Leaf drop - Tree Guider

Fig trees decorate a house and increase its greenery simultaneously. These trees also supply oxygen and fresh air inside the house. Sometimes, a fig tree fails to do these jobs due to leaves drooping. But what does drooping of fig leaves mean, and Why my fig tree is dropping leaves? Dehydration, less sunlight, humidity level, and over-watering are the common causes of fig leaves drooping. Additional reasons like overusing fertilizers, environmental change, and chemical burning also hang down the fig tree leaves. However, you can minimize these causes with simple steps. You must maintain the overall environmental conditions to keep your fig tree healthy. Asking for an expert's help eases the situation for newbies. What Are The Most Common Reasons For my fig tree is dropping leaves? You'll find numerous reasons behind the drooping of your fig tree's leaves. Some of these reasons directly affect the tree's health. If you don't have enough time to research the causes, go through this discussion to clear your doubts. Lack Of Water Lack of water or dehydration is a prime reason for leaf drooping in any tree, especially in fig trees. Due to dehydration, the tree won't have enough nutrients in its leaves and branches. Consequently, the cells will consume the leftover water. Since the leaves won't have any water supply, they'll fail to replace the water consumed by the cells. Less Sunlight You can already assume that this tree requires a lot of sunlight from its dark green leaves. These leaves will fail to photosynthesize if there's a lack of sun. The extra moisture also stays in the tree since the tree doesn't receive enough sunlight. Finally, the leaves become yellowish and start to sag. Humidity Level The humidity level is a crucial factor behind the drooping of fig leaves. If you've kept a 35% to 60% humidity level around the tree, it'll grow quickly and stay healthy. Otherwise, you'll see the opposite result. On the other hand, with low humidity levels, the tree starts to lose its natural look. On a hot summer day, the tree loses a lot of water, and the environment stays dry too. So, the tree leaves start to sag. Overwatering Overwatering can also cause leaves to droop. When you continuously water the plant, it turns brown and dull. Overwatering hampers the oxygen flow in the plant's roots. Excess watering sometimes pulls out the tree's roots affecting the oxygen flow. As the roots are out of the soil, it fails to provide enough nutrients to the leaves and the branches. In the end, the fig leaves start to hang downward. Applying More Fertilizer Well, it might seem odd, but applying more fertilizer can also cause drooping of your fig tree's leaves. There are various reasons why overfertilization causes this problem. Using more fertilizer on the tree increases the nitrogen portion, which hampers the water circulation in the tree. Many use various types of fertilizer together, which can also enhance the salt percentage in the soil and tree. Excess salt is responsible for the drooping of fig leaves. Chemical Burning The term chemical burn comes into the picture for numerous reasons. For example, many people use pesticides to kill some tree insects. These killing sprays are made of various chemicals. Though these chemicals kill the insects efficiently, they have a long-term impact on the plant. Sunlight acts as a catalyst increasing the burning rate significantly. It also affects the leaf's health and the trees as well. Change In Environment Fig trees are susceptible to their surroundings. So, don't worry when you put the tree in another place and see its leaves drooping. The drooping may occur due to the new environment's humidity, temperature, and sunlight percentages. It'll take some time to adjust to the new environment. Transplanting Shock Like the change in environment, transplanting the fig tree in another pot might cause drooping of leaves. The roots take time to adjust to the new pot once you replant it in another container. It is known as transplant shock. However, you shouldn't ignore the situation if your tree's health doesn't improve. Messing With The Roots Root shock is almost similar to transplant shock. However, rearranging the roots repeatedly might increase the drooping rate. So, if you're rearranging the roots continuously, it'll hang down the tree leaves. Temperature Issues Maintaining the temperature is a serious and complex issue to keep the fig tree healthy. Generally, maintaining temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit keeps the tree in its peak form. It can still survive at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature falls below that level, the tree leaves start drooping. Pro Tips To Minimize The Drooping Of Fig Tree Leaves It's pretty elementary to minimize the drooping of fig leaves. You can follow them regularly or apply them whenever the leaves hang down. We've sorted out essential tips for you. You should follow these tips to keep the fig tree healthy. Sunlight For Six Hours Keep the fig tree in indirect sunlight. Indirect sunlight will continuously feed the tree and keep the leaves healthy. It would be best to keep the fig tree where sunlight is available for six hours. An east-facing window with a curtain is perfect for keeping the tree healthy. Watering Regularly It's an important fact to remember when to water the plant. When you notice drooping due to dehydration, water the plant until the pot drips. It'll balance the water in the soil and the plant. Please don't overdo it; otherwise, the plant might die. If you notice drooping because of overwatering the plant, decrease the watering time. Typically, a fig tree requires water once a week. So, it would help if you tried to maintain it. You must remember the seasons and assume the humidity percentage while watering the plant. Repotting In A Large Pot If you want to transplant your fig tree in another pot, choose a larger one. As you know, fig trees can grow up to 6 feet. So, it would be best if you replanted it in another pot. Choosing the right pot size and combining the earth with fertilizers is tough if you're a newbie. It would be best if you chose a pot of 3 to 4 inches in diameter and 1 to 2 inches deeper than the previous pot. As for the peat soil ratio, it would be best to maintain a 2:1 balance. Using The Right Fertilizer Well, you can use any fertilizer you want. But you must maintain the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratio in the soil. Maintaining a 3-1-2 balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is best to keep the drooping off. Final Words Fig trees are pretty sensitive to various environmental facts. Knowing the reasons behind the issues makes it easy to solve the situation. You shouldn't try to fix the problem if it's complicated. We hope the analysis of why your fig tree leaves are drooping has provided you with the correct information. It would help if you observed the tree regularly to detect any drooping or other tree-related issues. It would be best if you don't mess with the roots. Otherwise, this action might kill the tree.