Overwatered fiddle leaf fig is prone to brown leaf, patches on leaf edges, yellow leaves, red spots, leaf fig brown spots, root rot, as well as leaves turning yellow. Just as you notice these signs, it is crucial that you quickly intervene before a fiddle leaf fig brown stem or fiddle leaf fig shriveled stalk develops, which indicates that the fiddle leaf fig may be dying. To acquire the appropriate tools for watering requirements and restoration of good health to your overwatered fiddle leaf, read this article.
Contents
Why Is Fiddle Leaf Fig Overwatered?
An overwatered fiddle might be lacking a watering schedule. When you do not have a watering routine, erratic watering of the plant may occur. Additionally, fig plants may be exposed to deficient sunlight, lack of repotting over a long period of time, or a pot with few drainage holes.
– Absence of a Watering Routine
Being a drought-tolerant plant, care should be taken not to overwater the fiddle leaf fig. Depending on the environmental conditions and season, a watering timetable is conducive when it comes to avoiding overwatering. It is, therefore, a lacking an ideal to watering timetable because would result in the chances of overwatering your plant.
You would start watering your plant every now and then, when it is not the right time to do so, and this would result in losing track of the times it has received water.
– Excess Humidity
The fiddle leaf fig loves humidity levels of approximately thirty to 65 percent. These levels of humidity may be difficult to achieve, therefore, you may need to supplement by using a spray bottle to mist the plant or employing a pebble tray. Sometimes, to increase the supply of humidity to your fiddle leaf fig, you could just place your plant together with other plants.
It is crucial to note that by supplementing using the above-mentioned methods, humidity conditions may become excessively high, thereby leading to overwatering of your leaf figs.
If you are using a pebble tray, be careful not to let the bottom of the pot be in contact with the water in the tray. Otherwise, the water from the tray will move through the pot’s drainage holes and saturate the soil. If this happens, overwatering results.
In addition, it would even be the result of a high humid environment would cause the water in the soil to not drain properly, which would result in a constant moist soil.
– Using Running Water to Eliminate Pests
Spider mites are among the common problems that affect the fiddle leaf fig plant. Depending on the issue’s severity, influenced leaves start developing spots that are dark brown, before dropping off the plant.
To eliminate spider mites from your plant, you may start by washing the leaves of the fiddle leaf fig under running water prior to employing other methods. Although this is an effective way of doing away with these pests, it may be a strong reason why your plant is overwatered.
– Lack of Well-draining Conditions
Well-draining holes are a necessity if you have to prevent the occurrence of an overwatered fiddle leaf. When you grow your fiddle leaf fig in a pot with poor drainage, it becomes difficult for water to easily flow through the container. The result is that waterlogging may occur, thereby causing excess water to remain in the potting soil.
Hence, you should note that the potting soil should not be too compact so that it drains well. However, you must bear in mind that if you use compacted soil, you are more likely to overwater your fiddle leaf fig.
– Pests and Disease
Root rot on your plant is evidenced by black spots, dark brown spots in the center of the plant’s leaves, in addition to brown leaf edges on the fig leaves. With time, these can spread and cause the leaves to fall, all of these would result from the plant being overwatered. To confirm root rot infection on your plant, be sure to check the roots. If affected, the roots will appear mushy, brown, and damp.
It is difficult for rotten roots to absorb water, and this would because they soaked up a heavy amount of water. This in turn is likely to limit the supply of water and plant food to your fig plant, thereby stopping the process of photosynthesis. Your plant will, therefore, wilt even if you provide a lot of water. Adequate drainage is essential so that water is not retained after each watering session.
How To Fix a Fiddle Leaf Fig That is Overwatered
To fix overwatering, you could repot your plant or devise a watering routine that you can follow. In addition, use a moisture meter or check the lighting and temperatures. Additionally, consider eliminating pests such as the spider mite using other methods apart from using running water.
– Repot
To rectify the effects of overwatering on your fig tree, you could repot it. Repotting is important because it allows you to correct the concern of waterlogging. Also, repotting helps to make sure that the pot has good drainage so that overwatering can be avoided in the future. In case you were using an excessively big pot that holds excess water, you can then change to a smaller one with all ease.
To inspect the roots of your plant, use water to rinse the root ball in order to see the extent to which they are damaged. When repotting your fiddle leaf fig, ensure that you add one to two inches of gravel to the potting soil. Gravel is placed at the bottom so that it helps with drainage.
We recommend that you select a clean pot that has abundant holes on the underside so that excess water can efficiently drain. We advise that you use a wider pot than the previous one when repotting. The width of the new pot should be approximately three to four inches wider.
In case they are mushy or brown, it is critical that you remove them with a pair of sharp and sanitized pruning shears.
– Follow a Proper Watering Routine
By now, you probably have an understanding of how your fiddle leaf fig is sensitive to irregular watering. It is crucial to adopt a regular watering schedule so that you may have a sufficiently watered fiddle leaf.
You should water your plant when you notice that the top two inches of the potting soil is dry upon touching it. Normally, the fiddle leaf fig plant requires watering once every one to two weeks in summer.
When it comes to how often to water fiddle leaf fig, remember to take note of the time that you provide water to your leaf figs, then check the moisture levels present in the soil over the week that follows.
In case the two inches at the top are still moist, you should check again in the next few days until it is dry. It is good for you to note the number of days taken for the soil on the surface to entirely dry out in order to use this information in creating a watering plan. To be consistent, plants should receive similar amounts of water each week.
Please note that although a single watering on your plant every one to two weeks may seem inadequate, it is crucial that your fiddle leaf fig’s roots dry out completely after it was exposed to heavy watering. After being sure it’s dry and fix the watering, you are more likely to avoid problems that come with overwatering your plant.
Take care to always water directly on the soil and avoid the leaf fig leaves so that you do away with fungal infections on the foliage. Remember to use lukewarm or room-temperature water, considering that the roots can be shocked by cold water.
– Removing the Brown Leaves
Go ahead and remove the brown leaves on your fiddle leaf fig. Brown leaves are usually caused by overwatering your plant and can make your fiddle leaf fig become susceptible to spreading infections. Sick or weak leaves can also drain your plant’s resources, so it is wise to cut off brown leaves whenever you see them on your fiddle leaf fig.
A fiddle leaf fig in waterlogged conditions cannot regrow its leaves once it loses them. Therefore, it is of key important aspect to keep your plant healthy so that you prevent loss because once they are lost, they cannot be restored.
Overall, By pruning the damaged ones off, you are likely to be helping it grow in a very healthy way, because this is how you would open up the ways for the new and fresh leaves to grow and to thrive.
– Check the Lighting and Temperatures
The fiddle leaf fig plants, also referred to as Ficus lyrata, are indoor plants that have fairly easy plant care requirements. It prefers bright rooms with consistent indirect sunlight so that new leaves grow every four to six weeks when it is the growing season.
Note that the water requirements of the plant depend on the amount of light that it receives. With adequate light, enough warmth is more likely to be provided, thereby increasing the chances of evaporating excess water in the soil.
Ensure that your plant does not stay in the shade, where problems with overwatering tend to increase. The leaf figs love temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperatures offer optimum conditions to ensure that the soil does not retain moisture for long durations.
In addition, we recommend the use of a thermometer to determine your room’s temperature as a way of helping you in choosing a good spot for your fiddle leaf fig plant.
– Consider Using a Moisture Meter
Moisture meters are tiny devices that have “legs” that can be placed in the soil so that they can monitor the moisture content. The moisture meter has a display that can show the condition of the soil, be it wet, moist, or dry. This method effectively indicates how conditions are, near the roots of your fiddle leaf fig.
Though the topsoil may appear dry, a little further down the pot might still be wet. Our recommendation is that you use a moisture meter because it can really show you if the plant requires watering. This way, overwatering can easily be prevented, along with associated problems like fiddle leaf fig root rot.
– Fight the Pests Using Neem Oil
If you want to get rid of pests, consider using Neem oil instead of running water or spraying water. This oil efficiently allows you to control pests and can naturally do away with the little invaders that will have infested your leaf fig plant. The oil functions by interfering with the life cycle of mites. It has a natural insecticide that destroys the insects’ hormonal system, thereby leading to loss of appetite and eventually death.
It is preferable to use oil extracted from the Neem tree on your Fiddle leaf fig because it can degrade quickly and does not accumulate in the environment. However, take care not to spray the oil on your fiddle leaf fig tree when the temperature is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit because leaf burn will result.
To eliminate mites on your plant, you should mix about one to two teaspoons of oil extracted from the Neem tree with one cup of water. You must make sure that you use a clean spray bottle to combine both ingredients appropriately.
When spraying your plant, it is essential to cover both the bottom and top surfaces of your Fiddle leaf fig leaves. On the other hand, concentrate on the affected areas where there are signs of mite infestation.
– Consider Using a Humidifier
To save overwatered leaf figs, address atmospheric humidity issues using a humidifier so that you can have an adequately watered fiddle. With a humidifier, you can simply turn it on or off, depending on the levels of humidity that are needed by your plant.
The humidifier is advantageous because it exposes your plant to constant humidity levels, thereby helping to save your fiddle leaf fig. To get the best out of your humid environment, you should run it on a daily basis for a few hours between morning and midday. Also, ensure that your fiddle leaf fig is not located very close to the humidifier such that condensation of moisture will not occur on the leaves.
– Be Cautious When Using the Pebble Tray
The pebble tray method helps to increase the humidity level around your plant. However, if there is contact between your plant’s pot and the water in the pebble tray, waterlogging conditions might be created. To avoid this scenario, make sure your pot sits on the pebbles in the tray, far away from the water levels.
In addition to this, if you already live in a place where the humidity range is high, you don’t need pebble tray, in any way, because this will not let the soaked water to evaporate. On the other hand, it will make it worse and leave the water to be trapped, hence it is best to leave it out, even to avoid mulching, because you require the moisture of the water to be released.
FAQ
Is it Possible to Propagate My Leaf Fig Plant After Overwatering?
Yes, you can propagate your fiddle leaf fig in case you have failed to save it from the effects of overwatering. Once you get a new plant, it is important to take good care of your fiddle leaf fig so that you may not lose it again. You could propagate your fiddle leaf fig from cuttings, leaves, or air layering.
Can Overwatered Fiddle Leaf Fig recover from root rot?
Overwatered Fiddle Leaf Fig can recover from root rot with proper care: reduce watering, improve drainage, and trim affected roots.
Can using tap water cause Fiddle Leaf Fig to overwater?
Using tap water alone doesn’t cause overwatering, but overwatering with tap water can harm Fiddle Leaf Fig. Monitor soil moisture to avoid overwatering.
Conclusion
Now that you have read this article, you have been enlightened on the causes of overwatering and how you can save your fiddle leaf fig when it gets exposed to these conditions. Let’s go through a summary of the key points so that you are ready to assist your overwatered fiddle.
- Be sure to devise a watering strategy so that your plant receives adequate water to restore health.
- Repot your plant into a cleaner, wider pot, making sure that you remove the affected areas on the roots using sharp, sterile pruning shears.
- Consider using a moisture meter in determining the water content in your potting soil.
- To counteract overwatering in your plant, place your fiddle leaf fig in bright indirect sunlight.
- How to save an overwatered fig tree would be done in different ways; however, the key is to repot and to have a watering routine.
Overall, here, Comprehensive guidelines for saving the overly watered fiddle leaf fig have been given. Follow the guidelines and be sure to enjoy your healthy, exquisite fiddle leaf fig.
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