It’s best for your Fiddle Leaf Fig to come inside during the colder months if it typically lives outside and you live somewhere where the temperature drops below 55°F (12°C) at night. Tropical plants known as FLFs struggle in chilly climates.
These plants can adapt to chilly weather to some extent. But for our lush, tropical buddies, a sudden cold snap or temps close to freezing can cause shock and leaf loss.
Therefore, you’ll be interested in learning how to bring your FLF inside for the winter.
How to Transition a Fiddle Leaf Fig to Indoors
It’s possible that you’ve heard that FLFs dislike being moved. This is true, but mostly if they are relocating to a less favorable environment than their current setting.
They may also endure suffering when you first get your Fiddle home because of this. Plants raised for sale are frequently raised in ideal, greenhouse-like conditions.
Locations with poor light, high humidity, or temperatures below 65 °F are the worst (18C). However, a Fiddle Leaf Fig that is relocated to a warmer, brighter environment than its present one shouldn’t react unfavorably.
Moving your FLF indoors presents a number of challenges, including reduced light, reduced humidity, and reduced fresh air movement. Even while we have no influence over any of these factors, knowing about them can help you relax if it takes your FLF some time to adjust.
Your FLF can struggle with the lack of light since there is far less of it indoors than there is outside. Our house could appear brilliant to our eyes. However, a plant will sense the reduced light levels much more clearly!
If your FLF is currently outside in a sunny location, move it to a shaded location for a few weeks before bringing it inside. This will ease the transition and, ideally, decrease any shock that the plant would have from being quickly brought into a dimly lit area.
Be warned that it’s common for moving a plant indoors to have some potentially harmful side effects. Sadly, some leaf loss might not be preventable.
There are a few things you can do to ensure a smooth transition for your FLF indoors, like adding additional light from a grow light (further information on utilizing grow lights indoors can be found here) and raising humidity using a humidifier (read on for more info on humidity).
When is a fiddle leaf fig too cold?
Keeping that in mind, let’s discuss a few frequent errors that could cause your fiddle leaf fig to resemble a dried-out husk (or, at least, a sad example of a houseplant crying for help).
Overwatering and Underwatering
With any indoor plant, watering is one of the trickiest things to get correctly. This is particularly valid for a fickle plant like the fiddle leaf fig.
The fiddle leaf fig receives plenty of water from rainfall in its natural region, but it never gets soggy.
To avoid this, make sure your soil has sufficient drainage and that your plant is in a pot with good drainage. You should also only water the plant when the top two notches of your soil tester show dry dirt.
Too Much Light
You are correct that this plant enjoys the sun, however keep an eye on it and move the plant a bit farther away from the window if you notice that the leaves are burning.
The good news is that a lot of homes and flats naturally offer the amount of light that figs prefer.
not too dark, too light, neither too much nor too little.
Your plant should be placed in a south, east, or west window that receives plenty of direct sunshine. Your fiddle leaf fig will have a happy home thanks to this.
To prevent the opposite issue, you should also make sure to get your tree from a reliable supplier.
Many people purchase fig trees that have been left in the dark for too long and are already in poor condition.
Cold
The fiddle leaf fig is a native jungle inhabitant, so even if you might prefer it cool, this tree prefers it heated.
Nevertheless, fiddle leaf figs thrive in typical indoor temperatures. However, if the temperature goes down below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, you shouldn’t let them outside because they aren’t accustomed to anything that resembles cold.
It also dislikes drafts, which is an issue because many times the best lighting for figs may be found in the areas with the most drafts (near big porch doors and windows).
Additionally, drafts have a bad habit of drying out spaces, which further distances your environment from the oppressive heat that fiddle leaf figs crave.
Misting your fig tree will help it retain moisture in the air over the winter. Find the ideal location in your house or apartment before you ever go out and buy a fig.
After coming home, when should I repot my fiddle leaf fig?
Floppy Leaf Only when they are root-bound do figs require an increase in pot size. In their containers, these plants typically prefer to be tight. Therefore, you should only repot a plant after you observe roots encircling the pot’s outside edge, masses of roots visible on the surface, or roots protruding from the pot’s bottom.
Holding onto the plant’s base or trunk, you can confirm this by gently wiggling and removing the plant out of the pot. The plant should come out of the pot pretty easily, and you can count the roots you can see to determine whether or not they are root bound (many roots going horizontally around the pot).
Every two to three years, you should repot your plant with new soil even if it isn’t root-bound. By doing this, the plant will be able to absorb new nutrients from the new soil. Instead of increasing the pot size, simply utilize the same pot to do this.
Before replanting with new soil, the dirt should be gently broken up and as much old soil as possible should be shaken off the roots.
How are fiddle leaf figs preserved over the winter?
You’ve probably heard about how picky fiddle leaf figs are, as well as how harsh they can be when given poor care. If you’ve never taken care of one before, this can be scary. However, as fiddle leaf figs are one of the most common indoor plants, many beginners have had success cultivating them. Read up on these ten Fiddle Leaf Fig care commandments if you’re new to the game as well.
1. Verify that there is drainage The condition of your plant’s root system determines how healthy it is overall. Water and oxygen are two things that roots require to keep healthy. Your plant must be able to breathe properly for both of these to be in harmony. As a result, you should check to see if your planter or pot has a drainage hole as one of the first things to do. Keep your plant in its plastic nursery pot and slide it inside the ornamental container if the decorative planter you want to use doesn’t have one. At Lon & George, we actually pot all of our plants in this manner because it enables us to use svelte and fashionable planters and also ensures the safety and health of our plants’ roots.
In addition to draining, you need let some oxygen reach the roots. Aerating the soil occasionally is one approach to make sure the roots receive enough oxygen. You only need a chopstick and a few minutes to complete this.
2. Avoid overwatering It’s crucial to give your Fiddle Leaf Fig some time to dry out between waterings. This will keep them content because it mimics the conditions of their home environment. Although it may seem like a fairly straightforward operation, beginners with this plant frequently overwater it. Overwatering can result in more serious problems like root rot, which can hasten your plant’s mortality. Watering your Fiddle Leaf Fig no more than once per week is a good general rule of thumb. Never water a plant without first checking the soil; it might not need it as much as you believe.
A fiddle leaf fig may live inside.
Ficus lyrata is one of our most popular plants at Flora Grubb Gardens, our nursery in San Francisco, and we almost always have it in stock. Come get yours right now! Continue reading for advice on how to grow and take care of these plants.
The fiddle-leaf fig, or Ficus lyrata, is the ideal interior specimen plant. The plant has erect, violin-shaped leaves that are enormous, densely veined, and tall. Our retail plant shop in San Francisco almost always has Ficus lyrata on hand.
These plants are indigenous to the tropics, where they flourish in hot, muggy weather. As a result, the home grower may find it difficult to replicate these steamy circumstances, making them a little more difficult. Fortunately, they are rather resilient plants that can endure less-than-ideal conditions for a fair amount of time. Last but not least, F. lyrata are really produced as larger specimen plants. If you can place them in a floor-standing planter that will allow the plant to grow to at least 6 feet, that would be ideal. In tropical settings, trees frequently reach heights of 40 feet or more. These are not naturally trimmed down to reasonable sizes due to their enormous leaves, though they can be shaped with light trimming.
Ficus lyrata plants don’t require much maintenance. Spotting on the leaves, which is particularly obvious in a plant with such huge leaves, is one of the most prevalent complaints about these plants. This spotting is typically brought on by a leaf injury, such as mechanical harm or a mite infestation. When exposed to air, the sap of Ficus lyrata can produce these brown patches. The plants are also vulnerable to a number of leaf-spotting and fungus diseases, which are often brought on by poor air circulation and an excessive amount of moisture that collects on the leaves. By keeping the plant well-trimmed and eliminating any dead leaves or twigs that you spot, you can assist stop this form of attack.
However, if your plant is dropping leaves, it’s probably due to inadequate moisture at the roots, low humidity, and cold, dry air. To raise the surrounding humidity, try spraying the plant frequently. Finally, because these plants are particularly sensitive to high salt concentrations, flush your potting soil completely on a regular basis, preferably once a month, to avoid salt buildup.
Pests include aphids, mealybugs, mites, scale, and whiteflies can harm Ficus lyrata. If at all feasible, locate the infestation as soon as you can and use the least hazardous remedy.
Repotting: Healthy specimens have vigorous, quickly developing roots (which is pretty typical for any ficus). Try to repot the plant once a year, increasing the pot size by two to four until the plant is the required size or you can no longer handle the container. After placing plants in large containers, remove the top few inches of soil and replace it once a year with new potting soil.
Advice: Avoid often turning or moving this plant. The plant should be placed permanently, and to keep it clean, use an old T-shirt to dust it. As necessary, stake and prune. Only leaves facing the light will remain on Ficus lyrata; ones facing a darker wall or corner will wither away. If you move or reposition your ficus, be prepared for leaf loss.
Ficus lyrata need strong, filtered light. Even a little sun won’t kill them, especially if they’re in an eastern-facing window. When housed in a too-dark environment, plants won’t develop quickly.
Water: Keep it moist, but don’t let it stand in water because that will cause it to lose leaves and develop root rot.
Fertilizer: For plants that are not in ideal conditions or are recuperating from stress, apply Maxsea All Purpose Fertilizer seasonally and up to monthly.
In the winter, when should I water my fiddle leaf fig?
Fiddle Leaf Figs prefer direct, bright sunlight to grow well. Their leaves may burn and scorch if exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period of time.
Water
Weekly waterings are beneficial to fiddle leaf figs, but they must wait until the soil is entirely dry between applications. To avoid overwatering and root damage in the winter, we advise watering less frequently.
Humidity
You can give your Fiddle Leaf Fig a humid environment by misting it frequently, putting it near other plants, or setting it on a pebble tray that has some water in it.
In the summer, may I leave my fiddle leaf fig outside?
Fiddles will thrive in the USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, which include a large portion of Florida, California, as well as southern Texas, Arizona, and Louisiana.
The humidity and temperature conditions are best for fiddles here, but you might still need to take some extra precautions to save your tree from the rare cold snap or dry summer.
Outdoor Temperature Tolerance
Fiddles can withstand temperatures outside of the home between 55 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But this is pushing it, and if other environmental conditions aren’t ideal, these extremes might lead to issues.
For instance, you’re likely to end up with some burnt leaves if your tree is in direct sunlight, 90-degree heat, and low humidity levels (but your tree might do fine in a shaded area in those temperatures).
Here are some steps you may take to shield your outdoor fiddle from those harsh weather conditions.
Winter Protection
Your fiddle can probably survive just fine outdoors over the winter without much additional protection if you are in zones 9 through 11. Only unusually frigid conditions will require your attention.
Watch the weather report closely. There are a few things you may do if temperatures are anticipated to drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
You can easily keep the plant from freezing if it is kept outside in a pot with your instrument. You might try covering your fiddle, if it’s tiny enough, if it’s rooted in the ground.
Larger trees are more resilient than smaller seedlings and are more likely to have survived previous cold events. They’ve come this far, after all! Stick to the areas of care you can control, such supplying water and nutrients when necessary, in the face of a larger tree and unusually cold weather. This will assist in providing the tree with the resources it needs to withstand momentarily challenging environmental conditions.
Moving Indoor Plant Outdoors in Summer
In the summer, some owners of fiddle leaf figs prefer to take their potted indoor specimens outside. Giving your plant a boost of light can help it develop more quickly and strengthen its defenses, among other advantages.
You should have no issues doing this if you reside in zones 9 through 11. This should be acceptable if you reside in a region with a moderate amount of humidity and where summertime highs range from 55 to 85 degrees. This is especially true if you place your fiddle in a covered space like a balcony or a patio covered by an awning.
However, if a storm or unusually warm or cold temperatures are expected, make careful to bring your fiddle back inside.