How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Sharing tips about 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 dwelling.

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

I hesitated to write down this submit as a result of I was a infamous plant killer and killed a number of indoor crops. 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 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 ideas right here and my fellow fiddle leaf lovers, please share your prime ideas 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 stunning houseplant that may add to the aesthetic enchantment of your area and could be a beautiful, architectural assertion in your house. It makes a decor influence and can be infamous for being a difficult houseplant to maintain alive.

On this submit, I’m sharing tried and examined tips about how one can 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 crops, and home crops is to discover a place in your house the place they’ll be pleased and get sufficient gentle. Often, this can be a north or south-facing window, the place it will possibly get plenty of daylight. These crops additionally are inclined to do properly in areas with excessive ceilings, skylights, and huge home windows. In the event you reside 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 crops. Have a look across the space and ensure you don’t have AC vents that will likely be blowing immediately on the plant.

Whereas the solar is an efficient factor, be careful for an excessive amount of sizzling solar and robust direct daylight on the plant as a result of it will possibly trigger sunburn. We have now one other fiddle leaf, Fred, who was forgotten outdoors and was sunburned. He had brown spots for fairly some time however has lastly recovered. Vivid, oblique gentle is often greatest. Lightening situations 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, 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 degree 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 can assist to oxygenate the soil and the water to stream 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 depart it alone.

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

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 would reside. This manner, it will possibly have time to regulate to the lighting and atmosphere earlier than you additional shock the plant by repotting. For potting soil, just be sure you use one thing that permits water to stream via 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 properly. Examine together with your nursery to see what potting combine they advocate on your local weather.

While 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 develop. They really do higher after they’re barely sure, 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 greater. Necessary: be sure that the pot has a drainage gap so the water can simply stream 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. In the event you discover that it wants a bit increase, I like this fertilizer blended with filtered water. (It was too acidic with our sink water and brought about issues, so I ended utilizing it.) In the event 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 a bit humidity. In the event you reside in a dry local weather, misting could make a optimistic influence on the leaves. You possibly can 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 flexibility 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 crops are greatest left alone, so I’d solely advocate repotting if completely mandatory. (It might probably trigger stress for the crops and we don’t need 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 pleased, depart it alone haha. Some indicators you would possibly need to repot: the soil is pulling away from the sides and you’ll see plenty of roots, a bacterial an infection (plenty of brown spots on the leaves), or root rot. You possibly can keep away from root rot by ensuring there’s plenty of drainage and avoiding overwatering.

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

Okay, mates! That’s all I’ve acquired for ya, and I’ll add extra to this submit as I consider new ideas.

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

xo

Gina