Even if you are the most careful and diligent owner of a fig leaf plant, you may notice pests or insects on its leaves during the life of your plant. Here are the care tips for this plant.

Even if you are the most careful and diligent owner of a fig leaf plant, you may notice pests or insects on its leaves during the life of your plant. Don't worry, it's not just your plant that is affected by pests, but all plants have experienced worse pests during their life and it's interesting to know that they won this fight.

It is enough to be patient and help your plant in this fight by knowing the flower and its pests correctly.

Symptoms of pest in fig leaf plant

• Yellowing of leaves
• Brown, white, or yellow spots on leaves or stems
• Sticky residue on leaves
• Holes in leaves
• webbing
• White or black powdery substance

It's a good idea to take a closer look at your plant's leaves to make sure there are no pests on them. Maybe having a magnifying glass is a good help in this way.

Types of fig leaf plant pests

The pests of the fig leaf plant that cause the leaves to dry and fall because they feed on the plant tissue are the following:

• Spider mites
• thrips
• Weevil
• mealybug

Spider mites

Spider mites are arachnids that consume plant tissues and sap. Like their well-known relatives, they can develop fine webbing on the leaves.

Unfortunately, if you see this pest on one of your plants, it has probably already spread to other plants.

Symptoms of spider mites on Monstera include yellowing of the leaf edges and small yellow or brown spots on the leaves where the mites have sucked the sap.

If you suspect spider mites, one way to check is to gently shake the leaves on a piece of white paper. Once the ticks land on the paper, you should see them more clearly because they will soon begin to move. There are different species of spider mites, so you may see different colors depending on your species. Red and black are the most common types of spider mites.

They are more common in the winter because they like warm, dry environments — like your house, which is heated by a heater. Therefore, one way to eliminate and control them is to place the plant in an environment colder than room temperature and with more humidity. Of course, this only reduces the activity of the mite on the plant, and you need to treat the plant to get rid of the infestation.

Placing the plant in the bathroom or outside can quickly reduce the mite population. You can also wipe the leaves with 70% alcohol or horticultural soap to kill any remaining mites.

thrips

Thrips are so small that they are hard to notice unless you examine your Monstera leaves closely. These tiny insects suck moisture from plants, which can make the leaves look dry and brown. Additionally, they can carry viruses to your plants that can damage or kill them.

They look like small white balls and are usually located on the underside of leaves. Adult larvae are dark brown or black and can fly.

Treating thrips early will go a long way in minimizing damage to your plants. Inspect new plants and quarantine them for at least two weeks before sharing them with your other houseplants.

Since thrips tend to cluster together, you may be able to remove heavily infested leaves from your plant and simplify treating the rest. Foliage figs can tolerate fairly heavy pruning, which may be the best option for severe thrips problems.

Before using the insecticide, hold the fig leaves with your hand and then wash the back of the leaves thoroughly with water pressure because thrips usually gather on the back of the leaves.

Weevils

Aphids feed on the plant and the signs of their presence are: yellow and brown or black spots on the back of the leaves.

To deal with this pest, you need to cut the affected leaves and prevent the leaves from getting wet during watering. If necessary, use fungicides.

Caring and watering the fig leaf plant

One of the first things to consider with any new houseplant is when and how much to water it. Over-watering can lead to problems like root rot or fungal growth, and under-watering can dry out your plant and make its leaves turn crispy and brown.

So how much water should you give your new fig leaf? The answer to this question is simple; Fig leaves do not like to be dry or too wet. They like their soil to be in the moderate point between wet and dry.

Fig leaves like moderate watering. In the world of houseplants, moderate watering means watering when the soil is an inch or two below the surface.

How to test the humidity or dryness of fig leaf soil?

There are two ways:

Finger test: Gently dip your finger into the soil about two knuckles deep. If the soil is still this wet, you can stop watering. If it's dry, it may be time to give your fig leaf a drink.
Stick method: Insert a stick into the soil. If it comes out clean, the soil is dry and it is time to water. If it comes out moist with clumps of dark soil stuck to it, your fig leaf is still moist.
How much to water fig leaves and how?

Well, now that you have determined that your fig leaf is wet or needs a drink, it is time to water it.

Do not wet the soil and empty the drainage tray when the excess water runs out.
Try not to get the leaves wet. Instead, add water to the soil instead of pouring it on the plant.
Fig leaves do not like to be overwatered, try to empty the drainage tray quickly.

It's also important to make sure your plant gets plenty of indirect sunlight, which will help it use water efficiently and dry out in a timely manner. Otherwise, your fig leaf may stay wet for a long time and suffer from root rot.

Important points in watering houseplants

When watering your plants, use filtered water at room temperature or let the water sit overnight to evaporate chemicals like chlorine.

You may need to water less in the winter, so always test the soil before adding more water. Plan on watering weekly to every other week in the summer and every few weeks in the winter.

Signs that your fig leaf is overwatered:

• Dark brown spots on the leaves
• Yellowing of leaves
• Mold on the surface of the soil
• Falling leaves
• Wrinkled and crispy leaves

final word

In this article, you fully explained about the fig tree plant, how to water it and the pests that threaten it and how to deal with them. If you are interested in this beautiful and attractive plant, we suggest that you carefully look at the leaves of your plant and prevent the occurrence of pests in your plant before it is too late.