Despite being notoriously require , the Fiddle Leaf Fig remains one of the most loved indoor industrial plant and this style is not going anywhere any time before long .
The gorgeous leaf of the Ficus Lyrata still have enthusiasts swooning that they do n’t mind the extra challenge these flora present .
If you ’ve noticed the foliage of your violin leaf fig cracking , know that it ’s a outcry for help .
For Fiddle Leaf Libyan Islamic Fighting Group leave crack due to blue humidness and too much weewee in the dirt . These two are among the top reason why your plant ’s leaves are crack . Other causes admit insect infestation , nutritionary deficiency , poor lighting conditions , or forcible damage .
Hopefully , in this clause , you ’ll be able to specialise down the cause of your job and how to give your plant the attendant do it care that it deserves . Let ’s dive in .
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Humidity
Humidity plays a critical use in the health of your Fiddle Leaf Fig . It opt levels between 30 - 65 % .
This can be a bit dodgy especially during winter when the heat is on for longer period . The dry heat will burn the leaves and cause them to crack . Leaves may also draw in due to downcast humidness .
How to Fix
Overwatering
In despairing attempts to keep humidity high enough , one must not make the mistake of overwatering .
Overwatering is the number one killer of a Fiddle Leaf . What makes overwatering so tough ?
Edema
vernacular to broad - leafed plant is a condition known as edema . This happens when plant cellphone absorb too much water and eventually burst .
On a fiddle leaf fig , this presents as little , reddish - brown spots more often than not on new folio .
When humidness is low and these spots dry out and there is a propensity for them to crack .
Root Rot
sure fungus , particularly belong to to the species Pythium , Fusarium , Phytophthora , or Rhizoctonia , prey on the sensitive root system of the Fiddle Leaf .
Fungi flourish in wet conditions and when the root system is overwhelmed , there is no way for the plant to engross water and nutrients .
This is the grounds why many multitude mistake overwatering for under - watering . The industrial plant will look like it ’s parched and starved of nutrients .
Without the right hydration and nutriment , FLF leaves dry out up and finally crack .
Other Bacterial and Fungal Infections
Aside from water system - have it away fungi lash out the roots , they may also attack the leaves directly .
Lesions triggered by fungal contagion can be identified through sullen brown slur that are almost contraband .
They tend to appear near the folio nodes and closelipped to the veins of the leaves . Wet grease can also host a variety show of bacteria include some that Fiddle Leafs are susceptible to .
The lesions due to bacterium will appear close to the border and are lighter in color compared to fungal infection .
Untreated , the brown spot tend to dry up and precede to the leaf cracking on the margin .
How to Fix Overwatering Issues
Change your Potting Medium
This is a double - edged sword when it come to direct overwatering . For plants that have unwanted bacteria and fungi , you will be removing them .
With the correct mix , you will also be addressing the drain problem . you may try adding a filler such as a coco peat or a cactus mix to allow H2O to eliminate quicker through the metier .
Pro wind : practice a sterilized culture medium to ensure you are not insert any unwanted bacterium or fungus kingdom into the premix .
Some people pick out to tot up pebbles at the base of the container before supply any potting mixture so water does not stand still in the container .
Check Your Drainage
One of the reason your Fiddle Leafs are overwatered is the container . Some materials are less porous than others .
If you find that piss is retained at the base of your container , you may require to make more or bigger drain hole or you could change the pot on the whole .
When water your FLF , avoid wetting the leave and water the soil direct to avoid water system lodging on the foliation .
Ensure a proper watering schedule
Only water your plants when the top two inches of soil are ironical . To read more about the right watering of Fiddle Leafs , you’re able to show my previousarticle .
Insects
Aside from bacteria and fungi , Fiddle Leaf Cracking can be attributed to an dirt ball infestation . Insects poach on the untried leaves .
The injured percentage of these younger leave turn lot brown and eventually manifest as cracked leafage . mealybug are reported as one of the more permeative culprits .
Mealybugs can be see enshroud tight to the leaf node and undersides of the leaf . They are heavy to miss because they reckon like petite puff of cotton .
More difficult to spot are spider mites . While mites are microscopical , they lead evidence of their presence : webs , normally on youthful leaves .
A second indicant of the presence of these pests can be find on the underside of the leaves as well .
If you notice small , bunch up , black dots , that may be a sign of an infestation as well .
Other common louse known to leaching of Ficus Lyrata are scale , aphids , and whiteflies .
Thankfully , dealing with dirt ball is a bunch easier than shell out with bacteria and fungi since they are easier to recognise and identify .
wanderer mite can be easily withdraw by thorough lavation with water . Be sure to dry out the leaves to discourage bacterial and fungous growth . Mealybugs are a footling more stubborn .
You ’ll demand to manually remove them . cautiously inspect the undersides and leaf nodes for the presence of mealybug . Once you see an bollock , swab it with some rub alcohol .
Neem oil is also pronounce to control insect infestation . You may survey the manufacturer ’s dilution testimonial when applying this .
It ’s authoritative to know that while you might not be able to rid of the sycophant , at least keep back them at bay will help oneself your Fiddle Leaf Fig have a fighting luck , particularly the new leaves .
Cutaway infected areas , keeping in nous to reduce the leaf by 10 - 15 % otherwise causing shock to the already vulnerable plant life .
Source : University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
It may be a good idea to part plant that are harboring louse . This will limit the irruption .
In fact , to be on the cautious side , whenever you want to bring in a fresh flora , quarantine them first .
The complete animation cycle of a mealybug for illustration is about six to eight weeks .
Isolation of around 3 weeks is recommended before introducing new plant to the rest .
That amount of time should be sufficient enough to set if any unwanted insects are in fact present .
Nutritional Deficiency
It does n’t take too much to keep a Fiddle Leaf Plant happy . It prefers low NPK story with a ratio of 3:1:2 Without this proper aliment , your plant ’s farewell may set about to crack .
As mentioned above , tooth root rot may prevent your plant from absorbing the nutrient in the soil . Plant nutrition is a balancing act ; it is also potential to over - fertilize .
When the salts and food build up in the stain , by the principles of osmosis , water system ( along with water supply - soluble nutrient ) is draw away from the roots .
Resulting in plants that appear underwatered and undernourish . Leaves in this precondition are prone to dry and crack .
Observe a right fertilization regimen , with a diluted melted fertilizer give at the most , every other watering .
Improper Light Can Cause Cracking
It ’s a known fact that Fiddle Leafs love visible radiation . But there is such a matter as too much of a full thing .
FLF can march leaf scorch if exit in the sunshine for too long or too soon . Thesunburned dapple will seem light brownish and is prostrate to cracking .
Find a promising spot with filtered light for your plant . FLFs can actually thrive in direct sunlight but want to be acclimatize , especially when moving your plant from indoor to outdoor .
Try aristocratical morning sunlight for 1 - 2 60 minutes for a few days and then play your direction up from there .
Physical Damage
Some cracks in Fiddle Leaf Figs are causedby bigger “ predators ” . Pets and small children may circumstantially cause mechanical damage to your violin leaf as they share the same blank .
In some suit , even you , the flora enthusiast may cause damage to your fiddle leaf when moving it around .
Also , if your flora come about to be in a place where there is a draft , the idle words may cause trauma to the leaves .
Keep your beloved fiddle out of harm ’s way , separating your curious pets and small fry .
It may come to a point that you have to make up one’s mind whether to fence your plants in or fence your pets or children . For that , only you may decide which is more appropriate .
If you are the cause of the damage , the works may be too heavy or large to move by yourself .
In which type , you could look for a friend or family member to help you , or impart roulette wheel to the base of your plantation owner . Also , fix a clear course when you need to move your plant around .
regrettably , once your FLF leaves are damaged , they hardly mend themselves .
The good affair you could do is to create an environment that prevents damages , to start with .
To keep your violin leafage figs from crock up , go easy on the watering and keep the humidness at an optimal level .
Be sure to provide the right nutrition and be on the outlook for pests , large and modest .
Final Words
If there is one thing that you should take away after reading this article , it ’s this : Fiddle Leafs are just looking for its natural habitat , the lowland tropic rain forest of Western Africa .
If you ’re attentive and can recreate interchangeable conditions inside your home , you ’ll have a very happy Fiddle Leaf Fig and it will show .
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