I don't think you can totally discount too much fertilizer (we're actually talking about an accumulation of salts from both fertilizer AND tapwater) unless you are watering so profusely that salts are getting flushed from the soil. If you are watering in small sips, all the fertilizer you apply (except what the plant uses) accumulate in the soil, along with the dissolved solid solutes in your irrigation water. When there are too many solubles in the soil solution, it impairs the plants ability too absorb water. The result is a drought response - yellow, falling leaves.

Another possibility is that the plant is badly rootbound. I have around 20 Ficus b. bonsai in various stages of development, so I'm familiar enough with the plant to tell at a glance when they need repotting. Generally, they characterize their discontent by displaying symptoms of decreasing/slowed branch extension, leaves that stay the same size or grow smaller as the branch extends (it is the normal habit of Ficus species for mature leaves to show an increase in the size of each new [mature] leaf as the branch extends), and a loss of interior foliage with most growth concentrated near apices (the growing tips of branches)

Al

"Close to a large west-facing window".....

how close does it imply. The ficus loves sunlight, but definitely not direct sun that can cause problems.
Sunlight is fast improving these days and if the plant is very close to the window glass, it can generate heat that is unbearable for the plant.

Anytime the plant experiences trouble from below, its the lower leaves that feel it first, they're the ones closest to the trouble.

You don't say just how you have been watering. The book you have explains that overwatering is a major cause of just such leaf problem you are experiencing.

Ficus should dry out somewhat between waterings, and when you water it should be to drainage. Any water thus drained should not be allowed to sit for more than 10 or so minutes before dumping.

I doubt your soil is building salts from so little time.
But one thing, your plant is in trouble....and you are feeding it. That's a no-no....you should never feed a sick plant--that only exasperates the problem.
You cant feed a sick plant into health, you have to fix the problem first.
Too much fertilizer is one cause of what the plnat is doing....and if that is the case, you are pushing it to lose more.

The book describes what causes the problem...take each mention and ask yourself if that could be the cause...and change your way of care.

While you are at it, use an eye to try to spot pests that might also cause the trouble. Some pests, to be sure, cannot be seen with the naked eye...but you can usually see the damage they do, or they leave tell-tale evidence they are on the plant. Read about these pests:
Aphids, meallybugs, scale insects, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies are the common variety.
Other causes of plant problems might be from "wilting", crown or root rot, and mildew.
Your book should describe how to handle such invasions.

Don't go overboard trying to fix what might be brought back to health by simple measures. Usually its the caregiver that causes the problems. Take each of your care habits and put aside those that do not apply.

Carlisle - I tried to stay focused on what the issues might be and not go too far afield, given that you had eliminated several possibilities that would, in fact, need to be eliminated. I think I'm free to say that I respectfully disagree with several important points in the post previous, but I won't go into it unless you ask.

I don't know if you've done a search on this forum for 'Ficus b', but you may find this helpful. I have made some minor changes in my thinking about this plant since I posted this in '05, but nothing major.

Good luck.

Al

Jeannie, I usually treasure your advice, but I disagree about a Ficus dropping leaves from increased light..If it were the other way around, sitting in full sun then decreasing light, Ficus will usually drop foliage.

Carl, did you do anything different? Ficus dislike change. Although this statement sounds contradictory to what I said to Jeannie, anything other than increased sunlight??

What type of fertilizer did you use? lol..Liquid sticks? What are they? Is it liquid form or stake/stick that is inserted in soil?
If you're using stakes/sticks, perhaps you should consider powder or liquid. Stakes fertilize one area, not the entire rootball, but that's another topic. Sorry.

Did you move your Ficus? Change watering habits? Do anything different?
The first thing I'd do is check for insects. If your house is dry and air stale, Ficus can attract insects like Spider mites, Scale and Mealy. Please do an inspection. Do you know what to look for?

Please keep us posted..thanks, Toni

It's a bit back from the window... a couple of metres, and we hardly get any direct sunlight in this part of the world anyway... especially not at this time of year... as a matter of fact I can only remember one time in the last month I actually had the sun streaming though into my living room.

This being winter, it gets watered once every couple of weeks... this is my normal winter routine, stepping up to once a week in summer. I've been doing this for all the time I've had the plant and it's been fine, so I thought water frequency (or any environmental issues) could be ruled out as none have changed.

I latched on to the fertiliser thing, partly because the book specifically said this affects lower leaves, and partly because when I think about it, I am a bit lax with fertilising... with it being a relatively rare occurance, I tend to forget when I last did it or forget I need to do it.

The 'liquid sticks' are like little phials of diluted fertiliser you stick upside down in the soil, and they slowly drip the fertiliser into it. I used it as a 'quick-fix' but it isn't how I normally do it... normally I just put a bit of Baby-Bio into the watering can.

Toni is right in advising you to inspect carefully for insects - particularly scale and mites. Scale are evidenced by small bumps on leaves and stems/soft branches. They can be removed mechanically with a toothpick or other such object. Mites will leave a yellow residue or can be seen if you hold a white piece of paper under leaves and tap branches to dislodge them. They will look something like moving specks of fine pepper on the paper.

Even though it's apparent your problem isn't due to under-fertilizing, I would like to take a second to point out again, that the advice to "never fertilize a sick plant. You cant feed a sick plant into health ..." should not be given as a blanket statement. There are so many instances where the plant is struggling or in decline from a nutritional deficiency that the ONLY way to reverse the decline is to fertilize. I have pointed this out a number of times on this forum after similar statements.

I may not understand you correctly, but it seems as though you are saying that because you have watered in a particular manner for an extended period, that it eliminates the idea that the problem might have arisen as the result of watering methods. Since the effects of salts from fertilizer and irrigation water are accumulative and take time, it would be a little like saying, "I've been tossing a few pennies into this jar every day for over a year and it's never been full; so it can't be overflowing." It sounds like a high fertility/salts level is a very likely suspect - especially if you can eliminate a pest infestation.

Fertilizer stakes/strips don't fertilize just one area of the container. The fertilizer is soluble & dissolves in water. The water diffuses in the soil and the entire root mass is fertilized - as long as it is damp. Farmers often side-dress their crops so fertilizer can disperse in the soil as water diffuses, and the self watering containers with a fertilizer strip on top seem not to lack in fertilizer dispersal - even tough they are not top watered.

You didn't mention how root-bound the plant is, or how long it has been since the last repot (potting-up). Tight roots can also cause the symptoms you describe.

Al

I have no idea how long it's been since the last repot... I've had it for 18 months and not repotted it at all... before then in was in the garden department in B&Q, so no idea... it doesn't look too root bound, but I wouldn't really know what it should look like down there.

I don't see any of the signs of pests anyone has described... also, would pests specifically attack the lower leaves?

Even if lack of fertiliser isn't the problem I would probably say the plant is due a fertlise anyway since I can't remember when I last fertlised it.

I live in a soft-water area by the way.

A badly root bound Ficus will have lots of roots 'crawling' over the soil surface.

Mites usually affect the lower and more interior leaves of a plant.

Watering in small drinks or sips so that the soil is not being flushed regularly guarantees that salts will accumulate in the soil. High concentrations of salts makes it very difficult for plants to absorb water and the nutrients dissolved in water. This causes a drought response in Ficus which is made manifest in yellowing leaves and leaf loss.

If you have been watering regularly in small sips, you might wish to flush the soil of salts. If you decide it is likely a salt accumulation issue and need help (instructions) re. how to flush the soil - just ask.

Al

yes please, I'd like to know about flushing the soil... it's definitely not mites, and there are only one or two roots visible on the surface.

The dropping seems to have stopped now, a few of the lower branches are now bare, and there are a few yellowing leaves still on it, but the green leaves have stopped going yellow.

From another recent post about flushing the soil of F. benjamina:

* Late in the day, move the plant to a spot where you can fully saturate the soil. Saturate it with room temp water & allow the plant to rest for a half hour or so. This allows the salt in the soil to dissolve into the soil solution.

* Flush the soil thoroughly by pouring a volume of room temp water roughly equal to to the volume of the container through the soil. Do this at least 4-6 times, more is better.

* Depot the plant after it stops draining, and set it on newspaper overnight (skip this part if it is very root-bound). This will pull water reluctant to drain from the soil and prevent root rot if the soil is too heavy.

* In the AM, return the pot to the container (This part would be skipped too, if the plant did not remain unpotted overnight.) and fertilize with a 1/4 strength solution of a 1:1:1 or 3:1:2 (preferred) ratio fertilizer. Ask about fertilizer ratios if you don't understand.

* Keep it warm (65-80*) and give it the best light you can manage. Water carefully. If you need more help on fertilizing and watering technique, let me know.

* When the plant begins to move into the more robust part of its annual growth cycle and has gained some energy reserves, we can get after the roots/repotting, which is probably going to be something to address later in getting the plant back on track.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." ;o)

Al

Mine is 15 years old and it looses so many leaves every winter I'm positive it's dying but come spring it stops shedding and has new growth and doesn't loose a leaf until next winter. My other one is a different variety with the long narrow leaves and it does the exact same thing every winter.

I wouldn't worry about it unless it's still shedding come summer and you don't see any new growth.