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Help! I attach a photo of my bonsai tree which i have been keeping on the window sill in the kitchen but the last week the leaves have started to turn yellow and lots are falling off. What am i doing wrong and how often should i water it

I am very new to this as you can tell.

Thank you

I had a similar issue with two ficuses, the first one has been overwatered I think, I used a bad soil that retains all the water and it just died. The other one stopped dropping leaves after some time, I think it's due to a change in condition, and it didn't like it. I heard ficuses are capricious species when changing the environment.

For watering, what I do is I check the soil with my finger, I don't water on schedule but I check every day. If it feels dry, I water, otherwise, I don't. I also check with a hygrometer, I feel safer.

I personally pull those leaves myself, I might be completely wrong but I feel like it tries to keep these leaves alive and just pulling them helps it.

These are newcomer tips, I'm new to this as well.

How long do you have the ficus? If you have it less then a month, then perhaps the ficus still needs to adjust to it's place.
As changing location of the ficus can cause this.
Keep it moist, don't let it dry out.
Leaves will get yellow when the plant retracts old nutrients back for new growth. After that it will drop by it's own.
Pulling the leaves of yourself, will prevent the plant from taking back nutrients.
I only do that when i have guests, and want to show off the tree. Otherwise i leave those yellow leaves until they drop.
Overwatering signs are yellow leaves with brown spots at the end. (that is not the case here)

I see new growth on the top, so did you firtilize the bonsai already? When there growing like this, do that every week, half a dose from what is writen on the label will be good. Otherwise the plant can retract the nutrients from it's oldest leaves, and can cause the yellowing of the inner/lower leaves.
As this is a tropical, that means it does not shed all its leaves in winter, but it does shed some leaves every winter. As tropical leaves won't last longer then a few years.

When the weather allows it, and temps at night won't drop under 12/15celcius, then put the tree outside. As it will gain much more stronger growth. Then in fall bring it back inside.


The ficus looks great and healty! Firtilize it, keep it moist, and put it outside in summer.

Rorror wrote: Pulling the leaves of yourself, will prevent the plant from taking back nutrients.

Thanks for correcting me on this, I was sure it was helpful but this explanation makes sense.

Looks fine to me. New leaves come and old ones go, circle of life

Hello thank you for your reply. I’ve had the plant for around 2 months and have been paranoid about over watering. I haven’t been watering it everyday just enough when the soil on top gets dry to dampen it. Do you think it’s better to get a mister to spray? Also would it being in full sunlight in the window be an issue at all? Unfortunately it did not have any instructions on for what to feed or water it just had the plant name

Thanks everyone for helpful comments

I figure that it is just about right. That happens everytime.

bonsaig wrote: Hello thank you for your reply. I’ve had the plant for around 2 months and have been paranoid about over watering. I haven’t been watering it everyday just enough when the soil on top gets dry to dampen it. Do you think it’s better to get a mister to spray? Also would it being in full sunlight in the window be an issue at all? Unfortunately it did not have any instructions on for what to feed or water it just had the plant name

Thanks everyone for helpful comments

There is WAY too much paranoia over overwatering. Plants need water. When you water, water well. TO the point that water comes out at the bottom of the pot. ALL roots need water, not just the top. Then wait untill the top of the soil gets dry. Do NOT let the whole rootball dry out.

The warmer / sunnier ficus is kept, the more water it takes.
Watering in my living room happens with a 5 liter watering can. I refill it 6 or 7 times for one round of watering. I water at least twice a week at the moment. Plants use a lot of water when healthy.

Oh wow that’s good to know then as I am certainly not watering it enough thank you for all the replies

How long have you had it? If you wintered it inside and it did not have a dormancy period outside, then it is natural that it will start to shed leaves in the spring.