Hello!
Hoping that this message finds all well...I'm new to Fiddle Leaf game...a little over one month to be exact!

Already, I can tell that this will take some time to figure out...

I know, for sure, that I over watered when I first had delivered....2x in one week....They were both practically the same size...For some reason, only one has suffered some big consequences - browning leaves, brownish spots, cobweb like things, something that looked like 2 tiny white puffs - YIKES!!!!

I did some research + immediately did this:
-Closed vent that was creating air conditioning draft
-Took a little apple cider vinegar + water for cleaning of cobwebs, etc...
-Added bricks to planters on top of plastic liners
-Let them dry out as much as possible before the last watering
-Watered this past Wednesday evening with some FISH EMULSION + SUPERTHRIVE...As well as sprayed Dyna-Gro on leaves...

Please see attached images...Obviously, one is bigger/has more leaves than other...The one that needs more attention lost about 7 big leaves, the other lost only 1...

Seem to be looking OK since Wednesday...Not sure if it's my imagination or if they lost a little bit of green...

QUESTION - SHOULD I USE HOUSE & GARDEN MAGIC GREEN ON THE LEAVES...OR, DO NOTHING ELSE ???

Appreciate your help!
R-

What is the 14" in reference to, @bevhills333?

Your tress look fine. Don't overdo the fertilization. Fertilizer, per se, won't solve problems with houseplants. Control those pests, keep the potting soil slightly moist, and give the plants strong, indirect light. They'll do fine.

OK, Ken...Will fertilize once per month with fish emulsion + see how things go - Thank you for your response!!!

I love fish emulsion and used the powdered kind made by Seagate. It is said to be slow-release, constantly fertilizing at low rates for 3-4 months. Therefore, I only use it once, in the spring. I do supplement with general purpose, water soluble fertilizer ever so often, but at a rate of 1/2 the recommended dilution. One big difference is that all my plants are outside from April till November, so they can utilize a lot more water and a lot more fertilizer than plants grown indoors. Since I grow approximately 1000 tropical plants, all potted or mounted, I am always watering/fertilizing something.

Ken ,
I used Alaska Liquid Organic Fish Fertilizer 5- 1- 1...

Planning on using Superthrive with each watering once a week...

Hoping for the best!

R-

Originally, Superthrive advertisements promised to cure everything but cancer. Well, that's a little bit of hyperbole, but the advertisements and labeling were very fraudulent. The company has since backed off on a lot of that deceptive labeling and coincidentally, the price has come down as well. I still don't know whether this "hormone" supplement has any benefit or not. It certainly doesn't do any harm though.

I agree with most all of what Ken has already written so I will try not to repeat it. I do think you are worrying about and doing more than is necessary.

Your Lyratas are very full and will inevitably lose some of the lower and interior leaves simply because you cannot provide as much light in your home as it had in the nursery. So don't fret over some initial leaf loss. As long as new growth coming in is healthy, you are on the right track.

Not sure where you placed the bricks. Under the plastic pot?

If your trees are in their original pots, than a thorough watering weekly should be about right. Certainly water as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry. The fact that you watered twice in one week is not a cause for concern unless you continue to do that for an extended period of time.

Unless AC vents are blowing directly on the leaves and are a foot or less away, then the AC should not be a problem.

Soap and water works just as well as cider. I'm sure the webs are gone and will not return. Someone will tell you that the webs mean spider mites. In this case, that is not true.

The various chemical concoctions that you have read about online are of little value and could do damage if you overdo them. Superthrive is snake oil; harmless but useless. The leaves are nice and clean and do not need any type of leaf shine or cleaner.

You have healthy plants that seem to be well located. Pay attention to the watering and relax about everything else while you enjoy your plants!

Thank You both Ken + Will!
I will relax - ha!

To be more specific about my setup, I have trees in plastic planters...Sitting on bricks...Inside a plastic tray to hold water that drains...

I don't think that I need any additional responses on this, however, will be sure to give an update!

Oops!...Setup description should read as follows:

To be more specific about my setup, I have trees in plastic containers...Sitting on bricks...Inside a plastic tray to hold water that drains...ALL inside the water hyacinth planters!

Now, I'm done!

Well, here is the update...Things are moving in the wrong direction-

I asked someone who is supposed to know about repotting (this is his business) to repot into larger containers 2 weeks ago...

He bought self watering plastic planter pots + repotted with some gardening soil...I specifically instructed him to get a moisture control potting soil...

He added rocks to bottom of pots, however, being able to see water draining was working for me...I'm very upset with him bc there are brown spots leaves + losing leaves on both trees...

I can't really tell how much water they need...They are now in 16 inch pots...Watered for the first time today in 9 days with fish emulsion + Super Thrive thinking that maybe I was overwatering....

HELP!!!!!! WILL REPOTTING AGAIN IN POTS WITH DRAINAGE BE TOO STRESSFUL!!!

R-

Ahhh, the hazards of unnecessary repotting, especially when done improperly. If the original rootball is still intact, then remove it and all of the soil that was added and move the plant back to its original pot or one that is the same size.

BTW, "moisture control" potting mix does not mean what you think it does. It simply means they have added chemical substances that retain water even longer than normal. Given the fact that over watering is the most common problem for most people, adding something to keep the soil moist even longer is counter-productive.

I have been gone for 10 days and am hopelessly behind in my reads. Just seeing the last couple of posts though, I completely agree with Will. I would never ever use moisture control potting mixes.

By the way, Bev., you will never have a "perfect" fiddle leaf ficus tree. Those leaves are so huge that the least thing can cause spots/defects. The size of the leaves simply exaggerate those stresses reflected by the leaves.