These tiny flying insects buzz around the leaves of your fig (and around your home!) Hey! First, I did a little research. Examine the leaves and look for any small spider webs. Sure enough, my kids admitted to bringing in a butterfly and letting it loose to enjoy the fiddle leaf fig trees. And gnats on your fiddle leaf fig will bug you too! Every fiddle leaf fig owner fears spider mites. Fiddle Figs are relatively slow growers that often go several months before putting out several new leaves. Learn more about Meg at www.benefitofthedebt.com. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. Spider mites are one of the common pest problems that can occur with Fiddle Leaf Figs. If your fiddle leaf fig suddenly starts dropping leaves it can definitely be a sign of an … Then sit back and enjoy the drama! With spider mites, you want to catch them early before the infestation spreads and takes a serious toll on your plant. If you spot any of these unwelcome critters, wipe them off with a hot-and-soapy cloth or with a mild insecticide. Dab each little mealybug and cotton nest with a drop of rubbing alcohol to neutralize the bugs that you can see. By far the number one cause of insect problems is the introduction of new adopted houseplants, so simply inspect them before bringing them into the house. Another insect you might notice bugging your fiddle leaf fig is the fungus gnat. I inspected the soil (the plant is extremely root-bound), and discovered tiny, greyish, iridescent insects in the top layer. Thankfully, I don’t mind that they wander around, and they do a great job controlling those mealybugs. Fiddle-leaf figs do best with a 3-1-2 formulation of these nutrients. There are quite a few insects that can attack your fiddle leaf fig, and it’s important to know the differences in order to treat them properly. When grown as a houseplant, be prepared to rotate your fiddle-leaf fig every few days so a different part faces the light source. Copyright © echo date(Y);?> Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource, Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food Moisture Meter, The Ultimate Guide to Fiddle Leaf Fig Insect Problems (Video), Four Things That Are Killing Your Fiddle Leaf Fig, these guys are a lot more difficult to find in the first place, Keep your fiddle leaf fig in a bright place, well-draining, regularly aerated, loosely packed soil. Here are two quick tips to keep pests out of your home in the first place. We encourage you to take your fiddle leaf fig outdoors for a measured summer vacation if you live in a mild climate. Once the larvae are in the tree, control is extremely difficult. Cut off the Top Growing Bud. We recommend our Houseplant Leaf Armor to protect against insects as well as bacteria and fungus. Some of the leaves are turning yellow. Every fiddle leaf fig owner fears spider mites. If you get a young tree, you should be able to see it grow and mature over time. Have you seen small holes, dark spots, or other evidence of insects on your fiddle leaf fig? I ordered live ladybugs online to be delivered to my house, and I released them in our sunroom to eat the mealybugs and their babies. The first warning sign of spider mites is webbing. For instance, the fig tree borer lays its eggs near the base of a branch and then the resulting larvae hatch and tunnel into the tree. However, if you do happen to find one, simply wipe it off with a soapy wet towel. There are several plans of attack when treating bugs on figs. Copy link. Mealybugs almost always find their way into your home by hitchhiking on other plants. Understanding what's causing leaf issues on a Fiddle Leaf Fig can be difficult. As an added bonus, it also cleans and adds shine to your houseplant’s leaves.) Gnats lay their eggs in the top two inches of soil, so if that soil is kept moist, the babies will thrive. Looks life-like, no? Therefore, your tree will be happiest when kept in similar conditions. If your plant leaves are spotted and discolored, it might not be a result of watering, but rather Spider Mites. I'm not sure what you mean by hollow tips. Fiddle-Leaf Fig Care . These buggers love dark, moist places, so if you spot a couple in or under your planter pots, be kind to them. We used to call these roly polies when I was a kid. Not long ago, I realized my fiddle leaf fig trees were being antagonized by a pest. You can use this spray to kill the most common insects affecting your plant. Check back every week or so to see if the infestation has returned or not. Fiddle-leaf figs are not especially demanding plants as long as you can get their growing conditions right. Or you could apply neem oil, but be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution and application. This encourages the plant to produce big, healthy leaves and lots of new foliage. To learn more, check out Four Things That Are Killing Your Fiddle Leaf Fig. I was recently gifted a large fiddle leaf fig plant. And the good news: It’s possible to quell a spider mite infestation, but it will require persistence. What treatment options and prevention steps can you take to effectively manage and repel pesky visitors? You can also use pruning as a way to make your foliage denser in the long run. Fiddle Leaf Figs can find themselves unwittingly providing food for a variety of common pests, these include mealybugs, scale, mites, whiteflies, and aphids. So if you do have gnats, your plant is likely in a darker place with too much water anyway. Mealybugs almost always find their way into your home by hitchhiking on other plants. Up Next. Spider Mites. Just don’t check the … Pesticides and oils are also available to rid mealy bugs. Pros and Cons of Releasing Ladybugs Indoors, household insect that feeds on the green innards of plants’ leaves, one ladybug can consume 5,000 insects in a lifetime, our free, helpful, encouraging group of fellow fiddle leaf fig enthusiasts online. I asked my family members if they had seen anything out of the ordinary in our sunroom. Fig Tree Pest Control. SOOOOO I need help. But fear not – with a few simple steps you can have your Fiddle Leaf healthy again. In June of this year, I noticed what looked like a wet drop of blood on a leaf of one of my ficus lyrata plants. Here are three less obvious places to look. and lay their eggs in the soil. What’s worse, this particular pest is known to secrete honeydew, which attracts other fiddle leaf fig pests … So what should you do if you find bugs on the leaves of your fiddle leaf fig? Once on your fiddle leaf fig, these soft-body bugs suck the sap out of the leaves, causing them to eventually fall off. Indoor Plants Pests - Mealybugs on Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees. Watch this video to identify the insects affecting your plant and learn the proper treatment for each. There’s no need to try to evict them unless they proliferate to the point of consuming live material. If you spot any of these unwelcome critters, wipe them off with a hot-and-soapy cloth or with a mild insecticide. Plus, many mealybug infestations start in the roots of the plant, where they are invisible even to the most observant fiddle leaf fig caregiver. Fiddle leaf figs are decently happy as root bound plants and will do just fine in the pot you bought it in. They secrete a wet-looking substance called honeydew, and the female mealybugs produce a cottony material to lay their eggs. The Fiddle Leaf Fig is still the mainstay trendsetter in the plant community, and continues to give the millennial favorite, the Monstera Deliciosa, a run for its money these past couple of years. Against this dark backdrop, the bright bugs contrast easily, making them easy targets of your treatment. When disturbed, these little dots might even move, and that confirms it. Fiddle-leaf fig trees don’t like: drafts, soil that is too wet, soil that is too dry, too much sun, not enough sun, dry air, or loud music. Facebook: Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Group. Mealy Bugs are hitchhiking on other plants and are often brought into apartments that way. Once the larvae are in the tree, control is extremely difficult. Fiddle-leaf figs (or Ficus lyrata for those of us who like to get a little plant geeky) continue to enjoy their popularity and are making quite the scene in style blogs and magazines. We’ll start with the bad guys first, those menacing characters that you must deal with to save your plant. Fiddle leaf fig caregivers like us, though, need to know what an early-stage problem looks like. If you see even a hint of webbing like thin, silky strands, inspect the leaves carefully for insects. You already know the obvious place to look for mealybugs: your fiddle leaf fig’s opaque green leaves. Once I had a handle on what ladybugs need to thrive, I increased my order of live ladybug quantities to include enough for my indoor trees too. The bug was a common household insect that feeds on the green innards of plants’ leaves . As they are small they can be hard to see. Treatment can be similar to what you would do for spider mites, but be prepared for a mealybug recurrence if all you use is water. Would those same ladybugs do the trick indoors? Let’s talk about a few crawlies you might see that do not need to be exterminated or relocated. Using diluted neem oil is very effective, though if you don’t have it on hand (yet) you can even just try a mixture of water and some dish soap. Here’s the bad news: You may have a case of spider mites, which reproduce quickly, so the time to take action is NOW. Around the same time, I was releasing ladybugs in my outdoor vegetable garden for aphid control. Good luck with your fiddle-leaf fig tree—for its birthday, you may want to get it a humidifier. Another inexpensive way to address the mealybug problem is to introduce natural predators into your space. I set out to learn. In feeding off the plant, they rob vital nutrients from the plant itself. Fiddle leaf figs are a relatively low maintenance plant that can add some natural, tropical vibes to your home. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. And for more pest control tips and tricks, grab your own copy of The Fiddle Leaf Fig Expert, your complete guide to growing healthy fiddle leaf fig plants, my number-one go-to resource for lush, thriving trees (available in full-color paperback or Kindle edition). I prefer to do this outside, but during winter, the bathtub or kitchen sink is also a great place to treat for spider mites. For the villains you can’t see, there are a few additional options. The good news is that spider mites are the easiest insect to dislodge from your plant. Without seeing them, plan sap on the leaves and stems as well as a cottony substance can be found. The bug was a common household insect that feeds on the green innards of plants’ leaves. Spider mites are among the top, if not THE top antagonist of our favorite indoor tree. We would love to cheer them on with you. Their large and green leaves add a peaceful touch to any home. Despite all my research, it wasn’t until I released the helpful critters that my real learning began. Watch later. Spider mites aren’t actually spiders, but they are a type of arachnid similar to ticks. Those might have been the beginnings of a new leaf bud. I notched my ficus lyrata and cut off the top about a month ago and FINALLY have some progress to show. They can actually be beneficial to your fiddle leaf fig because they eat dead material and create a mild fertilizer with trace minerals. These last two nuggets of information are helpful in identifying the pest. What NOT to do if Your Fiddle Leaf isn’t Growing: If you find your Fiddle Leaf isn’t growing, there’s a couple of common things I’ve noticed people try that probably aren’t going to help the situation. There are several plans of attack when treating bugs on figs. Next, create a homemade gnat trap by putting a few drops of honey or apple cider vinegar in a shallow dish and covering it with plastic wrap. Fiddle Leaf Fig Notching. Mealy Bugs are hitchhiking on other plants and are often brought into apartments that way. Falling Leaves. Because spider mites can reproduce quickly and spread easily, a small outbreak can quickly become a big issue! That way, it … These measures alone should prevent gnat populations. However, if you like a little drama—both in terms of decor and your plant care routine—fiddle leaf figs are stunning sculptural plants. These tiny insects can wreak havoc on your poor fiddle! While you don’t need to do a lot of pruning for this plant, you may want to trim away any severely damaged or unwanted leaves. Additionally, throughout the year, you may pull your tree outside for a bath. Pests: Fiddle leaf figs are prone to mealy bugs, aphids, mites and scales. Because spider mites can reproduce quickly and spread easily, a small outbreak can quickly become a big issue! Not every pest is controllable, however. Like other houseplants, fiddle figs are prone to bacteria, mildew, insect infestations, or drought. Facebook: Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Group. New growth is limited to the tip ends of each stem. Stunted growth of your fiddle leaf fig is also common of mealy bug infestation. Then keep them in a separate part of the house for three weeks before bringing them in to join your fiddle leaf fig. With spider mites, you want to catch them early before the … Turns out, a gardener’s relationship with ladybugs must include a little two-way reciprocity. That way, we can act quickly and decisively to treat the problem before it really spreads. If that happens to you, just enjoy them. Simply look over every inch of your plant before bringing it back indoors. While you may find mealybugs easy to dislodge, these guys are a lot more difficult to find in the first place. Insect infestations don’t have to be the end for your fiddle leaf fig! We’ll talk more about repotting later but, for now, just place it inside a larger decorative container or basket and disguise the plastic store-bought pot with some decorative moss. Turns out, butterflies are completely harmless to your fiddles, but they expel meconium, a waste product that’s left over from metamorphosis, which is what I saw on the leaf. Spider mites are one of the most common threats to the beautiful ficus lyrata, so stay vigilant. Shopping. Meg S. Miller is an influential speaker and multiple award-winning author with nearly a decade of writing experience. Reasons for Fig Tree Ants. Today, we’re excited to share a new video all about fiddle leaf fig insect problems. Fig Tree Pest Control. Fiddle Leaf Fig Care Guide Caring for your Ficus Lyrata . Learn more about controlling ants in fig trees in this article. Needless to say, they were all over the place, and we were simultaneously delighted and concerned. Before discussing how to find, treat, or prevent these guys, you should know how they operate. I did not repot immediately as I wanted the plant to acclimate. Their babies, called crawlers, are so tiny, you cannot see them with the naked eye. Insects feed off Fiddle Leaf Figs, often visible on either the leaves or stem. This encourages the plant to produce big, healthy leaves and lots of new foliage. Spider mites are one of the common pest problems that can occur with Fiddle Leaf Figs. There are plenty of home remedies to try. They are soft bodied insects that are sucking out the plant sap of a Fiddle Leaf fig. They certainly are gorgeous, but they are also a little prone to diva behavior. You’ve got spider mites. Then set your trap right in the planter pot and your gnat problem will be gone within a few days or weeks. Pests: Fiddle leaf figs are prone to mealy bugs, aphids, mites and scales. The next morning there was another one. They love warm environments as do Ficus pandurata making mealy bugs especially problematic for tropical plants. I recently purchased a fiddle leaf fig from a nursery. Remember, that Fiddle Leaf Figs are native to warm, humid, tropical places where they get consistent moisture and even temperatures. A little prevention, treatment, and knowing what to watch out for can make all the difference. (This product works just like neem oil but without the unpleasant smell! I wouldn’t be able to simply let them go and expect a miracle. That means that the first step to nixing these insects is just to let your plant dry out. Every fiddle leaf fig plant owner wants their ficus lyrata to grow into a tall, tree-shaped statement. These tiny insects can wreak havoc on your poor fiddle! As they are small they can be hard to see. While fiddle leaf figs are worth the added effort, they do require a bit of, well, fiddling. To chat more about your fiddle leaf fig problems, join our community on Facebook. Miller, her husband, Joe, and their three children live near Washington, D.C., where they own and operate an organic farm. Then we’ll quickly cover a few benign bugs that you might see that might be attracted to plants without really threatening to take up permanent residence. If (like me) you have weighed the pros and cons and decided to release ladybugs at home to naturally deal with ficus lyrata pests, first mist your plants with a spray bottle so your helpers can drink before their meal. When you do, ensure you’re not bringing any hitchhikers inside. Gnats are another common nuisance associated with vertical or indoor gardens. How do you identify early signs of an insect infestation? For a leafy houseplant that requires less attention, try growing a snake plant, dracaena, or ZZ plant. Finally, when they do move around, they’re usually hanging out on the undersides of leaves or in the nooks and crannies where those leaves emerge from the trunk and branches. When they arrived, my family and I quickly applied some to my fiddle leaf fig plants. Adult fungus gnats aren’t dangerous on their own, but they sure are annoying! Buy Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food on Amazon Now! That three-week window gives mealybugs, fungus gnats, and spider mites a chance to expose themselves by producing a couple of generations of offspring, which are usually the most conspicuous time for their life cycle. Spider mites are the bane of my existence and they are one of the most common fiddle leaf fig pests and diseases. Fiddle leaf fig trees make fantastic house plants. Once you’ve seen those things, you can address them before bringing them in to be neighbors with your fiddle leaf fig. Here are a few of the benefits and drawbacks of releasing ladybugs indoors to control ficus lyrata pests. Check their leaves for any odd growths or holes and check the underside for any small pests. Fiddle leaf figs are decently happy as root bound plants and will do just fine in the pot you bought it in. This encourages the plant to produce big, healthy leaves and lots of new foliage. Butterflies are a common outdoor fiddle leaf fig visitor that occasionally hitchhike their way into your home. But fear not – with a few simple steps you can have your Fiddle Leaf healthy again. Simply fill a kitchen syringe with water and spray the little dark dots until you don’t see any more. When you’re ready to step up your treatment plan and apply something more potent than a jet of water, grab some rubbing alcohol and a couple of Q-tips. Many fruit trees are invaded by ants, but ants on fig trees can be especially problematic because many types of figs have an opening through which these insects can readily enter and spoil the fruit. They are soft bodied insects that are sucking out the plant sap of a Fiddle Leaf fig. Legit so gross to look at and I need to save my tree! In feeding off the plant, they rob vital nutrients from the plant itself. A healthy plant is the best deterrent and combatant for pests. Mealy Bugs on Fiddle leaf figs. If no white bugs are visible, simply keep an eye out for a cottony substance or wet-looking residue. Let’s talk about the common insects that threaten to bother, hinder, and even destroy your prized fiddle leaf fig tree. Use our Houseplant Leaf Armor, designed for houseplants to protect against insects, bacteria, and fungus. Tap to unmute. Copyright © echo date(Y);?> Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource, Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food Moisture Meter, Pests Bugging Your Fiddle Leaf Fig? About 3 days after bringing the plant into my home I noticed millipedes and beetle-like bugs crawling from the plant so naturally I set out to repot with new soil. (OK, just kidding about that last one.) The trouble with most online educational resources that teach about spider mites is that they tend to show widespread infestations. Insects feed off Fiddle Leaf Figs, often visible on either the leaves or stem. Keep your fiddle leaf fig in a bright place, something gnats hate, and using well-draining, regularly aerated, loosely packed soil. Check their leaves for any odd growths or holes and check the underside for any small pests. For instance, the fig tree borer lays its eggs near the base of a branch and then the resulting larvae hatch and tunnel into the tree. The counterintuitive good news, though, is that fiddle leaf fig favors conditions that are not conducive to fungus gnats. They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of care, and when it comes to bugs that would love to snack on your fiddle leaf fig’s roots, branches, and leaves, prevention really is the best medicine. Not every pest is controllable, however. Mealy Bugs on Fiddle leaf figs. Once on your fiddle leaf fig, these soft-body bugs suck the sap out of the leaves, causing them to eventually fall off. Lack of bright light is the #1 reason for unhealthy Fiddle Leaf … Mealybugs on Fiddle Leaf fig trees resemble tiny puffs of cotton and excrete a powdery, waxy coating that inspired their name. Fiddle Leaf Fig trees LOVE bright light. In her latest book, Benefit of the Debt (April 28, 2018), Miller offers a unique perspective that gives fresh insight into common sources of brokenness within Christian marriages. Fiddle Leaf Figs can find themselves unwittingly providing food for a variety of common pests, these include mealybugs, scale, mites, whiteflies, and aphids. Water only when the top 3-4 inches of soil is dry. Share. Finally, snap a picture and share it with our free, helpful, encouraging group of fellow fiddle leaf fig enthusiasts online. Alcohol solutions are effective against mealy bugs with solutions of 60-70% diluted with water effective when applied with a cotton bud directly to mealy bugs. A fiddle-leaf fig tree houseplant will outgrow your house. I’m often asked about the seemingly dry, … Poke a few holes in the top of the wrapping to allow those bugs to crawl in and forget how to escape. No matter, you have not done any permanent damage. We’ll talk more about repotting later but, for now, just place it inside a larger decorative container or basket and disguise the plastic store-bought pot with some decorative moss. If you only spot a few of these bugs, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and dab it on each individual. What was going on? The most common diseases and pests that you can encounter whilst caring for your fiddle leaf fig are mealy bugs, scale, mites, whiteflies and aphids. Number two is the appearance of small, clustered dots on the leaves of you plant. Info. When not writing, Miller loves doting on her six prized fiddle leaf fig trees. That web is the number-one indication of the presence of spider mites. 5. Just … These enticing plants are not, unfortunately, in the easy-care category. The next most common fiddle leaf fig pest is the mealybug. So, you’ve noticed some tiny pests creeping on your precious fiddle leaf fig, leaving little webs and stressing out your once-thriving plant. They secrete a wet-looking substance called honeydew, and the female mealybugs produce a cottony material to lay their eggs. Fiddle-leaf figs do best with a 3-1-2 formulation of these nutrients. Our family is always hesitant to jump to chemical treatments, and I knew there would be a natural solution out there if I was willing to be creative. Not long ago, I realized my fiddle leaf fig trees were being antagonized by a pest. It’s important to act quickly during a fiddle leaf fig insect infestation to save your plant and keep the insects from spreading to your other plants. Buy Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food on Amazon Now! One friendly insect I’ve found in my plants is the pill bug. If all else fails, you can fake it with a faux fiddle-leaf fig tree. What’s worse, this particular pest is known to secrete honeydew, which attracts other fiddle leaf fig pests like ants and mold.
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