Care guides › Indoor garden › Weeping fig
Weeping fig care in Melbourne
Ficus benjamina · Toxic to cats and dogs
A small indoor tree; drops leaves if moved. Here is how much light it wants, which windows suit it, and how often to water it through a Melbourne year.

- LightBright, out of direct sun to some direct sun
- WaterEvery 8 days in summerEvery 14 in winter. Water when the top 3 cm of soil are dry, until it drains out the bottom.
- FeedEvery 4 weeks, Oct to MarLiquid feed at half strength. Nothing over winter.
- AirOrdinary room airNo misting needed.
Which window suits a weeping fig
In Melbourne the sun sits to the north, so north windows are the brightest and south the softest. Where it does well, by window and distance from the glass:
-
North-facing window
2.5 h of sun in summer · 9 h in winterOn the sillGood1-2 m backGoodFar sideToo dark -
East-facing window
5.5 h of sun in summer · 3.5 h in winterOn the sillGood1-2 m backGoodFar sideToo dark -
South-facing window
1.5 h of sun in summer · 0 h in winterOn the sillGood1-2 m backToo darkFar sideToo dark -
West-facing window
5.5 h of sun in summer · 3.5 h in winterOn the sillGood1-2 m backGoodFar sideToo dark
A Melbourne year with a weeping fig
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water every | 8d | 8d | 8d | 14d | 14d | 14d | 14d | 14d | 14d | 8d | 8d | 8d |
| Feed | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Repot check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
If something looks wrong
Yellow lower leaves and wet soil
Too much water. Let the top of the soil dry before the next drink; in winter that is about every 14 days.
Long, stretched stems
Not enough light. Give it the brightest window you have, right on the sill.
Leaning towards the window
It grows towards the light. A quarter turn every two weeks keeps it even.
Fine webbing or white fluff under the leaves
Spider mite or mealybug, most often as the weather warms. Wipe it off and check again in a week.
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