How To Top A Fiddle Leaf Fig

When notching, a precise cut is made above a node as opposed to clipping the top sprout. Only if you don’t want to lower the height of your fiddle leaf would I advise employing notching over pruning, which is a sophisticated method.

Another way that notching functions is by obstructing the hormones that control growth—again, auxin. The impact is gone as the wound calluses over, and hormones will start to flow once more.

How to notch your fiddle leaf fig

First, some dexterity is needed for notching. If the incision is made too deeply, you run the danger of amputating the limb. (But hey, even if you accidently cut off the head of your ficus, there will still be branching.) If you make the cut too shallow, it might not heal.

It doesn’t yield reliable outcomes like pruning. Though it can result in less-than-ideal gaps in your fiddle leaf branches, think about cutting a few more notches than you desire branches. (Again, pruning doesn’t have a problem here because it works best on the nodes closest to the incision.)

It works better on a woody stem than on more recent, softer green growth.

This is how you do it:

Make an incision above a node using a clean, sharp blade. I applied a brand-new X-Acto knife blade’s tip edge. (The kind where the old blades can be removed with a snap.) I was able to secure the internode because of this. If using pruners makes you more comfortable, do so.

Make an incision that goes 1/3 of the way around the stem and no deeper than 1/3 of the stem just ABOVE the node. There will be some latex sap, which you should brush away in case any children or animals decide to taste it because it does like milk.

Making the incision above the node as opposed to below it prevents auxin, a hormone that controls growth, from functioning properly. By switching the flow of carbohydrates from vegetative development to reproductive growth when a node is cut just below it, blooming and fruiting are encouraged (flowers & fruit).

Leave it alone to recover, and maybe after a few weeks you’ll have buds that develop into branches. As with pruning, your chances of success will increase if you attempt this during your fiddle leaf’s prime growing season, which is in the spring or early summer.

One last 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.

So that’s pretty much it. Your single-stalk fiddle leaf can easily be transformed into a full, tree-like canopy. Waiting for those branches to appear after you’ve finished your trimming or notching just requires patience.

How do you feel? Do you favour single-stalked fiddle leafs grown singly, in clusters, or as a single-trunked tree?

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Can I chop my fig tree’s top off?

If a fig tree is left to grow on its own, it develops into a charming and romantic figure with a strong, twisted trunk that rises 50 feet in the air and thick, robust branches that span the same distance horizontally. You must begin training the tree as soon as possible if you want something more manageable and compact. A fruit tree is trained when it is young to develop a structure that produces copious amounts of fruit that is simple to harvest. Fig trees typically have an open centre structure with no central branches, enabling more sunlight to enter. Cutting off the top of the young tree is the first step in the procedure.

Remove the newly planted fig tree’s top 24 inches or so from the ground. Act before the first buds emerge in the late winter or early spring. All remaining branches should be cut back to 6 inches.

Early in the summer, keep an eye out for quick new growth. Choose three healthy shoots from the new branches at the end of June to act as the main scaffolding branches. Select branches to be evenly spaced around the trunk, up to 8 inches vertically apart, with the lowest branch being 20 inches or so off the ground. Avoid branches that are attached to the trunk at tight angles; instead, go for angles of about 45 degrees. Use paint or ribbon to identify the scaffold branches so you won’t confuse them.

When the scaffold branches are longer than 30 inches, trim them back to 20 inches. On each scaffold branch, pick three or four auxiliary scaffold branches. Reduce all other shoots to a height of 6 inches.

Can you remove the fiddle leaf fig tree’s top?

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.

What happens when a fiddle leaf fig is notched?

A room is brightened by a bushy fiddle leaf fig with lush foliage, but occasionally they might become leggy, malformed, or not have the full foliage you want. Making sure a fiddle leaf fig plant is healthy and receiving everything it needs to thrive is the first step in encouraging it to grow bushy leaves.

Before attempting to coerce the plant into producing bushy foliage, be sure you are providing for its growing requirements and that the plant is healthy. Here is a quick list of the requirements for your fiddle leaf fig plant to thrive inside.

Check on its light needs

For photosynthesizing to take place and generate the energy required for growth, your fiddle leaf fig needs direct sunshine. Place your fiddle leaf fig in an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to make sure its lighting needs are being satisfied. It works great to be near a window in the west or south. An eastern window also works nicely if you have adequate eastern exposure.

The level of light your fiddle leaf fig plant needs to thrive is not present in the light coming from a northern window. Similar to this, watch out that your plant doesn’t get too much light, since a sunburned fiddle leaf fig won’t look its best.

Make sure it’s getting enough water

Your fiddle leaf fig requires enough water to stay healthy and beautiful. Every time the soil feels dry to the touch 2 to 3 inches below the surface, water it thoroughly so that water runs through the bottom of the pot. After watering your plant, empty the saucer or catchpan. A fiddle leaf fig that has been overwatered may develop root rot, among a number of other problems. Water that is left in the saucer may syphon into the soil and keep it moist.

When determining how frequently to water a fiddle leaf fig, keep a close eye on the soil around the plant and create a schedule that works for you. When it is vigorously developing in the spring and summer, it can need watering once a week or more. During the fall and winter, it may last 10 days or longer without needing water.

Put your fiddle leaf fig in the right soil

To maintain the health of your fiddle leaf fig, you need well-draining soil. The roots may become trapped in squishy soil as a result of poor soil drainage. This may result in diseases like root rot.

By mixing one to two parts all-purpose potting soil, one part perlite, and one part peat moss, you can create your own potting soil for your fiddle leaf fig tree. Widely regarded as the ideal soil for fiddle leaf figs, this produces a light soil that drains well.

Ensure it has the right temperature and humidity

Temperature changes will harm your fiddle leaf fig, which enjoys temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees. It should not be planted close to heating or air conditioning vents because it is susceptible to both hot and cold gusts. It prefers a relative humidity of between 30 and 65 percent, therefore dry air in your home during the winter months may be problematic.

Use water-filled pebble trays underneath the pot or set up a humidifier to maintain the happiness of your fiddle leaf fig tree. You might arrange your plants in a cluster to take use of the moisture they transpire. The surrounding humidity will increase as a result.

Some people prefer to spritz their plants frequently, but this method is ineffective for increasing the humidity in the area around your plants. Misting has short-lived effects and needs to be done frequently during the day to be effective.

Feed your fiddle leaf fig with its preferred fertilizer

High nitrogen fertilisers work best for fiddle leaf figs. The optimal formula is 3-1-2. This or a similar recipe can be purchased from a hardware store or garden shop. From spring through summer, feed your fiddle leaf fig once a month, adhering to the application rate on the container. When new growth starts to show in the spring, you should restart fertilising your fiddle leaf fig.

Pinch your fiddle leaf fig

The simplest and least labor-intensive technique to spur new growth is to pinch.

The act of pinching a fiddle leaf fig involves using your thumb and finger to scrape off the tiniest fresh leaves from the tops of your plant’s branches and stem. Squeeze the fresh leaves to remove them from the plant by locating them.

The plant must create new growth from nodes along the stem or branch when the fresh leaves are pinched out.

Prune your plant

While pruning requires a bit more work than pinching does in terms of making your fiddle leaf fig bushier, the consequences are the same.

You will require a clean, sharp pair of clippers or a knife to prune your fiddle leaf fig. Find a node on the plant’s stem where you want new growth or lateral branches to develop.

Just 1/4 to 1/2 inch above the node, cut the stem. This will compel the plant node to produce new growth. To force branching, you can prune lateral branches or the fiddle leaf fig’s entire top.

No more than 10% of the plant should be pruned. Extreme trimming may stress the plant and retard its growth.

Notch your fiddle leaf fig

A more sophisticated technique for making your fiddle leaf fig tree bushy is notching.

As previously mentioned, notching entails slicing the plant’s stem right above a node. This prevents the release of growth hormones and causes the node to produce new growth.

Since notching necessitates a deep cut through one-third of the stem, it carries a small chance of accidently cutting the entire stem. If you want to force new branches and bushy development on your fiddle leaf fig tree, try notching it as described above.

Your fiddle leaf fig plant will look better if you promote lush new growth. Notching is one method of doing it, but it’s not the only one. If you’re worried about notching your fiddle leaf fig and running the danger of breaking it or totally cutting the stem, think about pinching or pruning to create a bushy plant as an alternative.

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 practise.