It can be said that the Ficus leaves turning yellow is due to various factors; overwatering of the plant, improper temperature, unprincipled fertilization, too much or too little light in the place where the plant is kept, the infestation of pests and diseases, as well as the natural death of the old leaves of the plant occur in Ficus tree; To solve the problem, you must first identify the cause.
Always take the houseplants leaves turning yellow seriously because it is one of the reasons for the death of plants.
In this article from the thehplants , we explain these reasons for ficus Benjamina leaves turn yellowand the treatment method so that your ficus does not suffer from thisproblems. But before any case, you should know that providing the right care conditions for each plant will reduce its problems and diseases, which we have included in a separate article on ficus benjamina care.
Too much water and the Ficus leaves turning yellow
The most common cause of the yellowing of the leaves of houseplants is their excessive watering, so either the amount and frequency of watering is too high, or the soil in the pot is unsuitable, and the water remains stagnant around Ficus tree’s roots.
With excess water remaining around the roots of the plant, the empty spaces in the soil are filled with moisture, and the supply of oxygen to Ficus tree’s roots is significantly reduced; Because of this, the roots of the plant are not successful in absorbing water and nutrients, and the leaves slowly start to turn yellow.
If the ficus tree leaf turning yellow started from the bottom and is now spreading to other parts of the plant, keep in mind that the reason for the yellow leaves on ficus is due to excessive watering or improper potting soil.
To maintain the health and freshness of Ficus tree leaves, it is always better to let one to two knuckles of the potting soil dry between two waterings and then water the plant. Note that in some cases, the watering is correct, but the pot’s drainage is not proper, the water will accumulate at the bottom of the pot, and this will cause the ficus Benjamina leaves turn yellow and the roots to rot.
Determine the time of watering
Never set a time to water your plants; Because the drying time of the potting soil depends on the amount of light, temperature, and humidity of the environment, and sometimes you have to water the plant every 7 days and sometimes every 14 days, so be sure to check the potting soil before watering.
Heavy soil and ficus Benjamina leaves turning yellow
On the other hand, the method and time of watering Ficus tree may be correct, but after watering, the water remains stagnant on the soil surface for several minutes; This state shows that either the soil texture is unsuitable or the whole soil has rotted over time. At this point, the problem of ficus leaves turning yellow is due to the inappropriateness of potting soil, so it is suggested to replace the potting soil.
On the other hand, if your plant has several yellow leaves and you are sure that the reason for the yellowing of Ficus tree’s leaves is due to excessive watering, it is suggested to reduce the amount of watering the plant. If more than ten plant leaves have turned yellow, it would be better to remove the plant from its pot and prune the unhealthy roots.
After pruning the roots, plant your plant in fresh soil and a pot with drainage holes (if the current pot does not have drainage holes).
If you feel that your plant’s root is in trouble, be sure to water it with fungicide.
Light causes the ficus tree leaf turning yellow
After excessive watering and inappropriate soil texture, another reason for the ficus leaves turning yellow is inappropriate light in the place where the plant is kept because the mentioned plant is not one of the indoor plants with low light and will perform best when it has access to 2 hours of direct sunlight and 6 hours of indirect sunlight during the day.
Low and high light are both causes of the yellow leaves on ficus (mostly upper leaves), so if there is a lot of light, the leaves become pale, and burn marks appear on their tips and edges. On the other hand, if the light in the place where the Ficus tree is kept is low, chlorophyll production will decrease, and the leaves will turn yellow without any signs of burning, and eventually, you will see Benjamin leaf fall.
If your plant does not have access to 8 hours of sunlight during the day (2 hours direct and 6 hours indirect), keep in mind that the reason for the ficus leaves turning yellow is due to the inappropriate light of the place where the plant is grown at home. Therefore, it is better to place the pot of the plant at a distance of one meter from the window of the house; during the day, put the window curtain aside for 2 hours and let the plant have access to direct light and the rest of the hours to indirect sunlight.
Inappropriate temperature and ficus tree leaf turning yellow
Ficus tree’s house plant must be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 23 degrees Celsius) for proper and maximum growth. So the temperature of the storage place is 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) at night and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (23-24 degrees Celsius) during the day (Ficus tree is neither heat-resistant nor cold-resistant houseplant).
Based on what was mentioned, we conclude that the ambient temperature of the house is often suitable for keeping Ficus tree, but what causes the ficus leaves turning yellow is sudden temperature changes. Therefore, it is recommended to always provide the ideal temperature for growing your favorite plant at home. Never keep your plant exposed to doors that are constantly opened and closed (or other openings in the house) and also next to heating and cooling systems.
Pests and diseases cause ficus leaves turning yellow
If you follow all of the above, but the leaves of your Ficus tree still fall, the reason may be pests and diseases. Aphids and whiteflies are among the most common diseases of houseplants that attack the Ficus tree plant. These harmful insects feed on the sap inside the leaves by attaching to the plant leaves and releasing a sticky substance while feeding.
If you see irregular holes and honeydew-like yellow and brown spots on the yellowed leaves of your plant, keep in mind that the reason for the ficus leaves turning yellow is due to pest infestation. Therefore, it is suggested to wipe the infected spots with a cloth soaked in alcohol, and then, if you see pests, remove them with neem oil or insecticidal soaps, observing the appropriate dosage.
Fungal disease
Among the common diseases of Ficus tree, we can mention the root rot disease and the appearance of brown and yellow spots immersed in water on the plant’s leaves.
To prevent root rot, you should water your plant in the same way as mentioned. Do the spraying of the plant only early in the morning so that the branches and leaves are completely dry when night comes and a suitable substrate for invading infectious fungi is not provided.
High or low fertilization
Both high fertilization and low fertilization are the reasons for the ficus leaves turn yellow, so if the fertilization of the plant is high, the tip and edge of the Ficus leaves turning brown and yellow along the leaf. On the other hand, if the amount of fertilization is low, Due to the leaching of nutrients in the soil, your beloved plant faces the risk of lacking nutrients.
According to what was mentioned, to revive Ficus tree, it is suggested to feed the plant once a month in spring and summer. Then, with the arrival of the autumn and winter seasons and the plant’s growth slows down, slightly reduce the amount of fertilization and feed your plant with mild fertilizers every 2-3 months (fertilization is better to be done with half the power recommended by the product manufacturer).
Natural yellow leaves on ficus
The natural death of old leaves one by one is another reason for the ficus tree leaf turning yellow. In this case, the lower and older leaves of the plant turn yellow one by one (not all at once) and eventually fall.
In the mentioned case, do not worry about the yellowing of your plant’s leaves. Because at this point, your beloved Ficus tree has decided to save the energy and spend it on producing new and young leaves, naturally, it will lose some of the old leaves.
The cause of Ficus leaves turning yellow in fall and winter
Knowing why Ficus tree’s leaves turn yellow requires more detailed investigations. The reason for falling leaves and their drying is not always the same, and the problem may be more complicated. For example, the yellowing of leaves in fall and winter is related to cold and dry weather. When heating the air inside the building, try to keep the pot away from heating devices. If you live in cold regions, move your plants to places with high temperatures during the cold seasons.
What is the cause of Ficus yellowing and falling leaves?
If you see Ficus tree turning yellow in addition to falling leaves, it is due to pests or an irregular watering schedule. If you see signs of plant pests on the leaves, it is necessary to disinfect the plant and the soil of the pot. Otherwise, control the amount of irrigation and its timing.
Ficus tree ‘s care conditions
Now let’s talk a little about the ideal conditions for keeping and caring for Ficus tree so that your plant is fresh and healthy
Amount of water needed: This plant needs a relatively large amount. But due to Ficus tree’s sensitivity, you should consider a regular schedule for watering it.
The right light for Ficus tree: those engaged in indoor plants at home should know that they should place Ficus tree’s pot behind the window to receive sunlight well.
Suitable soil: If you use bulk soil for your pots, you should know that Ficus tree needs nutritious soil that is drained. Therefore, to prevent the yellowing of Ficus tree, in addition to using major or partial leaf soil, do not neglect to strengthen the soil with various chemical fertilizers.
Suitable temperature for Ficus tree: Keep the building temperature between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (15 and 25 degrees Celsius) to keep this plant, and try not to let the building environment get cold. Because the cold is not pleasant for Ficus tree at all.
The amount of humidity required: As we said, a humid environment is very favorable for Ficus tree. So keep in mind if the air in the building is dry, moisten the plant leaves with a spray.
In this article, we tried to examine all the reasons for Ficus leaves turning yellow and the solutions. Improper watering, lack of drainage, strong light, inappropriate temperature, and disease can cause your ficus to turn yellow. If you have any questions or experience, please write to us in the comment section.