Why Are the Leaves on My Fiddle Leaf Figs Turning Yellow?

One of the most frequent problems I experience with the fiddle leaf figs is the emergence of yellowing leaves. In a plant as well-known for its massive, beautifully green leaves as the fiddle leaf fig, the appearance of any yellowing leaves can devastate the plant’s aesthetic value. When leaves turn yellow, what does that indicate, and how can it be fixed?

The good news is that there is typically a simple solution for a fiddle leaf fig turning. The first step is to identify the issue, which is not as difficult as it may sound.

Why the Leaves of Fiddle Leaf Figs Turning Yellow?

If your fiddle leaf fig leaves start to turn yellow, it could be due to a lack of sunlight, nutrition, or even overwatered. Yellowing leaves can also be caused by other factors such as insect pests, transplant shock, or drastic shifts in temperature.

In addition to being aesthetically unpleasing, the yellowing of leaves is usually a warning of serious trouble for the plant. If a fiddle leaf turns yellow, it’s trying to tell you that something’s wrong or that you’re not meeting a specific requirement it has.

Here, we’ll examine the leaf’s yellowing and how to identify them. Your fiddle leaf may be experiencing a combination of the issues discussed below.

1. Overwatering

If you overwater your houseplants, you’ll probably notice that their leaves become yellow. Plants generally dislike being left in water too deep to stand in. Plants allowed to sit in a pool of water risk developing root rot and eventually dying.

Check for overwatering by inserting your finger about an inch and a half into the soil. Do you have a wet feeling? Wait until all the moisture has evaporated before giving it more water. If the plant has too much water, you should take it out of the container. After repotting the plant in fresh potting mix, ensure any excess water and wet soil have been removed. If you don’t want standing water to accumulate in your container, drill some drainage holes at the bottom.

2. Not enough exposure to sunlight

Fiddle leaf figs need a lot of sunlight to grow properly. A morning and afternoon dose of 5 to 6 hours of light is ideal for them, but they can adjust to as much as 8 hours of daylight if they’re used to it. Access to sunlight is crucial for a fiddle leaf’s ability to create chlorophyll and pigments for its vast, dark leaves.

Making chlorophyll requires solar energy and nutrients from the soil, both of which fiddle leaf figs need. Leaves on your fiddle leaf fig will lighten up and finally turn yellow if it does not get enough of this type of energy, which causes discoloration around the veins. Check to see if the fiddle leaf fig tree gets adequate light daily. If not, then perhaps the leaves’ yellowing results from the insufficient sun.

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3. Low humidity

Low humidity is a less common cause of leaf drop, although it does happen. Usually, the cause is simply too much irrigation. Typically, the leaves will develop brown spots and a crispy feel. This is when the leaves may start to turn yellow.

Plants get dejected and wilted without sufficient water, developing crispy brown spots. The soil will dry out and shrink, leaving a gap between the soil and the pot rim. These symptoms point to the plant’s growing dehydration. Even if the plant is being watered properly, spraying its leaves might raise humidity levels in the room.

4. lack of fertilizer or nutrient deficiency

Due to the interplay between the soil’s nutrients and the sun’s energy, the signs of malnutrition in a fiddle leaf are similar to those of insufficient sunlight. Soil imbalance (not enough organic matter) or an inconsistent feeding schedule could be to blame for your fiddle leaf fern’s poor nutrients. Do you regularly apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer to your fiddle leaf throughout its active growing period?

If you’ve established that the fiddle leaf fig is receiving enough light and that it isn’t being overwatered or left to dry out, then the yellowing of its leaves is likely due to a lack of a yellow nutrient.

5. Irregular watering

Careful attention must be paid to the fiddle leaf fig plant’s watering requirements. They like it best when water is watered to them on a predetermined schedule. If the humidity level fluctuates from extremely dry to extremely wet, your plant may become stressed and have yellowing leaves. When in doubt, stick to a regular watering schedule.

6. Infestations caused by insects

Heavy insect infestations are another possible source of yellowing on a fiddle leaf fig, but this is a highly unusual event. Carefully inspect your plant for any signs, such as cracks, matting, and visible insects. You can use this information to determine if this is the cause of your plant’s poor health.

7. Extremely severe temperature swings

Fiddle leaf figs, like many others, aren’t big fans of transitions. On the contrary, they are highly vulnerable to its effects and will show their weakness by drooping, withering, and refusing to grow. Also, if the fiddle leaf fig is exposed to it, its leaves may turn yellow. Although it is highly unlikely, humidity and temperature must be considered as a diagnosis if all other possible explanations have been ruled out.

The plant is likely experiencing shock because you moved it to a new location near an air conditioner or a drafty window. Fiddle leaf figs require a humidity level from 30% to 65% relative humidity to stay healthy. Determine if the fiddle leaf fig’s current setting is healthy for its development.

8. Soil that is too acidic

Fiddle leaf fig trees can only grow in neutral soil conditions. Because of this, the plant may show signs of stress, such as leaf yellowing, if the potting soil mix you employ becomes too acidic over time. Several practices, such as using ground coffee as a fertilizer or spraying plants with a natural vinegar-based fungicide that eventually leaches into the soil, can increase the acidity of your soil.

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How are yellow fiddle leaf fig leaves repaired?

The first step in resolving the problem of yellowing leaves on a fiddle leaf fig is to determine what is causing it. It could be due to something as simple as an infection or as complex as improper drainage, too much or too little water, or even too much light. Improper growth conditions are another potential cause. Your fiddle leaf fig’s yellowing leaves can only be fixed by removing the offending agent, so go ahead and do that.

Even though fiddle leaf ferns can sometimes recover from a few yellow leaves, you must never ignore them and get started on treatment as quickly as possible.

• Make sure that your fiddle leaf plant gets plenty of sunlight.
• Be sure to provide your fiddle leaf fig with consistent nutrition. Also, make sure it has adequate drainage and a well-defined watering schedule.
• Take preventative measures against pests that could harm your fiddle leaf.
• Make sure that your fiddle leaf fig is content in the environment it resides.

Is it necessary to prune a fiddle leaf fig that has yellowing leaves?

Yellow fiddle leaf fig leaves may be removed to maintain the plant looking its best. Eliminating numerous leaves at once might be stressful for the plant, so trim them gradually, preferably waiting until whole leaves turn yellow.

Yellow leaves can make a plant unattractive, but they’re still alive. And over 10% – 20% of a fiddle leaf’s foliage can cause irreversible loss and suffering, as a fiddle leaf fig without leaves can’t photosynthesize and thrive. If your fiddle leaf fig’s yellow leaves have holes, tears, or brown spots, prune them with sterile, sharp tools. Leave discolored fiddle leaf fig leaves on the tree until they fall off naturally.

Can a fiddle leaf fig’s yellow leaves recover into green ones?

When fiddle leaf figs’ leaves become yellow, there’s almost no hope they’ll turn green again. The greatest way to prevent yellowing is to determine what’s causing the issue and fix it so that it doesn’t occur again.

Is it typical for the leaves of fiddle leaf fig trees to turn yellow in the fall?

Fiddle leaf figs, whether grown indoors or out, may lose their leaves and turn a darker color during the fall and winter months due to cooler temperatures and less sunlight. Fiddle leaf figs are more susceptible to leaf drop at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius because they prefer warmer, more humid conditions (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

If the fiddle leaf fig is kept outside, don’t worry if a few yellowing leaves are yellow in the fall. This is a natural occurrence brought on by a drop in temperature that occurs as deciduous plants reach maturity.

Bringing the fiddle leaf fig indoors, providing it with artificial light, and increasing the humidity surrounding it will help you regulate the discoloration process and prevent the foliage from turning leaves. Until the schedule warms up again, you may want to reduce how often you water.

What should I do if I repotted my fiddle leaf fig and now its leaves are yellow?

Transplant shock occurs in some fiddle leaf figs once they are repotted. The plant may perish if this happens. As a form of stress, this is caused by the body’s shock at the sudden and drastic change in its environment. To nurse the plant back to health, we must first provide it with ideal growing conditions and then give it time to acclimatize to its new environment.

This includes keeping the plant on a regular schedule for watering, providing it with enough light and humidity, and waiting to make any other major changes until it indicates signs of improvement. It could take your fiddle leaf a few weeks or months to recover, but with extra attention and care, it will start to thrive again.