- OPTIMIZE THE POT SIZE AS THE FIRST STEP.
- Ensure excellent drainage in step two.
- Step 3: COMPLETE, REGULAR WASHING.
- Check for healthy soil aeration in step four.
- Do an annual soil treatment in step five.
- Step 6 is to fertilize less frequently.
- STEP 7: TURN ON THE LIGHTS!
Fiddle leaf figs produce new leaves, or not?
Fiddle Leaf Figs are infamously difficult to grow. There are a few typical maladies of this plant, like brown spots and leaf drop, that can make it sick or, worse, fast bring about its demise. The secret to keeping your plant happy and healthy is to keep an eye out for them and catch them early. Keep an eye out for these indications of a possibly sick fiddle leaf fig.
Brown spots on the leaves
The leaves of fiddle leaf figs are incredibly prone to browning. Brown spots that start to form and spread should be investigated even though a few small markings here and there are not a cause for concern.
Due to two opposing factors—either overwatering or underwatering—most brown patches on fiddles are unfortunately difficult to diagnose. Here’s how to distinguish between them:
Overwatering, which results in root rot, is probably to blame for brown patches that appear in the center of the leaf and spread outward. A fungal illness called root rot will eventually kill your plant by spreading to the leaves. You should repot your plant as soon as possible if it has root rot. Take the plant out of the ground, wash the roots thoroughly, and cut off any that are brown or mushy. After that, repot the plant in new soil with adequate drainage and remove the damaged leaves.
Are the brown spots on your fiddle beginning at the outside border of the leaves and moving inside? The plant is probably too dry for this to be the cause. Give your Fiddle a thorough rinse, and make sure it’s not too close to any heaters or air vents because that will likely cause the plant to dry out more quickly than is desired.
Finally, trauma may cause brown spots to form at random. A plant can suffer trauma just by changing homes (i.e. changing environments). If only one or two of your plant’s brown, damaged leaves are present, remove them at the stem and give your plant some time to heal.
The new growth is smaller than the older leaves
A healthy plant always shows new development, and if your Fiddle’s leaves are getting big and strong, your plant is doing fine.
The presence of little, stunted new leaves, however, may indicate that your plant is deficient in nutrients. Consider repotting your plant if it has been a while since you gave it fresh soil, or just fertilize it in the spring and summer to give it the extra nutrients it requires.
Dropping leaves
Fiddle Leaf Figs can appear to drop their leaves out of nowhere. One leaf here and there is normal; but, if several leaves have fallen off in a short period of time, you must act quickly to rescue the tree. Once more, underwatering or overwatering are the most likely causes of leaf drop in fiddle leaf figs. How then can you distinguish between them? Look at the direction in which the leaves are falling from the plant: if the older leaves (at the bottom) are dropping first, overwatering is probably the cause. On the other hand, if the plant’s leaves are falling off all around, it’s probably not getting enough water. Here are a few more techniques for differentiating.
Leaves turning yellow
Do your fiddle leaf fig’s leaves appear to be yellow? There are several potential reasons:
inadequate lighting Fiddle Leaf Figs require as much direct, strong light as they can get. Even a little direct sunshine is acceptable, but stay away from locations with medium or low light. Remember that a Fiddle that receives insufficient light is more likely to overwater.
a lackluster diet. Due to a deficiency of nutrients in the soil, your Fiddle plant may have yellow leaves. You may want to attempt fertilizing it with liquid fertilizer.
Pests. If fiddles are being attacked by insects, their leaves may also turn yellow. If you have a suspicion that this is the case, thoroughly check the leaves’ top and bottom surfaces for any potential bugs.
Stunted or slowed growth
During the spring and summer, healthy fiddles typically produce new leaves every four to six weeks. It’s possible to see your plant add numerous new leaves in only a few days or weeks because growth usually occurs in spurts. It’s typical for there to be no new growth during the winter. Again, if you don’t observe the expected growth in this plant, it may require new nutrients in the form of a quality plant fertilizer.
Dirty or dusty leaves
When was the last time you washed your plant’s leaves? Plants breathe through their leaves in addition to absorbing sunlight through them. Your plant won’t be able to carry out either of these tasks as effectively as we’d like if a layer of dust is present on its huge leaves. A fantastic technique to keep your Fiddle Leaf Fig plant bright, healthy, and vibrant is to clean the leaves every few months. You may read about various cleaning techniques for your fiddle leaf fig here.
Fiddle Leaf Figs are known to be pickier than most plants, despite the fact that they can be quite low maintenance. Maintain a regular watering routine, fertilize in the spring and summer, and most importantly, ensure that your plant receives enough light year-round (yes, this may require moving it in the winter!). Keep a watch out for any of these symptoms since treating them quickly is essential to keeping your plant healthy and looking nice.
This article was modified from Claire Akin’s Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource. For additional information on how to take care of the fiddle leaf fig, see their website.
How do you grow fiddle leaf figs that are bushier?
Your fiddle leaf fig probably has no other branches that will allow it to transition from a fiddle leaf shrub to a fiddle leaf tree. In addition, bear the following in mind before proceeding:
The amount of regrowth that results from pruning depends on how severe it was. The reason for this is that the plant is trying to grow again in an effort to balance the root system below with the shoot system above, which is now designed to support the plant at its bigger size before trimming.
Usually, the most active shoot growth takes place 6 to 8 inches after the pruning cut.
Make the cut on your fiddle leaf fig
Make a decision regarding the size of the Ficus lyrata cut. Once more, the branching will be more noticeable the longer a part is clipped. (And the less the plant will grow in height, at least for that shoot.)
Your fiddle leaf fig won’t be encouraged to generate as many lateral branches off of the main trunk if you simply pinch out the fresh buds at the top with your fingers.
If you want to encourage a little lateral development to make your plant appear fuller near the top, pinching is more helpful.
On the other hand, you’ll see a lot more branching if you remove 12 of the top shoots.
Choose the node that you want to cut above. The spots on stems known as nodes are where leaves, buds, or branches can grow. However, not every node has leaves or branches; some nodes may only have a mark and a little thickening of the stem. Internodes are the parts of the stem that lie between the nodes.
3. Make use of a clean pair of pruners. Just above the top of your node, make the cut. Cut just above the node rather than into it, which would harm it.
Any plant in the fig family, including your fiddle leaf fig, will exude an oozing, milky, white sap when cut. Simply avoid eating it, getting it in your eyes, or letting it land on the carpet because it can be annoying.
4. As a final piece of advice, wait to remove leaves from the trunk of your fiddle leaf until the new branches have begun to grow. Your plant should be as robust as possible because those leaves aid in the development of the new lateral buds.
(Are you wondering what to do with the plant pieces you pruned? Why not cultivate a second fiddle leaf fig?
I’m done now! Now, give your new lateral buds, which will eventually grow into branches, a few weeks. While the exact length of time varies on a number of variables, your chances of success are higher if you attempt this in the spring, when fiddle leaves are actively growing, as opposed to the winter, when they are largely dormant. In comparison to winter, when the plant will need more time to heal the cut and form new buds, springtime will see rapid new development.
Why aren’t my fiddle leaf fig’s leaves expanding?
You must offer your fiddle leaf the best circumstances for growth if you want it to grow more quickly. This involves ensuring that it is cultivated in a suitable-sized container. Additionally, your fiddle leaf fig requires an abundance of food, water, and sunlight. Sound soil is essential.
(As you may have seen, these are essentially the same guidelines you should be using to treat a fiddle leaf fig that isn’t producing new leaves.)
Even though these gorgeous creatures have a reputation for being picky, providing for their basic needs only necessitates a very straightforward maintenance regimen. A contented, well-treated plant ought to have no trouble prospering. Let’s look into methods to hasten the growth of fiddle leaf figs.
Make sure it’s in an appropriately-sized pot
Fiddle leaf figs quickly outgrow their pots due to their rapid growth. Therefore, it is crucial to repot them whenever they get too big since else they risk becoming rootbound and ceasing to grow.
Always choose a pot for repotting that is at least twice as big as the root ball of your ficus. Make sure it has plenty of drainage holes in addition to this. Additionally, your pot’s moisture will be distributed more evenly if you add a layer of gravel to the base.
Fertilize regularly
Fiddle leaf figs put a lot of work into growing. The soil we buy at nurseries or use in our gardens frequently lacks the necessary nutrients to aid in their growth.
You can improve your plant’s soil with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to help it develop more quickly. Use lower amounts of fertilizer over longer periods of time during your fiddle leaf’s growing season to prevent surprising or stressing your plant.
Sun, water, and soil
The best technique to encourage development in a fiddle leaf fig is as simple as making sure it has enough sunlight, water, and high-quality soil. This nearly goes without saying. A fiddle leaf fig can’t photosynthesize without sunlight, and it can’t get nutrients to its stem and leaves without water.
Additionally, you want to keep your fiddle leaf plant growing in well-kept, high-quality soil that drains excess water in order to ward off pests and illnesses. This reduces the possibility of bacterial and fungal illnesses developing in the soil of your fiddle leaf fig.
Why aren’t the leaves on my fig tree growing?
Because they place low demands on their producers, fig trees are excellent options for home orchards. It can be really upsetting when such a “simple tree” doesn’t seem to grow properly because they are frequently touted as one of the easiest fruit trees to plant and manage.
If your fig tree isn’t flourishing, disease, pests, or poor cultural practices are probably the blame. These are the main reasons why fig trees grow slowly.
Let’s examine each of these factors, how they affect fig tree health, and what we can do to solve the issue and promote development.
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How is a fiddle leaf returned?
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.
Finding the Right Spot for Your Tree
Ficus trees dislike being moved around a lot, therefore it’s important to pick the ideal location for them and keep them there. They are not ideal for placement outside if your winter temperatures fall below 10 degrees Celsius because they are frost-sensitive. Your ficus tree is better kept as a lush, tropical house plant if you don’t live in a tropical climate.
To avoid any misunderstandings, I will first say what they detest rather than what they like:
- Members of the ficus family are extremely susceptible to cold because of their tropical origin.
- They need a warm, protected environment; drafts from doorways, windows, etc. are not acceptable.
- Your plants may become stressed by temperature changes, so keep them away from radiators.
- Your plant may lose leaves if you move to a location with a different lighting intensity. Be calm; these will grow back. New leaves that have adjusted to the shift in light levels will emerge.
- Although they can endure bright shadow, your plant will grow best in bright, indirect sunshine.
- The best orientations are to the south or west.
A warm, draft-free, spacious, well-lit area that is also sufficiently removed from radiators so as not to immediately affect their temperature.
Watering and Fertilizing
Throughout the entire growing season, give your ficus tree regular waterings. Just remember to wait till the compost has dried up a little before watering it again.
Only during the warm months, fertilize every three weeks with a properly diluted home plant feed. New shoots and leaves will be encouraged by the additional nutrients.
Reduce the frequency of watering over the winter, when your ficus is dormant and will consume less water and no additional feed.
Light Preferences
These trees are a very delicate group. They are extremely light-sensitive in addition to being hypersensitive to temperature changes. I can’t even begin to count the number of anxious phone calls from ficus owners whose plants had lost their leaves. People frequently believe that their plant is dying, although this is never the case.
Leaf drop is a sign that all plants in the ficus family are under the same stress. Your ficus tree frequently loses its leaves when the seasons change or even when you move it slightly. Don’t worry, there’s no need to freak out; nature has it all under control. Your ficus will develop new leaves that have gotten used to the lighting conditions in its new environment. What a wonderful idea.