Last August (mmm summertime), we got our hands on a second-hand bench that we cleaned up and stained and it became the hopeful home to four potted plants.
Today, one remains–wah wahhhh– and we moved it to a new home in the kitchen on the upper open shelf.
It looks like it is on its way out there, but I think I just need to pull some of those dead leaves off. Â It’s doing good! Â Much better than its dead friends. Even though I am well aware I have a black thumb, I am just not ready to give up on house plants. Â Honestly, they make me so happy! And they are good for you! Â So, I decided to try, try again.
Since we have other plans for that bench (different post for a different day), Chris and I decided to go for something a little bigger that could stand on its own. While I was at Home Depot picking up paint over the weekend, I spotted a fiddle leaf fig tree and snapped a pic and sent it to Chris for approval.
You’d be surprised how much Chris cares about things like this and luckily, he was just as excited about the plant as I was. Â $30 later and it was coming home with mama. This is the part where I am supposed to show you how great it looks in the living room. Â And it does. Â Except one major problem.Two days later and I think it is already dying. What?! Help! Mayday! Some leaves still look fairly green with a brown tips:
While some are almost completely brown:
When I noticed it was dying on me without even being in our house for 48 hours, I immediately gave it water and then Googled more care instructions which said, if it is turning brown–you might be overwatering it. Â Lovely.
Given that was the first time watering it, I don’t think it was my doing, but now I am stumped. Â How could a plant thrive in a warehouse and once it gets home to a family that will love it forever–it starts dying?!
The care instructions say it needs bright, filtered light–check. Let soil dry out in between waterings–okay. And is best in temperatures 60-90 degrees, which makes me wonder if maybe our quick trip between the store and our home is what did it in.
Could it be? Â Any fiddle leaf fig experts out there? Â I have my receipt, so I know I can return/exchange the tree, but I would love to do my best to resuscitate it first. Â Come on baby, don’t die on me now!Â
After pining for a fiddle leaf plant I stumbled across one at Ikea for $12.99! A leaf just feel off the other day and I was heartbroken—was it the beginning of the end? Please keep me and my brown thumb updated. I’m determined to keep this one alive!
I thought that second picture was from a MAGAZINE! I can’t believe that’s your HOUSE!
It looks a lot like a Ficus tree (maybe it’s an alternative name?). We have one of those and it’s totally normal for leaves in the lower third of the tree to get brown and fall off as the tree grows — at the same time, it should start sprouting new one in the top third of the tree. I wouldn’t worry too much unless the browning leaves are in the top third of the tree.
Also, consider going back to Home Depot or better yet to a local nursery to ask for advice – they can be really wonderful. FYI: with our figus (which is a similar size to yours), we were told to water it only once a month: a deep full watering, and then to let it dry in between.
Finally, from the photos it doesn’t look like you repotted it yet. Which is a huge problem. The potting soil that it’s packed in is not supposed to be its final soil: you need to mix potting soil and basically small planting rocks to help with drainage. Otherwise, pure soil absorbs too much water and the roots start to disintegrate. So I would repot that baby NOW. (Go buy a pot and soil at a nursury, or at least go browse there. And ask their advice while you’re there).
And I second the advice on plant food. A nursery should have a bunch of little sample packs you can get for cheap, they just dissolve into the water.
And lastly, our tree is also right there in a north facing window, no curtain, and has no problem with the light. I doubt that’s your problem.
So yeah, before you give up on that baby, I’d definitely go have a chat with the pros at a nursery! You’ve got nothing to lose, and they can probably give you some stellar advice about picking out appropriate hard-to-kill plants for your home’s lighting conditions and tips of the trade on how to keep them alive.
Here’s even more advice. Be careful what you buy. Try buying something that’s a little easier to keep alive. I don’t know if you like ivy, but it’s very easy to keep alive. My family is pro’s at keeping plants alive. They always say the bottom line secret is to let it get REALLY dried up before even thinking of watering it. Like, when you bring it home from the store, don’t water it until it’s good and dry. I wonder if you are watering it to much
Thanks. I think it may have gotten frostbite from the store to the car. Fingers crossed it perks back up! Also, I am sending you a book!
Off topic a little but be careful with fiddle faddle figs. They are highly poisonous. I wanted to get one so bad 6 or 7 years ago but didn’t because of that. They are beautiful though!
We are aware, thank you!! Greta is pretty far past the stage of putting everything in her mouth, but we are still being cautious with her.