Eggs in soil of Ficus Benjamina.

13 years ago

Hi, I'm new here. I found a pile of eggs in the top layer of soil of my new ficus plant. I purchased the ficus at Home Depot a few weeks ago and after the first week determined I had been over watering it. During the drying out process I've periodically poked my finger down into the soil, and today I found that one of those holes had been filled with little white eggs. The ficus was a day or so away from needing water again, so I removed the top few inches of soil, added new potting soil and saturated the plant with a soapy water solution. I've been giving the leaves humidity by spraying them once or twice a day, and it seems to have adapted to its new home well. The yellowing and dropping of leaves ceased within two days of adding humidity and reducing the water supply. Are there any other precautions I should take against pests?

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years ago
As with any insect you suspect of being a problem, you need to identify whether or not it actually IS a potential problem and then decide whether or not you're going to treat it, based how much damage you witness and are willing to tolerate. Then, use the least noxious means possible to bring the pest within your tolerance limits. That's pretty much the standard IPM spiel, but it is very good advice.

Ficus shed leaves as a function of reduced light or a considerable increase in light, as well as drought response due to a high level of salts in the soil, under-watering, or over-watering. Any of these processes take a considerable amount of time to occur, as they require an abscission layer to form at the base of leaf petioles (stems). Once the abscission layer begins to form, it is permanent. IOW, the leaf can only move forward or possibly stall in the abscission process, but it cannot move backwards. It's like a water valve that is wide open and only turns one way - toward off.

Plant reactions like cessation of leaf shedding doesn't stop as a result of something you did today or two days ago. Some change in cultural conditions you implemented 2-3 weeks ago ...... now we're getting closer. Plants are reactive organisms any the interval it takes for those reactions to become obvious to us are measured in tree time, not people time. Improvements in vitality occur at a much slower rate than does admonishment of vitality due to adverse cultural conditions.

Misting isn't going to do anything to solve your issue. It raises humidity only for a matter of minutes and is more likely to create problems by providing a moist incubation period for fungal infections and by spreading fungal spores from leaf to leaf as water drips. Ficus b. has plenty of subcuticular waxes in the leaves which serves to minimize water loss. They are well-suited to dry air conditions, as long as root function is not impaired.

This all may be moot, as I don't think your plant is going to react favorably to your saturating the soil with soapy water.

Good luck with your new tree.

Al
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Eggs in soil of Ficus Benjamina.

Comment (1)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

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