the lower part of the leaves. These spots progress in size, and the foliage affected by them begins to turn yellow and crumble. In the absence of health measures, the ficus may die.
• Powdery mildew is a disease expressed by a white coating similar to flour. Affects the upper leaf plate. If the disease is advanced, the affected foliage must be removed.

When the first symptoms of the diseases listed above appear, it is extremely important to react in time and take action. Depending on the type of disease, the following methods for healing ficus are used:

1. 1. Spraying with fungicides. This method is most common in the treatment of many plant diseases. Most experienced gardeners always have a supply of this group of drugs, which fights most fungi and bacterial pests. Spraying or washing with a solution of fungicides helps get rid of sooty fungus, sulfur rot, anthracnose and botrytis, cercospora and powdery mildew. Not only the leaves are processed, but also the roots.
2. 2. Surgical methods of treatment. This is especially true for ficus, which suffers from root rot, which can only be saved in the early stages of infection. It is necessary to remove the plant from the container and inspect the root system in detail. If most of the roots have healthy elasticity and white color, then a simplified treatment method is used. To do this, you need to remove the ficus from the pot and trim off the rotten roots, stems and leaves. After planting, the plant should be watered with a solution of carbendazim. If most of the root system is affected, then surgical treatment is urgently necessary. This method involves cutting off all rotting roots, stems and leaves with traces of rot. Even the top of the plant is cut off to compensate for the loss of roots. Then the plant is transplanted into new soil and watered with a solution of carbendazim, placed on the bright side, excluding direct rays of the sun. Watering does not begin until new stems or leaves begin to appear.
3. 3. Folk remedies. They are used in combination with ready-made preparations or in the initial stages of ficus diseases. The affected areas are washed with solutions based on soap, machine oil, diesel fuel, garlic or methyl alcohol. Typically, such solutions are used to wipe the stems and leaves of plants using a sponge.

The most common ficus pests are:

• scale insect;
• spider mite;
• thrips;
• mealybug;
• nematodes.

Spider mites are translucent arthropods that also feed on plant sap. It can also be recognized by the grey-brown marks it leaves on the leaves. Thanks to its rapid reproduction, it creates entire colonies that entwine the ficus with cobwebs. This causes the flower to wither and shed its leaves. A soap solution and frequent spraying of all parts of the plant will help in the fight against spider mites. If urgently necessary, you can use a continuous action insecticidal preparation.

Nematodes are small worms that appear on indoor flowers in the form of beads, about the size of a pea, and are attached to the root system. They release toxins that penetrate the stems and leaves, thereby discoloring them. This leads to the fact that the ficus begins to die. The most dangerous thing about this disease is the inability to calculate the first signs of infection. A diseased plant will never be used for vegetative propagation. If a ficus is damaged by nematodes, it must be sprayed with a solution of pyrethrum or chemicals such as Aktar, Tantrek or Actillik. At the same time, the roots should be treated by immersing them in an insecticide solution for 3–4 hours.

Also, when fighting spider mites, they use wrapping in polyethylene for 3-4 days and spraying with a solution of ground sulfur or garlic tincture.

A garlic mixture with the addition of a soap solution helps in the fight against scale insects. To do this you need: squeeze out 2 teaspoons of garlic and mix with pieces of grated soap, add 2-3 tablespoons of water. The entire plant must be treated with this mixture, and after a day, rinse with warm water. These steps should be repeated every 3 days until the ficus is completely cured of scale insects.