In a well-lit space, the fiddle leaf fig tree creates a striking living sculpture with its tall, columnar structure and large, gangly leaves. Fiddle-leafs are a bright, eye-catching indoor plant that may be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 10 and 11.
The ficus lyrata, sometimes known as the fiddle-leaf fig, is known for being picky. It is true that fiddle-leaves suffer when the soil is either too dry or too wet, when there is either too much or too little sunlight, when the air is either too dry or too humid, and when the region is cool and drafty. But if we take care of a fiddle leaf fig plant properly, it can live for many years indoors. Fiddle leaf fig maintenance is simple and enjoyable!
Best Soil for Fiddle Leaf Figs
Your fiddle-leaf plant should be planted in a loose, humus-rich, well-drained potting medium. Use our Fiddle Leaf Fig Soil or an indoor potting mix. To increase the drainage and aeration around the roots, we advise adding one-third to one-half of a cactus potting mix, such as the one created especially by Perfect Plants for succulents and cacti, to the soil of indoor houseplants.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Watering
Carefully water your indoor fiddle leaf fig tree. Watering the violin-shaped leaves too much or too little has a similar affects, causing them to wilt and eventually drop. Water deeply with tepid water till water drains out the bottom after waiting until the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch down to approximately an inch deep.
Your fig will require less watering in the winter and more watering in the summer (perhaps once a week) (maybe once a month). Overwatering is the most frequent reason for early death in fiddle-leaf figs. You can tell when your fiddle leaf needs a drink by paying attention to it. You don’t want water at the bottom of the pot, damp feet, warm, humid temperatures, or root rot.
Fiddle Leaf Fig Light Requirements
The fiddle-leaf fig prefers filtered indirect light to direct sunlight. A fig’s leaves will scorch, become yellow, and fall off in full sun; in an overly dark location, the green leaves will shrivel and fall off. A window facing east that provides intense indirect light and is not too close to the sun so that the sun’s rays touch the leaves is the ideal location. Dropped leaves are a warning sign that something is amiss with your plant, so keep an eye on it.
Keep in mind that the amount of sunshine that enters a sunny window changes with the seasons. When the sun is higher in the sky during the summer, its direct rays do not reach as far into the room as they do in winter when it is closer to the horizon. As the indoor plant grows and leans toward the indirect light, rotate it occasionally. Our goal is to keep its symmetry. For a large houseplant, a rolling plant stand can be quite helpful.
Other Plant Requirements
To stop fungus diseases from taking root, there should be a moderate air flow surrounding the plant. A ceiling fan works wonders for this. Avoid chilly drafts from the air conditioner in the summer or from drafty windows in the winter. Cold drafts can cause leaves to drop, dry down, turn yellow, or brown with patches. If you think your plant might become cold or have leaf drop, move it.
Warm up your fig. Fiddle-leaves require a minimum temperature of about 50F during the winter. The ideal summertime temperature range is 60 to 75 F, with the cooler nighttime lows.
Because it is a native of the tropics, the fiddle-leaf fig needs a warm, humid climate, particularly in the winter when most homes have extremely dry air. In contrast to most homes, which have relative humidity levels of around 10% in the winter, fiddle-leaf figs thrive in environments between 30% and 60% RH. The ideal location for a local-use humidifier is close to the tropical plant to ensure appropriate humidity.
Regular misting of the fig’s leaves is a nice backup option. Grow numerous more indoor plants close by to increase the humidity in the area. Place the grow or container of the fig over a tray of water: In a big saucer, spread a layer of gravel, then add water until it is just below the gravel. Over the gravel, place the fig’s container. The humidity around the plant will increase when evaporation from this “humidity tray” occurs.
Best Fertilizer for Fiddle Leaf Fig
For best results, use slow-release fertilizer on fiddle leaves. Use Perfect Plants Fiddle Leaf Fig Fertilizer on your fiddle-leaf roughly every six months throughout the spring and summer growth period. Follow the label’s instructions when adding fertilizer to the existing pot’s top layer of soil. It will specify how much to use for each pot size.
Fertilize not during the winter. This fertilizer is also available on Amazon Prime for no shipping fees. To maintain the flow of vital nutrients, ficus lyrata needs fiddle leaf fig plant food. A 16-5-11 NPK ratio is used.
When to Repot Fiddle Leaf Fig
Each year to three years, repot your fiddle leaf fig. We don’t want the roots to get root bound and obstruct the drainage openings in the container. Untie root systems that are confined to pots and cut off any that are overly lengthy. Repot the plant in a container that is only slightly bigger than the original after shaking out part of the old potting soil.
After carefully pruning the root ball and adding fresh potting soil, you can put your fiddle-leaf back in the same container if it has already grown to the desired size. Don’t remove more than 20% of the root ball when trimming. By trimming the roots, you can prevent the plant from growing too large. Spring is the ideal season for repotting. sturdy trunk to support the slender plant stem. The light may pull a plant in any direction, allowing it to grow. When the huge fiddle leaf fig tree is the desired height, pinch off the top of the main stem. A stronger and more tightly packed houseplant will result from this. Repotting and trimming should be done in the spring to give the fig a full growing season to recover.
Pests on Fiddle Leaf Fig Indoors
Pest insects including aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, or whiteflies occasionally affect figs. Regularly check the large leaves and young stems for signs of infection, and if any appear, spray or clean the leaves with an insecticidal soap. You can create your own bug-killing solution by mixing one quart of water with two tablespoons of a light liquid soap, such Dawn or Castile.
Wipe your fig leaves occasionally with a moist towel to keep them bright and clean. By removing the covering of dust, which can obstruct vital metabolic activities including transpiration, CO2 intake, and photosynthesis, the fig not only looks better.
What kind of soil is necessary for fig plants?
Although common figs (Ficus carica) are simple to grow and yield delicious fruits, few Granite State gardeners grow them since they can’t consistently withstand the harsh winters in New Hampshire. Figs thrive in USDA Zones 7 through 10, despite being native to western Asia and southeastern Europe. Anywhere in New Hampshire, figs cannot be safely grown outdoors because, in Zone 6, plants typically incur considerable dieback in cold winters. However, adverse weather can be removed from the equation by successfully growing them in containers.
Under ideal conditions, the common fig can grow 10–20 feet tall and wide, though it is unlikely to get this big in a container. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree. Silver-gray bark and big, tropical-looking leaves with three to five lobes apiece are ornamental characteristics. Despite not having fruit, figs can make appealing potted plants for patios and decks.
Fig fruit ripens in late summer or early fall after inconspicuous blossoms appear around branch tips in the spring. Contrary to other common fruit trees, such as apples, figs do not require cross-pollination with another kind, making fruit production simple on a modest scale.
Take into account the following growing advice if you want to begin growing figs in containers:
Choose the right container
Selecting the appropriate container is the first step in growing beautiful and fruitful figs. The material the container is made of is not as crucial as whether it provides proper drainage and is the right size for your fig plant. Clay, ceramic, plastic and wood containers will all work as long as there is at least one hole in the bottom to allow excess water to escape.
The container also needs to carry enough potting mix so that you won’t need to water it continually and be sturdy enough not to topple over on a windy day. Ideally, there will be one-two inches of gap between the fig plant’s roots and the surrounding walls of the container at the time of planting. Once the container is completely filled by the fig’s roots over time, you can transfer it into a bigger pot. By starting small and moving up to larger-sized containers, you are less likely to have troubles with pests like root rot and fungus gnats.
Note that you will need to transfer the container to a protected location when winter approaches. Avoiding too ornamental and hefty containers might be beneficial, as can growing figs on dollies or wheeled plant stands.
Use soilless potting mix
Figs favor continuously moist, well-drained soil that is rich with organic matter. A high-quality soilless potting mixture is the finest choice for container gardening. Potting mixes are specifically designed for growing plants in pots. They are airy, lightweight, and hold moisture well. One of the most important components of potting mix is air space. A fig won’t live if the roots aren’t given adequate oxygen to breathe. Good mixes always include an organic component (peat moss, compost, or bark), vermiculite or perlite (to help retain moisture), sand, fertilizers, and limestone, despite the fact that the ingredients frequently vary.
Properly watering and fertilize
For container-grown figs to be successful, proper watering is essential. Figs need to be watered frequently, especially when the weather is hot during the growing season. Apply water until it starts to drain from the bottom of the container after the top one to two inches of potting mix have dried. The potting mix should always be wet but not drenched.
Throughout the growing season, figs need a moderate amount of nutrients to support new growth and, eventually, fruit. Yellowed or abnormally tiny leaves may be a sign that fertilizer is required. Complete liquid fertilizers should only be applied at the recommended rate and interval since they will supply all the nutrients required.
Because organic fertilizers depend on soil bacteria to make their nutrients available and because soilless potting mixes lack these microbes in significant quantities, synthetic fertilizers are favored over organic ones for container-grown plants.
Move figs indoors during the cool months
To be healthy, figs require a time of dormancy in the winter. Fig leaves naturally turn yellow and fall off as the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler. As soon as the leaves begin to change color or before the first deadly frost, move plants to an unheated basement, garage, or greenhouse. Reduce watering slightly after figs are indoors, making sure the top two inches of the potting mix are dry before watering.
Although the roots of dormant plants won’t absorb much water, moisture is required to prevent the roots from drying out. How often you need to water will depend on the size of the container, the potting soil, and the temperature; this may simply be once per week or two. To prevent root rot and early plant death, avoid overwatering dormant figs.
Gradually reintroduce figs outside during the spring
Move your fig outside for a few hours every day as the warm weather approaches in the spring to help it become used to the outdoors. Over the course of a few weeks, progressively expose it to extended periods of sun exposure. When there is a danger of frost in the evening, bring it back inside. The fig can be permanently relocated outside to a full-sun site after the final date of frost for the length of the summer.
Although growing figs in containers can be enjoyable and rewarding, it’s necessary to set reasonable goals. Fig trees in good health will consistently bear fruit, but probably not more than you can eat in a few snacks or meals. Try growing figs in containers instead if you’re ready to take a chance and cultivate an unusual fruit tree in New Hampshire.
Can I grow fiddle leaf figs in garden soil?
The fiddle leaf fig prefers a soil mixture with sufficient structural strength to hold the plant’s roots firmly in place but won’t compress or pack down. If the mixture is too light, the plant may tip as it grows taller and its root ball may come out of the ground. The dirt may become dense if it is excessively heavy. The deep dirt may prevent air from reaching the roots, stunting the plant’s growth, or may obstruct water drainage, causing root rot.
Types of Soil for Fiddle Leaf Figs
This plant can be grown in a variety of all-purpose potting mixtures made for indoor houseplants. However, a growing mix created especially for the plant is frequently the finest soil mixture for fiddle leaf figs. It should not be planted in garden soil since it is usually too dense.
Plant-specific blends are structured similarly to all-purpose blends, but they have been modified to meet the unique requirements of the fiddle leaf fig. One or more of the following are probably present in the ideal soil for fiddle leaf fig plants grown indoors:
- Bark: Adding chunks of fir or pine bark to the mixture can help it drain better and prevent it from compacting.
- Sphagnum peat moss has two benefits: It drains efficiently and also absorbs water and releases it gradually to prevent root evaporation.
- Perlite: This light-weight byproduct of volcanic glass aids in aerating the soil and allowing oxygen to reach the roots. Additionally, it stores water to keep the soil just moist enough.
- Coconut coir, a fibrous layer that lies between the coconut’s fruit and shell, keeps the growing medium light and airy. Additionally, it takes in water and slowly releases it.
- Charcoal, a byproduct of burned wood or peat, helps sustain the roots of fiddle leaf figs by absorbing salts and other impurities from the soil and strengthening the soil’s structure.
- Sand: Coarse sand promotes drainage and provides stability in potting soil.
Drainage
Utilizing a soil that drains effectively is the most crucial factor to take into account when selecting soil for fiddle leaf fig plants. Wet feet are not good for this plant. Its roots could decay if they are submerged in water. Brown stains or drooping leaves may be the result of poor soil drainage. If the plant’s leaves start to fall off, it might already be too late to save it from root rot. The greater the likelihood of saving the plant, the earlier it is discovered to have inadequate drainage and is repotted.
When watering the plant, check to see if any water is dripping from the drainage holes on the pot’s base. The majority of the water can pass through well-draining soil, but some is absorbed and held to maintain a mildly wet environment.
Water Retention
It may seem paradoxical, but a soil’s ability to hold water while yet having good drainage is ideal for a fiddle leaf fig. Sand and huge pieces of bark are components that give the mixture air gaps and aid in drainage. Peat moss and other elements soak up some of the water before gently releasing it. Still other substances, like perlite and coco coir, serve these dual purposes.
Additionally, some producers could include tiny clay pellets that gently release water after absorbing it. This helps hold the roots firmly in the pot and is advantageous when producing larger fiddle leaf figs.
The pH Level
Fiddle leaf figs prefer soil that is close to their natural growing habitat, with a pH range of 5.3 to 6.7 and a near-neutral acid/alkaline balance. Lower than 5.3 pH levels may be overly acidic, which can cause feeble, yellowing leaves. On the other side, a pH of above 6.7 may be overly alkaline, causing the plant to become stunted and have red blotches on its leaves.
Repotting the plant in new soil that is better suited to its requirements is preferable to trying to balance out existing fiddle leaf fig soil that has a pH that is either too high or too low. If pH is a concern, low-cost pH test kits are available to check the acidity and alkalinity of soil.