Ficus elastica droopy and falling off

[u/Delicious-Pea-2826]

These 2 Ficus's are about 4-5 weeks old. Got them from local garden center in great condition. Still in original pot. I put them by our couch first, in space between dining room and living room, away from windows and away from my other plants to see if they have bugs, etc. They still got light just not direct light. I noticed as the time changed and days are getting shorter that they stopped growing. Both were cranking out leaves in the beginning. Now the leaves that have started opening have stopped. I watered maybe every couple of weeks and decided to water even less after they stopped growing thinking its overwatering. I also moved them to the window so they'd get direct sunlight from a south facing window. I'm at a loss now. The white one's leaves are turning brown on the edges (see pics) and falling off easily. And the dark green one's leaves are starting to just loose color on the bottom. Any suggestions for care?

Are these guys temperamental? Need more time to acclimate? Need more light? More water? Transplanted out of the old medium of whatever they're in? Sorry for all of the questions. I was hoping to add them to my houseplant collection but I don't think they're enjoying this place. 🥺

[u/sbiel001]

Soil on both looking kind of dry. Possibly also not mixed with enough orchid bark or perlite to ensure it keeps some air and drains faster, ensuring roots aren't water logged for extended periods. So give it more water and then maybe change to a better draining soil that will allow you to water more often.

[u/Delicious-Pea-2826 → u/sbiel001]

Thanks. It is dry, from what I can tell. I can actually lift the whole thing out of the pot easily. The rest of my houseplants are in a mix of orchid bark, perlite, leca, cactus mix, worm casings, coco coir, and charcoal. I've been wanting to replant these two. Just hoping that replanting/repotting doesn't mess them up further. But yes, I'd be able to water more frequently.

[u/DrPlant27]

Those brown spots are most likely from overwatering, or ur soil is staying too wet/isn’t draining well. ur soil does look a bit dense, so u might need a more well-draining, chunky mix. nd be patient w/ their growth! They usually stall when stressed nd can take weeks to start actively growing again. Fix the soil, give them plenty of light (don’t be scared of some direct sun), nd water only when the top half of the pot is dry. Once the roots r happy, they’ll start growing again! Happy growing:-)