Cause # 1: Abrupt change of location
Characteristic for the weeping fig is a pronounced loyalty to its location. If it is allowed to stay in the same place for many years, it will show itself from its most beautiful side. Sometimes a change of location in connection with a move cannot be avoided. Assign your Ficus benjamina a place in the new apartment with these conditions and, be patient, she will put her pretty foliage back on:
- Bright, not full sun location
- Multi-leaved species at the south window with protection from the blazing midday sun
- Normal room temperatures not below 16 degrees Celsius
also read
- Why does my Ficus benjamina have sticky leaves - tips on the causes
- Ficus benjamina gets yellow leaves - what to do?
- Watering Ficus benjamina correctly - when and how often?
As the leafless Benjamini acclimatizes in the following weeks, water less and fertilize every 14 days.
Cause No. 2: waterlogging
Their tropical origin is mistakenly associated with a high demand for water. Waterlogging is therefore one of the most common causes when the weeping fig drops all of its leaves. Since the roots rot in the soaked substrate, they completely stop supply, so that leaf loss is inevitable. If you repot the affected weeping fig in dry soil and water it reduced, there is a good chance of rescue.
Cause # 3: lack of light
In winter, even a location at the south window does not help against a lack of light if the sun cannot be seen for days or weeks. The weeping fig then falls into a growth depression, which results in leaf loss. You can easily compensate for the lack of light so that all the leaves do not fall. Install a plant lamp over the light-hungry Benjamini (€ 28.43 at Amazon *) with a red-blue light spectrum, 15 to 20 watts of power and a reflector shade.
Cause # 4: cold
Comfortable room temperatures alone do not meet the requirements for a warm location. Cold bridges develop on the windowsill in autumn and winter, which cool the root ball from below. To prevent all of the leaves on your weeping fig from falling, place the bucket on an insulating surface such as wood or styrofoam.
Cause # 5: Ball dryness
If the pleading for moderate watering of a weeping fig is misinterpreted, the root ball can dry out during hot summer days. To reduce water consumption, the Ficus benjamina sheds all leaves. Now an immersion bath can change the mind of the leafless weeping fig again. Soak the parched bale in room warm, soft water until no more air bubbles appear.
Tips
A weeping fig can do well with dry heating air if you increase the local humidity with a twist. Fill the coaster with expanded clay (€ 17.50 at Amazon *) and water, a permanent touch of moisture rises and caresses the foliage. If you spray the Benjamini with soft water once or twice a week, the leaves will stay where they belong, even in winter.
