10 Reasons Why Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) is Dying and their Solutions
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Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) may die if the growing conditions are wrong like overwatering, underwatering, improper feeding, hot direct sunlight, incorrect temperature, poor quality soil, diseases and pests among others.
Ficus pumila grows best in medium to bright, indrect light away from direct sunlight, warm and humid conditions and consistently moist, fertile, well-drained soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
If these conditions are not provided, the Creeping Fig will develop some problems like yellow leaves, drooping, stunted growth and may even die. Below are 10 reasons why a Creeping Fig may die and how to solve them.
10 Reasons Why Creeping Fig is Dying and How to Fix Them
1. Exposure to hot direct sunlight
If a Creeping Fig is exposed to hot direct sunlight, it will begin to turn brown, wilt, drop leaves and may eventually die as it grows best in a medium to bright, indirect light.
How to fix itPosition the Creeping Fig in a more shaded spot or instal a light curtain to protect it from hot direct sunlight to prevent its eventual death.
2. Too little light
Creeping Fig grows best in medium to bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight. Adequate light is necessary for photosynthesis, which is the process of making food which is needed for growth and energy for the plant.
Too little light for Creeping Fig means that the plant cannot make enough food for growth and development which results in stunted growth and death of the plant.
How to fix itMove the plant to a brighter spot where it will receive medium to bright, indirect light or instal a grow light if the natural lighting is not sufficient.
3. Incorrect watering
Incorrect watering; either overwatering (soggy soil) or underwatering Creeping Fig will result in yellow leaves, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant.
Overwatering or soggy soil causes the roots to die due to lack of oxygen. When the roots die they cannot take up water which causes the leaves to yellow, drop and eventually the plant dies.
Underwatering implies that there is too little moisture in the soil and therefore, the plant has no water to take up to the leaves. Thus, the leaves begin to drop and eventually the Creeping Fig may die if the situation is not corrected.
How to fix itCreeping Fig requires that the soil be kept moist at all times during the growing season while allowing the top 1-2 in. of soil to dry out between waterings.
Cut down on watering in the cold season but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. In addition, ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy.
4. Cold draughts
Cold draughts (drafts) coupled with too wet soil cause sudden drops in temperature which will lead to reduced growth in Creeping Fig and eventual death of the plant.
How to fix itTo prevent death of the Creeping Fig, keep the plant away from cold draughts to maintain an average warmth with a minimum of 120C.
In addition, reduce watering during the cold season and ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy.
5. Too low humidity
Creeping Fig grows best in average to above average room humidity. Too low air humidity will cause dry and shrivelled leaves, leaf drop which can result in plant death.
How to fix itTo raise humidity for the Creeping Fig, group the plants together, grow the plant in a bathroom or other humid areas in the home, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier.
You can also grow the Creeping Fig in a terrarium as a high humidity can easily be maintained inside a terrarium.
6. Extremely pot-bound plant
Though a Creeping Fig grows best when slightly pot-bound, when it becomes extremely pot-bound it begins to wilt, drop leaves and eventually die.
This is because the roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when the plant is watered which will cause the plant to wilt, drop leaves and may die.
How to fix itCheck the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole and repot the plant into a pot one size larger than the current one.
Thereafter, repot Creeping Fig at the beginning of the growing season when it has become pot-bound but avoid frequent repotting as it prefers to be slightly pot-bound.
7. Pest infestations
Creeping Fig is prone to sap-sucking insects like aphids, mealy bugs, scale insects and spider mites which may cause the plant to become wilted, stunted, drop leaves and eventual death.
How to fix itEnsure that the Creeping Fig is healthy by providing it with the right growing condition.
Pest infestation in Creeping Fig may be prevalent in dry conditions. Therefore raise humidity or grow the plant in a bathroom or other humid conditions in the home to minimize pest infestations.
In addition, keep the Creeping Fig Plant well pruned by removal of dead and yellow foliage to minimize pest infestations.
If the pest infestation is heavy, isolate the affected Creeping Fig to prevent spread to the other plants and treat it appropriately for the pests.
Some effective products that you can use to get rid of the pests include Insecticidal soap and Neem oil. Make sure to cover the entire plant.
8. Root-rot disease
Root-rot in Creeping Fig is characterized by yellowing, wilting and leaf drop which is rapidly followed by browning and plant collapse. The disease is prevalent in soggy soil.
How to fix itCarefully, take the Creeping Fig Plant out of its pot and inspect the roots. Brown-black mushy roots indicate root-rot, trim them off and treat the healthy roots with a copper-based fungicidal solution.
Disinfect the pot with the fungicidal solution or use a fresh pot to repot the plant in fresh free-draining soil.Do not water the plant and keep it dry for some time before resuming watering.
To prevent root-rot in the future, ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and that the soil is free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy.
Avoid overwatering the Creeping Fig during the cold season as growth is minimal at this time, therefore, the plant does not require much water.
9. Improper feeding
Overfeeding a Creeping Fig Plant will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. When the roots die, they cannot take up nutrients and water required for photosynthesis, thus the plant begins to die due to lack of food.
Underfeeding a Creeping Fig Plant implies that the plant is not getting enough nutrients needed for growth, therefore, the plant begins to die.
How to fix itFeed Creeping Fig monthly during the growing period with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer to promote a lush growth.
Do not feed the Creeping Fig during the cold season as growth is minimal and feeding at this time can lead to fertilizer burn and death of the plant.
10. Poor quality Soil
Poor quality soil does not drain easily and therefore it easily becomes compacted or soggy which can result in reduced growth and death of the Creeping Fig.
How to fix itGrow Creeping Fig in well-drained soils which are rich in organic matter to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients like this quality potting mix available online from Etsy.
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