Once you have your fiddle-leaf fig at home, it is necessary to repot it in a pretty container that complements your decor and is also good for the health of your plant. Since gardeners water their plants daily to bathe the roots, the majority of fresh plants are shipped in plastic growth containers with drainage holes to keep roots dry and prevent root rot.
Finding a container that retains water better than plastic growing pots while still having a sufficient drainage system to support the root ball’s growth is ideal because fiddle-leaf figs require the ideal balance of moisture and dryness is essential for their growth.
Look for containers that are an inch or two taller and 3 to 4 inches larger in diameter than the pot that your fig was grown in. However, avoid purchasing a pot with a diameter of more than 6 inches, since this may encourage root rot in your plant.
Your pot also has to have drainage holes in the bottom and a saucer or reservoir underneath to catch any extra moisture.
Picking the Proper Potting Mix & Soil Amendment
Finding goods that enable your plant to perform to its maximum potential is the first step in picking the ideal potting mix and soil amendment for your fiddle-leaf fig. Our organic potting soil from Jobe’s offers an all-natural answer to your fig’s fundamental demands. Our potting mix, which contains BiozomeRa special combination of beneficial bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and archaea, helps the roots of fiddle-leaf figs develop quickly and maintain moisture without the use of any hazardous substances.
Consider include a perlite soil amendment while potting to truly make sure our potting mix stays loose, prevents compaction, and provides for optimum water drainage for your fiddle.
Repotting Your Fiddle-Leaf Fig in Four Steps
There are only a few stages involved in potting your fiddle-leaf fig plant, but you must take your time and handle it gently the entire time to prevent damage:
Find a Workspace
It is now time to move your plant to its new location because you have a suitable fiddle-leaf fig container and potting soil. Make sure you’re in a place that you don’t mind getting dirty because this process might be messy. Think about moving your plant on a piece of plastic or an old bed sheet outside on your patio or inside.
Fill in Jobe’s Potting Mix & Soil Amendment
Give your fig a platform for its root ball to sit on by adding 4 to 5 inches of potting soil to your new container. While your plant is inside the pot, make sure it isn’t overstuffed with soil. Check to see if the top of your fig’s root ball protrudes above the rim of the pot to determine this. Remember to include your soil amendment as well!
Remove & Transfer
Next, carefully detach the growing container from the root ball of your fig. Do not force your fig out of its pot if you are having trouble doing so. Carefully cut the plastic container’s side using a pair of scissors.
After being removed, place your fig inside the new pot while keeping it upright by the trunk. Next, fill the container with potting soil and soil amendment until it is completely full. After that, lightly compact the dirt to allow your fig’s roots to breathe.
Initial Watering
It’s time to water your fig for the first time once it has been potted. To guarantee that any air in the soil has been released, completely submerge the pot in water. You might need to add more potting mix if you see that the sides of the soil are now lower than the middle.
Allow your plant to dry for at least an hour after the soil has been thoroughly moistened and even reached the top of the pot. Then, before taking your fiddle-leaf fig inside, be careful to completely drain the water reservoir of the pot.
Are fiddle leaf figs suitable for terra cotta pots?
Your Fiddle Leaf Fig will probably come in an unsightly but useful plastic nursery pot when you buy it. Although nursery pots are frequently used because they are inexpensive and portable, they may not be the most aesthetically acceptable option for your Fiddle Leaf Fig’s long-term home.
However, nursery pots are a wonderful choice even for established plants because they typically have many of drainage holes. For additional information on how to conceal an unsightly plastic planter, see the section below about cache pots.
Because they have a classic appearance that complements many styles of design and because they age well and develop a patina that many people find appealing, terracotta planters are ideal for all kinds of indoor plants. Since the porous clay absorbs some moisture from the soil and encourages air circulation around the roots, they are beneficial for plants like Fiddle Leaf Figs that are sensitive to overwatering. But if your Fiddle Leaf Fig is very enormous, the necessary terracotta container could be quite heavy and challenging to move.
Similar to glazed ceramic pots, those that are the right size for fiddle leaf figs can be elegant but also heavy and pricey. Before you buy a ceramic pot, make sure it has drainage holes because many of them don’t.
Where do I put my fiddle leaf fig?
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!
Which containers work best for fig trees?
Large containers are ideal for growing fig trees in pots. Although half whiskey barrels are best, any container big enough to hold the root ball and have room for some growing is acceptable. As the tree grows larger and outgrows its container, you may always transplant it later. If the tree needs to be moved during the cool months to a protected location, putting the pot on casters makes moving it simple.
Figs need sun, so pick a location with as much exposure as you can, ideally near to a wall that faces south. The pH of the soil should range from 6.0 to 6.5. After your area is no longer in risk of a frost, plant new fig trees in the spring.
As long as the soil is loamy, well-drained, and contains a lot of compost or well-rotted manure, you can use normal organic potting soil or create your own blend. To lighten heavy soil and promote aeration and drainage, combine in soilless media. When you plant the tree, make sure the place where the trunk meets the root ball is level with the soil by backfilling it until it is 2 inches (5 cm) below the top of the container.
When the soil is dry to an inch (2.5 cm) below the surface, water the container fig. Remember that trees grown in containers dry out more quickly than trees planted in gardens. The tree may lose its leaves or produce fewer fruit if you stress it out by letting it dry out too much.
Each month, use a foliar spray, diluted liquid seaweed mix, compost, or manure tea to enhance fruit set and promote health. When fruit starts to form, be careful to give the tree enough water to encourage juiciness and plump fruit.
Pruning back figs will reduce their size. Throughout the growth season, suckers can also be cut out and given to friends or family to reproduce.
It is a good idea to safeguard the tree as the weather starts to get colder. The tree can be wrapped, but rolling it into an unheated, typically dark space, like a garage, is the easiest option. The fig will be adequately protected from freezes while being given the opportunity to enter a crucial dormant stage.
Due to root constraint, growing fig trees in pots also offers the additional benefit of increasing yields and advancing harvest time. They are also stunning trees that add life to the patio or deck by promising future luscious figs.
What size container works best for a fig tree?
FIGS thrive on any soil with good drainage and should be able to retain moisture.
Give the fig enough room to practice being a fan. The maximum height and spread at maturity are 2 meters (6.5 feet) and 33.5 meters (1012 feet).
Even though container-grown plants can be planted at any time, spring is the best time because it gives them a complete growing season to establish themselves.
Root growth restriction promotes fruiting. Either create a planting hole, grow figs in patio pots, or plant them directly in the ground. Dig a hole of 60 by 60 by 60 centimeters to use as a planting pit (2 x 2 x 2ft). To stop the roots from spreading outward, line the sidewalls with vertical slabs that are 2.5cm (1in) taller than the surrounding soil. Add a base layer 1020cm (48in) deep of debris, broken bricks, or crocks.
Plant 20 cm (8 in) away from the base of a wall or fence that faces south or south-west in the sun. Use garden soil for the backfill (enhanced if necessary with well-rotted organic matter) or John Innes No. 3 compost.
Ideally, figs in pots should be planted in a pot one size larger than the original in March or April. They should be started in 30 cm (1 foot) pots, and every two years in March, they should be repotted with John Innes No 3 in a container that is 5 cm (2 inches) larger. To enable for watering, leave a space of at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) between the soil and the lip of the pot.
When ought my fiddle leaf to be repotted?
For good reason, fiddle leaf figs are popular in the design world. They are a terrific modern accent in homes and businesses thanks to their enormous, architectural leaves, which create a striking statement. Despite the fig’s image as a bit of a prima donna, if you and your fig abide by a few simple rules, you and your fig can enjoy a long-lasting and fruitful relationship.
Here are some fundamental instructions for taking care of a fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata). Keep in mind that if you ever need assistance troubleshooting plant concerns, feel free to stop by our store or use the hashtag #heyswansons to share your queries on social media.
SOIL
Fiddle Leaf Figs are native to the rainforest and prefer rich, porous soil. When repotting your fig, we advise using E.B. Stone Organics “Edna’s Best” Potting Soil.
You can either gently remove the plant from its pot and search for roots that develop in a thick circle or check the bottom of the container to see whether the roots are emerging from the drainage holes.
You can repot your fig into a container that is up to a few inches larger if it has outgrown its current one. Fiddle leaf figs typically require repotting every one to two years.
Another choice is to carefully cut the root ball of a huge plant and repot it in its original container with fresh potting soil. Don’t forget to only remove 20% of the root ball.
When your plant has grown as big as your home or office will allow, you have the option of trimming the roots to prevent it from getting any bigger.
LIGHT
Give your fig a strong, indirect light source. The leaves might be burned by the afternoon sun if it is too intense. If your single window is facing South or West, try relocating the plant a little bit away from the window or put a sheer curtain in front of the window to block the sun’s rays.
WATER
Consistent watering helps fiddle leaf figs stay hydrated but not drenched. Water slowly and thoroughly until water drains out of the drainage holes in the pot, let the soil dry to about 1, and then water slowly and thoroughly one more. To prevent the plant from sitting in water, make sure to dump any remaining water from your caching pot or tray.
During the spring and summer growing seasons, water slightly more than in the winter.
If figs do not receive enough water, their leaves may start to turn brown or yellow around the margins before dropping. The roots could decay if the plant is kept too moist because they won’t be able to get oxygen. Yellowing, browning, and the dropping of the lower/older leaves are indications of overwatering, which are comparable to those of underwatering.
HUMIDITY & TEMPERATURE
The warm, muggy climate of the jungle is favorable to figs. You might put a shallow tray of water near or under your plant to boost the humidity in your house or place of business. In order to prevent the plant’s roots from sitting in standing water when the tray is placed under it, fill it with stones and maintain the water level below them.
To enhance the humidity surrounding the leaves, you might also wish to mist your plant a few times per week. In the winter, a humidifier can also work wonders to boost humidity and keep your plant content.
Floppy Leaf Figs don’t like drafts or unexpected temperature fluctuations very much. The leaves may fall from exposure to air conditioning or cold drafts from windows. When evening lows do not go below 60 degrees, they are happiest.
FERTILIZER
During the growing season, fertilize your houseplants using an all-purpose fertilizer. To avoid overfertilizing, you can either follow the instructions on the packaging or halve the recommended dosage. Additionally, if you are not repotting that year, you can add an inch or two of new potting soil each year.
PESTS
A plant under stress may become more susceptible to pests. A contented plant that is misted and well-watered will be less likely to encounter pest problems!
Aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites can all harm figs. Always be sure to check your plant’s foliage on a frequent basis. Depending on the pest attacking the plant, if you find insects, send us a picture or bring a sample in so we can suggest a suitable natural insecticide.
The plant’s leaves turning yellow and falling off are another sign. However, problems with irrigation could also be to blame. If you don’t see any pests on your plant, experiment with different watering schedules to see if the problem goes away.
OTHER TIPS
Those big, gorgeous leaves can be dust magnets! To keep your Fig gleaming and healthy, give it a once-over with a gentle, dry cloth.
Keep in mind to frequently rotate your plant to maintain uniform growth and avoid tilting!
Photos of your fiddle leaf figs are welcome! Show off your beauty by using the hashtag #heyswansons!