If there are no evident fungal issues, terminal leaf loss is almost always associated with a micronutrient deficiency, very often Mn. What are you fertilizing with?

Al

Al, I'm using the dynagro foliage pro 9-3-6. Feeding twice a week only when I see its growing. I add about a tablespoon per gallon of water. But, to be fair, this only happens when the tree is inside. When it's outside, it never drops new leaves. Also, I'm talking about 1 or 2 leaves here and there. Not many.

Hmmm. Over-watering and light issues are made manifest in older or the most proximal leaves. Are you using anything else, like a Fe supplement or Epsom salts that could cause an antagonistic deficiency? If no, I guess I'd not worry too much about it unless it gets worse - call it an aberration.

Al

I don't use anything else except the foliage pro. I let water sit for 24 hours before use as well. I've definitely cut back on watering since the tree has come inside. But given its in a MG mix, it's definitely not too dry.

i noticed last spring when this would happen the side of the tree facing the window would show new growth, after a week id do a 1/4 turn and some of the leaves now getting less light would drop.

I have to think this is light related and not any other deficiency or pest problem.

On a side note, I know you always say spring is the best time to repot or pot up, but would I be able to get away with switching to the gritty mix or a 5:1:1 mix now? My soil doesn't dry fast enough. I even drilled holes all over the side of the plastic pot and run a fan pointed at the soil. Even with that, it's a good 10 days till it needs water. I just don't want to do any hard either way.

thank you!

Ah, I think I'll wait! And when I said spring, I was thinking around Father's Day as you've mentioned that before. I wasn't thinking early spring.

its going to be a large process trying to convert to a faster draining mix. There's a lot of soil in this pot and a lot of roots. Root pruning with be done lightly. I will wait till later in May to do this. Being able to do it outside will be better because I expect a huge mess.

I need to move to south Florida where I can keep my trees in containers, outside, year round. It's insane how much better they do than when placed inside.

Also, one of my smaller ficus that's segragted, has a few tiny dark brown dots that seem to move. They're smaller then a spec of sand and do not have a hard shell. They crush and leave a little liquid if you touch them. Do you know what they'd be? I noticed them outside over the summer too, but didn't cause any issues. Now that plants are inside, I don't want anything to get out of hand. Also, what are your thoughts on neem oil? Should I spray now? Thanks again.

best I can do pic wise. they are tiny!

If they're fine pepper-size, they're likely spider mites. You can keep them under control by spritzing weekly with a 50/50 mix of water and 70& isopropyl (rubbing alcohol). Make sure to wet the entire plant. The solution kills them instantly.

Al

Will do! Thank you. Didn't see any web type things so I didn't even think of spider mites.

I used 91% isopropyl alcohol with 50% water as that's all I had. Soaked the leaves top and bottom. A few hours later, those couple tiny brown spots were moving and still alive. So I saturated the leaves even more.

Al, what are your thoughts on neem oil? Should I try that? I have a bottle of pure neem oil I could mix with a little soap and water.

Neem Oil
Insecticide

1 pint very hot water

1 pint rubbing alcohol or ethanol

1 tsp pure, cold-pressed neem oil

1/2 tsp Castile Peppermint Soap, Murphy’s
Oil Soap, or insecticidal soap

In a 1 qt spritzer,
mix the neem with the soap & hot water. Shake well. Add the alcohol &
shake again. Shake regularly to keep the mixture emulsified as you spritz the
plant, making sure as you spritz that you’re covering all the vegetative
surfaces, especially the underside of leaves and leaf/branch crotches. Use all
the mix same day or discard. Use only pure, cold-pressed neem oil, such as that
packaged by Dyna-Gro. Other methods of oil extraction limit the
effectiveness of the active ingredient in neem oil – azadiractin.

Al

Thanks! That's the neem oil that I have. The cold pressed by dyna gro. Would it be ok still without the peppermint oil? I have everything else on hand.

You need an emulsifier, otherwise the neem oil won't mix with the water. The soaps I mentioned are natural fatty acid soaps and not detergents, You shouldn't use dish soap or any other detergent (Ivory is a detergent) on your plants because it dissolves cuticular waxes in leaves and lipid membranes in roots.

Al

Thanks, just ordered some dr bronners pure organic Castile liquid peppermint soap. I have cold pressed neem oil and isopropyl alcohol. I'll keep spraying with the alcohol water mix until I get the soap next week.

the one small tree is segragted. Normally, one might say to just discard it, but, I actually want to see if I can beat the mites and actually win. There aren't a lot of them, and after I've sprayed a couple times with the alcohol water mix, any that I find do not move, so I take it they've died.

I just want to have to right things on hand because it'll be a long while until the trees can be outside again next spring and have any natural predators for the mites.

The other annoying thing, I noticed a couple mites last spring before everything went outside. They're so small they can fit through a normal window screen, yet, none of their predators can do the same.

I had noticed a few spiders catching any bugs in my large tree over the summer. I left them be as I know they're doing a good job. However, since being indoors, they are no where to be found.

The water/alcohol mix has always been my 'go to' for mites and aphids, but the neem oils will really help. Keep in mind that it doesn't ......... I'll just copy paste something I wrote a few years ago:

Neem
Extract as an Insecticide

In India mainly, but also
Asia and Africa, grows a tree all plant enthusiasts should be aware of, Azadirachta
indica, commonly known as the "neem" tree, and a relative of
mahogany. Extracts from the tree’s seeds contain azadirachtin, a
relatively safe and effective naturally occurring organic insecticide. Let me
preface the comments following, by reminding you that the terms "naturally
occurring and/or organic" do not universally mean safe. Pyrethrums,
rotenone, and even the very dangerous nicotine are all organic insecticides
that should be handled with great caution. Neem extracts, on the other hand are
very safely used in a wide variety of cosmetics, as a topical treatment for
minor wounds, as an insecticide in grain storage containers, bins, and bags,
and a whole host of other applications. Neem is very safe for use around birds
& mammals. I'll limit this discussion to its use as an insecticide.

Neem works in many ways. It
is effective both in topical and a systemic applications. It is an
anti-feedant, an oviposition deterrent (anti-egg laying), a growth inhibitor, a
mating disrupter, and a chemosterilizer. Azadirachtin, a
tetranortriterpenoid compound, closely mimics the hormone ecdysone, which is
necessary for reproduction in insects. When present, it takes the place of the
real hormone and thus disrupts not only the feeding process, but the metamorphic
transition as well, disrupting molting. It interferes with the formation of
chitin (insect "skin") and stops pupation in larvae, thus
short-circuiting the insect life cycle. It also inhibits flight ability,
helping stop insect spread geographically.

Tests have shown that azadirachtin
is effective in some cases at concentrations as low as 1 ppm, but some
producers use alcohol in the extraction of neem oil from plant parts which
causes the azadirachtin to be removed from the oil. Some products
touting neem oil as an ingredient actually have no measurable amounts of azadiractin.
I use what is referred to either as cold pressed or virgin neem oil. You may
also occasionally find it referred to as "raw" neem or
"crude" neem oil.

Neem oil is most often used
in an aqueous (water) suspension as a foliar spray or soil drench. Commonly, it
is diluted to about a .5 to 2% solution, but the suggested ratio for use in
container plant culture is 1 tsp. per quart of warm water. A drop or two of
dish soap (castile or olive oil soap is best) helps keep the oil emulsified.
The mixture is then applied as a mist to all leaf and bark surfaces and as a
soil drench to the tree's root system. It should not be applied as a foliar
spray on hot days or in bright sun as leaf burn may occur. Remember to agitate
the container frequently as you apply and do not mix anymore than you will use
in one day. Neem breaks down rapidly in water and/ or sunlight.

Some users of insecticides
feel the need to observe the instant results of their efforts in order to be
convinced of the effectiveness of what they are using. The application of neem
derivatives does not provide this immediate gratification. There is virtually
no knockdown (instant death) factor associated with its use. Insects ingesting
or contacting neem usually take about 3 - 14 days to die. Its greatest benefit;
however, is in preventing the occurrence of future generations. It is also
interesting to note that in studies it was found that when doses were given,
purposefully insufficient to cause death or complete disruption of the
metamorphic cycle, up to 30 surviving generations showed virtually no
resistance/ immunity to normal lethal doses, so it appears that insects build
no ‘resistance’ to azadiractin.

I have been using neem oil
for five years as both a preventative and fixative and have had no insect
problems on my container plants. Applications of cold-pressed neem oil are most
effective for use on mites, whitefly, aphids, thrips, fungus gnats,
caterpillars, beetles, mealy bugs, leaf miners, g-moth, and others. It seems to
be fairly specific in attacking insects with piercing or rasping mouth parts.
Since these are the pests that feed on plant tissues, they are our main target
species. Unless beneficial like spiders, lady beetles, certain wasps, etc.,
come in direct contact with spray, it does little to diminish their numbers.

Neem oil does have an odor
that might be described as similar to that of an old onion, so you may wish to
test it first, if you intend to use it indoors. I've found the odor dissipates
in a day or two. As always, read and follow label instructions carefully.

Neem oil can be purchased from many net or local
sources. My favorite brand is Dyna-Gro, pure, cold-pressed neem oil.

Al

Thank you! And yes, neem oil smells terrible!

will the peppermint soap added combat the scent?

No, as an emulsifier to help break up the neem oil so it better mixes with the water/alcohol

Al

Oh, I totally got that, I just wasn't sure if the peppermint scent would also help mask the neem smell as well. It's an obnoxious odor and it's a bit chilly to open windows at this point. I'll deal with with it.

Thank you for all the info. Had this been a year ago this infestation would have won. Your advice goes a long way.

Thanks for the kind assessment. I genuinely want to help others, wherever I can, to get as much as possible from the growing experience. I often mention that nurturing people who nurture plants just seems like a natural extension of MY growing experience, and it offers the same sense of personal satisfaction I get from nurturing plants - probably even more as my understanding increases and I get older. The kins words are appreciated.

Al

Trust me, the help is even more so appreciated. You take the time to offer your advice and knowledge you've learned over the years. I sincerely do appreciate the help and I am always eager to learn.

Something seems to have burned the leaves a bit. Do you think it was the 50/50 water alcohol? Or, I also used this: it has peppermint oil and rosemary oil in it as well.

I've never noticed an adverse reaction of any of the plants in the Moraceae family (I have mulberry, too) to the 50/50 spritz of 70% isopropyl, but it's possible YMMV using the 91% product.

Al

I'll either dilute it more or get some 70%. I figured it wasn't the other stuff I was spraying either.

Mots a warm day so the plant got hosed off outside. Hope it'll help.