During the summer growing season, fertilize fiddle leaf fig trees about once a month using a high-nitrogen plant food, such as one with an NPK ratio of 3-1-2. Winter is not the time to fertilize.
Supplements like coffee are good for them since they prefer neutral pH soil (the ideal level is 6.5).
despite the fact that it contains a reasonable amount of nitrogen, are overly acidic and may hurt the plant by turning the leaves yellow.
Should I provide food for my fiddle leaf fig plant?
Additionally, it’s a good idea to confirm your measurements to ensure that your violin is receiving the proper dosage of fertilizer. You can never be too cautious. Experience has taught us this!
How Often to Use Fiddle Leaf Fig Fertilizer
Again, this will differ according on the type of fertilizer, so it’s critical that you adhere to the directions on the bottle.
While most liquid fertilizers need to be applied once or twice a month, the majority of pellet fertilizers recommend fertilizing once every few months.
Every watering should be accompanied by the use of Fiddle Leaf Fig Food (so every 7-14 days). Therefore, you won’t need to keep track of a timetable as long as you water your fiddle frequently! There is no easier situation than that.
A month after bringing your instrument home, it’s important to start fertilizing it. As a side note, everytime you repot your violin, wait a month or two before fertilizing to give your roots time to heal. Otherwise, because your roots are more sensitive now, you run the risk of more severe root shock and possibly chemical burn.
Yellowing leaves
Chlorophyll, the pigment that gives leaves their green color and enables plants to perform photosynthesis, cannot be produced by plants without the right nutrients.
Your fiddle leaf fig leaves will not only turn an ugly yellow without nutrition, but they will also struggle to convert sunlight into energy.
The leaves may begin to develop a lighter shade of green between the veins before turning yellow if your plant is deficient in nutrients.
Remember to examine your plant’s lighting conditions and the soil’s moisture level as well. Overwatering and a lack of light can both lead to yellowing. Make careful to fix those problems as well if the soil is damp or the location is poorly lit.
Start using a liquid fertilizer on a regular basis to replace lost nutrients if your fiddle leaf fig hasn’t received fertilizer in a while and is beginning to yellow.
Stunted growth
It’s a solid indication that your fiddle lacks the nutrients it needs to thrive if it doesn’t appear to be expanding, especially in the spring or summer when it should be sprouting plenty of new leaves. Yes, the sun provides the energy for fiddles (and all plants), but for them to develop and thrive, they still require nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, and other minerals.
During the growing season, if your violin isn’t growing any taller or putting out new leaves, it may be time to start nutrient supplements.
You can’t remember the last time you fertilized
A fiddle leaf fig requires a lot of nutrients to develop its big, lovely leaves, and as we have explained, a fiddle can quickly use up all the nutrients in its potting soil. In order to avoid having to deal with yellowing leaves or stunted development in the future, it is definitely time to start fertilizing your fiddle if you haven’t done so for longer than a month or two.
How should a fiddle leaf fig tree be nourished?
A fiddle leaf fig can be fertilized in a number different ways. No matter how you fertilize, be careful not to overdo it because this can cause fertilizer burn or scorched leaves in indoor plants of all kinds, not only fiddles! Also bear in mind that winter is a time when plants normally slow down their growth and require less additional nutrients, so fertilizer is not necessary during this time.
Several methods for fertilizing your fiddle leaf fig are listed below:
using liquid fertilizer, which is typically diluted with water and applied to the soil by simple watering.
Dry fertilizer is frequently applied to the soil’s surface and then watered after.
When ought my fig tree to be fertilized?
Wait to fertilize until the spring, when new growth starts to appear. When planted in the spring or summer, fig trees can be fertilized at planting time. Fertilization should stop two months before the local first frost date, though.
Excellent drainage
They truly do need proper drainage, I can’t stress that enough. I frequently observe new plant owners taking these lovely plants and placing them in a container without any holes. And they’ll reassure you that everything is fine. Why someone would say to a beginner grower, “Yeah, they don’t need drainage, just monitor how much you water,” is beyond me. That is untrue. In a pot without drainage, I’ve never seen a fiddle leaf fig grow satisfactorily.
The ideal way to handle drainage is to have an outer attractive pot, such as a basket or a lovely gold pot, and an internal pot with excellent drainage. Don’t feel bad if this is new to you; I had to have someone tell me this when I first started keeping houseplants.
Fast-draining soil
The inside pot in a gorgeous outer container serves as your drainage system, but a quick-draining soil is crucial. When I used Miracle-Gro indoor potting soil, my first fiddle leaf fig actually had a lot of issues. Bless Miracle-Gro for attempting the difficult task of developing a single potting soil that is suitable for all indoor plants. This is virtually impossible because ferns want constant moisture and many other plants prefer to dry out between waterings. Therefore, it is hard to create a soil specifically for each indoor plant, and Miracle-soil Gro’s simply holds too much water for a fiddle leaf fig. The best soil, in our opinion, is our quick-draining Premium Fiddle Leaf Fig Potting Soil.
Our potting soil works fairly well for most houseplants, with the exception of those that want to be extremely damp, such khalifa or ferns, as well as for arrowheads and monstera. If you don’t want to spend the money on specialized soil, you may lighten up regular soil, such as Miracle-Gro indoor potting mix, by adding half bark and half cactus mix. This will allow the soil to aerate and drain more quickly.
Don’t overwater.
The main cause of plant death complaints I receive daily via email is overwatering. Personally, I overwater. My affection for my plants is so great that I over-care for them by giving them too much love and water. We manufacture a soil meter specifically for fiddle leaf figs because this is where they come in very handy. To determine how wet the soil is at the root ball, it is crucial to insert the moisture meter into the ground. Although the soil may appear to be dry on top, it may still be entirely damp underneath. Before you water, make sure to test.
I advise watering no more often than once per week. I water some of my fiddle leaf figs every week, some every two weeks, and some once a month. The size of the container, the size of the plant, and how well the soil drains all play a role. You’ll start to have a decent sense for how quickly your plant uses up water once you’ve gotten to know it, its container, drainage system, soil, location, and climate.
How to Set Up Your Fiddle Leaf Fig’s Watering Schedule | Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Center
What is the ideal frequency of misting my fiddle leaf fig?
Our preferred approach for giving your violin humidity isn’t misting, but fresh leaf buds are the one exception.
The emergence of new baby leaves from their leaf sheaths can result in tearing since they are thin, sensitive, and have a tendency to stay together (see, that almost rhymes!).
New leaf buds should be misted, but only the lead buds, and not so much that the water runs off onto the surrounding leaves.
Give your new baby buds a nice sprinkling a few times each week, and if you’d like, gently dab up any surplus water with a clean, soft towel.
In a dry climate, you can still grow a healthy fiddle leaf fig. It requires a few additional tools, but it is entirely possible! Even if you reside in the middle of the desert, follow these recommendations for a beautiful, healthy tree.
What dosage of fertilizer is ideal for my fiddle leaf fig?
One teaspoon of Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food should be applied to a small to medium-sized plant per week (less than three feet tall). You can apply up to two tablespoons per plant per week if it is taller than three feet. Ensure that each teaspoon of plant food is diluted in at least two cups of water.
Can fiddle leaf figs be overfed?
You are surely aware by this point that excessive fertilizer can be harmful to plants, particularly fiddle leaf figs.
Summary: Chemical burns and dehydration can result from consuming too much fertilizer. Very bad!
You could always employ the trial-and-error approach with smaller houseplants, keeping an eye out for overfertilization symptoms and doing an emergency leaching at the first indication of difficulty, but that’s much trickier to do with an indoor tree!
We don’t want to endanger your fiddle leaf fig, so let’s speak about how to fertilize your tree correctly the first time, preventing the need for emergency measures.
What type of fertilizer is required for a fiddle leaf fig?
Plants should be fertilized in the spring and summer, when they are actively growing. Your plants need all the assistance they can get right now because they are developing new leaves. In the spring and summer, you should supplement your weekly watering schedule with liquid fertilizer. The simplest to apply and typically the safest for your plant is liquid fertilizer. To avoid mistakenly using too much, you must always follow the directions on the package during dilution into water. If you’re not careful, fertilizer can burn your plant.
When fall arrives, you should reduce your Fiddle Leaf Fig fertilization to every three to four weeks. This will help your plant prepare for its winter dormant stage.
What NPK Ratio Does a Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Need?
If you’ve never used fertilizer terminology before, it can be difficult to understand. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are referred to as NPK. Because each plant has a unique requirement for a combination of essential nutrients, there are fertilizers made specifically for plants.
The NPK ratio for fertilizers that are best for fiddle leaf figs is 3-1-2. This is because they contain a lot of nitrogen, which is what these plants need.
How can I maintain the health of my fiddle leaf fig?
Here are the essentials for maintaining the beauty, health, and greenery of your fiddle leaf fig.
- Make certain that the drainage on your fiddle leaf fig is ideal.
- Use a Soil That Drains Quickly.
- Provide your plant with a lot of sunlight.
- Water with caution.
- Take Soil Aeration Into Account.
- Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Needs Food.
- Befriend your plant.
Should fig trees be fed?
The fact that fig trees hardly ever require fertilizer is one reason why they are so simple to grow. Giving a fig tree fertilizer when it doesn’t need it actually has the potential to hurt the tree. A fig tree that receives excessive nitrogen yields fewer fruits and is more vulnerable to damage from cold temperatures. Given fertilizer, fig trees can have growth surges that result in splits and fissures in their trunks and branches because they are naturally slow-growing trees.
Do fig trees benefit from Miracle Grow?
Eating figs, or Ficus carica, are strange, delectable, and exotic fruits that have been cherished for ages. Although they may thrive in a range of environments, these natives of the Mediterranean region prefer a lengthy, hot growing season. If a neighbor cannily declines to share his fig bounty, offer to accept a cutting from his plant instead. Fig cuttings root well and only require knowledge of how to choose a branch to make the cutting from and what to place it into afterwards. A fig cutting can be successfully rooted in the majority of commercial potting mixtures, including Miracle-Gro soil.