If you’ve fiddle leaf fig in your house, I assume you are aware of unfortunate situations such as brown spots on its leaves.
All those large and vibrant leaves slowly discoloring themselves is very hard to take.
This guide will walk you through the potential causes of brown spots in fiddle leaf figs along with possible solutions to bring the life of leaves back.
Have you been watering your fiddle leaf fig properly? Improper watering is found to cause tiny brown speckles in the leaves of your plant.
Yes, unfavorable practices such as too much moisture or inadequate hydration can cause discoloration of the leaves.
Brown Leaf Edges
Brown leaf edges of your fiddle leaf fig may result from watering issues and root system. Overwatering often causes the root system to rot, if you do not ensure a well-developed drainage system.
It is, therefore, very crucial to choose a container that has a decent drainage system.
The leaf of your fiddle leaf fig may induce brown spots in the middle if it is compelled to experience overwatering, forced to grow in a poor drainage facility, and exposed to extreme temperatures.
In many cases, brown spots in the middle generally are a sign of rotten root but there’s a high potential it may have resulted from the stress induced by the unfavorable environmental temperature.
Crispy Brown Spots
Well, brown spots in the leaf which seem a bit crispy may have resulted from underwatering your fiddle leaf fig.
This is a sign of dryness, suggesting to hydrate your plant adequately. You need to check for soil moisture regularly and water your plant increasing the frequency.
Why Fiddle Leaf Fig Has Brown Spots?
There could be several potential reasons for the fiddle leaf fig brown spots. I have listed out some of the common problems and solutions below:
1. Overwatering
The brown spots of your fiddle leaf fig might have resulted from your mistake while watering them.
If you water your plant more than what is required, it makes the soil soft and wet, causing roots to rot and turning the leaves brown.
How to Fix: One of the first things you should be doing is choosing the right pot or container with a well-developed drainage system.
Besides that, you need to develop a routine while watering your fiddle leaf fig and make adjustments according to the environment.
If you grow your fiddle leaf figs without sufficient moisture and hydration, they are more likely to distress projecting brown leaves.
Further, lack of adequate water makes your plant weak resulting in stunted growth. Watering is one of the common problems with fiddle leaf fig plants.
How to Fix: Apart from routine watering, you need to irrigate the soil where your fiddle leaf fig is growing so that water reaches the deep root system.
Further, before watering, make sure to check for soil moisture and let the top few inches of the soil dry. This way, adequate hydration can be restored.
3. Insufficient Sunlight
If your fiddle leaf fig is deprived of enough sunshine exposure, it can showcase its unfavorable situation by turning leaves brown.
You may find brown spots in the leaf area which receives the least amount of sunshine.
Further, the plant's general health deteriorates over time from insufficient light, which can cause more harm and even impair the plant's capacity to grow.
How to Fix: The location where you are growing your fiddle leaf fig primarily should be an ideal place that receives bright indirect sunlight.
It has been recommended to place your plant near the window or any suitable spot around your house allowing your plant to grow healthy receiving sufficient sunlight.
Poor soil nutrients cause deficiencies of essential nutrients in your fiddle leaf fig leading the leaves to have brown spots that affect the plant's overall health.
For example, the deficiency of calcium causes brown, lethal spots that generally start from the edge of the leaves.
Similarly, a lack of potassium causes older leaves to develop spots.
How to Fix: To fill the gap in soil nutrients, you can use slow-releasing fertilizers, designed especially to release all the essential nutrients into the soil over time.
They help to keep consistent nutrient levels and lessen the chance of overfertilizing fiddle leaf figs.
If the case worsens, you can repot the fiddle leaf fig in a new suitable container with a good potting mix.
6. Wrong Temperature
The temperature of the surrounding or environment has a lot of influence on your fiddle leaf fig. Upon receiving or experiencing inappropriate temperatures, your plant can develop brown spots on its leaves.
High temperatures with very low humidity can further stress your plant, compelling the leaf to turn brown.
How to Fix: A temperature range of 60°F to 75°F is considered ideal for the fiddle leaf fig to grow healthily.
You can make use of a humidifier or give it frequent mists to help maintain the required humidity.
Pests are also found to cause several problems in the fiddle leaf fig, such as brown patches, leaf drop, and general plant stress.
Common pests include mealybugs, which produce a substance similar to cotton and can distort leaves, and scale insects.
How to Fix: You need to apply suitable pesticides or insecticides to get rid of the pests from your plant. Begin by adopting homemade insecticides such as soap water solution.
Furthermore, routine plant inspections and proper plant hygiene can aid in the more efficient management of pest problems.
In fiddle leaf figs, natural aging usually takes the form of older leaves gradually falling apart. This is a natural process that enables the plant to focus its energy on developing new, healthier growth.
How to Fix: Natural aging is an inevitable process, so you just have to be patient, wait, and see. You need to observe the plant over time to see if its condition is getting better or getting worse on its own.
It's frequently an indication that the problem is not serious if the plant's general health stays stable and any new growth seems healthy.
