When there is a problem, fiddle leaf figs can communicate very effectively. The most typical indications that your Fiddle Leaf needs assistance are as follows:
Brown spots are a sign that there is watering stress at play. Spots can develop as a result of excessive watering or inadequate drainage, which can also result in fungi such root rot.
Yellowing Leaves: This symptom is caused by a few different things. Yellowing leaves are typically caused by inadequate light, a lack of nutrients, excessive fertilization, and an imbalance of water. Check out our more detailed guidance on how to recognize and treat yellowing leaves if you’re not sure why your plant’s leaves are yellow and you’re not sure why.
Leaf Drop: This symptom can be caused by a variety of factors, but for Fiddle Leaf Figs, temperature and light fluctuations as well as irregular watering schedules are the main causes. Visit our page on how to prevent leaf drop to find out more about leaf drop problems with other houseplants.
What is causing the brown dots on my fiddle leaf?
Overwatering-induced root rot is arguably the most frequent cause of brown patches in fiddle leaf figs.
Root rot is a fungal infection that develops when roots are left in water for an extended period of time with inadequate drainage.
Particularly fiddle leaf fig roots require quick-draining soil with lots of drainage. You should take prompt action if you notice brown spots on your fiddle leaf fig caused by root rot. To stop your infection from spreading, try our Root Rot Treatment. You may also apply our Houseplant Leaf Armor to shield your fiddle leaf fig against bacteria, fungi, and insects.
The following are warning indicators of root rot:
- patches that are very dark brown or black and spread over the leaf over a period of days or weeks
- Your leaf has dark brown blotches at the base.
- the plant’s leaves that are falling off
Should I prune my fiddle leaf fig’s dark leaves?
Like grooming your dog or cat, pruning your plant is crucial to keeping it healthy and attractive. Pruning your fiddle leaf fig prevents weed growth and maintains its health. You should prune your plant for a number of reasons.
Remove Damaged Leaves and Stems
To promote the general health of your plant, you can safely remove any leaves with significant brown spots or holes. A damaged or ill leaf depletes your plant’s nutrients and increases the risk of infection. Any time of year, get rid of any leaves that are broken or ill right away.
Keep Your Plant From Getting Too Tall
Healthy fiddle leaf fig plants have a tendency to grow aggressively toward the sun, which could cause them to become too big or tall for their environment. You should cut back any growth over that height since plants look their best when their upper leaves are at least 8 to 10 inches below the ceiling. You can make your plant stronger and more compact by trimming it to prevent it from growing too tall.
Give Your Plant Balance
Your plant might grow sideways towards the direction of the closest window depending on where it receives its light, which could make it asymmetrical or unbalanced. Rotate your plant frequently so that it develops symmetrically to avoid this. Even after pruning, plants can still go out of balance, which will assist prevent uneven growth.
Decrease Crowded Areas
To stay healthy, fiddle leaf fig leaves require airflow and room. The leaves on your plant may become damaged by rubbing against one another if it becomes overly compact and crowded. Pruning will help to spread out crowded regions.
Shape Your Plant
Due to their restricted exposure to sunlight when grown indoors, fiddle leaf fig plants can develop unique morphologies. They might develop sideways rather than upwards toward the sun as they would if they were growing outside.
The lowest leaves will also fall off in the wild because of a lack of sunshine. Lower leaves, though, may still receive plenty of light inside and stay on the plant. The desired tree-like shape may be destroyed as a result. You should cut off lower leaves and branches that are spreading out too much in order to shape your plant so that it looks best in the area where it is placed.
Can fiddle leaf fig brown patches be removed?
Unfortunately, treating this problem in a fiddle leaf fig is one of the most difficult things to do.
The idea is to treat the areas as soon as you can to prevent further damage from occurring. Making sure your plant’s roots dry out between waterings and that it receives enough of sunlight are important components of the treatment, which is comparable to treating root rot.
If the damage is not severe, remove any of the leaves that have brown spots and repot your plant in a container with good drainage using fresh, sterile soil. While it is healing, give it lots of light and don’t water as frequently.
Use our Leaf Armor, which was created to shield your houseplant against fungus, insects, and bacteria in addition to bacteria.
How are brown leaf spots handled?
Are the plant leaves on your houseplants displaying brown spots? Black and brown stains on plant leaves and stems that have been sopped in water are frequently an indication of a bacterial or fungal disease. Change the watering schedule and avoid letting plants sit in water that is too much. That alone can frequently halt the spread of the illness. Any soft, discolored stems or leaves should be cut off and thrown away. Repot the plant in fresh potting soil in a container that is a little bigger than the remaining roots, trimming off any decaying roots.
How often should fiddle leaf figs be watered?
Overwatering or failing to provide adequate drainage are the two most common ways to destroy a fiddle leaf fig. About once every 10 days or once a week, water your plant. As we just discussed, FLFs are accustomed to receiving a massive amount of water with intermittent dry spells because they are native to a rainforest-like habitat. Therefore, it’s recommended to water indoor plants until the soil is barely dripping before letting the soil dry fully in between applications.
There are two ways to accomplish this. Bring the plant inside after watering it and letting it drip for an hour or two outside or in the bathtub. Place your FLF on a plant stand above a drip tray if you don’t want to carry it back and forth to be watered. Make sure the roots don’t spend a long period sitting in extra water, whichever method you pick.
Watering a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Overwatering or failing to provide adequate drainage are the two most common ways to destroy a fiddle leaf fig. About once every 10 days or once a week, water your plant. As we just discussed, FLFs are accustomed to receiving a massive amount of water with intermittent dry spells because they are native to a rainforest-like habitat. Therefore, it’s recommended to water indoor plants until the soil is barely dripping before letting the soil dry fully in between applications. There are two ways to accomplish this. Bring the plant inside after watering it and letting it drip for an hour or two outside or in the bathtub. Place your FLF on a plant stand above a drip tray if you don’t want to carry it back and forth to be watered. Make sure the roots don’t spend a long period sitting in extra water, whichever method you pick.
Not sure of the next time to water? Simply press your finger into the soil’s top 2 inches. If it’s still wet, don’t touch it. Don’t believe in yourself? Purchase a cheap soil moisture meter, and water when it indicates that the soil is practically dry.
Having trouble deciding when to water your fiddle leaf fig? Simply press your finger into the soil’s top 2 inches. If it’s still wet, don’t touch it. Don’t believe in yourself? Purchase a cheap soil moisture meter, and water when it indicates that the soil is practically dry.
How may root rot in a fiddle leaf fig be detected?
By simply examining a potted plant, it can be challenging to identify root rot. Even a fiddle that seems to be rather dry on the top of its soil could be rooted underground. Only by looking at the roots underneath the surface can one truly know. Remove your plant from its pot and take a look if you notice any signs of distress, such as dropping or browning leaves.
Here are a few telltale symptoms of root rot in your fiddle leaf fig:
Once a portion of the roots starts to decay, the disease can spread throughout the entire root system and start to climb up to the plant’s leaves.
How much sun is required by a fiddle leaf fig?
The fiddle-leaf fig will not withstand situations with both low light and high light, in contrast to other plants (looking at you, monsteras!). It must be placed in an area with lots of bright, indirect light. Furthermore, it requires a few hours of direct sunlight each day.
“Lighting is the first and most crucial factor you should take into account before purchasing a fiddle. Little did I know that by placing my fiddle in a room with a north-facing window when I first took it home, I was sort of setting myself up for failure “Greene explains. “Fiddle-leaf figs like lots of light, and they frequently need up to five hours of direct light each day,” says the author. It thrives “near to south- or west-facing windows, or directly in an east-facing window,” according to Greenery Unlimited, and nothing can be anything blocking that light (like a building or trees). Additionally, because it grows toward the sun, you must rotate it once a month.
In addition to these lighting requirements, you also need to gradually introduce sunshine; you cannot expose it to too much sunlight at once. Otherwise, the lovely green leaves of the fiddle-leaf fig can burn and get brown spots. On the other side, too little sunlight will cause its leaves to become brown or yellow, or even worse, fall off. It also hates being moved around a lot since it could lose its leaves. Most likely out of spite. Even if your plant sustains some combat wounds in the process, you’ll finally locate the best location for it, even if it takes some trial and error.
“Adding a grow lamp ($23) is one of the things you can do to supplement that light if you already have a fiddle-leaf fig but feel like it’s not getting enough,” advises Greene. They’re fantastic since you can automatically control how much light it receives each day, especially if they include a timer.
How can leaf spots be treated naturally?
Blend everything in a gallon of water. Every ten days, spray the entire garden. When used on tomatoes and squash, this works incredibly well.
It may be possible to prevent blight by preventing leaves from coming into touch with the soil. Around tomatoes, using mulch or landscaping cloth can significantly lower the occurrence of blight.
Powdery Mildew Remedy
- a quart of water
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda/epsom salts or 1 splash of rubbing alcohol
Important: As you move from plant to plant, immerse pruning and gardening tools in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water to help prevent the spread of illness. With your hands, you can remove yellowed or discolored leaves, but wash your hands afterwards.
What does fungus-caused leaf spot resemble?
Spots are often brownish, though they can also be tan or black. There are frequently concentric rings or black edges. Black dots in the spots, either in rings or in a central cluster, could be fungal bodies. Blotches can be created by the spots combining or growing larger over time.
How do bacterial leaf spots appear?
Bacterial leaf spots typically take the form of water-soaked, brown to black lesions that are frequently surrounded by a yellow halo. The underside of the leaf frequently develops water-soaked (or also referred to as greasy) patches first. On Begonia and Pelargonium, Xanthomonas lesions have a v-shape and extend inward from the leaf margin. Necrotic lesions can be angular or oblong. In some hosts, spots may combine to provide a blighted appearance.
“Look-alike” diseases: Depending on the host, several fungal leaf spots can be mistaken for bacterial infections. Particularly for the layperson, there is no practical method to distinguish between these two. When bacteria-caused lesions are submerged in water and magnified, a visible stream of bacteria may emerge; however, streaming may not always be seen if the pathogen is dormant. Similar to this, fungal spores may be seen if the right circumstances have been present for sporulation, albeit the absence of spores does not rule out fungi as the source. Consequently, it is best to have a plant disease clinic diagnose unhealthy plants (NCSU Plant Disease Clinic).
Should I give my fiddle leaf fig bottom water?
The fiddle leaf fig tree really cemented its position as a mainstay of interior design several years ago. If you don’t believe me, simply quickly go through any interior design Instagram account or Pinterest, and I can almost assure you won’t miss this stunning plant. Personally, I’ve been cultivating them in my house for many years. I had a sizable one in my Beverly Hills condo’s living room, numerous others dotted around my old Palisades property, and I now also enjoy them in my present Laguna Beach home. The longest one I’ve ever had, I must say, lasted for approximately eight years! Which means I’ve been able to care for these picky indoor plants for a lot longer than I anticipated. Even though I’d like to think that I have the famous “green thumb,” the truth is that I only stick to a few guidelines that I’ve learned over the years to keep my trees growing and their leaves sporting a vibrant shade of green.
I’d want to impart some of those knowledge on how to grow a beautiful and robust fiddle leaf fig tree today. I’ve asked Mackenna Rowley of Piep Co, owner of a plant store and proponent of the green thumb, to share her knowledge with us. Many of her suggestions are ones I’ve used for years, but there are also some excellent success hints in here. What you should know before planting a fiddle leaf fig tree is as follows:
1. Make sure it gets enough water. When watering this plant, Mackenna advises remembering the following maxim: It’s better to submerge than overwater! She strongly advises bottom watering your violin and advises letting the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out between waterings. “According to Mackenna, a common issue with our customers is that they tend to water their larger plants from above when they notice that they are beginning to grow brown and dry. “But doing so never actually completely drenches the potting soil. Then they keep watering the plant more and more, which causes it to be generally underwatered and to occasionally develop root rot. Potting mix has a little hydrophobic quality, so when you water from above, it’s simple for the water to just flow down the path of least resistance and not actually fully saturate the root ball—especially with larger plants in big pots. You should always water your potting mix well, so Mackenna suggests soaking your fiddle overnight in a tub filled with water that comes halfway up the pot. This will let the potting mix to completely absorb the water. In addition, it receives a welcome boost in humidity this way. Crispy, dry leaves are typically the result of underwatering and insufficient humidity, whereas soft, yellow leaves are typically the result of overwatering.
2. Bring clarity. When deciding where location to place your tree, it can seem natural to only take décor and aesthetics into account. However, there are many more factors to take into account before placing your tree. I’ve learned that my trees thrive with a lot of direct, strong light. You should keep it out of any direct light until it’s a reasonably mature tree, which takes a decade or more, according to Mackenna. Therefore, if you believe that giving your tree a little sunbath on your balcony or patio will benefit it, reconsider. Until it is old enough, at least. When the leaves are exposed to direct light, they may become dry and brown. I advise putting yours close to a window that lets in lots of gentle, indirect light. Also, consider the direction that the light is coming from: windows facing north will receive the least sunlight, windows facing east will receive morning sunlight but not enough throughout the day, and windows facing west will receive strong afternoon sunlight that could burn the leaves and dry out the plant. The greatest windows are those that face south since they will receive just the right amount of light without getting too much. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that your instrument will incline toward the light, so if symmetry is what you’re after, make sure to spin it frequently.
3. Take into account the pot and potting soil. You should use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix for your plants. Additionally, you should check that the bottom of your pot has sufficient drainage. Because the FLF is prone to root rot, you must ensure that it can drain after watering. Furthermore, a pot lacking drainage holes cannot be bottom-watered! The advice of Mackenna is to place your tree in a slightly larger decorative pot or basket while still in its original plastic growing container (I love using these from The Little Market). Growing plants always need enough drainage, so it makes it much easier to transport when you’re dragging it off to the tub. Additionally, you can still use a decorative pot if it doesn’t have drainage holes and you don’t want to drill them yourself.
4. Watch out for wind. Mackenna advises keeping FLF away from frequently opened doors or windows, heating or cooling vents, fireplaces, or other draft-prone areas because FLF are relatively susceptible to them. Keep in mind that FLF prefer some humidity, which is diminished by drafts.
5. Show it off in style! I like the fiddle best in a plain pot or tucked within a woven basket because it is such an eye-catching, sculptural plant. Why detract from those enormous, magnificent leaves? Because the pots need to be pretty large, Mackenna advises choosing only one color or pattern rather than both if you want to make your pot stand out a little more. Unless, of course, you like it that way in which case, go for it!
6. Maintain it. Cleaning the leaves frequently is one of my best recommendations. Your plant will develop large, dust-collecting leaves as it grows, which can actually stunt growth because it blocks sunlight. When cleaning the leaves, Mackenna advises applying a little coconut oil because it also adds shine (a tip I had never heard of but adore and am eager to try myself!). But make sure you only apply it to the leaf’s tops. Susing it on the bottom may cause the plant’s stomata to become blocked, preventing it from breathing.
So there you have it! I want to thank Mackenna once more for these useful information. I’m curious to know now…