How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Sharing recommendations on how one can maintain a fiddle leaf fig tree, how usually to water it, how a lot water, how a lot daylight, all of these essential questions!

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

Frida receives SO many compliments each in actual life and on-line, and I usually get questions on how one can maintain some of these vegetation.

I hesitated to write down this submit 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 worry that as SOON as I publish this submit, 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 also be referred to as a Ficus lyrata. They’re tropical timber that do extraordinarily nicely outside in reasonable and humid environments.

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

It’s a stunning houseplant that may add to the aesthetic enchantment of your area and generally is a gorgeous, architectural assertion in your house. It makes a decor influence and can also be infamous for being a difficult houseplant to maintain alive.

On this submit, I’m sharing tried and examined recommendations on how one can maintain a fiddle-leaf fig tree, discover time to repot it, and preserve it wanting 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 lot of daylight. These vegetation additionally are likely to do nicely in areas with excessive ceilings, skylights, and enormous home windows. If you happen to reside in an space that isn’t well-lit, you should 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 ensure you don’t have AC vents that shall be blowing straight 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. Now we 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. Vivid, oblique mild is normally greatest. Lightening situations make all of the distinction.

Watering

Okay, so there are fairly just a few 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, making an attempt to determine what the heck was occurring. A sport 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 giant measuring bowls stuffed 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 is not going to disturb the roots. It will assist to oxygenate the soil and the water to move by extra freely. A great rule of thumb for the quantity of water to make use of: water till it begins to come back out of the drainage holes after which go away it alone.

A notice: 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 otherwise. If it rains, drag your sturdier vegetation exterior!

Potting Medium

Tip: earlier than you pot your fiddle leaf fig, preserve it within the pot from the nursery within the space of your home the place it’s going to reside. This manner, it could possibly have time to regulate to the lighting and setting earlier than you additional shock the plant by repotting. For potting soil, just be sure you use one thing that permits water to move by as a substitute 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 nicely. Examine together with your nursery to see what potting combine they suggest on your local weather.

Whenever you pot the fiddle leaf fig, you don’t want an infinite pot as the basis system doesn’t want a ton of room to broaden. They really do higher after they’re barely sure, and lots of fiddle leaf figs do nicely within the preliminary pot from the nursery. I’d select a pot round that dimension, or barely greater. Necessary: be sure that the pot has a drainage gap so the water can simply move by. I additionally prefer to put small rocks on the backside of a pot earlier than including the plant and soil, so water can simply transfer by and stop root rot.

Fertilizing

You don’t *have* to fertilize your plant if the soil is wholesome and the plant is flourishing. If you happen to discover that it wants slightly enhance, I like this fertilizer blended with filtered water. (It was too acidic with our sink water and prompted issues, so I finished utilizing it.) If you happen to select to make use of fertilizer, do that twice a yr: 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. If you happen to reside in a dry local weather, misting could make a optimistic influence on the leaves. You’ll be able to place a humidifier on low near your plant, or often 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 manner, 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 completed this for Frida, however might do this for Fred.

Enjoyable notice: fiddle leaf figs will develop as excessive as their ceiling permits. Our ceilings are 30 toes 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 suggest repotting if completely obligatory. (It could trigger stress for the vegetation and we don’t need to stress them out!) Some websites suggest 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 need to repot: the soil is pulling away from the perimeters and you may see a lot of roots, a bacterial an infection (a lot of brown spots on the leaves), or root rot. You’ll be able to keep away from root rot by ensuring there’s a lot of drainage and avoiding overwatering.

If it’s worthwhile 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.) If you happen to see any mushy roots, trim these off too. Place right into a pot with just a few inches of soil, encompass with a lot of recent new soil, and water.

Okay, buddies! That’s all I’ve received for ya, and I’ll add extra to this submit as I consider new suggestions.

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

xo

Gina