The fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is an excellent plant with a little bit of a popularity. Nevertheless, whereas its care necessities are fairly easy, this specific Ficus can generally be slightly temperamental.
A chief instance of this drama queen habits is that this plant’s behavior of getting droopy leaves. These giant leaves are the principle motive most individuals need to personal a fiddle leaf fig, so seeing them droop immediately could make most individuals panic.
Nevertheless, this shouldn’t discourage you from having one, and there’s no motive to panic when it begins to behave slightly overdramatic.
The excellent news is that whereas many issues may cause this drooping, they’re virtually at all times a simple repair. That mentioned, let‘s have a look at the varied causes this may occur and what to do to treatment every trigger.
Why Are The Leaves Of My Fiddle Leaf Fig Drooping?
As talked about, there are a number of potential causes, some fully pure and others hinting at care or environmental points.
The next are among the most typical causes for leaf droop and how one can repair the issue.
Chemical Burns
Fertilizer could be a good thing for crops moderately, however an excessive amount of fertilizer can burn a fiddle leaf plant.
Likewise, many pesticides or insecticidal soaps can result in burns on crops, particularly if the plant is delicate or the leaves find yourself moist.
Within the latter case, Fiddle-leaf figs might undergo sunburn from the sunshine hitting the water droplets.
The repair for these issues is just being conscious of what you’re doing. When fertilizing, at all times use the right dilution and frequency.
As for any pesticidal product, attempt to use them so the leaves will probably be dry by the point the solar’s rays hit them, or manually wipe every leaf with a smooth material.
Improper Watering
Improper watering is a big deal for many crops, as they don’t use water in fairly the identical approach you or I do.
In truth, greater than 97% p.c of the water they drink goes to a course of referred to as transpiration, which has similarities to sweating in some respects.
When a plant is in arid circumstances, it would use transpiration to attempt to elevate the humidity round it.
This is without doubt one of the causes watering on a schedule is a poor concept because the plant could also be utilizing kind of water at any given time.
When your Ficus is dehydrated, the leaves will lose their sturdiness and turn out to be limp.
You may also inform if the humidity is just too low if this limpness is accompanied by effervescent alongside the leaf’s edges.
The humidity is often effective for an indoor plant, as a spread of 35% to 60% p.c is ideal for this plant, however grouping different crops may help increase the humidity for those who discover the air is just too dry indoors or outdoor.
On the flip aspect, overwatering may result in drooping, and the signs are virtually an identical.
It is because soggy soil can clog your plant’s roots, making it tough for the plant to soak up water and vitamins, inflicting it to dehydrate whereas sitting in water.
You possibly can inform if a plant is getting an excessive amount of or too little water by merely sticking your finger into the soil.
A fiddle leaf fig will should be watered when the soil feels dry 1″ to 2″ inches down (to the primary or second knuckle). Use both the soak-and-dry technique or the bottom-up technique for the very best outcomes.
Inadequate Gentle
Whereas some crops thrive in low mild and even darkness, this plant isn’t amongst them. The fiddle leaf fig plant wants loads of brilliant, oblique mild (or direct morning or night mild with some shade within the afternoon).
If it’s not getting sufficient mild, the leaves will lose some stability and start to wilt, gaining a yellow tinge.
Fixing this drawback with a potted plant is pretty straightforward, as you possibly can transfer it to a barely sunnier spot.
Out of doors specimens might require you to seek out what’s obstructing the sunshine and (if it might probably’t be simply mounted) might require transplanting the Ficus elsewhere.
New Progress
Now this one would possibly sound fairly peculiar, however we guarantee you, it’s an precise explanation for drooping.
When new leaf buds first start opening, they are often considerably awkward. In truth, the bigger the brand new leaf, the extra seemingly it is going to be to have an ungainly droop for the primary few days.
This specific trigger will typically proper itself inside per week and shouldn’t be trigger for alarm.
Sudden Environmental Modifications
That is the place the fiddle leaf fig will get its popularity for being a drama queen, as this plant completely hates being moved.
Likewise, any sudden change to its routine can depart it visibly sulking.
Sadly, there’s not a lot you are able to do about this poor habits, particularly for those who’re attempting to shift the fiddle leaf into higher lighting.
The excellent news is that it’ll perk up once more as soon as you come back from its normal routine.
Transplant Shock
Lastly, we have now a problem that often impacts solely potted crops (however might prolong to an outside plant if it must be relocated) – transplant shock.
Crops have advanced to stay in a single spot for many or all of their lives, so when you need to repot one, it would undergo from shock.
This isn’t as noticeable in some crops as in others, however your Ficus tends to be very vocal about disliking being repotted.
The remedy for that is easy, but annoying because it simply wants a while to get used to the change.
It can typically take a month or two for a ficus to get better absolutely from transplant shock, at which level it would as soon as once more perk up and be comfortable.
Make sure you don’t fiddle with it throughout this time, otherwise you’ll stress it additional.
