The birch fig takes things slowly with its annual growth. Every 3 to 4 years it is still necessary to expand the normal care program by switching to a larger container with fresh substrate. These instructions explain in detail when and how to expertly repot a Ficus benjamina.
How should you repot a Ficus benjamina?
Repotting a Ficus benjamina: Repot in spring, choose a new pot with 2 finger's width of space, use expanded clay drainage and air-permeable fleece, fill pot plant soil with coconut fibers and perlite or lava granules, water the plant and fertilize for the first time after 6 weeks.
Time slot is open in spring
Since a Ficus benjamina is repotted at intervals of 3 to 4 years, this care measure means a high level of stress for the exotic green plant. By choosing a date between the end of overwintering and the beginning of the new growing season, you can effectively prevent transplant shock.
Step-by-step instructions – repotting a birch fig made easy
Don't choose the new pot too big. There should be no more than 2 finger's width of space between the root ball and the edge of the pot so that the birch fig continues to develop bushy and compact. As a substrate, we recommend pot plant soil (€18.00 on Amazon) with coconut fiber as a peat substitute. Inorganic additives such as perlite or lava granules optimize permeability. This is how you skillfully repot the plant:
- Run a flat knife between the substrate and the edge of the pot to loosen the root ball
- Grip the birch fig by the root neck and pull it out of the bucket
- Shake off or rinse off the old substrate
- In the new bucket, place a 2-3 cm layer of expanded clay on the bottom as drainage
- To protect against siltation, cover the drainage with an air and water permeable fleece
Fill a first layer of substrate over the fleece. Measure the height so that the birch fig ends up being about 2 cm below the edge of the pot. Water the plant thoroughly. Let the room temperature, lime-free water run onto the fresh soil until the saucer fills up. Pour this out after 10 minutes so that no waterlogging can form. Fertilize the repotted Ficus benjamina for the first time after 6 weeks at the earliest.
Tip
If your Ficus benjamina loses its green leaves, waterlogging is one of the most common causes. This emergency overrides the usual appointment recommendation. Repot the suffering birch fig immediately according to these instructions, because every day in waterlogged soil is one day too many.