Secret No. 6: Avoid letting a sick fiddle-leaf fig tree fully dry up. Make sure any extra water drains out the bottom of the pot when watering it once or twice per week. (I water mine in the shower and keep it there for a couple of hours so the pot can drain, then I put it back on the plant saucer.)
Secret No. 7: Even if the container is so tight that roots are visible at the surface, wait to transplant it until you notice fresh growth.
In conclusion, letting your fiddle-leaf fig tree heal slowly on its own is the greatest thing you can do to ensure its survival. Give it filtered sunlight, water once a week, and warm environments (a room temperature between 60 and 90 degrees would do). Furthermore, if there is even a remote chance that the temperature may drop below freezing overnight, don’t leave it outside.
Are you also attempting to preserve your fiddle-leaf fig? The Fig and I: 10 Tips for Caring for a Fiddle-Leaf Fig has more advice. Visit Fiddle-Leaf Fig Trees: A Field Guide in our selected plant guide for Tropicals 101 for additional growing, maintenance, and design advice.
Finally, consult our Creeping Fig: A Field Guide for additional guidance on how to effectively plant, nurture, and maintain a creeping fig.
Get additional tips on planting, growing, and caring for fiddle-leaf fig trees by reading our Fiddle-Leaf Fig Tree: A Field Guide.
Finally, use our Houseplants: A Field Guide to learn more about how to grow and care for different houseplants.
Are you looking for additional tropical plants for your indoor or outdoor space? With the help of Tropical Plants: A Field Guide, you can learn more about how to cultivate and care for different tropical plants.
Finally, consult our Vines & Climbers: A Field Guide for more guidance on how to cultivate and maintain a variety of vines and climbers.
How can my fiddle leaf fig be made better?
4. Maintain the Leaves
Finally, if you’re trying to achieve that desired tree-like shape, it can be very tempting to remove some lower FLF leaves. BUT because the leaves give the stem so much nutrients, they significantly contribute to its strengthening and thickening. My recommendation is to keep the lowest leaves on for as long as you can. When you eventually get that tree-like shape, the trunk will be able to support a canopy with a heavy top.
It’s also rather typical for lower leaves to gradually fall off as FLFs age. Therefore, you might not need to remove them manually.
Growing FLFs naturally develop larger and larger leaves, which may increase their tendency to be top-heavy. Do the aforementioned measures regarding light and air flow if you see that fresh, huge leaves are making the stem or trunk start to tilt. This will let the stem to catch up in strength to the leaf size.
In order to reinforce a weak or leaning Fiddle Leaf Fig trunk, follow these simple steps: If you can’t get it outdoors, wiggle the trunk and leave the leaves on to thicken the trunk. 1. Make sure it’s getting enough light. 2. Give it some outdoor time. 3. Give it a breeze. 4. If you can’t get it outside.
If you follow the following instructions, your FLF can usually be made to stand straight and strong on its own within 1-3 weeks.
I sincerely hope that this post has been useful to you. Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions or if you have successfully used these methods.
Severe dryness
You could be better off giving up and buying a new fiddle if practically all of your leaves have dried out from extreme dehydration and several of your branches have died.
If a portion of the trunk or stem is still alive, you technically could resurrect your fiddle, but it would take a lot of time and attention. Many violin owners just don’t want to do that since then you’d have to chop off all the dead parts and essentially start over. Think of this as your “practice fiddle and begin again with a fresh, wholesome tree. Also, remember to water it this time!
Severe bacterial infection
It is quite challenging to treat bacterial infections once they have affected the majority of the leaves. Furthermore, such illnesses may really spread to your other indoor plants!
For the sake of your sanity and the wellbeing of your other houseplants, you should give up if those medium-brown blotches persist despite your efforts. If you intend to reuse the pot, make sure to carefully clean the violin before placing it in the trash so it won’t come into contact with any other plants.
Severe root rot
It could be simpler to purchase a new plant if the majority of your fiddle’s root system has rotted away or if root rot has caused your tree to lose almost all of its leaves.
Make sure to dispose of the plant away from other plants, just as you would with a bacterial problem. If you’re not careful, root rot can still spread to other houseplants even though it doesn’t spread as quickly as other bacterial illnesses do. Before utilizing the pot for another plant, make sure to give it a thorough cleaning.
Complete leaf loss
Even though the stem or trunk of your tree is still technically alive, it’s okay to buy a new plant if all or almost all of its leaves have fallen off.
It will take a lot of work to repair the tree and encourage it to grow again, and it will take a long time before your tree is restored to anything approximating its former splendor. Severe leaf loss frequently indicates a major condition that could possibly be harming the roots. It’s ok to purchase a new fiddle if you’re not up to the challenge. Nothing to judge here.
Before properly mastering fiddle leaf fig maintenance, it’s not unusual for owners to go through a few fiddles. That’s okay!
Bring that fiddle back to life if you enjoy giving plants that are close to passing away a second chance! However, it’s acceptable to give it a few attempts if all you want is a vibrant green plant to liven up your room.
How can you tell if a fiddle leaf fig is on its last legs?
Let’s start by talking about the typical warning signs that your fiddle leaf tree is in trouble. Don’t give up on your plant until you’ve tried some simple solutions. Here are the key indicators that something is wrong and how to fix them.
The dying fiddle leaf fig: why?
Overwatering or a change in temperature are typically the causes of a fiddle leaf fig’s demise. Fiddle leaf figs require the potting soil to gently dry out in between waterings and prefer temperatures between 65°F and 75°F. The fiddle leaf fig loses its leaves when the temperature changes abruptly.
The leaves droop, become brown in areas or regions, and eventually fall off due to overwatering.
Because they are delicate plants, fiddle leaf figs can react negatively to a variety of conditions, including temperature changes, drafts, low humidity, excessive direct sunshine, insufficient light, too much fertilizer, overwatering, underwatering, and inadequate drainage.
Ficus lyrata, or fiddle leaf figs, are very sensitive to a rapid change in environment and dislike being relocated or repotted frequently.
If a fiddle leaf fig is on the verge of dying, you should try to replicate its natural environment by keeping the temperature between 65°F and 75°F, misting the leaves to enhance humidity, placing it in bright, indirect light, and only watering it when the top 2 inches of the soil feel dry.
Here is a reference table to assist you in determining the reason why your fiddle leaf fig is dying:
It can be challenging to pinpoint the precise reason why your plant is dying because fiddle leaf figs are so susceptible to environmental change.
To find out the probable cause (or causes) of your dying fiddle leaf fig and how to apply the remedies to revive your plant, keep reading.
Are self-watering containers favorable to fiddle leaf figs?
PRO TIP: Rinse the leaves of your plant with room temperature water every three months. This makes sure they can absorb and photosynthesize sunlight more effectively by clearing away any dust that has accumulated.
Always evaluate your plant’s watering requirements as soon as you get one. It is important to check the soil’s moisture content first to make sure it isn’t wet directly under the surface before giving your plant a drink. Additionally, think about aerating your plant’s soil before to the first watering. Aerating can help with drainage, let the soil breathe, and let moisture escape because many farmers compact the soil to prevent it from shifting while being transported.
As it originates from a region of the world where it gets extremely dry in between rainstorms, the fiddle leaf fig like its soil to be kept continuously, uniformly moist with a brief drying out interval between waterings. When the top two inches of soil have dried, thoroughly water the plant. Check the soil frequently until you establish a habit with your plant. If you allow the soil to dry deeply to the lower root system, leaf loss will result. On the other hand, excessive soil moisture can induce leaf drop and root rot.
A soil probe, which enables you to check your plant’s moisture level at the root level and may also be used to aerate the soil if ever overwatered, is the finest method we have found to obtain an accurate moisture reading throughout the soil. Choosing our Monitor Brass Soil Probe is a classy move.
We strongly advise potting your fiddle leaf because it is difficult to keep it alive for a long time in its nursery container. Just be sure to use a permanent planter with sufficient of soil mass and, most importantly, drainage. You must be extremely careful not to overwater your Fiddle Leaf Fig if it was planted in a container without a drainage hole. In this situation, we advise giving your Fiddle Leaf Fig a little extra time to dry out in between waterings and checking the soil’s moisture content at the roots with a soil probe before watering. Particularly in our self-watering containers, these plants thrive!
Should I remove my fiddle leaf fig’s bottom leaves?
You should be aware of what those bottom leaves do before selecting when to remove them.
Lower foliage has the same function as that fresh, vibrant growth up top: the leaves work to mix that green chlorophyll, commonly known as “the meat of the leaf,” with sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce sap, the plant’s own sweet food.
So let them alone if you want the trunk, roots, and new growth to continue receiving energy from the sun through the foliar producers and absorbing it.
Another advantage of the lower leaves is that this is typically where the most frequent watering issues show up. To put it another way, many owners of fiddles may detect overwatering and underwatering based on early warning indicators from these bottom leaves. You lose access to one of the plant’s early warning systems if you remove them.
Keep in mind that the lower leaves should be saved for the very last stage of shaping because they AID in giving the tree its characteristic shape.
Once more, deciding whether or not to remove these lower leaves depends on what they do for the plant.
How may root rot in a fiddle leaf fig be detected?
By simply examining a potted plant, it can be challenging to identify root rot. Even a fiddle that seems to be rather dry on the top of its soil could be rooted underground. Only by looking at the roots underneath the surface can one truly know. Remove your plant from its pot and take a look if you notice any signs of distress, such as dropping or browning leaves.
Here are a few telltale symptoms of root rot in your fiddle leaf fig:
Once a portion of the roots starts to decay, the disease can spread throughout the entire root system and start to climb up to the plant’s leaves.
How often should fiddle leaf figs be watered?
Overwatering or failing to provide adequate drainage are the two most common ways to destroy a fiddle leaf fig. About once every 10 days or once a week, water your plant. As we just discussed, FLFs are accustomed to receiving a massive amount of water with intermittent dry spells because they are native to a rainforest-like habitat. Therefore, it’s recommended to water indoor plants until the soil is barely dripping before letting the soil dry fully in between applications.
There are two ways to accomplish this. Bring the plant inside after watering it and letting it drip for an hour or two outside or in the bathtub. Place your FLF on a plant stand above a drip tray if you don’t want to carry it back and forth to be watered. Make sure the roots don’t spend a long period sitting in extra water, whichever method you pick.
Watering a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Overwatering or failing to provide adequate drainage are the two most common ways to destroy a fiddle leaf fig. About once every 10 days or once a week, water your plant. As we just discussed, FLFs are accustomed to receiving a massive amount of water with intermittent dry spells because they are native to a rainforest-like habitat. Therefore, it’s recommended to water indoor plants until the soil is barely dripping before letting the soil dry fully in between applications. There are two ways to accomplish this. Bring the plant inside after watering it and letting it drip for an hour or two outside or in the bathtub. Place your FLF on a plant stand above a drip tray if you don’t want to carry it back and forth to be watered. Make sure the roots don’t spend a long period sitting in extra water, whichever method you pick.
Not sure of the next time to water? Simply press your finger into the soil’s top 2 inches. If it’s still wet, don’t touch it. Don’t believe in yourself? Purchase a cheap soil moisture meter, and water when it indicates that the soil is practically dry.
Having trouble deciding when to water your fiddle leaf fig? Simply press your finger into the soil’s top 2 inches. If it’s still wet, don’t touch it. Don’t believe in yourself? Purchase a cheap soil moisture meter, and water when it indicates that the soil is practically dry.