Help! Weeping fig leaf drop!

[sleepyhead]

I must admit that I do not always have the best of luck with plants, but I have had this weeping fig for about 3 years and it was growing well and doing fine until about 2 weeks ago. All of a sudden the leaves are turning yellow and dropping like flies. I haven't changed anything at all - I water enough to moisten the soil, allowing it to dry in between waterings; I add plant food once a month; I turn it regularly to make sure that each side gets an equal amount of light; I mist the leaves periodically (more often now in the dry winter air). The plant is next to a north-facing window with plenty of light and no drafts. My other house plants are fine. I know that weeping figs will drop leaves at the slightest provocation, but this seems excessive. What can I do about this?

[sazemisery]

1. Do nothing. From my experience..

Figs do this just to get the extra attention you are giving it. Or that is what I have deduced from living with a normal fig for 15 years. Sometimes it just says "OK, I feel like a big 'ole leaf drop today. That will put the humans in a tizzy" :o

[TygrBright]

2. Probably nothing....

All figs drop leaves, different kinds on different schedules. If your fig is young and raised in a tropical-plants-for-the-trade farm, it was forced into unnatural leafage early in its life. That may have screwed up its schedule for leaf dropping. It's normal for figs to drop leaves, they are trees, and their leaves don't last forever, they run out of steam.

Most mature figs drop a leaf or two or three now and then throughout the year, then either every year or every other year for several weeks they drop a LOT. New ones should already be starting.

As it gets older and puts out more branches its schedule should mellow out a bit.

One other thing to check, it might need a drenching to get the accumulated residues from hard water and chemical plant food out of its soil. Or a repotting, though they generally sulk for a while when you do that. But if you're seeing any crusty bits on top of the soil or around the inside of the pot, take it into the bathroom and flood it (take the saucer or cachepot away so it drains right through.0 When it's all drained through, do it again. And again. Three or four times. Then elevate it a little to encourage it to drain THOROUGHLY, when it's no longer at all drippy take it back to its home and topdress it with a little fresh soil, and skip the next couple of waterings.

helpfully,
Bright

[sleepyhead]

3. Thanks to both of you.

I feel somewhat better now - I had noticed occasional bouts of leaf loss, but this is so dramatic! One thing that was worrying me is that we are planning to move to a new apartment in the next few weeks, and that this may bring on even more stress and another round of leaf drop. I was considering repotting, but I have already done that twice and it seemed to bring on a fit of "shedding" each time. Maybe I will try the drench method. Thanks again!

Sleepyhead (nervous plant mommy)

[Blue Gardener]

4. Not much you can do

They are just temperamental. I've had one for about 20 years, and it does the leaf drop every winter. Some years are worse than others. I put it outside in the summer and it does great. Most houseplants don't require fertilization during the winter months, only when they are actively growing, so you may one to cut back on that during the winter.