Fiddle leaf fig leaves falling off might be responsible for some plant hobbyists losing precious sleep. Whether slow or rapid, no one wants their precious Ficus lyrata plant to undergo this.
Here is a list of the most common reasons why your plant might be suffering from falling leaves. Read this complete guide to learn our top methods of saving your houseplant from leaf fall.
Contents
Why Are Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Leaves Falling Off?
Your fiddle leaf fig plant might be dropping leaves due to overwatering, underwatering, overfertilizing, or sudden changes in temperature and its surroundings. Diseases caused by bacteria or fungi will also lead to leaf exfoliation.
Do you want to know more information? Then dive down below.
– Overwatering
Your fiddle leaf fig’s leaves will begin to fall off whenever it is overwatered. When the soil is allowed to remain saturated all the time, the leaves have difficulty accessing nutrients from it. This leads to leaves dropping and falling off.
Overwatering also causes fungal infections like root rot in the plant. In this case, dark brown spots will appear over the leaves before falling off.
– Underwatering
Underwatering is not as rapidly destructive as overwatering. However, it also causes leaf fig to drop leaves after they crumple up due to dryness. This is especially true if this has been going on for a long time. If you continuously allow the whole soil to dry before watering, your plant will remain chronically underwatered.
– Temperature Shock
Maintaining a temperature between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit is an important part of the leaf fig care regime. When the temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, its leaves will immediately begin to drop leaves.
This happens mostly in winter when the plant is kept near an open window. Even indoor plants are at risk from cold air drafts from vents. On the other hand, this plant will also lose leaves when the temperature exceeds 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This especially happens when the plant is left outdoors at the peak of summer.
– Shock From Moving
Fiddle leaf figs are so sensitive that they will start exfoliating even if you move them from one place to another. This leaf fall is more pronounced when the plant is transplanted into a new pot.
This is a natural part of the plant’s lifecycle. Will these leaves grow back after a while? Absolutely yes, provided that you take its care guide seriously.
– Pests
The fiddle leaf fig plant might get infested with pests pretty easily. Mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids are the most common household pests. They feed on nutrition from your plant and slowly kill it.
Along with leaf loss, other symptoms of pests include yellow leaves with yellow and brown spots. Each dying fiddle leaf will curl at the edges and begin to fall.
– Overfertilizing
Are you fertilizing your fiddle leaf fig trees a bit too much? Yes, this too can cause a severe and rapid leaf drop. One sign that points to this mistake is that leaves start to fall. Usually, they will turn green and then yellow before dropping.
Not diluting the fertilizer before use will also cause a rapid leaf fall.
– Bacterial Infection
Your fiddle leaf fig will undergo a terrible dropping of leaves in case of bacterial disease. You can identify this condition from the spotting on the leaves. Brown or red rot spots canl be seen covering the leaves and stems.
Plants come under attack by bacteria when they are being overwatered. This is because wet soil provides the perfect condition for pathogens to grow and produce disease.
Not washing and disinfecting gardening tools before use might serve to transfer infections from a diseased plant to your healthy plant. If you have recently used unwashed tools on your plant, then that’s most probably your culprit.
How To Treat Fiddle Leaf Fig Leaves Falling
Treating leaf exfoliation of your precious fiddle leaf fig includes maintaining proper watering habits and a stable temperature. Treating pests and bacterial diseases will stop leaf fall immediately, as well as flushing out fertilizer toxins.
You can read more on these treatment options up ahead.
– Improve Your Watering Habits
A healthy fiddle leaf plant needs a consistent watering schedule to treat its leaf drop. One rule of thumb is that the soil must dry up by the top two inches, and only then should it be watered again. Equally important is that you must use a rather large volume of water each time.
– Consistent Temperatures
Your fiddle leaf fig tree needs a safe range of temperature all the time to survive. It is extremely sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, and you need to be careful about it.
During winter, it would be best to move this plant indoors. Keep the windows closed at night and the plant away from vents. When moving the plant from more to less sunlight, ensure that the temperature drop is well compensated.
For fig tree losing leaves in summer, you must give this plant some shade. Using a fan or air conditioner, you can maintain the right temperature inside the room.
– Flush Out Toxins From Fertilizers
If your fiddle leaf figs have been burned by fertilizer, their soil needs to be washed. Use a large amount of water slowly to get rid of the toxins from the soil.
Afterward, stick to fertilizing fiddle leaf plan once a month only in summer. In winter, fertilize no more than once every two months.
– Treat Infections Promptly
Whether your fiddle fig exfoliating leaves is due to bacterial cause or root rot, its timely treatment determines whether your plant lives or dies. The first rule is that the old infected soil and the pot must go.
Take a potent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent like a liquid copper spray. This spray will have to be applied once a week for several weeks. You will also have to repot the plant in new, sterilized soil.
One important step in treating infections is cutting off the most necrotic parts. These parts are the most rotten and turn brown or black. A weekly foliar spray using neem oil is a natural supplementary anti-infection method.
– Treat Pests
Pests can be pretty stubborn to get rid of. You must take time out of your busy life to get rid of these properly. We have compiled the most effective steps for pest eradication here.
- Wash your plant with water, especially under its leaves and sheaths, to have most of the pests drain away.
- Larvae and pests like scales are often stuck to the plant’s surface. You might have to scrub these off sometimes. We use a toothbrush whenever we need to scrape bugs off.
- Moisten a cotton roll with a couple of drops of neem oil, then apply this roll to the colonies of pests under the leaves and above. Neem oil is a natural pesticide that kills both pests and their larvae.
- Next, you can take a chemical insecticide or make your own DIY neem oil foliar spray. Make a habit of spraying them on the plant weekly for about two weeks.
FAQ
How much light do Fiddle Leaf Figs need to retain their leaves?
Fiddle Leaf Figs require ample light to retain leaves; place them near bright, indirect sunlight for optimal growth and foliage health.
Will low humidity cause my Fiddle Leaf Fig to fall off?
Low humidity can lead to leaf drop in Fiddle Leaf Figs; ensure moderate humidity levels or use a humidifier to prevent this issue.
Is it better to top water my Fiddle Leaf Fig for new leaf growth?
Top watering Fiddle Leaf Figs can promote new leaf growth, but ensure proper drainage to avoid root rot; consider a well-balanced watering routine.
Conclusion
These are the most probable causes and treatments behind your fiddle leaf fig exfoliation.
A little summary is given below to ensure you have it all down pat.
- The fiddle leaf fig plant must be watered only when the top two inches of its surface have dried up.
- If you have overfertilized the plant, wash it with lots of water to get rid of the toxins collected in the soil.
- In case of bacterial or fungal attack, liquid-copper fertilizer is the best.
- Fiddle leaf plant care also includes regular care to save it from pests.
We hope you will use these important tips and tricks to save your precious plant from leaf fall!
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