Q.My Ficus Benjamina Doesn’t Grow and Loses leaves
First of all I want to say your web site is wonderful.
I have a question about black Ficus benjamina plant. I have changed its pot nearly 7 months ago and from then to now it’s just losing leaves slowly and doesn’t have a new growth even a bit. My plant gets bright sunlight from behind of curtains in the house. I water it when soil is dry an inch and spraying water. Is it normal considering the season? Or is there anything I do wrong? Thank you so much.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
There is alot of things that could be causing this. I would recommend that you start by giving the container a good soak in several inches of water for about 10-15 minutes in a tub to make sure that the soil is fully hydrated. Sometimes, if a pot gets overly dry, the potting mix can become hydrophobic and will stop absorbing water unless forced too by a soaking. After the soaking, you can resume watering as you have.
I would also make sure that the tree is getting sufficient light. Lack of light can cause these symptoms too.
Although I doubt it is the issue, it might also be wise to treat the tree for pests and fungus as a preventative measure. It is obviously stressed and stressed plants are more likely to attract pests and disease.
The dropping leaves and no growth, if they have only started in the past month or so, could be explained by dormancy but if it has been going on for 7 months, there is a bigger issue at hand.
