Watering less often, now that spring and summer have gone, along with many more hours of light, is called for. The tree, even indoors, is responding in a less active mode, so needs water less often (and I hope the pot's not sitting in drain water getting root rot). It would also be a good idea to be sure it's not rootbound (just slide it out of the pot in as much of one piece as you can to check) and if necessary slide it into a larger pot with new (fast-draining gritty) soil all around. I'm presuming the pot(s) have good drain holes, and that you're not just using peaty potting soil with no added grit (e.g. lots of perlite) and that you check down into the pot for dryness rather than just look at the surface.

If the yellow leaves are falling off on their own or with a gentle shaking of the tree, I would think it's a watering issue. However, if the yellow leaves are still a bit difficult to pull off, that is most likely cold damage caused by being left by an open window.

Stick your finger in the soil - if it's still moist two knuckles down, hold off on the watering.

If it were my plant, I would move it back from the window just a bit to avoid drafts, and be sure that window was always closed at night.

Hope this helps!

Okay. I'll be more careful with the watering. Maybe when it settles down, I'll switch it into a better pot too.

And oh yeah, I know about the branches. One that I thought was long-dead came back this year.
I guess it likes to play dead. Ha.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. :)

Also, add iron (chelate, or sulphate)regularly. It makes all the difference.Litte water, plenty of light - In winter, mine behaves like a succulent.

Laazure, treat your Ficus like you would a semi-succulent plant..(though Ficus are tropicals)
The leaves instinctly started dropping because of the time of year. Even if you don't move from its spot, the days are getting shorter, therefore need less water. Though when you do give a drink do so regularly..in other words, don't give sips here and there..Instead, give a good drink, but let dry before adding more..This also includes fertilizer..Stop..Your Ficus is telling you it's readying to go dormant.
Another thing, if you increased water, and left sitting in window that blew in cold air, this could have its downfall. I wonder if that's the reason you're seeing white minerals atop soil..a sign of cold air and wet soil which if continued will lead to root rot. Keep the window closed or set tree away..BTW, how cold did it get? What was the temp? Did it drop under 40F?
I wonder if Epsom Salts would help at this point.
I'd remove yellow/dead leaves w/o cutting stems. For appearance, and leaving dead foliage can attract bugs..(or so I've read) Good luck, Toni

I don't like to say so, but there's quite a bit of guessing going on in some of the replies that probably can't be supported by what we know about plant physiology or science in general.

Mottled yellow leaves in Ficus b. almost always signal a pest infestation. If you can't see mealies, check carefully for scale or spider miters. That the plant is losing older and lower leaves is also consistent with a mite infestation. Brown or transparent spots are a sign of plasmolysis. This can be caused by a fertilizer overdose or a build-up of salts from either/both fertilizers and/or irrigation water. The white precipitate you describe is also consistent with and indicates a high concentration of soil salts (has nothing to do with cold air, drafts, or wet soil, BTW).

A salt build-up, underwatering, or overwatering all cause the drought response of yellowing and eventually abscising leaves. Chill, particularly sudden chill, also causes a rapid change in growth regulators which causes a corky layer to form where leaf petioles (leaf stems) are attached to branches & eventual leaf loss.

Yes, you CAN remove the yellow and dead leaves w/o additionally impacting the plant, and you SHOULD remove them by cutting through the stems (petioles). The only other way to physically remove them is by plucking, and this will damage a high % of dormant buds in leaf axils.

Al

Hi, my ficus, which is as tall as the ceiling, has been dropping loads of leaves, at least seven every day, not only yellow but shiny young healthy looking green and there are greasy white deposits on them about the size of a pinhead. It now looks quite skeletal. I have tried watering less, watering more, feeding, not feeding, help please!

If the "greasy white spots" are located where the petiole (leaf stem) is attached to the leaf (a phenolic or wax gland) or in a fairly regular pattern just inside of leaf margins (enlarged cells called a lithocysts), they are a normal part of the plant's anatomy - so no need for concern. Where do you live and can we see a picture? Has it recently been moved (within the last couple of months)?

Al

I'd like to see a photo too. A couple of my ficus benjamina have been losing young leaves and I've gone over everything with Al. I'm finally beginning to believe it's cultural.

My trees however, have not shed a single mature leaf in months.

Please take a pic of these spots you speak of.

Youre in good hands with Al. In the mean time, read through his post here: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1493078/ficus-trees-in-containers

its very helpful and informative. My trees probably wouldn't be alive without him.

Hi, hope you received the photo, no it has not been moved. It has been fine for about 14 years! As you can see it looks very sparse, I sent the photo of the leaves separately

It didn't send so hopefully here it is.

I can't tell from the pics what the white spots are. They could be scale or mealy bugs. Do they move if you touch them? Or some of them also look like the wax cuticle was dislodged and moved.

have you brought any new plants home recently?

When was the last time you repotted the tree? Not just moved into a bigger pot, but bare rooted, pruned roots and added fresh soil?

I know you've had it in the same spot for 14 years and it's tolerated the light levels, probably barely scraping by, but ficus love as much light as you can possibly give them. All of mine spend the summers outside in full direct sunlight. That's really the only time they thrive, the rest of the year, even with lots of artificial light, they just hang on waiting till summer.

i will also say, watering more and feeling will probably just lead to its demise right now. Most people kill ficus by giving them too much water. Water only when the first couple inches are dry or the soil at the drain hole is dry.

Do you water until it comes out of the drain hole or in sips? Also, never let it sit with standing water in the saucer.

Unclear what the spots are, but not a normal part of the plant's anatomy. Use a magnifying glass so you can see more detail to determine if it's a pest (IDK what else it might be). I'd put low light and likely root congestion at blame for the weak/sparse growth. Trees tend to shed inner growth and show a concentration of foliage at/near the branch apices (growing tips) when they're root bound.

Al

Thank you for all of the comments, I will try moving it to a place with more light.

It would be in your plants' best interest to read up on repotting and plan that undertaking for very late spring - like around Father's Day. Repotting relieves the limitations imposed by root congestion, while potting up is sort of a half measure. It partially relieves some of the limitation of root congestion, but ensures that the effects of tight roots in the original root mass (whatever root mass was present when you potted up) will always be a factor in limiting growth and appearance.

Al

Thank you, I will certainly repot in the late spring. Babs.

Do think the spots could be something's eggs? They do not move. Babs.

I doubt it, but need a better picture.

Al

It could be mealies, have you tried to scrape it off?

Hi, it looks like three bits and another bit from a fallen leaf this morning seemed crystalline. Can't take a close up with my IPad, it goes blurred. Thank you, Al, I do appreciate your comments. Babs.

If, under magnification, you have no reason to think it's related to a living organism, it might simply be dissolved solids left behind from an exudate - sort of like the limey deposits often seen of tea kettles or plumbing. Sometimes, either by the process of guttation or through mechanical injury sites, sap is forced from the plant under pressure. When the water in the exudate evaporates, whatever was dissolved or suspended in the water - sugar, mineral salts, resins, ....... is left behind.

Al

That seems quite likely as I seem to remember a few drops of sap on the floor.

I will certainly follow your advice and repot in the spring, thank you. Babs.

Usually, when you think you have sap on the floor, it turns out to be honeydew secreted by insects sucking sap from your plants, so check carefully for insect invaders - especially mites, scale, and mealybug.

Al