Hello,
Bought this 4 foot fiddle leaf fig from Home Depot for $30 and looked super healthy. Now, about 4 months later, the leaves tips are turning brown and some leaves are dropping. I want to correct whatever it is I'm doing wrong.
Potting:
I have potted it in a pot that is bigger than what it came in. Used soil that was provided plus a bit more of nice potting soil. Has a hole in bottom for drainage.

Water: Provide it 600 ml weekly sometimes another 300 ml as I'm not sure if it is needing more water. I got a 3 way soil moisture meter and what I read a reading of 4 is ideal in a 1 to 10 scale but quickly goes back to 1 or 2 an hour later which always makes me feel it is underwatered. I have given it mostly tap. We also have a reverse osmosis system and I have given it that as well which cuts down on heavy metals if that might help. I would like to stay away from having to purchase distilled water all the time if possible.

Light: In my office near windows. Direct sun in morning for an hour then indirect light.

Fertilizer: I give it some here and there in liquid form.

PH Balance shows on the alkaline side.

Any thoughts on what I might be doing wrong? I'm guessing over or under watering.

Some leaves look like the close up I also uploaded but some are still fine. I'm guessing they will end up eventually like the brown ones. :(

Thanks,
Shawn

to the forums!

I did the conversion from ml to cups and you are WAY underwatering your Fiddle-leaf Fig. Unless you're keeping things real cool, it needs around 1/2 gallon every week or 2. When you water it, take it to a sink or bathtub and fill the pot to the top with water and let it drain through to the point where it is no longer dripping. Check it again in 1 week, with your finger (meters are crap), and decide if it needs to be watered again. It should dry down about 2" before you water again. Just dumping a few cups on it and waiting for a week isn't really watering it thoroughly.

Very helpful. Thank you for the information. I will make these adjustments now.
Shawn

My thoughts were similar, getting too thirsty. If there is not much space between the soil surface and the the rim of the pot, you might need to add water several times to fully saturate all of the soil. Aim for evenly moist, not wet spots vs. dry spots. If the soil gets really dry at some point, it can help to spritz the soil surface with a squirt bottle to get it ready to accept moisture. When you water, if it doesn't pool on top, water all around the surface, not just in 1 spot.

If it's too much trouble to move it as often as it needs water, you can use a turkey baster to remove excess water in a drip tray if the excess water is still is still there after an hour or so. If you choose that route, it's still good to move it at least 2-3 times per year to flush it well where it can drain freely, inside or outside in the shade. The weight of the pot is likely a more accurate measure of the soil saturation than a gadget. I don't pick up the big ones often, but by tilting a big pot sideways I can gauge if it still feels as heavy as it did when I finished watering the previous time.

purpleinopp,
Thank you so much for the advice as well. I will also complete those steps.

Happy to suggest. Best luck!