Hi everyone, I’d love some advice on how to proceed with my Ficus lyrata baby.
I recently bought it as a “second choice” plant at Ikea, and it already looked weak. The leaves were very droopy and now the one left is badly damaged with brown/dry edges. I took it out of the pot to check the roots, and the root ball seems compact but not rotten. I can still see some healthy-looking roots, so I think the plant is still alive.
At home I have these materials for repotting:
• orchid bark
• perlite
• regular potting soil
• coarse pumice
• coco soil
• coco chips
My question is: what would be the best way to repot and care for it now?
Should I use a very airy mix, and if so, what ratio would you recommend?
Also, should I remove the damaged leaf now or leave it alone?
Any tips from people who have rescued a stressed Ficus lyrata would be really appreciated. Thanks a lot!
I also watered it 2 days ago because the soil was completely dry, so I don’t think the issue is overwatering. Right now I’m trying to figure out whether it needs a repotting or just better care after stress. Now it's out because in italy we have a warm spring
by SugarNovel1103
1 Comment
Your bambino probably languished in a dark dry warehouse or truck for a long time before reaching your store (and conditions there aren’t plant-friendly either). For now, just give it TLC and let it recover. Don’t kill it with kindness and overwater. It would LOVE some humidity though! Leave the leaf since there’s still some green supporting the plant. It’ll probably fall off, but that’s ok – if the roots are alive, they should have enough stored energy to push out new growth. You could repot into better soil if you want; I personally wouldn’t repot right now since it’s stressed enough, and the rootball hasn’t outgrown the pot (FLFs like their roots snug anyway). I’m sure the soil medium is garbage, but once it starts to put out new growth, you can lightly fertilize at about 1/4 strength. FLF are actually pretty resilient.