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Asking for help with my first fig tree

8 years ago

Last summer I bought a fig tree, it's had some ups and downs, but now some of it's leaves are browning from the inside out. I thought it odd since winter is ending and I thought it'd be budding not dropping leaves. It is beside an east facing window indoors over the winter and is next to an LED lamp for light.

Featured Answer

dieseler

8 years ago

Perhaps soon you can get the plant outdoors.

Also i would then outdoors put the plant in shade and acclimate it slowly to the sun .As to what is causing the leaves now to look like that would be a guess but it does look like sunburn.

Either way its hard to kill a fig plant unless its infested with bugs otherwise the leaves will fall and grow back once outdoors .

Martin.

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Comments (7)

User
Original Author
8 years ago
Can an LED lamp cause sun burn? I didn't think they could and most of the light that the plant gets is artificial.
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Lisa, if it was mine, and I wanted it top branch out more and be more bush like, I would cut it off at about 16" above the soil line. Now is not the best time, but will not hurt the tree long term, and will get it headed ion the direction (shape) you want this season. When it is dormant, prune each bra nch back to 2-4 leaf nodes, which will encourage further branching next season. These are inground tress, but give you the idea: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0100594215655.html http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0101490623831.html
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I agree with scott_ga: Nothing to worry about. Fig mosaic virus affects hundreds of fig varieties and in my experience doesn't harm anything much except the appearance. As for species, there are many, and figs can be hard to identify, although pictures of the ripe fruit exterior, what it looks like cut open, and the dimensions can help in an ID.
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Stevin
8 years ago
i experienced the same thing when i 1st started rooting cuttings. i started my cutting shortly after the new year (way too soon) and after several months indoors exposed to the extremely dry air in the house the older leaves were starting to show those same signs of drought stress. though the drought stress may not be at the root system it does however affect the foliage. same thing happens with house plants. Once outside the older spent leaves will drop and be replaced with lush green ones. not sure where you are located, but if it's still too early to bring the plant outside you can help hydrate the plant by misting the leaves on a weekly basis.
User
Original Author
8 years ago
We're still not past the last frost yet, so I can't put it outside yet, but I'll try misting the leaves. I am glad to hear that they're pretty hardy though. Thanks
dieseler
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Alex misting may help the otherwise healthier leaves the ones damage will eventually fall off no big deal.

They take in oxygen and moisture thru there stomata when conditions are dry they tend to close to prevent moisture loss.

I did read about this long ago and Stevin post jogged my memory some .

Most stomata are located below and above leaf depending on type of plant and tend to either open or close at night again depending on type of plant but here is some explanation of them in link below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoma

Martin
Stevin
8 years ago
that is correct! sorry, should have mentioned that misting will not help the already distressed leaves but will help the healthier ones.
User
8 years ago
Alex, look closely at the underside of the leaves for spider mites or aphids. Spider mites make small webs. If you find insects, use insecticidal soap like Safer's.

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