Need a little help please <3

C

Chris

Member
Hello friends,
I'm a bit lost as to what my figs might be missing and hope you might have an idea. I use coco coir+30% perlite as medium, they get about 8000 lumen.
The first thing I noticed was that the older leaves had yellow spots between the veins - some of them have died off. They were also yellow at the edges of the leaves and then dried out in some places.
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My assumption was that they had a magnesium deficiency. I gave them a diluted fertiliser (18.5 / 5 / 15 + 2MgO) and then watered them a few times with the normal dose + I sprayed a 0.5% foliar fertiliser Epsom since it got quite severe on one. The leaves turned a little greener in places, but it didn't have the effect I had hoped for. Now I don't know whether the brown tips on the edges are still a sign of a severe magnesium deficiency or whether I have overdone it with the fertiliser.
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I have also noticed these small ‘white’ spots on some of them, but I am also unsure whether this could be related to a deficiency. I have searched extensively with a magnifying glass to see if I can find any pests, without success.
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Now I don't really know what to do or whether there could be another cause for this.
I would be very grateful for any ideas/tips! :)
 
I've seen these symptoms before. Some of it may be top watering with those 8,000 lumen lights on. Perhaps a little too close to your leaves. Also with nutrient deficiency such as calcium magnesium fig trees are not like Spock and Captain Kirk on the old Star Trek. You know where they would catch a disease that would make them age fast. When McCoy found the Cure the age symptoms would instantly reverse. This does not happen in real life especially with necrotic tissue in fig leaves. If they're deficient adding the correct nutrients will not make the necrotic spots reverse. You have to wait for the new growth. Recommend you just use regular room lights when watering. Your higher lumens light system is likely to be burning those leaves when misting or top watering. Try not to get too much nutrient on the leaves. Let them dry before switching on the 8000 lumen system.
 
Are the first photos prior to foliar application?

Some of the spots in the pictures resemble fertilizer burn. What fertilizer, dosage and frequency have you been applying?
 
It does look like magnesium deficiency. You do need to wait for new growth for the signs to go away. As with all things, plant like minerals in balance so be sure to apply something with balanced macros & micros from here forward.
 
bushdoctor82 said:
Are the first photos prior to foliar application?

Some of the spots in the pictures resemble fertilizer burn. What fertilizer, dosage and frequency have you been applying?
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Yes, the first pictures are before the foliar fertilization.
I used the recommended amount of fertilizer and watered it 2-3 times a week. The fertilizer manufacturer recommended 1-2 times a week. True to the motto “a lot helps a lot”, I may have meant too much. :|
 
Figless said:
I've seen these symptoms before. Some of it may be top watering with those 8,000 lumen lights on. Perhaps a little too close to your leaves. Also with nutrient deficiency such as calcium magnesium fig trees are not like Spock and Captain Kirk on the old Star Trek. You know where they would catch a disease that would make them age fast. When McCoy found the Cure the age symptoms would instantly reverse. This does not happen in real life especially with necrotic tissue in fig leaves. If they're deficient adding the correct nutrients will not make the necrotic spots reverse. You have to wait for the new growth. Recommend you just use regular room lights when watering. Your higher lumens light system is likely to be burning those leaves when misting or top watering. Try not to get too much nutrient on the leaves. Let them dry before switching on the 8000 lumen system.
Click to expand...
The new growth looks a little pale but otherwise normal. I was very careful with the foliar fertilizer, I always applied it in the evening when the lights were off - so that it could dry overnight. Now that I mention it, I didn't check if it was actually dry again in the morning... :oops: I somehow didn't think sunburn was possible, I will lower the lumen a bit.
 
TorontoJoe said:
@Chris - Have you looked under the leaves to check for bugs? Just something to rule out if it's happening to multiple indoor trees growing close together.
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I examined the sheets like sherlock holmes but found nothing. :D what confuses me a lot are the spots on the edges of the leaves that just get dry. this happened before i fertilized and is still happening now, very confusing for me..
 
Chris said:
Yes, the first pictures are before the foliar fertilization.
I used the recommended amount of fertilizer and watered it 2-3 times a week. The fertilizer manufacturer recommended 1-2 times a week. True to the motto “a lot helps a lot”, I may have meant too much. :|
Click to expand...
Fertilizing 2-3 times a week may have been a bit excessive 😅😅 what is the NPK and source of the fertilizer you’re using?
 
BNaula1 said:
Fertilizing 2-3 times a week may have been a bit excessive 😅😅 what is the NPK and source of the fertilizer you’re using?
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I used a 18.5 N / 5 P / 15 K + 2 MgO fertilizer. micro nutrients: 0.020% B; 0.030% Cu; 0.200% Fe; 0.050% Mn; 0.001% Mo; 0.010% Zn
I thought that since my soil had no nutrients, I would have to fertilize a little more at the beginning... but I probably meant a bit too well 😅
Can it happen that the plant is inhibited in its ability to absorb nutrients if there are too many? I assumed that if I fertilized too much, the symptoms of magnesium deficiency would disappear(excluding necrotic tissue) and instead fertilizer burns would become visible. But this train of thought was perhaps wrong
 
18-5-15 for about 2-3 times a week is definitely a bit much for the plant. If you want to continue the same watering / fert schedule maybe try a more diluted solution of it or try another that’s more balanced like 2-2-2 etc

Try any of those first or maybe don’t fertilize at all for a few weeks to let it recover and wash away the massive excess. I’m highly suspecting fert burn which you can tell from the brown / spotted / wilted leaves and the stunted growth. But I’m not expert so just my suggestion :)
 
Chris said:
Yes, the first pictures are before the foliar fertilization.
I used the recommended amount of fertilizer and watered it 2-3 times a week. The fertilizer manufacturer recommended 1-2 times a week. True to the motto “a lot helps a lot”, I may have meant too much. :|
Click to expand...
The reason I suggested possible fertilizer burn or root uptake issue is I believe that was also the problem with a few of my cuttings. Older growth looks horrendous, but new growth is without any issues. I stayed true to form - do nothing, observe and take action if required (only if no noticeable pests). It worked out in my case. Pictures are from one of my cuttings that I cycle between grow area and windows.

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Chris said:
I examined the sheets like sherlock holmes but found nothing. :D what confuses me a lot are the spots on the edges of the leaves that just get dry. this happened before i fertilized and is still happening now, very confusing for me..
Click to expand...

OK. You're getting some good advice here but thought it would be wise to rule out the possibility.

If the new growth looks normal (even if a bit pale) I would agree that 2-3 times a week is a bit much. But it's not necessarily just foliar burn. The symmetry of the damage illustrated in your 3rd picture would suggest to me that it was (also) something that was distributed into the leaves via the vascular system.

It may be more than one thing.
 
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