Hello, human. I am your Fiddle Leaf Fig, Ficus lyrata. I am a majestic, sensitive being from the West African rainforest, and I am struggling. My roots are drowning, my leaves are whispering their distress, and I need you to understand my language. To save me, you must see the world from my perspective, down in the soil where I live.
You mean well with all that water, but my roots are not fish. They need both moisture and air to breathe. When you water me too much, the tiny air pockets in the soil flood. My roots begin to suffocate and rot. This rot is a silent, creeping death; it is a fungal infection that turns my strong, white roots into mushy, brown strings. I cannot absorb nutrients or water effectively from these damaged roots, which is the cruel irony—I am sitting in water, yet I am dying of thirst up top. The first thing I need is for you to stop watering me immediately.
You must investigate the damage. Gently lift me from my pot. I know it feels invasive, but it is necessary. Shake off the wet, suffocating soil and look at my root system. Healthy roots are firm and white or tan. Rotten roots are soft, mushy, dark brown, and will likely smell bad. Using clean, sharp scissors, you must carefully cut away all the rotted parts. This is surgery to save my life. Do not be afraid to remove what is dead; it is only harming me further. After the surgery, please let my roots air out for a few hours. The fresh air on my exposed root system is the first deep breath I have had in a long time.
I cannot go back into that old, soggy, potentially pathogen-filled soil. I need a fresh, well-draining home. Please choose a new pot that is only 1-2 inches larger in diameter than my remaining root ball, and ensure it has excellent drainage holes. My new soil must be a special, chunky mix—perhaps a blend of standard potting soil, perlite, and orchid bark. This new mix will hold just enough moisture for me to drink but will allow excess water to drain away instantly and let precious oxygen reach my roots.
After repotting, do not water me immediately. My roots are wounded and need a day or two to callous over to prevent further rot. When you do water, do so thoroughly until water runs from the drainage holes, but then you must wait. The key to our future is to only water me when the top 2-3 inches of my soil are completely dry. Put your finger in my soil; I will tell you when I am thirsty. Please place me in a spot with bright, indirect light. This energy will help me photosynthesize and grow new, strong roots to replace the ones I lost. Be patient with me. Recovery is not instant. It may take weeks or even months for me to push out new growth, a sign that I have forgiven the flood and am thriving again.
