Help with struggling ficus

[MSU JBoots]

This ficus benjamina has been in my basement for about 2 months now under a grow lamp. It was chugging along well for awhile but now has dropped quite a bit of leaves at least a dozen today. I know it’s in less than ideal conditions as can be seen by my thermometer/humidity meter. However I think the biggest problem might be lack of water since I’ve been battling fungus gnats since it came inside so I’ve been trying to water it more sparingly to kill them off but maybe at the cost of my trees health. I should also add the tree does have some slow release fertilizer pellets in the soil and the grow lamp is on for 16 hours/day. Any recommendations are appreciated.

 

[Kodama]

Hmm.. you might have answered your own question with the lack of water. Has your temp and humidity been fluctuating during those 2 months as well? I know some leaf drop can be normal but that sounds like alot. I had similar problem and now have mine in grow tent (hospital) with small heater and humidifier and fan to maintain stability and started growing leaves again.

 

[ShadyStump]

Much may depend on the light, also. Do you know the specs?

@Kodama isn't wrong about your watering. What's your watering routine/timing looked like since it's been there?

My limited experience with benjamina is they can handle a fairly wide range of conditions. Off hand, your temperature isn't deal. Mine lives on my desk at work under a grow light in a desk lamp, much drier than you're showing, but warmer.

Have you tried any treatment for the gnats?

I think you have one too many factors just enough off to stress it a little too much. Fix one or two and it should recover.

 

[Lorax7]

I wouldn’t worry about the humidity too much. Ficus can handle some fairly arid conditions. Temperature seems ok to me. I think you probably let the soil get too dry at some point and that’s why it is dropping leaves. When you water, water thoroughly, and do not let it dry out completely between waterings. Best thing you can do for gnats is get a trap for them. They make little traps that look like a very small plastic apple. A red solution goes inside that attracts them. They crawl inside the trap and can’t get back out.

 

[MSU JBoots]

Ok thanks yeah I’ll start watering more regularly and see what happens. I do always water thoroughly until the water pours out the drainage holes. I do have some sticky traps that are typically in the container for the gnats as well I just took them out for the photo so you can see the tree better. Any other treatment recommended? I’ve read some stuff about mosquito bits that maybe can help. The temp has really not changed much over that last couple months pretty much always mid 60s and the humidity has been pretty steady around the 40s.

 

[MSU JBoots]

This is the grow light I have.

Amazon.com

 

[TN_Jim]

I’d put in window that gets direct sunlight and never turn your grow light off (it does not need darkness to hum, no CAM photosynthesis here) until you put in full sun outside after the last frost

would be aware of trying treat insects by action that may be punishing the plant -have known of many houseplants die this way, specially with “fungus gnats” and water regime.

treat for the insects and make the plant healthy enough to defend against them without assistance. I’ve never had fungus gnats and I usually under water perhaps, and still sometimes over. Over water is how I and I think most kill houseplants. from the looks of your soil, not sure you coul

that soil mix looks pretty lean, would guess you’re not watering enough as well

what is soil mix? maybe throw that joker in the kitchen sink every day or three and beat it with light

I’ve given away all my ficus except one and around 40 other plants as of late, was time, shit got out of hand, but I’ve kept this one (which reminds me of yours). Best of luck. Bathe it in light

 

[ShadyStump]

This is the grow light I have.

Amazon.com

Good news
It's probably not the light.
At least if anything on that link is accurate.

Water, rotate, get a pet frog.
Take it out for some real sun on the warm days, but you should be alright until February easy.

Question for all: what attracted the fungus gnats?
As in; what's your soil made of, and/or what else is in the room?
Gnats don't congregate for nothing.

 

[sorce]

gnats?
As in; what's your soil

I view gnats as a sign you are watering appropriately, especially for an indoor ficus.

The only 2 times I've had this happen was from mites or too many "slow release fert balls".

I'd bet the lack of water allowed for easier spread of the mites, or a difficult situation for the roots to deal with the fert.

I'd use this opportunity to cut it back to the first bud on each of them branches.

Check for scale too, especially on the top concave side of the petioles.

Conditions seem great.

Sorce

 

[MHBonsai]

What is your distance from the light? Light is exponential… And for Benjamina the closer the better.

 

[Iowa newbie]

I view gnats as a sign you are watering appropriately, especially for an indoor ficus.

The only 2 times I've had this happen was from mites or too many "slow release fert balls".

I'd bet the lack of water allowed for easier spread of the mites, or a difficult situation for the roots to deal with the fert.

I'd use this opportunity to cut it back to the first bud on each of them branches.

Check for scale too, especially on the top concave side of the petioles.

Conditions seem great.

Sorce

Whats your regime for getting rid of scale? I have tried 50/50 water isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of dish soap and while it works, I cant seem to get rid of them altogether. I hate using harsh chemicals indoors whenever possible

 

[Lorax7]

Light is not the problem. Ficus, including benjamina, do fine even in relatively low light conditions. I have one growing in an office with light from an east-facing window and no supplemental grow lights and it is growing well. Your grow light is more than adequate. Watering regime is the thing to focus on.

 

[Maiden69]

Water, then water some more... ficus loves water.

 

[sorce]

Whats your regime for getting rid of scale? I have tried 50/50 water isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of dish soap and while it works, I cant seem to get rid of them altogether. I hate using harsh chemicals indoors whenever possible

I usually get em all by hand but last year was bad enough to neem em, I was surprised at how well it worked, but without continued diligence, they were never really eradicated.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@MSU JBoots - the light you have looks excellent. I would use an 18 hour day length as the maximum. Beyond 18 hours, you are just wasting energy.

It is very normal for Ficus to drop as much as half their leaves in cool weather, temperatures below 70 F or 18 C are considered cool for most of the common Ficus species.

I would add a fan to your growing area. Just a small, inexpensive fan will work. I use these $15 fans by Honeywell, they are 9 inches in diameter. I have the breeze crossing the front of the shelf with the plants. Thin grassy leaves should be waving gently in the breeze. The plants can take leaves flapping in the breeze, but that would annoy most people. Adding the fan also helps mix air down into the root zone, so not only will leaves be more healthy, roots will be more healthy. I learned this trick raising orchids, it applies to all species of houseplants, not just bonsai. A fan will help keep your plants healthy, better roots, fewer pests on the leaves. When you add the fan it will change how quickly the soil dries out, so be certain to check to see if it needs water daily until you know the change in pattern.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I would not necessarily add heat. Temps in the 60's are fine, there will be slow growth, which is fine. When summer comes the tree should have accumulated enough energy for a nice burst of rapid growth. But slow growth usually gives better "bonsai traits" with shorter internodes. As long as the temps are above freezing, most tropical Ficus will be "just fine". Some, like Ficus carica (the culinary fig) and Ficus pumila can be grown outdoors as far north as Memphis.

 

[MSU JBoots]

Good news
It's probably not the light.
At least if anything on that link is accurate.

Water, rotate, get a pet frog.
Take it out for some real sun on the warm days, but you should be alright until February easy.

Question for all: what attracted the fungus gnats?
As in; what's your soil made of, and/or what else is in the room?
Gnats don't congregate for

I view gnats as a sign you are watering appropriately, especially for an indoor ficus.

The only 2 times I've had this happen was from mites or too many "slow release fert balls".

I'd bet the lack of water allowed for easier spread of the mites, or a difficult situation for the roots to deal with the fert.

I'd use this opportunity to cut it back to the first bud on each of them branches.

Check for scale too, especially on the top concave side of the petioles.

Conditions seem great.

Sorce

Great insight maybe I’ll see if I can remove some of the fertilizer. I think come spring all my trees will just get regular fertilizer treatments rather than the slow release stuff. When I bought that originally it seemed easier just to do that and have it last 9 months.

 

[MSU JBoots]

What is your distance from the light? Light is exponential… And for Benjamina the closer the better.

Roughly 20 inches which was recommended by the manufacturer.

 

[MSU JBoots]

@MSU JBoots - the light you have looks excellent. I would use an 18 hour day length as the maximum. Beyond 18 hours, you are just wasting energy.

It is very normal for Ficus to drop as much as half their leaves in cool weather, temperatures below 70 F or 18 C are considered cool for most of the common Ficus species.

I would add a fan to your growing area. Just a small, inexpensive fan will work. I use these $15 fans by Honeywell, they are 9 inches in diameter. I have the breeze crossing the front of the shelf with the plants. Thin grassy leaves should be waving gently in the breeze. The plants can take leaves flapping in the breeze, but that would annoy most people. Adding the fan also helps mix air down into the root zone, so not only will leaves be more healthy, roots will be more healthy. I learned this trick raising orchids, it applies to all species of houseplants, not just bonsai. A fan will help keep your plants healthy, better roots, fewer pests on the leaves. When you add the fan it will change how quickly the soil dries out, so be certain to check to see if it needs water daily until you know the change in pattern.

View attachment 412544

Yeah I’ve read a fan is a good idea. I’ll look into that. I used to have one just like that in college but think it’s long since gone. I won’t increase the light on time past the current 16 hours since my wife doesn’t want it on when nobody is home as she is afraid it will start a fire.

 

[TN_Jim]

Roughly 20 inches which was recommended by the manufacturer.

would go half that at least
p.a.r.