If you’ve browsed Instagram, interior design magazines, or even your local chic homeware store, you will undoubtedly have seen the dark green glossy leaves of a fiddle leaf fig. Any new plant parent will know, these alluring plants are a lot more difficult to maintain than they look.
Prone to yellowing leaves and leaf drop, fiddle leaf figs can leave you can feel disappointed with your ability to care for your new plants.
We’re here to help you crack the enigma of the finicky fiddle leaf fig plants. Read ahead for steps on how much and how regularly to water your plants, as well as other care tips to keep them looking their tip-top best.
How Often To Water Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants?
The best way to keep your plants healthy is to water in on a regular schedule. Never let the soil completely dry, and if you see soil pulling away from the wall of the planter then this is a sign of soil shrinkage, caused by dehydration, and you know you have to increase the frequency of watering.
A good rule of thumb is to water your plant on the same day every week, as an erratic watering schedule (where there is a repeating pattern of drought and overwatering stresses the plant out), can cause your plant to die.
Set reminders to water your plant once a week, or stick it in your calendar so that you never forget.
Your plant will get used to this weekly watering schedule, and start to really thrive if you stick to it!
How Much To Water Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants?
Unsurprisingly, the amount of water your plant needs is dependent on its size. For a plant that is less than two feet from the soil to the top leaves, one cup of water once a week is necessary. For plants that are between two and three feet tall, water with two cups of water each week.
If your plant is between 3 and 6 feet tall, use three cups. Any taller than this, and four cups of water (or just until the container drains) is needed for your plant to survive and thrive.
How Do You Fertilize Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants?
Plants use a lot of energy during the growing season (spring and summer), putting out fresh, pale green leaves. To do this, like people and animals, plants feeding, to make sure they have the right nutrients.
To keep your plant healthy, fertilize them with liquid nutrients. Use a liquid fertilizer once a week in spring and summer, and every other week in fall, mixed in with their weekly water.
Use a houseplant or specific fiddle leaf fig fertilizer, to ensure they’re getting all the nutrients they need to maintain their big, glossy leaves.
If leaves start to fall from your fiddle leaf fig, or they start to develop crispy or discolored spots, that might be a sign of plant malnourishment, and it might be needing a good feeding.
What Temperature Does Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants Need To Thrive?
Fiddle leaf figs are tropical plants that prefer warm, humid conditions. Try to keep temperatures in your fiddle leaf fig’s environment no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Colder weather will reduce your plant’s need for fertilizer and water, so in winter, avoid feeding your plants and overwatering them.
Also, be mindful of drafts in your fiddle leaf figs surroundings. If your plant is too close to a chilly door or window, the leaves will begin to turn black and drop off. Move your plants away from any particularly chilly areas in your home.
What Type Of Planter Is Best For A Fiddle Leaf Fig?
These trees don’t like to sit in water – it can result in pest infestation and root rot (a condition where a plant’s roots begin to rot away, meaning the plant can’t absorb water and nutrients).
Hence, a pot with plenty of drainage holes in the base is needed. Get a matching saucer to go with your planter, to catch any water that drains away out of the plant pot.
The size of the pot is also integral for maintaining the well-being of your plant. Although fiddle leaf figs do like to sit snug in their pots, a pot that is too small for the plant can lead to root rot.
When sizing up your plant’s pot, only pick ones a couple of inches than their existing pot, to keep them happy and healthy.
Ensure to put a handful of gravel or stone chips to prevent soil clogging up the base drainage holes.
Will Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants Grow Edible Fruits?
As an indoor plant, fiddle leaf figs won’t produce any fruit or flowers. When grown in tropical conditions outdoors, the fiddle leaf fig will bear fruit, but these aren’t edible to humans. Best to stick to the figs sold by your local grocery store.
How To Resuscitate A Dying Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant?
If your plant is looking a little peaky, it is not a totally lost cause – there are a few things you can do that can help your plant get back on its feet. Firstly, do not prune back your plant, or pull off any leaves, even if it looks dry and crispy.
This can shock and stress the delicate, finicky plant even more. The exception to this rule is when branches look like they are going moldy, or are mushy with rot.
Secondly, be patient – fiddle leaf figs are quick to stress and slow to recover. Due to their slow-growing nature, and dormant phase in winter, your fig might not look like it is improving, even if on the inside, it really is.
Thirdly, keep watering it on a regular schedule, so that the plant can adapt and survive.
Overall, if you have an ailing plant, after pinpointing what might be the problem (low humidity, cold temperatures, or doubt are common factors), adapt your plant care schedule accordingly, and then stick to this schedule like clockwork, to give your plant a chance to recover on its own terms.
