I'm not an expert, so i can only share some oppinion. During dry season, FLF on my backyard grow leaves just like that, even worse. New shoots can't stand combination of dry air and sunny day with no cloud too long. To get better looking tree, if your environment is dry, better protect the apex/growing tips from direct sunlight. That's my way during dry season for my smaller FLF that i grow in container.

That actually looks like physical damage as if something is chewing the leaves. If you can’t see anything in daylight I suggest checking after dark. Also the edges of the holes have healed so it might be something that happened in the past. Do you see any new, fresh holes?

its called mechanical damage ...

is it always outside... any windstorms in the last month ... cats.. dogs.. children .. you when you move it around.. shipping from grower to seller to you ...

bottom line.. its nbd ... if its putting out new leaves.. take off the ugliest ...

and if its mechanical ... then you sprayed form nothing.. its is preferred you actually find something to treat.. before you start applying any kind of goos...

water when a plant needs water ... insert finger and find out ... whether or not every 5 days is reasonable.. is left to you to figure out .. its not really about what the media surface looks like ...

humidity is rarely an issue ... but this doesnt look like that ... id think it would be more brown all over. .and rather crispy ...

and just for the heck of it ... how about a pic of the whole ... did you just show us a few damaged leaves.. and the rest looks good???

ken

ps: wait a minute.. down under ... you are just leaving summer... right... was it outside all summer long.. how bad was summer ... how windy ... etc ... but do keep in mind.. all plants shed a few of the oldest leaves.. and this often happens in winter ... the whole plant pic might help ....

I agree with what ToC said. Also, Ca(lcium) is essential to normal cell/tissue formation, and as such must be in the nutrient stream in adequate amounts at all times. Deformed leaves (hooked tips), holes, and dead spots on leaves are common symptoms of a Ca deficiency, though a lack of Ca causes widespread dysfunction and symptoms thereof throughout the plant, including roots. The most common reason for a Ca deficiency for containerized plants is a soggy medium. Even if there is plenty of Ca in the soil to satisfy the plants needs when cultural conditions in the root zone are favorable, soil saturation/inundation can stop the plant's ability to take up Ca in its tracks. All growers should be aware of that fact and at least consider it when looking for answers to where the symptoms outlined came from.

Lowe humidity while the leaf is forming and especially as it's in the process of unfurling can also definitely cause cracked or torn leaves and leaves with holes in them, as mentioned by ToC.

Al

Thanks everyone for your input!

Our summer was very mild compared to most summers. We haven’t really had any heatwaves. For most of the hot days I had my FLF inside getting light from a south facing window. I started getting brown leaves and it was not growing at all. it wasn’t happy hence why I moved it outside as it is lighter. It’s protected from the weah and any harsh wind so the holes aren’t caused by that.

The pesticide I used was neem oil as I thought I had some spider mite but soon realised it belonged to a spider so I stopped after a couple of spaced out treatments.

In regards to Ca and humidity, should I fertilise it and maybe get a pebble tray for it to sit on??

I am backing off the regular watering as it is now cooling down so the soil isn’t drying out as quickly.

I have attached some more pictures so you can see the whole plant and I also have some brown spots under the new leaves?? anyway, here is my fig in all it’s holy glory!

Am I too late?

No? Please, if you have a suggestion!

Do you use any fertilizer?All potted plants will need some kind of fertilizer either on a regular basis - more during the growing season and less during cooler periods. A water soluble synthetic fertilizer with NPK ratio closely matching 3:1:2 with macro (Ca, Mg, S) and micro (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, etc) nutrients is suitable for most plants. Foliage Pro 9:3:6 meets these needs perfectly. Miracle grow 24:8:16 is also fine but I think it is missing Ca. Both of these need to mixed with water applied on a regular basis according to instructions on the label. Or you can opt for a slow release fertilizer such as osmocote that can be applied once in the beginning of growing season.

And what kind of soil the plant is in? If it remains wet for long periods the you should consider repotting in a well drained soil. You can also use a variety of techniques to reduce the amount of water the soil holds. Roots need oxygen to grow and be healthy and so it is important that air reaches the roots along with water and nutrients. You may want to read this article by Al to get a better understanding of container soils: CONTAINER SOILS - WATER MOVEMENT and RETENTION XXII

In a hurry now, will check later tonight.

Upper and lower leaves have different kind of damage. 3 top leaves at least 1-2 months age, damage while unfurling caused by dry environment. The lower leaves crack brown because of their age. On dry environment, FLF tend to have longer internode and imperfect leaves. In humid bright light environment it will grow big smooth leaves with short internodes, look denser. Even not in perfect shape, your FLF still look healthy.

I have given it a generalised fertiliser with NPK of 10 : 1 : 6 but haven't really looked at the finer details of the macro and micro nutrients provided. I will look into fertliser sold by local retailers and give that a try with my FLF.

If I'm honest, I don't know what type of soil I have for it. I bought it and haven't changed the soil immediately surrounding the roots. I moved the FLF into a bigger pot and used premium potting mix to help fill the gaps. It is apparently meant to have the good stuff in it and is also slow releasing. It seems to drain fairly well and I tip out any of the remaining water that is caught in the tray. Should I have lighter soil for it? I shall read Al's article on container soil and water movement/retention.

Thanks