Why Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Is Dropping Leaves (and How to Fix It)

Fiddle leaf figs have earned a popularity as drama queens of the houseplant world, and truthfully, it’s well-deserved. These crops appear to shed leaves over the smallest environmental adjustments, leaving their house owners panicking and questioning what they did fallacious.

And half the time, it’s not even something drastic you probably did. They’re simply that fussy.

The irritating half is that leaf drop can have a number of causes, and determining which one is affecting your plant takes some detective work. The excellent news is that almost all causes are fixable for those who catch them early sufficient.

Let’s take a look at the most typical causes your fiddle leaf fig is dropping leaves and what you are able to do about it.

You Moved It

Fiddle leaf figs hate being moved. And this isn’t rotating the pot sometimes for even progress. I imply important location adjustments like shifting from one room to a different, bringing it dwelling from the nursery, and even simply shifting it a number of ft to a distinct spot.

These crops are extremely delicate to environmental adjustments. Once you transfer a fiddle leaf fig (or any ficus), it experiences shifts in gentle ranges, temperature, humidity, and air circulation abruptly. The fiddle leaf fig responds to this stress by dropping leaves, usually beginning with the older, decrease leaves first. It’s the plant’s means of conserving vitality whereas it adjusts to the brand new circumstances.

Sadly, there’s not a lot you are able to do as soon as the leaf drop begins besides wait it out. The bottom line is stopping it within the first place by selecting your plant’s location fastidiously from the beginning and committing to leaving it there. For those who completely should transfer your fiddle leaf fig, attempt to match the circumstances of its earlier location as carefully as doable.

Some leaf drop after bringing a brand new plant house is regular and anticipated. The shift from greenhouse circumstances to your property surroundings is important, and most fiddle leaf figs will begin dropping leaves throughout this adjustment interval. So long as the plant isn’t dropping a couple of or two leaves per week and also you see new progress rising from the highest, it ought to get well nice.

Watering Points

Watering issues are in all probability the most typical reason behind fiddle leaf figs dropping leaves. Each overwatering and underwatering can set off it, although they present up barely in another way.

Overwatering causes leaves to show yellow earlier than dropping, usually beginning with the decrease leaves. The yellowing occurs as a result of waterlogged soil prevents roots from accessing oxygen, and broken roots can’t ship vitamins correctly. You may also discover the leaves really feel mushy or droopy earlier than they fall, and the soil stays moist for days after watering.

Underwatering results in brown, crispy edges on leaves that ultimately drop off solely. The plant primarily sheds leaves that it may possibly not assist with restricted water sources. Underwatered fiddle leaf figs usually have dry soil pulling away from the pot, and the leaves might really feel papery or brittle.

The repair depends upon which downside you’re coping with. For overwatering, let the soil dry out considerably earlier than watering once more, and test that your pot has ample drainage holes. It’s possible you’ll have to repot into contemporary, well-draining soil if root rot has set in.

For underwatering, set up a extra constant watering routine and ensure you’re watering totally whenever you do water.

Check the soil earlier than watering by sticking your finger into the highest few inches. Water when that prime layer feels dry, however earlier than your entire pot dries out fully. Fiddle leaf figs choose soil that stays frivolously moist however by no means soggy.

Pests

Pests are sneaky culprits that always go unnoticed till important injury has occurred. Spider mites, scale, and mealybugs all goal fiddle leaf figs, sucking sap from the leaves and weakening the plant. Because the infestation progresses, affected leaves flip yellow or brown and ultimately drop off.

Spider mites are significantly problematic as a result of they’re tiny and laborious to identify with out shut inspection. Search for nice webbing on the undersides of leaves or between the leaf and stem. The leaves may develop a stippled, dusty look earlier than they drop.

Scale bugs seem like small brown bumps alongside the stems and leaf veins. They don’t transfer a lot, so folks usually mistake them for a part of the plant. Mealybugs seem as white, cottony clusters in leaf axils and alongside stems.

Examine your fiddle leaf fig recurrently for pests, particularly if it’s dropping leaves with out an apparent watering or environmental trigger. Examine the undersides of leaves fastidiously, as that’s the place most pests disguise. For those who catch an infestation early, you’ll be able to usually management it with insecticidal cleaning soap or neem oil utilized in response to package deal instructions.

Isolate affected crops from different houseplants to stop the pests from spreading. That is particularly vital with spider mites, which may rapidly transfer to neighboring crops.

Incorrect Gentle Ranges

Fiddle leaf figs are surprisingly explicit about gentle. They want shiny, oblique gentle to thrive.  Not low gentle like many individuals assume, however not harsh direct solar both. When gentle ranges are fallacious, the fiddle leaf fig responds by dropping leaves.

Too little gentle is the extra frequent downside. In dimly lit rooms, fiddle leaf figs can’t photosynthesize effectively and begin shedding older leaves to scale back their vitality calls for. You may discover the plant turns into leggy, with lengthy areas between leaves and weak, skinny progress earlier than the leaf drop begins.

An excessive amount of direct solar, significantly harsh afternoon solar, can scorch leaves. Burned leaves usually develop brown patches or crispy edges earlier than falling off. The injury often impacts leaves that obtain probably the most direct gentle first.

The perfect spot for a fiddle leaf fig is close to a shiny window with sheer curtains to filter intense gentle, or just a few ft again from an unobstructed window. East or west-facing home windows work effectively, offering mild morning or afternoon gentle. South-facing home windows can work too if the plant is positioned again from the glass or for those who use window therapies to diffuse the sunshine.

For those who’ve not too long ago moved your plant to a brand new location with completely different gentle ranges, that would clarify the leaf drop. Give it time to regulate and keep away from shifting it once more whereas it’s recovering.

Lack of Root Area

Fiddle leaf figs ultimately outgrow their containers, and after they do, a number of issues develop that may result in leaf drop. Root-bound crops can’t soak up water effectively as a result of there’s extra root than soil, that means the restricted soil dries out too rapidly. Vitamins develop into depleted as effectively, since there isn’t sufficient soil to carry ample diet.

Examine in case your plant is root-bound by wanting on the drainage holes. For those who see roots rising via the holes or circling across the exterior of the basis ball, it’s time to repot. One other signal is water working straight via the pot with out being absorbed, or the plant needing water rather more often than it used to.

Repot right into a container that’s 2 to 4 inches bigger in diameter than the present pot. Going an excessive amount of greater can really trigger issues, as extra soil holds moisture that the roots can’t entry, probably resulting in overwatering points. Use contemporary, well-draining potting combine formulated for houseplants or make your individual by mixing common potting soil with perlite.

Spring is the perfect time to repot, because the plant is coming into its lively rising season and can get well extra rapidly from the disturbance. Count on your fiddle leaf fig to start out dropping leaves after repotting anyway, as this counts as a serious environmental change. So long as you see new progress inside just a few weeks, the plant is adjusting nice.

Outdated Soil

Even when your fiddle leaf fig isn’t root-bound, outdated soil may cause issues that result in leaf drop. Over time, potting combine breaks down and turns into compacted. This compaction reduces drainage and air circulation across the roots, creating circumstances just like overwatering (even for those who’re watering appropriately).

Outdated soil additionally turns into depleted of vitamins. When you can complement with fertilizer, degraded potting combine doesn’t maintain or ship vitamins as successfully as contemporary soil. The plant struggles to entry what it wants for wholesome progress. Your fiddle leaf fig might begin dropping leaves as sources develop into restricted.