The leaves of my Ficus Bonsai are brown, what should I do?

The bansai ficus is a tree that fits easily into any type of interior thanks to its aesthetics. It absorbs all the impurities in the room such as smoke or gases. This Asian plant requires maintenance to be able to live a healthy life. However, the ficus is not a capricious plant, you just need to be willing to follow a few rules. Generally speaking, good watering, good light exposure, a good fertilizer every now and then, and a good amount of moisture will ensure its health and growth. It can happen that the leaves of a bansai ficus turn brown. The cause of this phenomenon could be poor maintenance.

Take the necessary measures when the leaves of your ficus bansai turn chestnut. This phenomenon does not appear without reason. Behind this could be an illness, poor maintenance or even a deficiency. However, you should know that it is possible to prevent this from happening. Here are the 5 reasons that can cause your ficus bansai leaves to turn brown.

Why the leaves of your Bansai ficus are brown ?

When we notice that the leaves of our ficus are turning brown, it is normal to wonder what could be the cause. However, there is nothing to be alarmed about. There are adequate solutions to this kind of problem and tips to prevent it. Here are five reasons why the leaves of your ficus are brown.

1. The location

You should know that the ficus is a plant that does not like to be in motion. Moving it could cause various kinds of problems. This mainly concerns its foliage, a change in color or falls can be the result. To this end, it must be assigned a fixed and stable place. It is also necessary to ensure that the room provides it with a good amount of light and humidity as well as a temperature which is on average 20 ° C. 

2. The amount of humidity

The bansai ficus is used to living in an environment with high humidity. Therefore, it must be assigned a sheltered and fairly humid place. Where the temperature is between 15 ° and 22 ° C. If ever your room could not give it that, it will be necessary to pass to the artificial hydration. You will need to spray rainwater on the leaves at least once a day or use an air humidifier.

3. The amount of water

The phenomenon of leaves turning brown could be caused by the lack of water. Make sure to water your plant weekly with temperate, lime-free water. To eliminate the chlorine in your tap water, you have two solutions either to use an anti-chlorine product or to let the water stand for 24 hours before using it for watering. Otherwise, too much water could also be the cause of this phenomenon. 

4. The quality of the substrate

The substrate is a set of elements that make up the lower layer of the soil. It helps to position the plant well inside the pot. Its main role is first in the absorption of water and nutrients, then in the distribution of the latter throughout the ficus. Good water irrigation really depends on the quality of your substrate. The substrate must be granular to be able to ensure good drainage and good division of the roots of your ficus bansai.

5. Lack of light

The bansai ficus requires an amount of light necessary to be able to live. It is preferable that this light come directly from the sun. However, it is not advisable to expose it directly to its shelf. Lack of light for a fixed period of time could adversely affect the health of the plant, this can cause its foliage to change color. Place your plant 10 cm from your window to give it the right amount of light. If your room does not capture natural light, try to reproduce it artificially using a horticultural lamp.  

Some tips that can help you prevent the leaves of your banzai ficus from turning brown

To prevent the leaves of your ficus bansai from changing color and turning brown, you must give it a sufficient amount of light by placing it as close as possible to the window or to a horticultural lamp if natural light is lacking.

Never forget to humidify the plant if the surrounding air is very dry, this will allow its leaves to keep their beautiful green color. It is important to respect the amount of water during watering, the potting soil must be neither too dry nor too wet, both cases can cause the leaves to turn brown.

It should be pointed out that when your ficus is not in good health, avoid dispersing fertilizer in the soil. We have to wait until he gets better.