Follow these Secret Tips for Healthiest Fiddle Leaf Figs to keep the plants strong and maintain them all year round with ease.
With towering stance and big ruffled leaves, fiddle leaf makes for a handsome looking plant. Follow these Secret Tips for Healthiest Fiddle Leaf Figs and keep them thriving for long.
Check out indoor fiddle leaf fig decor ideas here
Secret Tips for Healthiest Fiddle Leaf Figs
1. Schedule Watering
Watering the plant once a week would be more than enough. The key here is never letting the soil dry out completely. Also, do not allow the plant to sit in excess water.
Drying out between watering of the soil depends on the indoor conditions of your home so you can schedule watering once a week or every 8-12 days.
Note: For watering, you can schedule or fix a day for your convenience.
2. Shake the Trunk
Wiggling strengthens the trunk as it imitates the wind. Outdoor fiddle leaf fig gets stronger with the wind, and you can mimic the same through shaking. Do this 2-3 times a week, wiggling the plant from side to side gently.
3. Keep the Plant in a Slightly Root Bound State
The plant will be fine even if it looks slightly root bound, as it will help in growing it tall. Also, do not use a very large pot for growing fiddle leaf fig. Transplant it to one size bigger planter if you see the roots popping up from the topsoil.
4. Amount of Water
Most growers follow a rule of one cup of water per two feet of growth to the tallest plant, from the base of the soil. This varies from different growers and experts, but the thing that matters is consistency. Hence, set a quantity every week and notice the improvements/changes.
Note: Keep in mind that you have to water more in the warm season of the year than you do in winter.
5. Temperature
Fiddle leaf figs prefer warm temperatures approx 60-75 F (15-24 C). Also, remember that it thrives in moist humid air, and generally as the indoor conditions are dry, mist the plant to increase humidity.
6. Fertilization
If you want large glossy leaves then feed the plant in the spring and summer months. Use any good quality liquid fertilizer, diluted to half of its strength. For dosage, follow the instructions on the label.
Gradually, decrease the fertilization in fall. Add diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer or fiddle leaf fig plant food to the plant once every 2-3 weeks during spring and summer, changing it to once a month in fall. Avoid feeding the plant in winters altogether.
7. Enough Light
Fiddle leaf fig enjoys plenty of indirect sunlight. Just make sure the plant is not exposed to the harsh afternoon sun, as it will cause the leaves to burn. Avoid placing it in a too dark location, as this is not a shade-loving plant, and cannot tolerate low light for a prolonged period.
8. Rotate the Plant More Often or Move it Outdoors
Fiddle leaf fig does well in indirect light, it grows toward the light. So rotate the pot every few weeks. If your fiddle leaf fig is located in a low light area then move it outdoors, 1-2 times a week, to a sunny location for a few hours.
9. Pruning
Do not prune bare, brown branches until they appear decayed. If the stems look withered but are hard and strong, they can recover. Just give them some time.
Also, do not remove lower leaves, as they provide plenty of nutrition to the trunk. Allow them to stay on the plant for as long as possible. The lower leaves will naturally drop off when the tree matures, so you don’t have to remove them manually.
Here’s everything you need to know about growing a fiddle leaf fig
Key Takeaways
- Give your fiddle leaf fig sufficient indirect light.
- Make sure the plant has some outdoor time too, where it can get some fresh breeze.
- If moving the plant outside is difficult for you, shake or wiggle the trunk every few weeks.
