The ficus is a green plant of Asian origin that has virtues for any interior whether in an office or a house, it serves as a decoration and helps to purify the surrounding air. It may happen that at some point, we want to multiply our plant or simply share it. The technique of cuttings which consists in cutting a young shoot of a plant to plant it in the ground makes it possible to give life to a second ficus. It is true that not everyone is necessarily versed in the matter, however, it is enough to follow the steps to make a successful ficus cutting.
You should know that like all green plants, the ficus requires specific care and needs to be maintained. The life expectancy of this Asian plant can reach twenty years. Pruning a ficus is already a way to maintain it. During the cuttings, it is necessary to bring some tools and a few objects, a secateurs to cut the shoot and a jar or a potting soil for the continuation. There are three techniques for cutting a ficus. Here are the 3 ways to cut your ficus.
The 3 ways to cut a ficus
When we see that our ficus is aged and we would like to have a young plant without spending the money, cuttings are a good alternative. However, there are three techniques of cuttings, water cutting, smothered cutting and roller cutting that require great willpower and patience, as it is done step by step. Here are a few points of the techniques and steps to follow for the cuttings of your ficus.
1. The preparatory phase
Before embarking on the cuttings of a ficus it is necessary to bring some tools according to the type of cuttings. To cut a branch, you will need a secateurs or a sharp pair of scissors. To protect your hands, don't forget to put on gloves, you will need a pot filled with potting soil for a roller cutting. For a smothered cutting, the pot should be filled with sand and peat. As for the technique of cutting with water, you will need a jar containing water. You will also need a vaporizer.
2. The technique of water cuttings
For this technique, it will be necessary to put water in a jar. Make sure that the water is free of limescale so as not to risk causing various problems for your young plant. After that, you need to cut a stalk of about 20 cm with the help of your pruning shears or your pair of scissors on the old plant. The stem should contain a few leaves that won't be useful for the cutting, so you'll need to cut a few off and leave only two at the end. Then you can put your young shoot in the jar containing water and a piece of charcoal. It will take a few weeks for the roots to appear. Finally, you will need to repot the young ficus shoot.
3. The stifled cutting technique
for this technique, it will be necessary to cut a lateral rod of about 15 cm with a sharp pruning shears or scissors. Then cut all the leaves except the one at the tip. After that, it will be necessary to make a hole in the pot containing sand and peat and plant your stem and spray with water. Remember to moisten your shoots regularly with the same spray bottle, 2 to 3 times a day. It will take a few times for roots to appear before repotting.
4. Roller cutting technique
You will need to take an 8 cm rod for this technique and bring a plastic bag with a capacity of about 5 liters. Inside this bag, you must put a substrate that you must sprinkle with water to be sufficiently moist. Afterwards, you can plant your stem in the potting soil and roll up the bag and tie with a string so that everything stays in place. Do not forget to humidify your bag on a regular basis and to put it in a safe place, in a place with a temperature below 22 ° C. You will have to wait about 2 months before repotting your young ficus shoot.
Some tips that can help you cut your ficus
Whether it is a ficus cutting with water, stewed or with a roller, it is important to know that you need to use pruning shears to remove the shoot. However, while cutting the stem, you must protect your hands because the ficus can leak a rather toxic white substance.
The cutting of the ficus requires a lot of patience and some care to be able to grow. Do not forget to disinfect your pruning shears or your pair of scissors before proceeding to cut the stem.
During roller cutting or choking, make sure that the potting soil remains moist. For this purpose, demineralized water should be sprayed up to three times a day.
