Eight to twelve hours of sunlight per day are necessary for fiddle leaf fig trees to thrive. It prefers bright filtered light but will tolerate some shade.
Your ficus plant will naturally grow toward the light, so rotating it will help it receive an even distribution of sunlight. A strong, filtered light is desirable, but just make sure it’s not searing sunlight.
Your plant should be placed next to an east-facing window for the best results. The plant would receive sufficient light during the afternoon hours as well as the early but less powerful morning rays.
To reduce the chance of scorching, some individuals advise keeping ficus plants away from south-facing windows. The issue of inadequate light is one that fig tree owners encounter much more frequently than the issue of burnt plants, according to our research. The risk of scorching is often less when a fiddle leaf fig is indoors because it is already receiving filtered light.
Watering Frequency
Your particular setup will determine how frequently you need water your ficus tree. The best guideline is to water your fiddle leaf tree as soon as the ground becomes dry. This could happen as rarely as once per week or as frequently as once every few days.
In warm weather, fiddle leaf fig trees that are cultivated in pots require a moderate amount of water. When the temperature drops, they use substantially less water.
How to Water Your Tree
Make sure to water your ficus lyrata until you notice a small amount of water dripping from the drainage holes in the bottom of your container. By doing this, you’ll enable the water to penetrate the root zone deeply and enable the plant to absorb the water it requires.
Fertilizer Ratio
The best fertilizer for fiddle leaf figs has an NPK ratio of 3:1:2 and contains the elements nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Thus, it has a nitrogen content of three parts, a phosphorous content of one, and a potassium content of two.
When you take care of your fiddle leaf fig tree using fertilizer that has this NPK ratio, your tree will repay you with strong, lush growth.
How to Prevent Root Rot
When too much water or moisture builds up in the plant’s container, the roots can rot. It is simple to identify because either the leaves will begin to show signs of brown spots or they will fall off the ficus tree.
It is more difficult to care for your plant in a way that will get rid of root rot once it has already set in. Precaution is essential.
The simplest way to avoid root is to ensure that the container your fiddle leaf fig plant is planted in has drainage holes at the bottom so that the roots are not always sitting in soggy soil.
When planting your ficus lyrata for the first time, use an excellent, quick-draining soil mixture to avoid rot. It is strongly advised to grow ficus plants in a growing medium that is composed of half houseplant soil and half cactus plant soil. It has a quick drainage system and is light enough to let plant roots breathe and draw in nutrients.
Having said that, it is normally challenging to overwater your fig tree. The plant is quite resistant to being exposed to a lot of water because of the humid environment it is typically found in.
Root rot shouldn’t be an issue if you have a pot with drainage holes. In fact, underwatering a fiddle leaf fig plant is the most typical error made by new owners.
There are more causes for your plant’s failure to thrive or the appearance of brown spots.
How Fast Do They Grow?
Approximately one foot of fiddle leaf figs grow each year. The tree’s growth rate will be moderate for the first two to three years. After three years, the tree will resemble an ornamental tree, and it will take it 10 to 15 years to reach its full height of 8 feet when it is fully grown.
Re-potting
Your fiddle leaf fig needs a new pot.
- Lay newspaper or an old sheet down to prepare the workspace.
- Make sure the new pot is about two inches larger than the old one and includes drainage holes.
- To avoid obstruction, place a few stones or clean, unused coffee filters over the drainage hole(s).
- Make a depression in the middle of the dirt and fill the remaining one-third of the container with fresh potting soil.
- Take your plant out of the previous container.
- Put the tree’s root ball in the new container’s soil.
- If you can, carefully separate some of the outside roots so they can grow broader.
- Up till two or three inches below the surface of the earth, add more soil around the root ball.
- To settle the soil and get rid of any air pockets, give the fiddle leaf fig plant a vigorous soaking.
- If desired, scatter decorative stone or glass pebbles around the plant to cover the soil’s surface; this helps retain moisture and keeps the soil from becoming messy when watered. If there is any uncertainty, it is simple to verify if the plant needs watering by pushing a finger or water meter through the stones.
- Once the ficus plant reaches its full height and size, you should refresh the soil every spring by taking out a few inches of the old soil from the area around the top of the container and replacing it with new potting soil. This will guarantee the ficus lyrata in your home’s long-term health.
Cleaning the Leaves
Simply washing the fig tree’s leaves with lukewarm water is the best approach to maintain and clean them. Wipe the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves using a clean, soft cloth that has been dampened. Without harming your plant, water will wash away dust and make your leaves sparkle.
There are many specialized cleaning agents for leaves on the market. There are other homemade recipes that use mayonnaise and other things to clean leaves. Yes, they may give the appearance that the leaves are shiny, but they also draw larger dust particles that eventually plug the pores and stomata of the leaves. Your ficus tree’s health may be harmed by this. On the leaves, never apply furniture polish!
You will be able to raise a ficus plant that is healthy by using these straightforward methods! I wish you had fun reading this ficus lyrata indoor plant care article.
What is the growth rate of fiddle leaf fig?
By perfecting your watering routine and locating the ideal location for your plant to flourish, you’ve taken on the difficult tasks. Just a few additional things are necessary for you to understand in order to preserve your fiddle-leaf tree.
Although dusting a plant may seem odd, you absolutely must dust those large, fiddle-shaped leaves. They gather a lot of dust because they are so big and frequently grow somewhat horizontally.
At least once every month, gently wipe the leaves with a moist towel. If you don’t, dust can obstruct sunlight from reaching the plant and clog stomata, which slows photosynthesis and makes the plant struggle to survive.
Fiddle-leaf figs expand rapidly. They frequently grow by one or two feet in a year. If you don’t rotate your plant and leave it in a corner, its growth may quickly become uneven as it reaches for the sun.
There are two options for handling this. Start by frequently rotating it. And second, if it starts to look uneven, make it even by pruning occasionally.
Turn the plant a few inches every several months. In order to remember which way we are moving, I turn Midori in the same direction (clockwise) every time.
Remove some of the leaves on the heavy side of your plant if it begins to grow lopsidedly to give it a more even appearance.
These plants will keep growing upward for as long as they are content. For aesthetics, optimal airflow, and to make sure the plant receives adequate light, trim the highest branches so that the plant remains at least a foot below the ceiling.
Remove any diseased or damaged leaves as well. These won’t recover and are just a drain on your plant. Furthermore, any infections that cause disease could infect the remaining parts of your fiddle-leaf fig and possibly kill them.
Giving your plant a tree-like shape by pruning is another reason you might want to do it. For a bushier shape, some gardeners choose to leave the leaves on the lowest section of the stem intact.
Fiddle leaf figs naturally take on that well-known trunk and canopy shape as they grow in the wild. However, the plant typically retains its bottom leaves indoors.
You can remove the bottom leaves and branches if you want the conventional tree appearance.
To promote excellent air circulation, you might also wish to thin your fig once a year. Any branches that are in the way should be cut.
Put on some gloves before pruning because the sap that is released when these are chopped can irritate the skin. Next, take out a fresh set of pruners. Although you can perform this activity at any time of year, if you do it in the winter, you won’t notice any new growth for a few months.
Cut stems off an inch from the leaf node or stem. Keep in mind that the plant will split where you cut it and sprout new branches as you stimulate the desired shape. If plants are pruned while they are developing, new growth should begin within a few weeks.
You can also remove any stems or leaves that don’t conform to the desired shape. Simply pick no more than a third of the plant at once.
Finally, you can use a pair of scissors to trim the brown pieces off or clip them off totally if some of the leaves have some dark spots at the edges caused by either overwatering or underwatering. There is no point in keeping them around because they won’t regain their color.
You can cut the entire trunk down to about a foot tall and start over if your plant begins to appear sparse as a result of leaf drop or lanky growth, or if you don’t like the shape. From the cut place, the plant will produce new branches, and you can reshape it.
Before you severely prune your plant, think about air layering. If you use the process outlined above, you might get two plants in return for your efforts.
How can fiddle figs grow more quickly?
How to Grow Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Bigger and Quicker in 7 Easy Steps!
- OPTIMIZE THE POT SIZE IN STEP 1.
- Step 2: GUARANTEE OUTSTANDING DRAINAGE.
- 3rd step: COMPLETE, REGULAR WATERING.
- Step 4: Verify the soil’s aeration.
- Do an annual soil treatment in step five.
- Step 6 is to fertilize less frequently.
- STEP 7: TURN ON THE LIGHTS!
Do fig trees expand quickly?
Fruit trees like figs grow quickly and require little maintenance. In warmer climates, they can be grown outdoors, or in colder climates, they can be planted indoors in containers and taken inside during the winter.
They are a magnificent addition to any home garden or food forest and are well known for their delicious fruit and stunning billowing foliage. Learn everything you need to know about fig gardening, then enjoy a plentiful crop of intensely flavorful figs.
How quickly do fig trees grow?
Ficus lyrata trees can grow up to 12 to 18 inches annually, or roughly 1 inch every month.
However, depending on a few variables, this growth rate fluctuates considerably. Fiddle leaf figs grow far more slowly indoors, as many homeowners have discovered. They might barely grow 2-4 inches a year.
The natural habitat of these plants is a tropical one. They are now often used as indoor houseplants due to their enormous, magnificent foliage. Taking children out of their ideal habitat has a big impact on how they develop.
How quickly do fiddle leaf figs grow?
Fiddle leaf fig trees have gained popularity in recent years among bloggers. I enjoy looking at the lovely interior design photographs on Instagram, which frequently feature potted fiddle leaf figs. One that I purchased last year perished slowly and sadly, leaf by leaf. Recently, I struck it lucky and paid only $12.99 each for a pair of fiddle leaf figs at Home Depot. Since these plants are elusive, I was thrilled to find them since I was determined to show myself that I could maintain one (or two) of them.
One of my plants was already displaying symptoms of distress when I came home. The few leaves at the top were withered. Because I want mine to live this time, I have been investigating this plant. I discovered that the experts frequently emphasized the following: Growing a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree: Tips and Tricks
- Avoid overwatering. a weekly glass of water
- It requires good lighting. The plant prefers consistent bright (indirect) light, although if placed in an Eastern-facing window, it can endure occasional full sun. Once it starts to slant toward the light, rotate the plant every several months.
- It’s crucial to maintain a stable atmosphere. Maintain a temperature range of 60 to 75 degrees.
During the (growing) summer, fertilize once every month, then repot as the roots expand. Also, bear in mind that this plant grows slowly.
This plant is indigenous to West Africa’s tropical regions, where it can naturally reach heights of 40 feet or more. In their natural environment, fiddle leaf plants will first produce blooms and then fruit, but this rarely occurs indoors.
As I previously indicated, my previous attempt to raise a fiddle leaf fig failed miserably. The poor thing quickly grew weaker as it started losing its leaves. Upon further investigation, I discovered that if your plant is dropping leaves, it either requires more hydration or is exposed to a draft. A good approach to raise humidity is through misting. In order to remove dust and enhance the glossy appearance, you should also clean the leaves with a soft sponge and water. Its leaves could dry out and fall off because to cold drafts coming in through windows, doors, and air conditioners.
How long does a fig tree take to reach a height of 4 feet?
How quickly does a fig tree grow? I was wondering how long it will take for it to get quite big since I looked at one in the garden center and noticed how little it is. H Leanna
ANSWER: If you’re looking for this answer, you’ve come to the right place. Fig trees, in my experience, grow very quickly.
There are lots of fig trees on my property. Before us, there was a previous owner who was a little “excited” when it came to planting fruit trees.
On the side of our house, unfortunately, this individual planted several fig trees near to one another. Every year, we prune these trees back, but despite their excellent productivity, we struggle to get rid of them.
In order to maintain a cleaner appearance, we thin them out annually. When everything is dormant in late winter, we’ll prune some trees back so that the ones we’ve already pruned can take center stage.
The following year, we’ll switch. It always works. The side of our house is covered in fig trees and figs towards the end of the season!
Briefly said, fig trees can grow up to a foot in height annually. Some varieties will produce in one to two years, depending on the cultivar. It could take three to five years for other popular kinds.
Fig trees have a 30-foot maximum height. You must therefore be careful where you place this kind of tree.
In order to ensure that your fig tree grows rapidly and produces fruit, you should also take into account the appropriate growing conditions.
Figs should be content if they are planted in locations with plenty of sunlight. They can withstand drought, so unless there is a severe drought in your area, they shouldn’t need any water from you.
You should keep an eye out for diseases and pests, though. Your figs will be as big a hit with the wildlife as they are with you.
Applying netting to the tree while it is producing may be a good idea. Another difficulty with fig trees is fungus.
You should be able to prevent many of these problems by planting where there is plenty of space for air to flow around the tree and in well-draining soil.
Fig trees can sometimes produce fruit quickly and expand quickly. They bring beauty and ease of upkeep to most landscapes.
Don’t ignore growing figs if you want to establish a fruit tree that will yield a lot and require little work on your side.