My fiance's fiddle leaf fig is not well! It looked great a couple months ago: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?p=205519#post205519 Now it looks like the attached pictures. Did research on the internet and it appeared we were overwatering. Which I found odd, because we don't want it that much. We went ahead and cut back on watering and it just keeps looking worse. Now the leafs are drooping and falling off. I went ahead and watered it today. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! This plant was a gift to my fiance after his grandfather died 5 years ago.
Well, run throught the list of the Usual Suspects: light, temperature, moisture, bugs. Any changes in these recently? My fast guess is that you should repot. How long has the plant been in that soil? Appears that it is having moisture issues...could be that the soil is so old that it is providing none to the roots.
I don't think it's ever been repotted. Are there instructions for doing so without harming the plant? Suggestions for type of soil to buy? Do we discard the existing soil, shake it off the roots? We are total beginners with caring for plants!
if you don't know when it was repotted before you got it and you've had it for more than 2 years, it's definitely overdue for repotting. and, it needs something that's larger as well (that's not always needed...here, it is). go 2 inches wider in diameter and that will automatically give you at least an inch more depth which is fine. unpot it and remove as much of the old soil as is possible. if you have the ability to take it outside and hose the rootball down, all the better. if not, do as best you can. this plant would do better in an unglazed clay pot that has drainage holes. use 'cactus soil' which is a mix of peat, bark bits, perlite. add in either more bark bits (packaged as orchid bark), perlite, aquarium soil (ceramic bits) or what's sold as 'orchid mix' and that contains a charcoal bits, lava bits and some bark bits. the purpose of adding in any of these items is to provide more drainage. do not use any products that already have fertilizer in them (miracle gro brand). this plant is stressed already and too much fert at this point would be detrimental. they don't need frequent fertilizing anyway. once you repot it in the new soil/pot, allow it to sit a week in the dry soil so that the roots can do a bit of recovery and get situated. then, do a thorough watering so that all the soil is moistened - add water until you just see some water coming out the bottom and then stop. allow excess to drain out for 30-40 minutes and then discard anything that collects in the drip dish. water again when the soil is dry down a couple inches.
Hey---we all gotta start somewhere! You have already demonstrated one essential quality of responsible plant ownership and care: you have noticed a problem! There is a lot of debate on how pot size, what soil to use, etc., etc. All I can tell ya is what I would do if this were my plant. First, get a good pot---one at least a size or 2 bigger than the one the ficus is in now. Debate also on clay/terracotta vs. plastic...really, I think that the most important element is DRAINAGE. Be sure that the pot has holes in the bottom!!! (Always amazes me how many folks wonder what's wrong with their plant---and it turns out that it's in a lovely decorative planter with NO HOLES in the bottom, so that the plant basically is drowning in a stagnant lake!!!) Also, get a tray, saucer or whatnot to put under the pot when you bring it inside. Then, select a material to put in the pot's bottom. You can use small stones, or if weight is a consideration, packing peanuts. (In smaller pots, I often use orchid bark.) Put a layer of this on the bottom of the pot: it helps drainage, and keeps the roots from getting packed into a solid block. As to soil, some folks dislike Miracle-Gro, but I've always been OK with it. Just be sure to get a GOOD QUALITY potting soil! Now is not the time for economy! Cheap potting soil is horrid---it clumps, has pieces of sticks and rocks and even (ecch!) aluminum foil in it. So go with something good. Squeeze the bag---the soil should feel nice and loose and smooth. Another thing: GET ENOUGH!!! If you end up with some extra, you can use it with other plants. But...if you don't have enough...not good. I invariably find, esp. with bigger plants, that my soil-amount estimates are too small! Go big. Set up your operation in an area big enough. With a plant this size, that'll be pretty big! Make sure there is nothing that will be knocked over, or that the plant might get bumped into. In other words, clear the decks for action. Spread out some newspapers, if you're doing this indoors. Keep in mind that the plant will need a THOROUGH drink afterwards. (As you well might, too!)This will be a messy maneuver! I recommend doing this outside---then you don't have to worry about dirt, water, etc. Pick a shady location. Also a FLAT location---makes it a lot easier to get the plant standing up straight. Enlist the help of a trusted assistant, as well. You may find yourself in a position where, say, you need that next bag of soil...and it's just out of reach. At moments like that having someone there to help is invaluable. OK---you have your work area, the pot with drainage material, bags of soil, something to OPEN the bags of soil, and the plant. ---Put a layer of soil on top of the drainage material.---Now, if it comes easily out of the pot, you're good. If not, you may have to grasp it firmly but gently around the base of the trunk and have your assistant hold the pot. If it's really rootbound, you might have to run a knife around the periphery of the soil...or even break the pot. (Recently repotted a huge oncidium orchid and had to CUT the pot off. Whoa nelly!) The idea is to get the plant out as gently as possible. Yes, I would shake off the old soil. Don't go crazy with this, but if it comes off easily, let it. Take a good look at the roots. Healthy? I'd guess, probably. Now, place the plant gently in its new home. Begin filling in dirt all around the root ball. I frequently shake the pot to help the dirt settle---from time to time, press the dirt down firmly but gently. This is where your assistant can again help you, by holding the plant upright in the desired position while you fill in the dirt all around. Try to keep the plant at about the same growing level it was, i.e., don't bury it in dirt. When you've finally got the pot filled, dirt nice and firmed down, stand back and take a look. Good? All right! Now that drink. If you are doing this outdoors, get a GENTLE stream/spray of water going. GENTLE!!! Gradually soak the soil until the water flows out the bottom of the pot. Then do it again. Wash down the leaves, rinse off the pot (and yourself and assistant!) and there you are! When you bring the plant inside, be sure that you have the saucer for underneath the pot in place FIRST...and watch out for doorways! My experience is with Ficus benjamina, but I will boldly assume that your lyrata shares some of its characteristics: Keep your ficus in the old standby, bright curtain-filtered light; water consistently and thoroughly, evenly moist; no drafts, hot or cold; whatever spot you choose---leave it there! Lay off fertilizing for a while: let the plant take a deep breath, relax, and get used to its new and improved home. And you do the same! Hope that all this is of help to you, and that all goes well with both you and the Ficus. Please keep us informed! Best of botanical luck to you.
putting a layer of stones or rocks in the bottom of the container and then putting soil on top of it actually defeats the purpose of providing drainage. basically, because the two layers are so different, after the water passes through the soil, it can back-up, so to speak, once it hits the layer of rock...thus, sitting there for a while instead of draining off. if you want to provide additional drainage properties to the soil, mix those small stones/rocks right into the soil so that there is even distribution between soil and stone throughout the container. that would work much better. i hope ron sees this thread, he really does explain the physics of it so much better than i! ficus don't need constant amounts of fertilizer (like what's in miracle gro brand as well as some other brands). plus, this plant is stressed and shouldn't be fertilized until it's recuperated a bit and is on better footing. when fertilizer is already in the soil, you can never know just how much of it is being released and you also do not know just when it's being released. if at all, even. you also have no control over ratios - some plants like more neutral fertilizer and some more acidic and some need very specific proportions to grow properly. it really is best to add fertilizer on an as-needed basis and to customize the strength for the individual plants. this plant would do best in cactus mix with something added, throughout, for extra drainage. regular potting soil will become too compacted around the roots over time - even if some perlite is added. after disturbing roots that have been confined in close quarters for years, there is going to be a good amount of breakage. it's inevitable that some of the roots (and especially the very small bits that we can barely see) will be at the least a bit bruised and at the worst broken. it's best to allow them to sit in dry soil for a week so they have time to focus on healing. the plant will be fine!! if you take it outside and use the hose on the rootball, it'll be taking in a fair amount of water during the process of removing the old soil, so, it won't even need watering immediately anyway.
Ok, talked to my fiance about the ficus again. He was given the ficus 12 years ago, not 5. He repotted it less than a year ago. I'm thinking we should still go ahead with the repotting into a larger container? Get good soil and arrange for good drainage. Got it. Any other suggestions?
well, this isn't the best time to repot - spring is a much better time. and, if it was repotted within the year, it shouldn't be necessary. what kind of soil is it in now? does that container have drainage holes - that are actually opened up?? sometimes they're cut into the pot yet aren't removed - the manufacturer leaves it up to the consumer if they want to pop them out or not. it may just be a matter of doing the watering and then letting it filter down/out into the bottom drip tray and then, half hour/hour later, just remembering to tip the plant over to remove anything that's collected in the bottom. i stopped using the containers with the attached drip trays because you just can't see how much has collected in them...far too easy for the excess to build up to the point that it keeps the bottom bit of soil constantly wet - which allows root rot to set in. you said you thought it had been overwatered so you cut back...then you did water it. did you give it a thorough watering at that time? do you allow the water to sit overnight before using it? if you use water straight from the tap, excess chlorine (and other things like ammonia) can cause tip browning. so can water that's too cold (or too hot). allowing the water to sit overnight allows (most) chemicals to dissipate and allows you to use room-temp water (less shocking to the roots).
