Question

brown edges   QUESTION: hi,
i read a similar post of yours regarding drainage and root rot for fiddle leaf fig plants. i just purchased one from another owner and watered it (probably before it needed to be) and unfortunately left it sitting in the (terra cotta) tray of water for several days. the edges of several leaves have started to brown and i am worried i have permanently damaged the plant. it sounded like you were saying that the rot may go away on its own? i have read other posts about trimming away rot and/or treating with peroxide but this is a 6ft tall, heavy plant, and pulling it out of the pot would be difficult. do you think the rot may be minor/temporary and go away if i let it dry out?
thank you!
joe

ANSWER: Hi Joe,

A single instance of over watering or allowing a plant to sit in water for several days is not enough to cause root rot or even the leaf spotting that you see. It is keeping plants constantly moist for a long period of time - usually several months or more - that cause roots to rot.

The leaf spotting on your Ficus lyrata may be caused by inadequate light, an over-sized pot, improper watering or using hard water. You are the second owner of this plant so it is hard to know how the previous owner cared for it and what is causing the leaf spots.

You cannot remove the existing leaf spots except by trimming or removing the leaves. However, I can tell you what your plant needs so that future growth under your care will be healthy.

Make sure your Lyrata is right in front of a north or east window and off a bit to the side of a south or west window, but no more than 3-4 feet away.

If there is loose soil on the surface that is not in direct contact with the roots, then remove it. Allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry in between waterings. If there is no draiange hole in the pot, then contact me because you will need to repot. If it takes longer than 10 days for the soil to dry out again after watering, then use less water the next time so that it dries again within 7-10 days.

If your tap water is hard, use filtered or distilled. Do NOT fertilize.

So don't worry about root rot, but do focus on proper light and watering and your Lyrata should be okay over the long term.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


bleached leaf   QUESTION: hi will,

thanks so much for your quick response. that is good to hear about the rot.

i had the plant closer to my eastern facing windows, but was worried that it was receiving too much light. a couple of the leaves right in front of the window seemed to be getting bleached/burned (lightening of overall color). so i moved it away a bit. i dont have really have good south or west exposure windows. do you recommend trying to move it back closer to the east windows and see how it does? im attaching a pic of one of the leaves that was in font of the window.

i think my water is good quality (in oakland, ca). and there is drainage in the pot.

many thanks again,
joe

Answer
Hi Joe,

It is possible that the leaf in the photo has sun damage if it was previously adapted to lower light. So it may be best to keep it as close to the east window as possible but out of the direct rays of the morning sun.

Drainage material in the bottom of a pot is NOT a substitute for a drain hole. If there is no drain hole, then  there is no way to tell if excess water is accumulating in the bottom of the pot and how high that water level has become. Your plant may be fine, but a pot without a drain hole is a very risky proposition.

~Will