Why Do Fiddle Leaf Fig Leaves Droop

exceptionally dry soil

Make sure your fiddle leaf fig isn’t submerged in water. Water your plants on a regular basis when the top 50 to 75 percent of the soil feels dry.

You can notice limp branches or leaves that have started to crisp up if you unintentionally let the soil of your fiddle leaf fig dry up completely. A thorough soak is necessary if the soil is very dry over the entire container.

How to soak-water your plant is as follows:

Without the saucer, put your plant in the sink or bathtub. Pour roughly 3 to 4 cups of water into your basin. Check to see if the water is warm.
Give your plant at least 45 minutes to absorb water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.
After giving your plant a soak, feel the soil’s top to see if the water has gotten to the top 2-3 inches.
Water your Fiddle Leaf gently from the top of the soil to assist hasten soil saturation if not all of it feels soaked.
Drain the sink or tub once the soil of your plant is evenly moist, and then leave it to rest while it completely drains. Put the plant back in its proper place on the saucer.

Remember that your Fiddle Leaf Fig may become stressed and lose some leaves if the soil changes from being bone dry to saturated. Allow it time to adjust.

An climate that is humid will be ideal for your fiddle leaf fig. By regularly spraying your plant, using a pebble tray, or placing a humidifier close by, you can raise the humidity level in the area around it.

How are droopy fiddle leaf figs fixed?

Finding and addressing the issues that are causing the fiddle leaf fig’s leaves to lose their visual appeal is the key to fixing a drooping plant. By adjusting your techniques to the needs of the plant, you might adopt several strategies.

A wilting fiddle leaf fig can be revived and fixed as follows:

Move the plant where there’s bright indirect light

During their active growth period, fiddle fig leaves need roughly 6 hours of bright indirect sunshine. This can be accomplished by relocating it to a window with an eastward facing and lightly covered curtain.

Making ensuring your plant receives enough sunshine is crucial for repairing drooping leaves and preserving its health. After a few days of continuous exposure to sunshine when the plant has previously received insufficient sunlight, you might start to detect changes in the leaf.

To provide your fiddle leaf fig easy access to the morning and evening sun when the light intensity is moderate indoors, put your pot close to a window (and cannot harm the plant). It will be ideal if the window faces west or east.

Let the soil dry out between waterings

If the plant is being underwatered, give it enough water until the pot starts to drip. Move it to its new location after letting it drip for a while to keep the soil moist. To avoid drooping and wilting, allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Meeting your plant’s water needs can be made easier by keeping a good watering routine. For instance, depending on the season, fiddle leaf figs require watering roughly once per week at intervals of 10 days.

In order to account for seasonal changes in temperature and humidity, it is important to modify your watering plan. To minimize overwatering, you should also avoid supplying too much water.

How much water the soil retains after each watering session can be managed with the aid of a high-quality potting media and drainage system. Check the potting mixture frequently to see if the plant requires watering before adding water.

By inserting your finger a few inches into the potting media, you may determine whether the soil needs water (finger test). It’s possible for your plant to go a few more days without water if the soil beneath it is moist. However, crumbly, dry soil indicates that your plant needs water immediately.

Additionally, you can look for drooping leaves, however this isn’t necessarily a good sign that your plant needs water.

Repot using a well-draining potting mix and larger pot

Fiddle leaf figs can grow up to 6 feet tall. To accommodate the growth increase, you might need to occasionally move your plant into a larger pot.

Choosing the right pot or medium is essential for repotting. Your plant may be prone to overwatering, saturated soils, etc. due to poor selection. Use a peat-perlite soil mixture, preferably at a 2:1 ratio, is what I’d suggest.

The diameter of the pots should be about three to four inches broader, and each pot should be about one to two inches taller than the one before it. To allow for effective drainage, it is also worthwhile to get a pot with a drainage hole.

Feed the plant with 3-1-2 NPK fertilizer

Your fiddle leaf fig may occasionally droop from nutrient deficiency, particularly if the soil is overworked. However, this wilting and discontent does not have the same intensity as that brought on by underwatering.

Fertilizers are necessary to keep the soil’s nutrient quality high and to energize your plant. At least twice a year, fiddle leaf figs require a constant fertilizer application. The substance that enriches soil with nutrients should be applied in the spring and fall.

Use an organic, slow-release substance with a balanced NPK ratio wherever possible. For instance, the majority of fiddle leaf figs respond well to an NPK ratio of 3-1-2, where a high nitrogen (N) content encourages healthy foliage growth, phosphorous (P) enhances tissue development, and potassium (K) permits optimum plant growth and strong roots.

Remember to add fertilizer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Different goods have different quantity requirements, dispersion methods, etc.

Maintain temperature between 65F to 75F for the fig

The temperature sensitivity of fiddle leaf figs. As a result, the species flourishes in tropical climates with temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

The plant can withstand dips in temperature of up to 55 F. (Higher or lower temperatures can negatively affect the plant). Because of this, it is preferable to move or insulate fiddle leaf fig plants indoors during the winter and other cooler months to sustain vigorous development and avoid drooping/freezing.

During the summer, when temperatures may increase over ideal levels, you can sometimes spray the leaves of your plant. Additionally, keep an eye out for new growth to avoid sunburn and drooping, which could harm your plant’s appearance and general health.

Why are the leaves on my fig tree drooping?

What is the first thing you should know about fiddle leaf figs? Avoid overwatering them. Seriously. Watering a plant less might seem paradoxical, but in this situation, it’s crucial. Fiddle leaf figs need to somewhat dry out between waterings, and you shouldn’t water them more frequently than once a week, according to Greenery NYC. In general, fiddle leaf figs need to be watered only when the top inch or two of their soil are dry. You might not be able to tell this by looking at it, but you can quickly determine if it is dry or not by sticking your finger inside. Skip the water for the time being if it seems damp, and check again afterwards.

A fiddle leaf fig’s leaves can also indicate whether it needs to drink more water; if they are droopy or floppy, this is frequently the case. However, brown leaves typically indicate overwatering. If that occurs, wait a little while before watering your tree once more.

Does the fiddle leaf fig typically shed its leaves?

Because leaves do not last forever, your fiddle leaf fig will likely lose part of its older leaves as new ones grow on the plant. This indicates that some leaf drop on your fiddle leaf fig plant is typical.

It is not a problem if you see your fiddle leaf fig’s lower leaves periodically falling off the plant and becoming yellow. As fresh, young leaves emerge, the plant will often shed its older leaves. The bottom leaves on your fiddle leaf fig are the oldest because it grows new growth from the top.

Some of the bottom leaves on your fiddle leaf fig will fall off since they are old and no longer necessary for the plant to obtain energy.

Does my Ficus have a bacterial infection or root rot?

Most likely not. Despite the fact that this diagnosis is all over the internet, we have found it to be incredibly unusual in the thousands of Ficuses that our sister firm, Greenery NYC, has taken care of. It’s usually a different issue, like inadequate lighting or overwatering. If you’re curious to learn more, we do offer a guide on how to distinguish between bacterial and fungal leaf spots.

Help! My Fiddle Leaf Fig dropped a leaf!

Moving and changing the environment can be hard on ficus trees. The Ficus plant will temporarily go into shock and drop its leaves since the dry, cold air is such a drastic change from the warm humidity of the greenhouse. This situation is only transitory, so don’t worry. Your tree won’t return to normal for a few weeks, and during that time it might lose a few leaves. However, if the leaves keep falling, it can be an indication of poor lighting or water.

My Fiddle Leaf Fig has brown spots and the leaves are dropping. What do I do?

Overwatering is the most common error people make when caring for their plants. Even though they require a lot of water to stay healthy, moist soil will drown the plant. Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees prefer to let their leaves slightly dry out between waterings. Allow the plant to dry out until the soil is totally dry if your leaves begin to turn brown and fall and the earth is moist.
Lack of light is the second biggest error people make. Fiddle Leafs need a lot of light to grow, and if they are not soaking up enough energy, they will begin to shed their leaves. It’s preferable to put your plant by a window if you’re unsure about where to put it. Please see our lighting guide for additional details.
The fiddle leaf fig can also be severely damaged by underwatering. The edges of the leaves begin to brown and curl in when submerged, and this ultimately spreads throughout the entire leaf. Fallen leaves that were submerged in water will typically be entirely or largely brown and dry to the touch.

RIGHT: A dropped leaf that has been overwatered. A telltale indicator that the plant has received too much water is the browning that is spreading from the central node (or midrib) through the veins of the leaf. RIGHT: If the leaves have brown spots or holes, the plant is probably not getting enough light. This frequently occurs on the lowest leaves of the tree, which over time may start to lose light.

How do I tell when my Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree needs water?

The simplest approach to determine whether your Fiddle Leaf plant needs water is to look at the leaves once you’ve determined that the top few inches of soil have dried out. The leaves will inform you they need water if they are not firm and straight and begin to look droopy. Until you develop a habit, be sure to check in with your tree frequently to make sure you don’t go underwater.

Left: a submerged Fiddle Leaf Fig tree; right: the same tree less than twenty-four hours later.

How much light is too much light for the Fiddle Leaf Fig?

In New York City, fiddle leaf figs should thrive if placed directly in front of a window. However, they cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to the sun (being placed outside on a sunny day). They might be sunburned in exceptionally bright apartments (i.e., those with floor to ceiling windows), in which case your best chance is to position them in front of the window with a sheer curtain. The complete spectrum of the sun’s rays will be blocked by partial shades like solar shades, therefore avoid using them to filter the light.

Can I put my Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree next to the AC / heater?

Floppy Leaf Tropical vegetation like fig trees prefer a humid atmosphere. They lose their leaves if the weather is too dry. Although fiddle leaves do well in air-conditioned apartments, never place them right next to an air conditioner or heater. If their leaves are wagging from the air, it’s best to locate another area.

How often should I fertilize my Fiddle Leaf Fig?

Fertilizing indoor plants from spring through fall generally results in their thriving. Use an organic houseplant fertilizer once a month, dilution and application instructions on the container. In order to ensure that your plant doesn’t require fertilizer within the first six months of receiving it, Greenery NYC employs an organic potting mix with a slow release fertilizer in the soil.

How often does my Fiddle Leaf Fig need to be repotted?

We advise repotting bigger floor plants every 18 to 24 months. In order to allow for growth, you need often use a potting vessel with a diameter that is 2- 4 bigger. Selecting a pot that is significantly larger than the previous one could drown the plant’s roots. Repot your plant into the same container, add additional soil, and remove some roots and foliage if you’d like to keep it at its current size. Repotting should be done in the spring or summer when the plant is at its healthiest.

How frequently should fiddle leaf figs be watered?

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.