In order to ensure that your fiddle leaf fig plants grow a thick, sturdy trunk, you must first place them in the area of the house that receives the most sunlight. I demonstrate a mature, two-year-old fiddle leaf fig tree in the video along with a young, stake-dependent specimen of the same species that is only three weeks old.
The objective is to develop a thick, robust trunk like the larger, more mature tree from the new juvenile plant’s weak, unbalanced, pencil-thin stem.
I give the plants a treatment in which I wriggle them like the wind might. So I take out the stake from a young fiddle leaf fig plant and pull back a few leaves to reveal the thin stem. I can comfortably jiggle it to simulate the wind once I have it in my hands. Here, we want to recreate all the advantages of being outside without any of the negatives (disagreeable elements like pests, drought, and shade from invasive neighboring plants). Wind is one of the most advantageous aspects of being outside.
My husband, an organic farmer, asked me to run my palm over the top leaves of some vegetable seedlings that were forming in our sunroom, and that’s when I originally had the idea for this post. Before putting the infants in the garden, where they would experience much more wind, he intended to harden them off. By occasionally upsetting them in this manner, their small stems became thicker. Every time they bounced back from the disruption, they became more powerful and eventually outperformed their leggy competitors.
I decided to use the exercise on my young fiddle leaf fig plants because it was so effective. Although it required some commitment, the outcomes were spectacular.
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.
Why is the trunk of my fiddle leaf fig so thin?
Every owner of a fiddle leaf fig plant wants their ficus lyrata to develop into a big, statement-making tree. Unfortunately, many indoor gardeners produce an unattractive, uneven, and rather small version of the same. How can you reinforce the trunk of your fiddle leaf fig tree?
Fiddle leaf fig tree trunks that are not thick, robust, supportive, and nourishing pillars are one of the causes of weak fiddle leaf fig tree trunks.
Sometimes fiddle leaf fig trees do get tall, but they can’t support themselves. The fact that a prop or post is used to hold this beautiful plant up detracts from so many photographs of it.
Today, I demonstrate in the video below exactly how to reinforce and thicken the trunk of a fiddle leaf fig tree so it can develop a strong, stiff, and tall structure without requiring a stake to support it.
How to At-Home Strengthen Your Trunk Using the Fiddle Leaf Fig Hack (No Products Required)
How can a fiddle leaf fig tree be fixed?
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.
How can I thicken the trunk of my tree?
When examining a bonsai tree, one’s eyes are drawn to the base and trunk. We go through the surface roots, tapering, thickness, and shape of the trunk, which are its most crucial features.
The nebari
A bonsai’s Nebari (surface roots, or root-flare), which are crucial for giving it a balanced appearance. Wide, radial surface roots that serve as anchors can frequently be seen on deciduous Bonsai, such as the Japanese maple. The Surface roots page contains more details.
Tapering
Tapering is the process of a tree’s trunk being thicker at its base than at its summit. Even though it is challenging to fix abnormalities in a tree’s thickness of a trunk (choose trees carefully before purchasing them), it is feasible to make little changes:
portion of the Bonsai trunk thickening By directing the majority of the tree’s growth to the branches immediately above the thin region of the trunk, this area will gain access to more nutrients and subsequently thicken. Pruning the entire tree, with the exception of the branches above the thin part of the trunk, might be done to distribute growth. It will take at least two years before you start notice any results using this strategy because it is gradual. As previously said, it is crucial to choose trees with a tapering trunk.
trunk portion that is thinning The only way to make the trunk taper is to thicken the other components of the trunk using the approach mentioned above since it is impossible to make a trunk slimmer. However, it will be much longer before you see a noticeable difference. Instead, you may create a Jin or Shari (deadwood features) to hide the thick point.
Thickness
When a bonsai plant has a thick and gnarly trunk, it frequently appears older than it actually is. The only method to allow a tree to grow freely in a big container without being pruned for several years is to allow the tree’s trunk to get thicker. You can retrain it and put it in a smaller pot once you are satisfied with the thickness of the trunk.
Growing “sacrifice branches” from the trunk is one method for thickening a trunk. For two to five years, these branches are not clipped at all, thickening the trunk as they develop swiftly. The branches are cut off after two to five years have passed.
Overall shape
One of a tree’s most striking features is its overall form, or trunk. Some bonsai have trunks that are beautiful, slender, and twisting; juniper bonsai, for instance, frequently exhibit these characteristics. On the other hand, the traditional Japanese black pine frequently has a substantial, massive trunk. It is crucial to consider the shape of the trunk while purchasing one because it becomes practically impossible to bend a trunk after it reaches a particular thickness (up until that point, you can use a trunk-bender).
Is shaking beneficial to plant growth?
A rising number of plant enthusiasts claim that occasionally shaking indoor houseplants can promote growth and strengthen stems.
The unique plant-shaking tip has gained popularity on social media, but gardening experts have cautioned that it only works for rubber greenery, fiddle leaf fig, monstera, alocasia, and pilea.
The method of gently shaking is supposed to “imitate” the movement of the “wind” in nature, so encouraging the indoor plant to become stronger over time.
“Who else rattles their fiddle fig indoors?” In the Facebook page for Crazy Indoor Plant People Australia, Amanda from New South Wales stated, “It duplicates wind and reinforces them so they sit upright instead of sagging.”
A increasing number of plant lovers suggest that occasionally shaking indoor houseplants can encourage growth and strengthen stems (stock image)
What are the benefits of shaking houseplants?
Plant enthusiasts asserted that shaking indoor houseplants occasionally can encourage growth and strengthen stems.
However, gardening experts cautioned that the technique only truly excels with rubber greenery, monstera, alocasia, and fiddle leaf fig.
My fiddle leaf fig is bending over, why?
Fiddle leaf figs may slant rather than grow straight due to four main factors. Usually, this is caused by poor airflow, inadequate light, insufficient nutrients, or inappropriate watering.
These elements may cause the tree to develop a weak trunk that is unable to support itself or may cause it to grow lopsided as a result of environmental adaptation.
Ensure Watering Needs Are Met
Even though proper watering is a cornerstone of fiddle leaf fig maintenance, it’s one of the difficult techniques to master. However, it’s a significant one!
Due to its inability to maintain itself, underwatering might result in a weak trunk that leans to one side. Plants cannot function without water, which is necessary for moving nutrients from the roots to the trunk and leaves. Every physiological function that keeps a plant alive, including growth and trunk creation, depends on water. Don’t cut costs!
On the other side, drowning your violin in water can ruin its roots and even make them rot, which may prevent it from absorbing nutrients. Naturally, your poor tree won’t have the nutrients to grow properly, which naturally results in a weak, leaning trunk.
Learn how to water your fiddle leaf fig correctly to promote the plant’s general health and encourage the growth of a sturdy, sturdy trunk.
When to Water Your Fiddle Leaf Fig
Too many owners of fiddle leaf figs end up in hot water because they water according to a timetable rather than listening to their plants.
Before you water your plant, take sure to make sure that it is genuinely ready. You have a few options for how to conduct this, including the finger test, the poke-a-stick test, and a moisture meter.
In general, you should water when a moisture meter reads 3–4 or when the top 2-3 inches of soil feel dry to the touch. You can check the moisture level in the soil by putting your finger or a chopstick or other wooden stick into the top layer to see if it is dry.
You should water a plant that receives enough of sunshine and is rooted in well-draining soil every 7 to 14 days. Remember that the fiddle leaf fig’s requirements may change based on the season, lighting, temperature, and humidity levels. This is just another reason why it’s crucial to monitor the moisture content of your soil rather than watering blindly according to a timetable!
Do fiddle leaf figs require assistance?
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:
What makes your fiddle leaf fig worth shaking?
“To keep my fiddle upright while it was young and immature, I used a wooden dowel. I was able to remove the dowel and it no longer need extra support because it was able to strengthen itself over time as it grew and with frequent shakings, Paige added.
So even though I wouldn’t advise you to shake your plants firmly, giving them a gently rock would not harm them. In addition to your FLF, I can see this idea working well for Rubber plants, Monsteras, Alocasia, and Pilea plants. They all have thick stems that frequently need to support a lot of weight as the leaves enlarge. This will probably become a regular component of how I take care of my plants. Play some music, get moving, and invite my plants to join in. It seems like it would be enjoyable.
How can branching be promoted?
One of the finest strategies to promote a tree branch’s growth is pruning. A branch can grow more quickly if upper-story plants are pruned and thinned to provide room for more light to reach a struggling understory tree or bush.