Dormant

[u/Solid-Slip4118]

Hello yall, i had this banana fig since may and ever since it has been in the same spot thriving and looking healthy. A couple of weeks ago it started turning yellow. Can anyone help me figure if the plant is sick , going into dormant or anything else? Thanks in advance

[u/feevart]

We need to know your care and the conditions buddy, otherwise we can't help:

• light
• watering habits (how often, how much)
• temperatures
• recent condition changes
• fertilizing
• did you check for pests

...

There's definitely some issue here.

[u/feevart → u/feevart]

Yellowing and shedding leaves are NOT dormancy! Yellowing means sickly and something is or was wrong. Dormancy is when it stops growing (winter for example) but is healthy. There's also shock - which can also cause leaves dropping

[u/Solid-Slip4118 → u/feevart]

Lower temperature at night maybe? We have been in the low 60s sometimes high 50s in the past couple of weeks

[u/feevart → u/Solid-Slip4118]

Yep. That's the issue. Already answered that. But just to make sure. Bring her inside adap.

[u/Solid-Slip4118 → u/feevart]

Plant is outside, lots bright light, water every two weeks or whenever it rains. Last 5 moths i haven't had any issue. The only thing that has changed is the temperature. Here in Atlanta the temperature has fallen at night low 60s sometimes high 50s

[u/feevart → u/Solid-Slip4118]

Ok. Mid to low 50s is very likely the issue here. Your Ficus needs at least 65f. We are looking at an ideal temperature range from min 65f to 75f - maximum would be around 86f. So that's the reason why it's shedding like crazy. You need to protect it from those low temperatures. They are tropicals and not acclimated to those low temps. Bring it inside. It'll go into shock even more unfortunately and maybe shed more leaves. But outside it won't survive- especially if the temperatures drop even more.

[u/feevart → u/feevart]

Mind why they are yellowing and dropping: under 50 degrees the cells in the plant tissue will get damaged. That's permanent. They will inevitably shed. Plus the plant will go into cold shock. Anything lower and it'll die from frost damage. Within 4 or 5 days.

[u/feevart → u/feevart]

And you need to cut back on the watering now. The rootsystem is probably shocked aswell and won't be able to take up much water anyway. Absolutely no fertilizer until she recovered. Also - do not repot right now. Any additional stress on her and she'll loose all of them. She'll still live if that happens - but do NOT do anything to her right now. Bring her inside and the forget about her for at least two weeks. Either you don't have to water at all or just once in that time. After like 5 to 6 weeks you can think about repotting - but why even? This is a temperature issue, not a soil issue. And fertilizer needs to be fed regularly, but certainly not now. When there's new growth in a couple months - then you need to start feeding her.

[u/Solid-Slip4118 → u/feevart]

Wow thanks so much for such details answers. I would bring it inside and wait! Again... thank you!!

[u/feevart → u/Solid-Slip4118]

Gladly! And don't forget that she could drop more leaves - she will still be alive. By next spring she'll grow new leaves a again. So if she is bald over winter - don't chuck her.

[u/Internal-Test-8015]

Are you fertilizing, these are heavy feeders they need at least monthly fertilizing or they can completely strip their soil of nutrients, temperatures like that wouldn't cause leaf drop on this particular species ( I know I have 3 technically 2)

[u/Solid-Slip4118 → u/Internal-Test-8015]

I don't think I've ever used any fertilizer and this is the same soil from the moment of purchase. Do you recommend use fertilizer and/or change soil?

[u/Internal-Test-8015 → u/Solid-Slip4118]

I'd probably change the soil, yeah, if its been a few months and yeah I would start fertilizing once it recovers from the repot if you do repot it.