Question
brown spots on new lea
I was hoping you could help me with some information about my ficus
lyrata. I got it in May, re-potted it into a larger pot and have been
keeping it outside on a north facing balcony with no direct sunlight
but pretty good light in NYC. It has thrived after being re-potted but
I am not sure if that had anything to do with it. Last month I noticed
that all the new leaves that were coming out had brown spots on them.
I haven't been watering it too much (every week to every 2-3 weeks)
and thought this might have caused it. After watering it more
frequently over the last few weeks, I still see the brown spots on the
new leaves. The older leaves that were coming out during August have
had no such spots, and still do not have them. They are deep dark
green. I have attached images of the new leaves with the spots. Do you
know what is causing the spots?
Also, in general, do lyratas prefer direct sunlight, or shade? little,
or a lot of water? at what point should I bring it inside as I am
pretty sure it would not be able to survive the NYC winter outside.
Thank you so much.
AnswerHi Igor,
Thanks for the photos. Brown spots on new Lyrata leaves are common and often go away as the leaves mature. So I wouldn't panic just yet.
It is hard to know how to advise you because you have done two things that can have a major impact on a house plant - repotting and moving it outside. In fact, I have written two separate articles on each of these topics because they can cause so many problems.
Your watering seems to rather erratic if it varies from weekly to every 3 weeks. That is a huge variation. Generally, a plant neds to be watered at fairly regular intervals. What that interval is depends on the pot size, temperature, light, and hunidity so I cannot tel you just how often you should be watering. In general, you should allow the top couple of inches of soil to dry out in between thorough waterings. Either under or over watering can contribute to brown spots on Lyrata leaves.
Plants do not like much change in light. In nature, they put down roots and stay in that location for life. The leaves that emerge are adapted to that particular light level. When we move potted plants around and change the available light we force the plant to adapt and the result may be the loss of older leaves.
Your Lyrata has been outside in shade all summer. Outside light is much more intense than indoor light. That means that your Lyrata will have to undergo a difficult change when you bring it inside for the winter. You can expect at least some lower leaf loss after you move it indoors. When temps start to drop below 50 degres at night, you should move it inside.
Outside, Lyratas do best in shade. Inside, yours should be in front of a sunny window that is uncovered throughout the day.
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
