How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Sharing recommendations on maintain a fiddle leaf fig tree, how typically to water it, how a lot water, how a lot daylight, all of these necessary questions!

Meet Frida Kahlo. She’s our beautiful fiddle leaf fig plant that greets everybody who walks into our house.

Frida receives SO many compliments each in actual life and on-line, and I typically get questions on maintain a lot of these vegetation.

I hesitated to jot down this put up as a result of I was a infamous plant killer and killed a number of indoor vegetation. Over the previous handful of years, I’ve FINALLY discovered my groove, and whereas I really feel fairly assured about my routine, I’m nonetheless scared to jinx something.

I can’t assist however concern that as SOON as I publish this put up, Frida’s leaves begin to recoil and burst into flames. However I’m going to go for it.

I hope you discover some useful suggestions right here and my fellow fiddle leaf lovers, please share your high suggestions within the feedback.

What Is A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

A fiddle leaf fig plant can be referred to as a Ficus lyrata. They’re tropical bushes that do extraordinarily properly outside in reasonable and humid environments.

Over the previous 10 years or so, they’ve surged in reputation. Fiddle leaf figs generally grace journal covers, Instagram, and Pinterest posts.

It’s a lovely houseplant that may add to the aesthetic attraction of your house and could be a beautiful, architectural assertion in your house. It makes a decor affect and can be infamous for being a difficult houseplant to maintain alive.

On this put up, I’m sharing tried and examined recommendations on maintain a fiddle-leaf fig tree, discover time to repot it, and hold it trying lush, wholesome, and thriving for a very long time.

How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Correct Placement and Lighting Necessities

The important thing with fiddle leaf figs, tropical vegetation, and home vegetation is to discover a place in your house the place they’ll be blissful and get sufficient mild. Often, this can be a north or south-facing window, the place it could possibly get a number of daylight. These vegetation additionally are likely to do properly in areas with excessive ceilings, skylights, and huge home windows. When you dwell in an space that isn’t well-lit, you need to use a grow light. I’m in a fiddle leaf Fb group (obsessed) and lots of members use develop lights on their vegetation. Have a look across the space and be sure you don’t have AC vents that shall be blowing immediately on the plant.

Whereas the solar is an effective factor, be careful for an excessive amount of sizzling solar and powerful direct daylight on the plant as a result of it could possibly trigger sunburn. We now have one other fiddle leaf, Fred, who was forgotten exterior and was sunburned. He had brown spots for fairly some time however has lastly recovered. Vibrant, oblique mild is often greatest. Lightening circumstances make all of the distinction.

Watering

Okay, so there are fairly a number of strategies right here: the cup technique (watering a small quantity incessantly) or the extra rare technique (LOTS of watering about as soon as per week). I discovered that the cup technique did NOT work for me. She was dropping leaves like loopy and I used to be pacing across the plant, attempting to determine what the heck was taking place. A recreation changer: the water meter! I ordered this from Amazon and checked her water each 7-10 days. I ONLY water the plant when the soil dries and the meter reaches a moisture stage 2 or 3, after which I soak the heck out of it. I’ll use 4 massive measuring bowls filled with filtered water and drench the soil. (Frida prefers filtered water from the fridge and never from the sink. Our ranges right here in Tucson are too acidic and it was affecting her leaves.)

Earlier than watering, use the water meter or a chopstick to poke holes within the soil – don’t fear it won’t disturb the roots. This may assist to oxygenate the soil and the water to circulate via extra freely. A very good rule of thumb for the quantity of water to make use of: water till it begins to return out of the drainage holes after which go away it alone.

A observe: fiddle leaf figs LOVE rain and I really feel like rainwater is so significantly better for vegetation than sink water. Name me loopy, however they reply in a different way. If it rains, drag your sturdier vegetation exterior!

Potting Medium

Tip: earlier than you pot your fiddle leaf fig, hold it within the pot from the nursery within the space of your home the place it is going to dwell. This fashion, it could possibly have time to regulate to the lighting and atmosphere earlier than you additional shock the plant by repotting. For potting soil, just remember to use one thing that permits water to circulate via as an alternative of holding the water, which might trigger root rot. They promote particular soil for fiddle leaf figs, and I do know many who’ve had good luck with cactus/succulent soil. I used Miracle Develop potting soil and it labored properly. Test together with your nursery to see what potting combine they advocate on your local weather.

Once you pot the fiddle leaf fig, you don’t want an unlimited pot as the basis system doesn’t want a ton of room to develop. They really do higher once they’re barely certain, and lots of fiddle leaf figs do properly within the preliminary pot from the nursery. I’d select a pot round that dimension, or barely larger. Necessary: be sure that the pot has a drainage gap so the water can simply circulate via. I additionally wish to put small rocks on the backside of a pot earlier than including the plant and soil, so water can simply transfer via and forestall root rot.

Fertilizing

You don’t *have* to fertilize your plant if the soil is wholesome and the plant is prospering. When you discover that it wants slightly increase, I like this fertilizer combined with filtered water. (It was too acidic with our sink water and brought about issues, so I finished utilizing it.) When you select to make use of fertilizer, do that twice a 12 months: as soon as in the summertime and as soon as within the winter.

Routine Upkeep

Misting! As I discussed earlier than, FLFs love humid environments and thrive in slightly humidity. When you dwell in a dry local weather, misting could make a constructive affect on the leaves. You possibly can place a humidifier on low near your plant, or sometimes mist by hand. I use this mister from Amazon and solely mist the leaves once I water (as soon as each 7-12 days). I mist the leaves after which wipe off any mud with a paper towel. This fashion, dusty leaves don’t hinder the power to get daylight.

Weak trunks: I’ve heard of individuals gently shaking their tree’s trunks each few days, particularly in the event that they’re weaker/smaller. That is to stimulate the excessive winds and encourage a stronger trunk. I haven’t carried out this for Frida, however might do that for Fred.

Enjoyable observe: fiddle leaf figs will develop as excessive as their ceiling permits. Our ceilings are 30 ft tall, and I HOPE SHE GROWS THIS HUGE with all my coronary heart.

Repotting

I’ve discovered that these vegetation are greatest left alone, so I’d solely advocate repotting if completely mandatory. (It may well trigger stress for the vegetation and we don’t wish to stress them out!) Some websites advocate repotting each 2-3 years to get recent vitamins from the soil, however I really feel like if the plant is blissful, go away it alone haha. Some indicators you may wish to repot: the soil is pulling away from the sides and you’ll see a number of roots, a bacterial an infection (a number of brown spots on the leaves), or root rot. You possibly can keep away from root rot by ensuring there’s a number of drainage and avoiding overwatering.

If you might want to repot, shake off the surplus soil from the roots, and trim away any of the roots’ ends which can be overgrown. (It’s like giving it a haircut.) When you see any mushy roots, trim these off too. Place right into a pot with a number of inches of soil, encompass with a number of recent new soil, and water.

Okay, pals! That’s all I’ve bought for ya, and I’ll add extra to this put up as I consider new suggestions.

Do you might have plant infants? Any nice suggestions you’ve discovered over time? Please share the entire fiddle leaf fig care suggestions with us!

xo

Gina