You can stake the trunk of a fiddle leaf fig to keep it upright if you need a quick fix to save it. By no means is this a long-term fix because staking will prevent your tree from developing the necessary strength to maintain itself.
While you do other things to strengthen the trunk, such fertilizing, correctly watering, offering lots of light, and regularly wiggling, staking can at least train your fiddle to grow straight.
To stake your tree, buy a stake the same length as the trunk of your tree and drive it into the ground near the trunk. Then use plant tape or ties to fasten the trunk to the stake.
Every few weeks or whenever you wriggle the trunk to test whether it can stand on its own, remove the stake. With regular maintenance, your trunk should begin to strengthen after a few months.
How can you assist Fiddle Leaf in becoming straight?
The Fiddle Leaf Fig, known as “the darling of the houseplant world,” is a well-liked but notoriously difficult indoor plant. However, if you’ve discovered the correct balance and routine with this beauty, it can be an amazingly low care and quick growing plant. It can be a little particular about its light and water needs.
But what happens if it expands too quickly? Fiddle Leaf Figs are one example of a plant that can become fairly top-heavy and frequently grow unevenly (particularly if you don’t routinely rotate it). Our Plant Doctors advise staking the plant as a temporary fix to help it develop stronger roots and stand up straight if this is the situation with your Fiddle.
Staking can be used for practically any leaning plant with a trunk, even though it is most frequently utilized for trees and plants with fiddle-leaf figs. The following are easy procedures for staking your plant:
Why are the leaves on my Fiddle Leaf Fig tree standing upright?
Often, leaves that are pointed straight up are doing so in order to seek out more sunshine. It could be time to move your FLF a bit closer to a window if a minor rotation of your plant does not appear to stop its leaves from growing upward.
Maintaining a weekly rotation after watering will maintain your plant growing straight and tall.
Why is the leaf on my fiddle droopy?
Make sure your fiddle leaf fig isn’t submerged in water. Water your plants on a regular basis when the top 50 to 75 percent of the soil feels dry.
You can notice limp branches or leaves that have started to crisp up if you unintentionally let the soil of your fiddle leaf fig dry up completely. A thorough soak is necessary if the soil is very dry over the entire container.
How to soak-water your plant is as follows:
- Without the saucer, put your plant in the sink or bathtub. Pour roughly 3 to 4 cups of water into your basin. Check to see if the water is warm.
- Give your plant at least 45 minutes to absorb water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot.
- After giving your plant a soak, feel the soil’s top to see if the water has gotten to the top 2-3 inches.
- Water your Fiddle Leaf gently from the top of the soil to assist hasten soil saturation if not all of it feels soaked.
- Drain the sink or tub once the soil of your plant is evenly moist, and then leave it to rest while it completely drains. Put the plant back in its proper place on the saucer.
Remember that your Fiddle Leaf Fig may become stressed and lose some leaves if the soil changes from being bone dry to saturated. Allow it time to adjust.
An climate that is humid will be ideal for your fiddle leaf fig. By regularly spraying your plant, using a pebble tray, or placing a humidifier close by, you can raise the humidity level in the area around it.
Should a Fiddle Leaf Fig be rotated?
Fiddle Leaf Figs need to be thoroughly watered about once a week to match their love of natural light. You should modify the amount of watering based on the size of the plant and, consequently, the size of the roots. As a general rule, water the plant thoroughly only after the top 2 to 3 inches of soil have dried up. This entails watering it till water drips out the bottom if it’s in a planter with a drainage hole. However, avoid letting the drip tray fill up with water for too long because root rot can readily develop in this situation. Remember to water the plant slowly and in a circular motion around it, making sure to wet all of the soil. Water will then reach all of the roots rather than just some.
A Sustee Aqua-meter is one of the greatest instruments for determining how frequently your Fiddle Leaf Fig requires water (available for purchase in our shops). We have discovered that there are particular seasons of the year when our plants are significantly more thirsty than usual since we started using these in our stores. The Sustee changes color from blue to white when the soil is sufficiently dry to prevent overwatering from occurring after it has become saturated with water.
You should water all tropical plants with water that is room temperature. A plant will undoubtedly experience shock if exposed to hot or extremely cold water, just as it would if the same conditions existed outside.
Prior to watering, aerate and break up the soil to improve water absorption. In order to ensure that water reaches all of the plant’s roots rather than draining out along the planter’s edges, we also advise watering very slowly around the top of the soil.
Maintenance
Fiddle Leaf Figs need some routine care, just like most other plants. One crucial maintenance procedure for your fiddle leaf coincidentally involves its leaves, which are also its most noticeable feature. Wonderful duty in the shape of routine dusting comes with great leaves. Fiddle Leaf Figs require frequent dusting due to the size of their leaves. As dust builds up on plant leaves, dust particles interfere with the plant’s ability to absorb sunlight and carry out photosynthesis. Given how much Fiddle Leaf Figs adore light, giving your plant a frequent dusting will go a long way toward keeping it healthy.
Rotating your plant monthly or biweekly is a good idea in addition to dusting the leaves. By rotating your plant, you’ll ensure that it receives an equal distribution of light, preventing one side from growing much faster than the other and resulting in a solid, symmetrical Fiddle Leaf Fig.
There are a few things you can do to encourage your Fiddle Leaf Fig (or any tree, for that matter) to start developing branches. First, try providing your plant with additional light. Trees naturally sprout branches, and if they have a lot of natural light, they may have more energy to devote to doing so. Cutting off your plant’s highest point of growth is another approach to promote branching. As a result, the plant will be forced to start branching out from the sides rather than continuing to grow vertically. Visit our pruning journal entry to find out more about pruning and branching.
Aerating the soil once every few months prevents the soil from being compacted for people who don’t already do so. The ability of your plant to absorb water is one of many factors that can be badly impacted by compacted soil, which eventually forms tiny pockets of soil where water never penetrates. It is possible to aerate using a variety of tools, including chopsticks and official soil aerators that are of a similar size and shape. To avoid destroying too many roots, gently press the aerator deeper into the earth as you go. By breaking up any areas where the soil has clumped together, do this a variety of times around the soil to keep your plant healthy and happy.
Last but not least, we advise using a “less is more” philosophy when it comes to fertilizing your Fiddle Leaf Fig and other indoor plants. It’s advisable to avoid providing your plants with too many extra nutrients at once. In the spring and summer, we strongly advise adding a slow release pellet fertilizer, such as the Osmocote Plus Indoor Smart-Release Plant Food, into the top layer of the plant’s soil. These pellet fertilizers typically last for a few months.
Winter Tips
Winter is a challenging season for indoor plants, including Fiddle Leaf Figs, because of the obvious lack of natural light and the cooler temperatures. As indicated above, keeping an eye out for cold windows is a smart place to start, but there are other things you can do to keep your Fiddle Leaf content throughout the chilly months.
People frequently experience problems with heating vents during the winter, but since they aren’t used for more than half the year, it’s simple to forget about them. Plan to relocate all of your plants away from any heating vents when it is time for them to turn on. Repeated hot air bursts have the potential to scorch leaves and quickly dry out your plants.
Break up the dirt a little with your fingertips before watering your plant in the winter. Soil is easily clumped and compacted in winter due to the dry indoor air. By lightly breaking it up with your fingertips, you can prevent water from dripping through the soil and out the sides of the planter.
It’s also important to note that a humidifier can benefit Fiddle Leaf Figs and other tropical plants all year long, but particularly during the winter when the indoor air turns dry. Your plants are able to flourish as they would in a rainforest thanks to the continuous increase in moisture circulating in the air, which prevents browning leaf tips.
Key points:
Fiddle Leaf Figs thrive when put immediately in front of windows since they require a lot of natural light.
Once a week, thoroughly water the soil, allowing the top few inches to dry out before watering again.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about caring for fiddle leaf figs below, in person at one of our stores, or by contacting us.
How should a fig tree be shaped?
Whether you have a fig tree or a fig bush in your backyard garden, pruning it each year will promote growth. Think about some general advice for this procedure.
- 1. In the tree’s first year, prune it. When you first plant a young fig tree or fig shrub that you purchased from a nursery, trim it. When pruning for the first time, you should remove about 50% of the branches. This will enable the tree to concentrate its efforts on developing a solid root system.
- 2. During the tree’s first winter, prune it once more. Winter trimming should be done every year, beginning with the first winter your tree experiences. The end of the tree’s dormant season in late winter is the ideal time to use pruning shears. By early spring, new branches will begin to grow as a result.
- 3. Continue to prune your tree every year after that. It’s crucial to prune your fig tree in its first year, but remember to continue pruning it the following year and the year after that. Fresh fruit will start to ripen in early summer if your fig tree is pruned while it is dormant. This will result in a more fruitful growth season.
- 4. Decide which branches should bear fruit. It’s time to go strategic now that you’ve finished your first pruning. Search for five to six exceptionally sturdy branches that branch off from the main trunk as you prune the tree in its second year. Your main branches for fruit production will be these. Remove the rest of the tinier branches from the main trunk.
Why should I Wiggle my Fiddle leaf fig?
Your indoor tree’s trunk can be moved to simulate wind, which will help you become more resilient outside. You can also leave your tree outside for extended periods of time to strengthen its trunk and expose it to the elements. Once you get the leaves inside, be sure to inspect them for bugs.
What are the best growing conditions for an indoor fiddle leaf fig tree?
Know that your fiddle leaf fig tree prefers moderate temperature changes and place it in a sunny spot within the house. The tree should be planted in a container with well-draining soil that is kept humid but not soggy since this might cause root rot.
Why isn’t my fiddle leaf fig tree flowering?
You should be careful not to overwater your fiddle leaf fig because it is prone to root rot. When storing the fig within a container, make sure the bottom has lots of holes to allow for proper drainage.
How do I fix a leggy fiddle leaf fig tree?
Give a leggy or tilted fiddle leaf fig tree bright, filtered sunshine as treatment. Please place your plant in the area of the house that gets the most indirect sunlight, which is usually six to eight hours per day. Don’t keep it in the Sun for too long, though; doing so could scorch the leaves.
Will wiggling my fiddle leaf fig tree weaken its roots?
Every one to two weeks, wiggle your fiddle leaf fig tree for 1.5 to 2 minutes to significantly thicken the trunk. Beginning with light shaking, progressively build up the force. If your plant is stake-supported, move it about at first with the support in place. You can take the stake out once your fig tree has gotten used to this practice.
How can a fiddle leaf fig tree be supported?
I had a fiddle leaf fig in my house when I was a child. It seemed like we were growing huge together as I recalled competing with it for height. In the end, I triumphed.
In general, bowing down is seen as a sign of respect for the victor, so when my Fig did it, I felt something wasn’t right. I noticed a slant in my Fiddle Fig Leaf.
Fiddle Leaf Fig typically leans to one side as a result of poor lighting, careless watering, a lack of support, and insufficient fertilization. Give the sagging Fiddle Leaf Fig plenty of sunlight, good watering, and regular weak liquid fertilizer applications to correct the problem.
When imposing plants like fiddle leaf figs appear to be leaning, it can be heartbreaking to watch.
So let’s investigate more to determine what caused your plant to droop and how to remedy the situation.
My fig leaves are pointing downward; why?
Now that you are aware that the sturdy, older bottom leaves are unimportant, what should you do if you see that the higher leaves are slouching?
A good query. Determine the situation first. Your limp tree is most likely the result of one of these five most typical causes.
Young, new growth.
The immature, weaker tissue that makes up your youngest leaves tops our list of the most frequent causes of drooping fiddle leaf fig leaves. You must be happy when a new bud appears, don’t you? Anxiety replaces excitement as the new leaf grows and changes. The likelihood that a young leaf will become a sad-looking, sluggish version of its surrounding leaves increases with leaf size.
Do not fret. Give it one or two days, occasionally three. Maintain your care routine so that the new leaf doesn’t harden at all.
Environmental change.
A change in routine or environment is another frequent reason for drooping fiddle fig leaves. The ficus lyrata tree does not respond well to relocation, but its trunk enjoys being bent and moved.
Similar to how plants communicate their unhappiness by slouching, plants may slouch in response to changes in feeding, watering, temperature, humidity, and especially light exposure.
Therefore, the tree could act up if you’ve relocated it to a new room or if your aunt Peggy is watching it while you’re in Vegas.
Again, the good news is that you can resume your previous activities when your violin has withered.
Thirst.
Thirst comes next. Many times, violin owners worry about overwatering. That’s because these plants are vulnerable to root rot when not provided with enough light and a substrate that drains well. Sadly, this causes many caretakers to go submerged, which causes those above leaves to respond in a sagging way.
If you believe that your plant is suffering from thirst, you should not only give it some water; you should also modify your watering schedule if your plant actually recovers after a soak.
Root shock.
Have you lately re-oiled or repotted your plant? Or maybe you checked for root rot? Perhaps, like me, you divided the trunks of two bushy plants so that they would eventually take the form of trees.
Anytime you disturb a fiddle leaf fig’s root system, you run the danger of putting it into root shock. Here are two plants that I recently split into two separate planters from one pot.
You can see that just one of the tiny trees survived, with the other wilting. Thank goodness I was prepared.
You should not notch, move, soap, prune, jiggle, or otherwise mess with it right now. For at least two months, do not anticipate any new foliar growth.
Water it appropriately for its size and habitat constantly while introducing it to full, direct sun exposure gradually.
Root shock will require considerably more time to recover from than, say, the drooping brought on by thirst or new growth. Be patient, then. Try not to lose heart. For a while, the plant’s entire energy will be directed on root development.
Chemical burn.
Chemical reactions to insecticide or detergent are the fifth and most important reason why leaves are drooping.
Your plant may be suffering if you recently used harsh detergents, fungicides, or miticides to combat an insect infestation. Caretakers of fiddle leaf fig trees are frequently shocked to learn that while these treatments were once safe and efficient, they are now unnecessary. especially when coupled with more exposure to light (something we usually encourage wholeheartedly).
To prevent this, thoroughly clean the plant after applying any treatments, and wait to expose it to direct sunlight until you are sure the application went well. Investigate natural, organic solutions to the fiddle leaf fig’s most frequent issues in order to completely prevent chemical burn. Yes, using natural therapies may involve more work on your part, but the reduced risk to your plant usually makes it worthwhile.
So there you have it: weak tissue, environmental changes, thirst, root shock, and chemical burn are the most typical reasons of drooping fiddle leaf fig tree leaves.
You can help your plant grow again now that you know what’s making it droop.