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Ficus light question.
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Posted by ficus-spider-man Minnasoda (My Page) on Thu, Jan 18, 07 at 20:35
| I have a Ficus Benjamia, that I got a few weeks ago its a varigated one about two feet tall. I am concerned about the level of light its getting and about the humidity ( I do have a cheap humidifier on the same shelf). Its gets some morning sun from about eight to ten, but its leaves are getting smaller instead of bigger. Though it has done pritty well with keeping them. I went out and brought a AGROSUN Dayspot 60 Watt incandescent blub today at linders with a hang on lamp. It is on a humity tray though small but i wonder about the humidity. My question is is this light brand adequate or not? Do you recamend any light blub brands over this one? Please help any answer will be greatly welcomed. |
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RE: Ficus light question.
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| This Ficus will grow happily in very low light. In fact the variegated forms can scorch in direct sun. I grow one to the side of a north facing window. In England. You'd be hard pressed to read a newspaper there most of the time, the tree is thriving. If your light is in a location that receives any direct sun at all then I don't think you need any more light. Unless you are planning to grow a 30' tree! Ideal conditions would be fairly high humidity and sparse watering. You may have to water more frequently if the humidity is low but overwatering will cause rapid leaf drop. Watch for the edges of the leaves going crispy, that's a sign your humidity may be too low. Spraying the plant every few days will raise the humidity. Avoid cold conditions and rapid temperature changes. Best above 60F, but it is quite happy down to 50F and maybe even a bit less if the plant is used to it. Suddenly dropping ten degrees from what the plant is used to will probably defoliate it. See if you can get your money back on the lamp, it really isn't going to help. |
RE: Ficus light question.
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| thanks for the advice, I'll keep the lamp and see how it grows if it gets scorched then I'll remove the light and save it for another plant, I do have a nine foot tall celing I let it groew to four or five feet then lower light again gradiually over time. Is it legal to plant them outside in cal, flo, and other parts of the southern us? I might want to live there someday? |
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