Fig tree seems very sick

[Victoria Homsy]

Hello gardeners,

I’ve never owned a fig tree before but I’ve had this one for a few months and it does not look happy. Usually it lives indoors and I water it with a glass of water every few days. Last week I was away so I gave it a watering can of water and left it outside and there was a lot of hot sun. When I came back it looked very different - yellow and brown on many of the middle and top leaves.

What should I do? Do you think I overwatered? Underwatered? It is now by a window indoors. Maybe it has a fungus? I am very new to gardening and would very much appreciate your advice.

 

[catjac1975]

I think the quick change from indoors to out did it. It should come back. Put it in filtered light. When you move it back indoors it will drop it's leaves again.

 

[Victoria Homsy]

Thank you so much for your quick reply!

Just to clarify, I should now put it indoors in filtered light?

Also you said that the leaves will drop again. The leaves haven’t actually broken off - do you mean they will fall off now?

Many thanks again!

 

[Nyboy]

You gave your fig a sunburn. Do not freak if it losses all its leafs. It will grow back healthy leafs

 

[Collector]

Whenever it regrow it leafs, it has to be hardened off before it can be left outside full time. You can do it by moving it between sunlight and shade, we sometimes use a wagon to move plants around when hardening off.

 

[digitS']

Light filtered through glass is not the same as direct sunlight.

I used to work in a greenhouse. The head grower was one of the most fair-skinned persons you would ever meet. Red hair ...

We would be out under the sun in the greenhouses every winter day, 44 hours/week - busy time of the year. By spring, everyone had lost their summer tans.

Then, I'd go out and spend several hours each day working on top of the glass roofs. Always a hat ... shoulda worn sunglasses!

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

I think your fig is more of a house plant then fruit tree.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

When it drops its damaged leaves, it might be all spindley. You can cut off the main stalk anywhere, and it will send out shoots and be a shorter, fluffier houseplant. Yes, its a house plant, not a real fig tree.

 

[catjac1975]

Thank you so much for your quick reply!

Just to clarify, I should now put it indoors in filtered light?

Also you said that the leaves will drop again. The leaves haven’t actually broken off - do you mean they will fall off now?

Many thanks again!

No keep it out all summer but, in indirect light.

 

[Nyboy]

If you do keep it out all summer check for pests very carefully when bringing back in Fall