So my FLF has been in this spot for like year and a half two years. It seems to be very happy here. All of a sudden it has started dropping leaves. I started giving the leaves a little wipe with an alcohol soap solution I found on here to combat bugs because I’m noticing some weird spots.
It has been super grey here in NYC for a bit now and they shut the heat off in my building because it has gotten over forty so it’s pretty chilly in here. I’m wondering if maybe the temperature change caused the leaves to get brittle? The leaf in the picture was seemingly healthy and from the middle of the tree and it just fell off this morning.
by Attilite
2 Comments
How are you watering it? Does the pot have drainage? This is a plant you want to water very deeply and get all the soil wet. Then don’t let it sit in water and don’t water it again until the top layer of soil is nice and dry again.
Also is there any way you can give it more light? Move it so it’s right in the middle of the window perhaps? The other problem is that the top of the tree is now taller then the window. That means all it’s new growth (and usually healthiest leaves) are now to high to actually get any light.
Most likely it’s suffering from the lack of light. If a fiddle is otherwise healthy, but doesn’t get very much light, it can only has enough energy to support a limited number of leaves. That means it will drop one for every one that it grows. The problem is that trees grow UPWARDS and all your new growth isn’t getting much light. I’d really consider pruning this tree back HARD.
If this were my tree, I’d move it in front of the window that doesn’t have the AC and then I’d prune the tree back so it’s about 6 inches taller than your window sill.
If that is the only leaf with the damage I wouldn’t be too concerned. Without knowing any details it looks like “mechanical damage” meaning it was rubbing against a wall or object that damaged the tissue.