What’s wrong with my Audrey Ficus tree?!
Recently I’ve switched this little guy into a new pot and after doing so it seemed to get a little drowsy. I’ve switched its pot a few times just in the year I’ve had it but this last time seemed to do it in a bit. After a few weeks of that pot not working I repotted it into the pot before. The watering schedule seems to have shifted as well. I water it once and week and it’s thrived with this, even in the winter. Now it seems like I’m overwatering it even though I’m doing the same thing I had been. At this point I’ve lost a few leaves and I’m scared I’m going to lose the three I have left.
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@n3rf.or.nothing that seems like an awful lot of repotting in one year. Repotting causes plants a lot of distress, it shocks them, and it can take a while to recover from it. I try to repot as infrequently as possible, and only when absolutely necessary. Either when the plant is literally busting out of its pot with the amount of roots it has grown (my first clue of this is usually when I find it’s needing water much more frequently than before), when I suspect root rot, or when a, (usually new) plant is in the kind of soil detrimental to its health. That’s pretty much it.
Also know that we humans are like super speed entities to plants. They move at a much more slower pace than we do. A few weeks to decide if the plant likes the new pot before switching it is way too fast. They need more time to settle. If it helps, imagine them as a sloth like in that kids movie, whose name is escaping me right now, and when we run around changing things on them every few weeks they are going to throw a for. Every time you repot you will inevitably rip off tiny root hairs that help the plant drink the water. So after a repot they won’t be able to go through the same amount of water until they have grown back their root hairs.
What your plant needs now is stable, comfortable conditions, with no drafts or temperature swings, good light, no more repotting for a long while, and light but consistent soil moisture. I say this gently, but try to not be giving it so much attention ok? I find when we take a step back that that is when we will find happy healthy growth. ♥️
Also know that we humans are like super speed entities to plants. They move at a much more slower pace than we do. A few weeks to decide if the plant likes the new pot before switching it is way too fast. They need more time to settle. If it helps, imagine them as a sloth like in that kids movie, whose name is escaping me right now, and when we run around changing things on them every few weeks they are going to throw a for. Every time you repot you will inevitably rip off tiny root hairs that help the plant drink the water. So after a repot they won’t be able to go through the same amount of water until they have grown back their root hairs.
What your plant needs now is stable, comfortable conditions, with no drafts or temperature swings, good light, no more repotting for a long while, and light but consistent soil moisture. I say this gently, but try to not be giving it so much attention ok? I find when we take a step back that that is when we will find happy healthy growth. ♥️
Wow I’ve never thought of it that way before! That is extremely helpful and I’ll try to remember that from now on. Thank you so much 😊
