Ficus are very popular plants among gardening enthusiasts. They are trees that can be grown indoors without too many problems, although the truth is that they have quite marked needs that we must always attend to, especially with some species. If your ficus loses its leaves, it can be due to many reasons. Learning to differentiate what the cause is in order to remedy it is vital to maintain a healthy, strong and beautiful ficus that improves the home environment.
Why do ficus leaves fall off?
If you want to learn why ficus leaves fall and what to do to avoid it, keep reading.
Change of season
We start by mentioning the most natural of the causes of the loss of ficus leaves, which in this case has nothing negative. When the seasons change, the ficus tends to prepare by shedding the old leaves in order to produce new ones. This will be especially noticeable in the passage from autumn to winter and with the arrival of spring. If your ficus is fine, but loses its leaves in these periods, don’t worry.
Inadequate watering
Ficus are quite demanding when it comes to watering and how they want it. If you water too much, you will flood the soil, causing the roots to rot and the leaves to yellow, and you can lose the plant. If you water too little, the leaves will drop quickly, and if you water with too cold water, the leaves will drop as well and you will also damage the roots.
Keep the substrate at all times with a certain level of humidity, always without flooding and using water at room temperature. If the first two inches of the substrate get dry, water again or the plant will quickly start to lose leaves.
Air currents
Ficus are trees that do not carry air currents well at all. These dry out the plant, which is a species that needs fairly constant humidity. It will begin to lose leaves immediately. If you see that only the tips of your ficus leaves are dry, it is most likely because it is placed in a location that is too exposed to drafts. Move the pot or transplant the tree to a more sheltered area before it’s too late.
Change of environment
Whenever a ficus notices notable changes in its environmental conditions, it becomes stressed and reacts by throwing its leaves as an energy saving measure. If you move it from a location at home, if you change the air conditioning or if you simply just bought it and move to a new home, the most likely thing is that the ficus will lose a good part of its leaves as a first reaction, although it should adapt quickly in a few weeks, producing new leaves without problems.
Lack of light
Another of the most important care of this type of plant is the light they receive. Ficus are very demanding in terms of light since they are trees originating in tropical areas, which tend to grow in direct sunlight. Grown indoors, it is especially important to give it as much light as possible, taking the plant outside if necessary in the warm months.
If it doesn’t get enough light, your ficus will shed leaves quickly. In fact, it is normal that it loses some even with the simple arrival of the shorter days in the cold months or when you return it to the interior after having had it in the sun in summer.
Excess fertilizer
Unlike most plants, ficus does not do well with regular fertilization, or at least not to the same extent as usual. This does not mean that they do not need fertilizer, but it should be applied at the beginning of spring and not renewed until the following season. If your ficus needs more nutrients, use slow-absorbing fertilizer, but apply it at half the generally recommended concentration.
Small pot
Ficus grow quickly, and if the roots run out of pot space and become too entangled with each other, the plant will become stressed and again lose leaves. Transplant the ficus whenever a pot is too small, once a year or every two years. The better the light and water conditions of your ficus, the faster it will grow.
Untimely pruning
Given the rapid growth of ficus, it is usually necessary to prune them indoors, especially if they are in good condition. Always prune your ficus with a well-sharpened and sterilized tool, and do it at the beginning of spring so that the plant is stressed as little as possible and loses the least amount of leaves.
There are a large number of pests and fungi that can attack ficus, weakening them and causing leaf drops. Overwatering and lack of light will make the plant susceptible to attack by fungi, mites and insects, so it is necessary to regularly check the condition of its leaves, including the underside, and act as soon as possible if signs of these problems appear.
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