Ficus benjamina 'White Spot' Problem
frank737
16 years ago
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Comments (27)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Holes on Ficus Benjamina Leaves
Comments (6)Hi Al and adib_y, Resurrecting this thread as I have 2 Ficus Lyrata seedlings which have a similar problem: holes in leaves, no yellow halo-ing, but a rusty / brown halo - and this is from the newer growth (newest three leaves). There are also additional problems that I suspect are related: curling of leaves at tips + tips going crispy brown + some browny-red scarring in the middle of leaves that I think will progress to holes in the leaves. I bought the seedlings from a lady who lives in the tropical part of Australia, whilst I live in the more temperate state of Victoria..... So my hunch is that perhaps this is a stress thing in response to change in humidity levels..? I will add more pics tomorrow afternoon because I am both too excited (for a reply from Al) to not jump at the chance to post now while I'm motivated and yet too sleepy to organise some better piccies tonight. Some additional info: * I've had the seedlings two months now. No leaf drop. One seedling has had a new leaf sprout with heaps of holes. The bigger seedling hasn't done anything. They are both in 3" plastic pots, in medium I have no clue as to composition (but it has perlite and bark), and which I will pot up in the future if they actually survive. (And yes, I am considering using your recipe Al, and then putting in a wick while they are still small and manageable.) * It is now Spring here and the plants are indoors sat facing the South-East Window (which would be the North-East facing counterpart in the US I guess?) in a house with big tall glass sliding doors and white interiors. So some morning sunshine plus lots of bright indirect light throughout the day (because SW aspect also has the glass windows). * I don't use a heater at the moment. Not since I've had the plants. * I have been watering them with a super diluted mix of of Plant Starter by Multicrop + water (2mL P.S. to 2L of tap water left to stand at rom temp for 24hours). I water when the top 1" layer of soil is dry and the bottom drain holes are damp-ish. And prior to reading a lot of threads by Al on soil + water retention, I have been watering with tap water (let stand for 24hours) once to flush, let effluent drain for 15 mins, then water again with my mix as above. (So I was pretty stoked when you repeatedly mention about the importance of flushing out soluble salts!!!) * I was getting depressed about the status of the new growth so I pinched off the leaves that had really bad holes and cut off the brown tips - freaking out that it might be some pest or fungus problem. (Darn, should have taken photos while they were still attached. Anyway, there are still the scarring on some of the leaves for tomorrow's pics.) I think that's it. By the way Al, I have learnt a lot from your posts and comments. Thank you for sharing the knowledge in a very understandable way and for being approachable and friendly. (Well I think you are... And I hope I'm right!) PS - I bought myself an el cheapo moisture meter and then came across your comments about them, did the experiment with water and then water + salt, and now I'm sad I threw away $30. Wish I saw your comments first! PPS - adib_y Sorry for hijacking your thread! Dreaming of healthy FLFigs, Simone...See Moreficus Benjamina leaves and branches turning brown
Comments (16)A dowel rod is a round piece of wood - like a pencil. You can get one at a hdwe store & sharpen it in a pencil sharpener. Alternately, us a 12" wooden skewer - they come pre-sharpened. * Move the plant to a spot where you can repeatedly and thoroughly flush the soil with water that hasn't passed through the softener. * Flush the soil up to 10 times with at least as much water as the volume of the container the plant is in. You cannot overdo it. * After flushing, tilt the container at a 45* angle and wait for the container to stop draining. This drains a considerable amount more water than allowing the container to rest on its bottom. * After draining has stopped, remove the plant from it's pot and set on newspapers to drain. If the plant is small, a few hours is fine - if large, allow it to rest on the papers over night. * With a utility knife, slash deep vertical cuts into the root mass and an 'X' on the bottom. Alternately, you can remove an inch or two of the roots/soil from the bottom. * Pot up into a slightly larger pot and fill in around the roots with a soil similar to what you currently have in the root mass. Use a wick in the bottom of the pot if you are going to be able to lift the pot above the collection saucer (best). Ideally, the wick will dancle 2-3" below the bottom of the pot w/o contacting the water in the collection saucer. (I know - a lot to ask) ;o) This wick will 'fool' the water into 'thinking' the pot is deeper than it is. Water will move down the wick 'looking' for the bottom of the pot, and droip off the end. This will go a long way toward eliminating the specter of root rot and allowing you to water copiously enough to flush the soil each time you water to help gurad against salt accumulation. * A few days after you've repotted, fertilize with 1/2 the recommended strength of Miracle-Gro 24-8-16 (granular/box), Miracle-Gro 12-4-8 (liquid/yellow jug), or Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 (best, but you'd probably need to order online) * Give it all the light you can, and try to keep soil temps @ 65-75* That's the standard plan for bringing Ficus back from the brink. I'm not sure how many it's worked for, but I know it's more than I can guess at .... lots. ;o) Best luck!! I'll be around if you still have questions. Al...See MoreWhich infestation does my ficus benjamina have?
Comments (0)Hi there, It was time for my Ficus to be repotted today, and I noticed these worrying tiny black spots on the back of leaves and sometimes also on the front. I'm aware it's common to have those white droplets behind the leaf, but I cannot find anywhere someone who tells me what those little black dots are. I assume it's small bugs feeding on guttation. Just in case, I gave it a shower with soapy water followed by a complete rinse in clean water, and I will do this for few days in a row, but I am unsure if it needs a harsher treatment. If you can help me, that would be great. Thanks!!...See MoreWhich infestation does my ficus benjamina have?
Comments (8)I see some sort of webs (very tiny) on some of the stems. However the amount of webs is really small compared to the amount of affected leaves (maybe 3 webs in the whole plant) . So it may only be dust or maybe indeed a little web from a household spider that has been shrinking. Almost every leaf has also a white blob but only in some case that is surrounded by the tiny black bugs, so I think they are not related (but the bugs may feed on it). The bugs or dots or whatever they are do not move... I kept staring at them but nothing happens and even if they are absolutely microscopic, I guess I would have detected a movement. I made a very very dilute soapy water solution following another website where an expert on ficus recommended it cause I didn't have the chance to go to the store, and since the plant was already outside it was easier to spray it. Also I wanted to make sure I bought a proper chemical solution once I knew which creatures I was fighting against :)...See Moreefhale
16 years agoronalawn82
16 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years agorogersrosie
10 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
10 years agomarie_ash99
8 years agorternoir
8 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agomarie_ash99
8 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
8 years agotherulesgirl
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agomarie_ash99
6 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years agomarie_ash99
6 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
6 years agomarie_ash99
6 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
6 years agoDan Main
3 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
3 years agoBrooks McCorcle
3 years ago
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)