Could someone identify this please? We've had it years and it never seems to do well. So, the next question, how should it be treated to bring it back to life?
I've tried it in different rooms, different watering etc.
If it was mine I would repot it into some fresh soil then give it a good tidy and prune. Cut out the dead and thin bits just like you would for a garden shrub. Cut everything down to about 6", give it good light, water when it's dryish and watch it bounce back
I have a variegated one, now at least 30 years old and rather large. Every now and then it has shed most of is leaves and looked sickly because I've neglected to feed it.
The cure - for me - is to re-pot in fresh compost and a larger pot and then water well. I add some slow release fertiliser sticks or granules and mulch with expanded clay pellets. Give it a week or two to start new shoots then remove any dry, bare twiggy bits.
I keep ours near a south facing window so it gets lots of light in winter but no direct light in summer when the sun is high. I put a tray of water on the radiator to humidify in winter.
When we go away, it has hols too. I take it upstairs and put it in the shower, give it a good rinse down to remove all dust from the foliage and soak the pot well then close the door and leave it in a happy micro-climate.
It is now large enough to get its own lights and baubles for Xmas.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Hi Daryl. It works for all our houseplants. The rubber plant gets the guest shower to itself as it is also rather large now and the smaller ones go in the bath after their shower and soak. We come home to very happy plants.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Ficus benjamena or weeping fig. Temperamental in some houses.
http://www.houseplantsexpert.com/weeping-fig.html
Have look at the link it may help.
thanks both.
It's looking pretty bare at the moment.
Any recommendations for what to do with it?
If it was mine I would repot it into some fresh soil then give it a good tidy and prune. Cut out the dead and thin bits just like you would for a garden shrub. Cut everything down to about 6", give it good light, water when it's dryish and watch it bounce back
I have a variegated one, now at least 30 years old and rather large. Every now and then it has shed most of is leaves and looked sickly because I've neglected to feed it.
The cure - for me - is to re-pot in fresh compost and a larger pot and then water well. I add some slow release fertiliser sticks or granules and mulch with expanded clay pellets. Give it a week or two to start new shoots then remove any dry, bare twiggy bits.
I keep ours near a south facing window so it gets lots of light in winter but no direct light in summer when the sun is high. I put a tray of water on the radiator to humidify in winter.
When we go away, it has hols too. I take it upstairs and put it in the shower, give it a good rinse down to remove all dust from the foliage and soak the pot well then close the door and leave it in a happy micro-climate.
It is now large enough to get its own lights and baubles for Xmas.
I love the idea of a pre-holiday shower then leave it in there while you are away. Brilliant
Hi Daryl. It works for all our houseplants. The rubber plant gets the guest shower to itself as it is also rather large now and the smaller ones go in the bath after their shower and soak. We come home to very happy plants.