I inherited this ficus from a friend. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. All the leaves are falling off and there are hard dry white circles on some of the leaves. I tried keeping the blinds closed but it still seems sick. I water it once a week.
I'd like to know how much/often to water it.
Does it need food?
Should I re pot it?
The leaf you are holding in the first picture is typical of sunburn.
Falling leaves is a common reaction to a change. Usually it recovers.
If it is a choice between too wet and too dry, err on the side of 'slightly drier', rather than keeping it too wet.
I water it once a week. Water on an 'as needed' basis, rather than a schedule ...... unlewss you're using a fast (draining) and highly aerated soil that allows you to water to beyond saturation w/o concern the soil will tremain soggy so long it affects root health and function. Use a 5/16" wooden dowel, sharpened ion a pencil sharpener, stuck deep in the pot as a 'tell' Don't water until the dowel rod comes out clean and dry.
I'd like to know how much/often to water it. You should be able top water so at least 15-20% of the total volume of water applied exits the pot's drain hole every time you water. If you can't water correctly w/o worry, the soil is inappropriately limiting and will be fighting you for control of the plant's vitality for the life of the planting.
Does it need food? Plants make their own food, sugar, during photosynthesis. Fertilizers provide the nutritional building blocks plants use for growth and keeping their systems orderly. There should be a full compliment of all the nutrients plants normally take from the soil, IN the soil solution and available for uptake at all times. Fertilizing can be monkey easy, or it can be nightmarish - depending on whether or not your soil choice is appropriate.
Should I re pot it? There isn't enough info to say yes or no, but odds highly favor "yes", if you haven't repotted it within the last 2 years. Repotting is different than potting up. Potting up usually only entails bumping the plant up a can size and adding a volume of soil sufficient to make the transition smooth. Potting up ensures a perpetual cycle of limited growth and vitality. Repotting, on the other hand, includes a change of soil and root work that eliminates potential root issues before they're made manifest in spoiled foliage, poor root health, insect infestations and/or diseases, ........
If you adhere to the practice of potting up, you should do so before root congestion gets to the point the root/soil mass can be lifted from the pot intact. Once a plant reaches that point, limitations are guaranteed unless root issues/congestion are corrected via root pruning during a repotting session.
See the soils I use for houseplants below. They both a joy to grow in and make caring for containerized plants VERY easy.
Al
