The fiddle-leaf fig will not withstand situations with both low light and high light, in contrast to other plants (looking at you, monsteras!). It must be placed in an area with lots of bright, indirect light. Furthermore, it requires a few hours of direct sunlight each day.
“Lighting is the first and most crucial factor you should take into account before purchasing a fiddle. Little did I know that by placing my fiddle in a room with a north-facing window when I first took it home, I was sort of setting myself up for failure “Greene explains. “Fiddle-leaf figs like lots of light, and they frequently need up to five hours of direct light each day,” says the author. It thrives “near to south- or west-facing windows, or directly in an east-facing window,” according to Greenery Unlimited, and nothing can be anything blocking that light (like a building or trees). Additionally, because it grows toward the sun, you must rotate it once a month.
In addition to these lighting requirements, you also need to gradually introduce sunshine; you cannot expose it to too much sunlight at once. Otherwise, the lovely green leaves of the fiddle-leaf fig can burn and get brown spots. On the other side, too little sunlight will cause its leaves to become brown or yellow, or even worse, fall off. It also hates being moved around a lot since it could lose its leaves. Most likely out of spite. Even if your plant sustains some combat wounds in the process, you’ll finally locate the best location for it, even if it takes some trial and error.
“Adding a grow lamp ($23) is one of the things you can do to supplement that light if you already have a fiddle-leaf fig but feel like it’s not getting enough,” advises Greene. They’re fantastic since you can automatically control how much light it receives each day, especially if they include a timer.
Height
When you consider how tall fiddle leaf figs may go, one of the biggest problems with growing them becomes apparent. They can reach heights of up to 50 feet when living in their natural habitat, the West African rainforests. You should count yourself fortunate that they typically do not reach those heights outside of their natural habitats, given that you most likely do not have 50-foot-tall ceilings in all of your rooms. Even a potted plant has a 10-foot height limit. Small fiddle leaf fig plants may be purchased for under $40 at places like Home Depot! A good place to start is with these little plants.
Time
You have to put in effort if you want good results, as is true for the majority of things in life. This is also true of the fiddle leaf fig tree. It will take some time and work to make your plant into the focal point you want because it is one of the more difficult plants to grow. Plants that make fiddle leaf figs dislike:
- Frosty drafts
- too moist soil
- Arid soil
- Overly bright
- inadequate lighting
- Dry air
They are highly particular, as you can see, so you will need to spend a lot of time observing and responding to your plant to locate the sweet spot it needs. The majority of plants will tell you something is wrong by the way they look. Leaning in one direction typically means that is where the light is. Yellow leaves can be a sign of a variety of plant problems, but if you take the time to listen to your plant and provide it with the greatest environment possible, you will see the benefits.
Light
The light may be the most crucial factor in plant growth. Using carbon dioxide, water, and light to perform photosynthesis, which enables them to produce additional plant mass, is how plants develop. A plant’s growth will be stunted by insufficient light. Your plant’s leaves will burn if there is too much light. About 6 to 8 hours per day of moderately bright light are needed for fiddle leaf figs. We advise using a plant light to help your plant get adequate light if you don’t have a window big enough or live in a place where it doesn’t get continuous sunshine.
Can fiddle leaf figs survive in the shade?
The light that most homes and apartments naturally provide—not too much, not too little, nothing too bright, nothing too dark—is what the fiddle-leaf fig needs to thrive. An east-facing window is suggested by Harnek Singh, a gardener at Wave Hill Public Garden in New York City. According to him, fiddle leaf figs require both direct sunlight and a lot of indirect light. “South or west-facing windows will receive too much afternoon sun.
So keep in mind that your fig requires adequate sunlight in your home just like the nourishing rays that come through the deep canopy of the jungle. Cacti and succulents that live in the desert should be placed in the south-facing window.
Singh also advises buying fiddle-leaf figs from reliable sellers to prevent encountering the opposite issue. He claims that many of these plants are frequently already declining as a result of spending too much time in the dark. Foliage that is flagging and leaves that are pale, spotted, or wan-looking are indicators of improper light exposure. If your plant displays these signs, try shifting it to a different location for a week or two.
How can I tell if the light reaching my fiddle leaf fig is adequate?
The thriving Facebook community known as the Fiddle Leaf Fig Resource Group is by far the best resource for anyone who care for fiddle leaf figs. Owners of this extraordinary plant can upload images there and receive prompt assistance from other fiddle fans. (Side note: You should come with us there if you haven’t already.)
Surprisingly, increasing the original poster’s plant’s regular exposure to intense sunlight could solve about 90% of the issues raised in the group.
Contrary to what many people think, these plants are full-sun organisms that absorb as much sunlight energy as any plant.
Planter:
A minimum 12-gallon pot, though there is some flexibility. The size depends on how tall you want your plant to get because the plant will grow in proportion to its planters.
Starting your Fig: Seed vs Propagate
Eatable fig plants are often started from a live plant or cutting. This is due to the fact that plants raised from seeds will become “wild kinds,” which means they won’t yield the same fruit as their parent plant (just think of crab apples!).
Why you shouldn’t start Fig from seed
A fig won’t grow “true to type” from seed, which means the fruit you obtain will likely be an odd hybrid of the many distinct species and won’t likely taste very good. Because of this, coffee seeds are rarely found.
Propagating Fig: How to Clone from a Stem Cutting
You may easily “clone it with just sharp scissors and a clean glass of water” if you already have a Fig plant that you love (or a buddy does!). First, remove a few 6-shoot-old growths (avoid anything woody). The lowest leaves should then be removed, leaving the stem at the bottom. Make sure the chopped leaf spots are submerged before adding to a glass of water. A light windowsill is ideal for the glass, and the water should be changed every few days. The roots should start to show up in a few weeks, at which point you can transfer them into your container. It won’t harm to use more rooting hormones, but fig plants don’t require them.
- 6 fresh growth sections should be cut.
- On a sunny window sill, remove the leaves halfway and submerge them in the water.
- When 21 days, carefully move the plant into its final container after a few 1/2 inch roots have formed.
How to Transplant Fig
A lot of nurseries send Fig as “Bare-Root As a result, the plant is dormant and its roots are not buried in the ground. Receiving something that resembles a naked stick may seem unusual, but it makes it much simpler to confirm that you aren’t bringing in any pests. How to move a bare-root fig plant
- Fill your container with soil to halfway, then shape it into a cone.
- Trim any plant roots that appear dead, mushy, or too lengthy before shaping them into a cone form to suit on your soil.
- Make sure the fit is correct so that the topmost roots are just below the pot’s lip. the soil as necessary.
- Once the fit is satisfactory, add dirt to the pot until the uppermost roots are reached, gently tapping the soil as you go. Give it a thorough deep watering to finish.
The procedure is largely the same if you received your plant in a nursery container with soil. When it arrives, gently pull it out to inspect the roots (if it’s dry, adding water may help). Refrain from transplanting it into a larger pot if they aren’t touching the edge and there is enough dirt. You should repot the plant if the roots are dense and beginning to round the pot. Make the pot somewhat bigger (2 to 3 inches larger in diameter). To align the top of the nursery pot with the top of the permanent container, fill the bottom with adequate fresh soil. Fill the remainder of the space and then thoroughly water the area.
How bright should your grow light be?
For the optimal growth, fig plants require the equivalent of 6+ hours of direct sunshine (DLI of 18+ mol/m2/day). A grow light must be quite bright in order to provide a similar amount! Place the 24W Sansi bulb six inches away from the plant’s top. Your PPFD (the accepted unit of brightness) will then be 500 mol/m2/s.
How many hours per day do your Fig plants need under a grow light?
Setting your timer to light your plants for 14+ hours is optimal because fig plants are known as “long-day” plants because they grow more rapidly with over 12 hours of light (and only need 6 hours of darkness to rest).
Fig Plants Need Warm Temps with an Annual Chill
Fig plants, which are indigenous to northern latitudes, require rest every winter as a result of fewer days and lower temperatures. In order for plants to internally construct the cellular structures that will form fruits, they require a temperature range of 32F to 45F for 100 hours. Place your indoor plant outside for a few months as its leaves begin to fall down in the fall to satisfy the “cooling requirement” (but bring them in if temps drop below 30F for longer than a day). They are content with a wide range of ordinary interior temperatures the remainder of the year.
How to Prune Fig Trees
It’s crucial to prune fig trees. Even dwarf types can easily reach heights of 15 feet, but pruning helps keep them smaller so they are simpler to handle, care for, and fit in our homes. In addition, by restricting the number of branches we permit to grow, we aid the plant in concentrating its energy. The fundamentals of pruning are straightforward: plants develop from their tips, not from the bottom, and removing the tip will cause the growth to shift to side branches. The practice of pruning can take many different forms, but some common techniques include bonsai, espalier, and spur. Although we urge you to experiment with the look you like, open-center pruning is a tried-and-true method for fruit trees.
The norm for the majority of fruit trees is referred to as “Open Center Pruning,” in which the canopy has three or four evenly spaced main branches. This allows for an equal, luxuriant plant by allowing light and air to enter the center and reach the edges. When you are satisfied with the height of the trunk, make the first cut. As soon as you receive your plant, it can occur (we recommend letting the trunk be at least 2 ft above the soil). This cut needs to be made directly above a bud or branch that emerges from the main trunk. If more than three or four emerge, prune the extras so that the spacing is maintained evenly because this will promote the main branches to sprout. Now that the major pruning has been completed, you should just perform a maintenance prune once or twice a year to remove any crossing or dead branches and maintain a short core.
Year 1+: How to Harvest Figs
When the skin of your figs changes from green to a reddish-purple color, they are ready to be picked. When the figs are soft and drooping down, just break them from the branch. The figs will then become softer to the touch. Eat ripe figs as soon as possible because they spoil quickly after being picked from the branch.
Year 20+: End of Life
Wild fig trees can live for more than 200 years and still bear fruit. Therefore, if you continue to give your tree good care, your plant may live longer than you do!