FAQ: Why Are My Fiddle Leaf Fig Leaves Turning Black?

The most common cause of brown leaves on a fiddle leaf fig is due to a fungal infection from the roots sitting in too much moisture. Once the leaves are affected by the fungal infection, they will slowly turn brown and then eventually fall off.

What does an overwatered fiddle leaf fig look like?

A telltale sign of too much water and/or root rot in Fiddle Leaf Figs is brown spots near the center of the leaves, as well as around the edges. Overwatered Fiddles will also show a general browning, with tiny dark spots or shady areas, that can spread quickly from one leaf to another over the course of a week.

Should I remove the brown leaves from fiddle leaf fig?

Any leaves with large brown spots or holes can safely be removed to improve the overall health of your plant. When you notice damaged or sick leaves, remove them quickly any time of year. Pruning the damaged leaves and branches from this fiddle leaf fig could potentially save it.

How do you know when a fiddle leaf fig is dying?

Common signs that your fiddle leaf fig is dying can be yellowing leaves, brown spots on leaves, droopy leaves, excessive loss of leaves, and plant leaning on sides.

How many times a week should I water my fiddle leaf fig?

The number one way to kill a fiddle leaf fig is to overwater it or not allow for proper drainage. Water your plant about once a week or every 10 days. As we mentioned earlier, FLFs are native to a rainforest-like environment, which means they’re used to receiving a huge deluge of water with dry spells in between.

Should I mist my fiddle leaf fig?

It’s a good idea to mist new leaf buds, but ONLY the lead buds, and not so much that water drips down the other leaves. Give your new baby buds a good misting a few times every week and use a clean, soft cloth to gently dab up extra water if you’d like. You can still raise a healthy fiddle leaf fig in a dry climate.

How do you know if a fiddle leaf fig needs water?

Once you’ve established that the top few inches of soil have dried, the easiest way to tell if your Fiddle Leaf needs water is to look at the leaves. If the leaves are not rigid and upright, and they start to look floppy, they’re telling you they need water.

What happens if you over water a fiddle leaf fig?

Water Problems Overwatering is one of the most common Fiddle Leaf Fig problems. If your plant receives too much water, it can lead to a fungal infection, commonly known as root rot. If root rot is the culprit, you’ll probably see spots and leaf drop on older leaves first.

Do fiddle leaf figs like direct sunlight?

Light. Fiddle Leaf Figs should be placed in front of a window that will receive direct morning or afternoon light. Ideally, what you’re aiming for is a window with a mostly unobstructed eastern, western, or southern exposure — you don’t want trees or close buildings shading the window.

How often do fiddle leaf figs grow new leaves?

A healthy fiddle leaf fig tree should be putting out new leaves every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season. Growth tends to be in spurts, where the plant will grow 2 to 4 new leaves in a matter of a few days. In the winter, it’s normal not to have any new growth.

How do you fix a burnt fiddle leaf fig?

To treat sunburn in your fiddle leaf, you must move it away from direct sunlight to prevent further damage. Then prune the scorched leaf as it has a significantly less chance of recovering. You must also consider increasing the humidity and watering the plant as needed to help with the recovery.

Are coffee grounds good for fiddle leaf fig?

There are risks to using diluted coffee or coffee grounds on fiddle leaf figs. Directly applying coffee grounds to indoor plant soil can cause excessive moisture retention, fungal overgrowth, and impair plant growth due to over-acidifying the soil. This in turn will foster gnats and grow mold in the soil.

How much sun does a fiddle leaf fig need?

“Fiddle-leaf figs enjoy lots of light and they can often take up to five hours of direct light a day.” According to Greenery Unlimited, it does best “close to south- or west-facing windows, or directly in an east-facing window,” and nothing can be anything blocking that light (like a building or trees).

Are coffee grounds good for fig trees?

How Do Coffee Grounds Help Fig Plants? Coffee grounds contain a good amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper, all of which are important to maintain a healthy fig plant. They also increase the acidity of the soil, which is helpful for fig plants as they prefer more acidic soil with a pH of 6.0-6.5.

How do you save an overwatered fiddle leaf fig?

Repot your fiddle leaf fig with fresh potting soil in the well-draining container. Then, water once and make sure the excess water is draining out of the bottom of the container. After that, wait. Do not water again until you’re sure the roots have had a chance to dry out.

Can you use Miracle Grow on fiddle leaf?

A month after planting, you’ll want to add more nutrition to the soil for best growth of your fiddle leaf fig. Apply Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food, which is specially formulated for plants being grown inside, by putting it directly on the soil or mixing it with water.