HELP - suspected root rot

[brittany_k8]

My 2001 port Jackson fig has suspected root rot. All the mature leaves began to die from the tips and eventually all dries out and fell off and now the remaining younger leaves are drooping (see picture). Is this root rot and what the best solution to recover the plant?

Up until about 4 weeks ago the tree was completely healthy. I went away on holidays and came back to the drip tray over filled with water, which had been the case for 2 weeks. Should I repot it? Or let it recover?


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[shibui]

The trouble is that both too wet and too dry have pretty much the same symptoms. I guess if the drip tray was full it is unlikely it was too wet but the soil looks quite dry now. You are there so you are the best to decide which could be causing it.
Older leaves falling off can be normal as all leaves only have a limited lifespan and many natives drop old leaves when conditions get tough in summer. My figs have also lost most older leaves now.

I can see several bits of good news.
First, it looks like only one section of the tree is affected. All the lower shoots look fine. Check that section of trunk to make sure there's not some damage to the bark of trunk that could be causing circulation issues to just that area.
Second, Figs are pretty resilient. You really need to work to actually kill one.
Third, it is still summer so we can still repot without causing problems for the tree. On balance I think I would give it a repot now and see what the roots look like. Looks like some decent mix would be good anyway.

Good luck with the tree

[Alan Peck]

You dont say where you keep it and your location would help too. Can we assume you are feeding it also.

[brittany_k8]

The tree is situated near a window, so receives ample light. But during a 2 week period where I went away on holidays it didn’t receive enough light due to where it was kept and was overwatered. After the 2 weeks I came home and it was sitting in water.

I typically feed it seasol liquid fertiliser every few weeks (maybe every 3 weeks on average during summer). Although it hadn’t received any fertiliser for the month of January.

[Alan Peck]

I see from the label in the pot it has 2011 on it and not 2001 as you say. If either date it should now be a large heathy tree with a trunk as thick as you thigh.
My suspicions were correct from the state of it when you say that it is near a window. Seen this many many times and I'm sorry to say that if you do not let it live outside in full sun you will kill it. The only option you have is to do that and with a few weeks of light watering and misting of the tree to simulate humidity because figs lives in the semi tropics and warmer climates. If you have a bonsai club nearby go and ask them additional advise and where they keep their figs. Once recovery is evident and it has perked up you can cut it back hard to promote new additional buds before winter. It would help greatly if you can say where you live so I'm ansering as though you live in Australia.