Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus Lyrata) leaf issues
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
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- 8 years ago
- 8 years ago
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Ficus lyrata - Fiddle leaf fig
Comments (8)Eeeew....wasps & hornets, huh? I already have issues with those buggers! I'm allergic too. I have to come up with something. I have to block my neighbor's view. I can see directly into their house from my livingroom couch. The house is a rental and these new people don't believe in 'shades'. It's their bedroom....fyi....I don't think they care. I have a blinds, but if I shut them in the daytime, my house will be too cave-like as it faces East. I do draw the blinds in the evening. I'm starting to hate downtown living.....maybe I'm getting too old to enjoy it anymore....See MoreFicus lyrata / fiddle leaf fig leaf peoblem
Comments (4)Hi Dave. I took the plant from a 4" plastic nursery pot & put entire root ball with all existing dirt into a 5" clay pot. Did not remove any of original dirt. In the half inch around outer part of pot I added 'Fafard complete potting mix' for flowering, foliage, tropical plants. Breakdown: total nitrogen 0.09% (from ammoniacal, nitrate, water soluble, & urea nitrogen), available phosphate 0.04%, & soluble potash 0.06%. In the soil I added a small pinch of vermiculite mixed thoroughly. Less than 1/4 teaspoon. To help with drainage. I watered after putting in new pot with the small amount of additional new soil. Before that it had been about a week prior since watering. The FLF has been housed in a southeastern corner room with a ceiling fan on low. It would completely dry out the soil in about 5-7 days in that small plastic pot. The fan has been helpful for other plants in that room. After the pot change Friday, I did move it to an upstairs southern facing window where it remained for the weekend until today. It would have had a bit more direct sun for sure through that window. :/ I hope these details are helpful. I appreciate your time and any insight. I am devestated. As an avid indoor gardener, I'm heartbroken to see this and think that I've caused it....See MoreAdvice on newly acquired fiddle leaf fig tree (ficus lyrata)
Comments (7)G - what Dave said. I always tell people considering marginal (timing) repots to consider whether or not they think the tree is likely to expire before June next when deciding whether or not to repot. Usually, the answer is pretty clear, but not always. Given the number of ficus that accompany their owners to this and other forum pages in search of relief of the suffering caused by soils that retain too much water, I think we can say that ficus are picky about water and how they are watered. It really can't be seen any other way. I'll explain after I redundantly note at the risk of being redundant, the number of people that have watering issues with ficus (hundreds and hundreds on this forum alone on an annual basis) is a pretty clear indication that the little snots are just looking for an opportunity to pitch a fit and toss their leaves about the room if you get the watering wrong. If when we water a portion of the soil remains saturated, it limits root function - no air for the roots occupying saturated soil = limited root function. That can't be argued ...... sort of like, 'run a marathon while breathing through a drinking straw, expect to come in last'. Any doubters? ..... and peat does have lots of nutrients locked in the hydrocarbon chains that make up the particles. It's just that those hydrocarbon chains aren't easy for soil biota to cleave. IOW, peat doesn't break down fast enough in containers to provide all the nutrition a plant needs. That's why they invented fertilizers - so we could apply them not to heavily and not too lightly, ratherly, just rightly. Al...See MoreFiddle leaf fig (Ficus Lyrata) leaves turning brown
Comments (6)Was it in full direct sun in its former life or in the shade? Light coming through glass is filtered even if the glass is clear, so if got significant outdoor sunlight befdore you got it, overwatering seems more likely than sunburn. So, how do you water? Does the pot have a drain hole? The brown patches look just like the photos in the other FLF threads on the first page of this forum (and dozens more on the pages after that), almost every one of which is due do overwatering, so don't feel like you're the first person to have the issue. I almost feel like starting a thread aimed at new FLF owners! Anyhow, the goal is to control soil moisture so the roots don't die from drought or suffocate from lack of oxygen in saturated soils. I'll bet the soil in that pot is very fine, peaty, water retentive potting soil that stays saturated in the bottom half of the pot long after the top inch or two is bone dry. The good news is that there's an easy, quick and reliable way to check soil moisture and prevent any more drowned roots. Here's a thread about caring for sick plants that will explain what's going on, and here's an excerpt from a post by tapla (Al) specifically about when and how to water. Try his method and your plant will love it. And don't hesitate to ask more questions! "You can tell you've watered too much (or too little - the response is the same - a drought response) when leaves start to turn yellow or you begin to see nutritional deficiencies created by poor root metabolism (usually N and Ca are first evident). You can prevent overwatering by A) testing the soil deep in the container with a wood dowel ... wet & cool - do not water, dry - water. B) feeling the wick & only watering when it's dry C) feel the soil at the drain hole & only water when it feels dry there. Soils feel dry to our touch when they still have 40-45% moisture content. Plants, however, can still extract water from soils until they dry down to about 25-30%, so there is still around a 15% cush in that plants can still absorb considerable moisture after soils first feel dry to us. Water slowly until the soil is saturated but no water (or very little water) has exited the pot drain. Wait 10-15 minutes and water again so at least 15-20% of the volume of water used ion both applications flushes out the accumulating salts. After the pot stops draining, you can return it to its normal spot and arrangmt. Wait until time to water again & repeat the routine."...See MoreRelated Professionals
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