Hello I am desparate!!! My ficus tree which I had for about 10 yearsis loosing its leaves. I replanted it into a new bigger pot at the end of July. Around the end of August it began loosing its leaves. I purchased green trees vitamins, changed location but it still looses its leaves. I don't know what to do. Any suggestion?
How big is it's new pot? These trees do like to be a bit root bound. it may just be stretching out, growing roots. check drainage also. are the leave yellowing?
Did your change in its location lower its hours or intensity of usual light? Have you checked for spider mites? Is the new soil compacting quickly without any grit in it, and maybe too much peat (potting soil)?
Weeping fig (ficus benjamina) is particularly prone to leaf drop. Any change in the environment/location or just looking at them funny will cause them to drop their leaves at an alarming rate. If F. Benjamina is indeed what you have, then this leaf drop is pretty normal.
Thank you for replying. The new pot is pretty big therefore the tree has enough space. What do you mean by checking the drainage? To see if it works? Responding to your last question the leaves are yellowing. It looses yellow and green leaves as well.
I just recently changed the location (to see if it would improve) and put it outside but it was getting worse so I took it back inside.
If all goes well, new shoots should come from where to leafs fell off. You can prune it for aesthetic reasons if you want but it won't speed up any new growth.
Checking for drainage - making sure the pot's drain hole(s) is not being blocked by anything (you shouldn't have a layer of gravel or shards covering it from inside, but only a piece of plastic canvas, the mesh you can buy in squares from a craft or needlework store. Also, the soil should have lots of grit in it to help water drain out right away rather than sitting in the soil (eventually rotting roots). Ficus will lose their leaves in most new locations, but less so if in very good light (supplementary if you have it), and you just have to wait the few wks in may take til new leaves begin to grow. The plant should also not have been repotted into something a lot larger than the previous pot, just one size bigger, because ficus do better if a very little bit on the tight side in pots, though a little room needs to be left for new growth.
I was just about to write in about the same thing My F. Benja. is doing the same thing it started loing leaves about the time the days started getting shorter. dose it need a grow light possibly ?
Couldn't hurt and some people like to use lights of ficus, but I don't think it is needed. Once the days start getting longer it will pick up again. Besides, most of the leaves it's going to drop this year are already, or soon to be on the ground. M.
what if it drops all its leaves? would they come back? Im mostly concerned because the days aren't even at the shortest yet and the thing is dropping leaves like crazy.it still looks good just not as good as it did. so I may try a grow light. Its funny I lived in N.C for a while and it never seemed to get dark so early, not like here in W.A . I know that sounds weird, but like I say Im wondering how the short days will effect the more finiky plants? And dose it do anything at all?
Any supplementary light you can give it, for up to 14+ hrs/day, will help a lot, but it may lose all its leaves before regrowing new ones, so water a lot less often. If you can get it right underneath (4") full spectrum fluorescent bulbs (35-40w) it will make a big difference.
cool. well Now I know not to discard it if it loses all its leaves. it means a lot to me as well. Thanks eveybody!!
