Sharing recommendations on easy methods to deal with a fiddle leaf fig tree, how typically to water it, how a lot water, how a lot daylight, all of these essential questions!
Meet Frida Kahlo. She’s our attractive 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 easy methods to deal with most of these crops.
I hesitated to write down this publish 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 publish, 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 known as a Ficus lyrata. They’re tropical timber that do extraordinarily effectively outside in average 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 enchantment 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 publish, I’m sharing tried and examined recommendations on easy methods to deal with a fiddle-leaf fig tree, discover time to repot it, and hold 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 crops, and home crops is to discover a place in your house the place they’ll be blissful and get sufficient gentle. Often, it is a north or south-facing window, the place it will possibly get a lot of daylight. These crops additionally are inclined to do effectively in areas with excessive ceilings, skylights, and huge home windows. When you stay in an space that isn’t well-lit, you should utilize a develop gentle. I’m in a fiddle leaf Fb group (obsessed) and plenty of members use develop lights on their crops. Have a look across the space and be sure you don’t have AC vents that will probably be blowing instantly on the plant.
Whereas the solar is an efficient factor, be careful for an excessive amount of scorching solar and robust direct daylight on the plant as a result of it will possibly trigger sunburn. We now have one other fiddle leaf, Fred, who was forgotten outdoors and was sunburned. He had brown spots for fairly some time however has lastly recovered. Shiny, oblique gentle is normally finest. 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 continuously) or the extra rare technique (LOTS of watering about as soon as every 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 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 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. It will assist to oxygenate the soil and the water to movement via extra freely. A very good 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 depart it alone.
A word: fiddle leaf figs LOVE rain and I really feel like rainwater is so a lot better for crops than sink water. Name me loopy, however they reply otherwise. 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 stay. This fashion, 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 allows water to movement via as a substitute of holding the water, which may 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 effectively. Verify together with your nursery to see what potting combine they advocate on your local weather.
If 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 broaden. They really do higher once they’re barely sure, and plenty of fiddle leaf figs do effectively within the preliminary pot from the nursery. I’d select a pot round that dimension, or barely greater. Necessary: make sure that the pot has a drainage gap so the water can simply movement 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 stop root rot.
Fertilizing
You don’t *have* to fertilize your plant if the soil is wholesome and the plant is flourishing. When you discover that it wants a bit of increase, I like this fertilizer combined with filtered water. (It was too acidic with our sink water and triggered 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 a bit of humidity. When you stay in a dry local weather, misting could make a optimistic affect on the leaves. You may place a humidifier on low near your plant, or sometimes mist by hand. I take advantage of this mister from Amazon and solely mist the leaves after 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 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 finished this for Frida, however might do this for Fred.
Enjoyable word: 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 crops are finest left alone, so I’d solely advocate repotting if completely obligatory. (It could possibly trigger stress for the crops and we don’t need to stress them out!) Some websites advocate repotting each 2-3 years to get contemporary vitamins from the soil, however I really feel like if the plant is blissful, depart it alone haha. Some indicators you would possibly need to repot: the soil is pulling away from the perimeters and you’ll see a lot of roots, a bacterial an infection (a lot of brown spots on the leaves), or root rot. You may keep away from root rot by ensuring there’s a lot of drainage and avoiding overwatering.
If it’s good to repot, shake off the surplus soil from the roots, and trim away any of the roots’ ends which are 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 lot of contemporary new soil, and water.
Okay, pals! That’s all I’ve bought for ya, and I’ll add extra to this publish as I consider new suggestions.
Do you’ve got plant infants? Any nice suggestions you’ve realized over time? Please share the entire fiddle leaf fig care suggestions with us!
xo
Gina