Caring for a Fiddle-Leaf Fig | A General Guide

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There was a hot second when the Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) had it's moment in interior design magazines worldwide (it still does tbh), and everyone and their mother wanted to have one of these plants in their home. This trendy houseplant captivated millions with its impactful stature and large, glossy, green leaves, adding the perfect amount of colour and flare to any room!

As a lover of both indoor and outdoor plants, though currently limited to indoor houseplants thanks to apartment living, I was mesmerized by the Fiddle Leaf Fig and decided I immediately needed one in my home. It has been well over a year now since purchasing my gorgeous evergreen and I have learnt a lot along the way. And because I know, firsthand, just how stressful it can be to scour the internet for basic care instructions or tips regarding Fiddle Leaf Fig plants, I thought it best to just make a simple post sharing everything I now know about these plants and how to care for them. 

My Fiddle Leaf Fig right after purchasing it...

HOW MUCH LIGHT DOES MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG NEED?

Lots of bright indirect light will keep your plant happy. Too much exposure to direct sunlight can scorch and burn the leaves. Also, avoid placing your plant directly in front of windows or air conditioning vents because Fiddle Leaf Figs love humidity and thrive in a warmer climate, so cool drafts are not the best for them. 

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I GIVE MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG? AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD I BE WATERING IT?

For moderately sized Fiddle Leaf Figs (5ft or less), about 2 cups of water once a week should suffice (if your plant is much larger, you could possibly do with 3-4 cups). Or if you prefer, you can be much more generous, evenly dispersing about 1 gallon of water (or using a hose, evenly wet the root ball until you begin to see a bit of water running out of your pot's drainage holes. But be careful not to overwater your fiddle leaf fig), and you would do this once every other week, or until you noticed the top layer of soil beginning to dry out.

It is important to not allow the soil to be completely "bone dry" before your next watering cycle or else you probably won't have a healthy Fiddle Leaf Fig for much longer. They also do not like to be sitting in water, so be sure to have a pot with excellent drainage so any excess water is able to be drained because if your plant sits in water for an extended period of time, it will result in root rot. If you choose to water your plant using more water, less frequently, be sure to have all excess water drained from your pot before placing it back inside (or wherever you house it).

I personally choose to water my Fiddle Leaf with less water, more frequently, aka about 2 cups of water every week, and that has been working out beautifully for me. My plant seems to be thriving off of this.

BUT HOW MUCH WATER DOES MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG NEED DURING WINTER?

In winter, you will not only need to keep your plant away from all cold drafts, but you will not need to water it as much. During colder months, I personally do about 1-1 & 1/2 cups of water every 10-14 days. You can typically half the amount of water you regularly give your plant and double the amount of time in-between waterings. But always check the soil because your plant will tell you when it is thirsty again.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR NEW LEAVES TO GROW ON MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG?

There really isn't a set amount of time, but if you are doing everything correctly, and your plant is happy, you will certainly see lots of new growth. Once you see signs of a new leaf emerging, within a few days you can see drastic changes. 

Below I have shared some images of new growth from my plant to show how quick the transformation can be (literally overnight).

Day 1 Observing

Day 3 Observing

Day 3 Observing

Day 5 Observing. It had been raining heavily on this day, so I brought my Fiddle Leaf Fig indoors and decided the best place to put it would be in my bathroom...I guess. LOL

Day 5 Observing

You see how quickly a bit of new growth can go from the size of a peanut to almost 3x the size of my hand, in less than a week!

WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE DUST ON MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG'S LEAVES?

Because these plants have such large leathery leaves, they collect dust quite easily. You want to be sure to regularly clean off all dust and debris from the leaves, using a soft cloth and a bit of water. Gently cradle each leaf and wipe away any dust. Be careful not to use a soaked cloth because large droplets of water left behind on the leaves will not make for a very happy Fiddle Leaf. And a gentle hand is necessary because these leaves can easily tear or pop right off!

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I FERTILIZE MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG?

Fiddle Leaf Figs' growing season is typically from Spring through Fall, and you would want to add a bit of fertilizer about once a month during this time frame. Once the growing season has passed, you can incorporate a fertilizer about once every 2-3 months. Because the plant is pretty dormant during this time, over-fertilizing is not only a waste, but it can harm your plant, so try to avoid this mistake.

I use the Espoma "Organic Indoor Houseplant Food" fertilizer and I follow their instructions on how to mix it, and my plant has been loving it. 

WHY ARE THE LEAVES OF MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG FALLING/DROPPING?

Losing leaves from your plant is actually very common (unless you are overwatering). I lost a lot of leaves when I moved my plant from an outside patio, to permanently indoors. This is normal and you should not worry too much. Often times, when you first bring your plant home from the nursery, within the first few weeks you may notice a few or a lot of leaves just falling off. This is due to the change in environment. Your plant was used to a certain amount of sunlight, a specific temperature, and certain amount of humidity (all of which is dependent on where you purchase your Fiddle Leaf Fig) and you have now moved it to an environment where none of those factors have remained exactly the same. 

One way to reduce the amount of leaves lost, is by slowly acclimating your plant to an indoor environment. If you bought your plant from a nursery that housed all their Fiddle Leaf Fig plants outside, when you take it home, you may want to leave it on a shaded patio or somewhere outside where it is protected from the harsh afternoon Sun, rainfall, and strong breezes. Then, you want to gradually take it indoors as the week goes on- maybe for a few hours on the 2nd day, then set it back outside, on the 3rd day repeat this step until you work your way up to leaving it indoors overnight. Then set it outside in the morning and repeat this until you can bring your plant indoors for the entire day and then place it back outside for a full day. You can then work your way to bringing it indoors for 2-3 days at a time, then setting it back outside, and repeat this until you feel comfortable enough to permanently keep it indoors. 

I know that process seems like a lot, but I promise you, if done correctly and NOT RUSHED you can rest assured that you would not lose a single leaf! I practiced this method when I first bought my Fiddle Leaf and it was working beautifully, but because of my move I was not able to keep up with trying to acclimate my plant and I ended up losing a ton of leaves in the process.

WHAT SIZE POT SHOULD I PUT MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG IN?

When potting your plant, you want to choose a pot that is somewhere between 2-3 inches wider than the root ball of your Fiddle Leaf. Like most houseplants, they like to be a bit snug/cramped when repotted and they DO NOT fare well in too big of a pot (so avoid making this mistake, hoping to encourage your plant to reach a desired height/size).

WHAT ARE THESE BROWN SPOTS AND TINY HOLES ON THE LEAVES OF MY FIDDLE LEAF FIG?

It is extremely easy for your plant's leaves to become sunburnt, which is why it is so important to keep them out of direct sunlight! If you notice large or even small sections of leaves becoming brown and dry, it is mostly likely due to overexposure to the Sun. If the majority of a leaf has turned brown, you can simply pop that leaf off the main stem and toss it because it would only be wasting the plant's energy, which would be more useful if directed to promoting new growth. 

If you notice tiny holes on your plant's leaves (that look like a little bug/insect had a snack) it is a possibility that insects are in fact chomping down on your Fiddle Leaf Fig. If you notice little gnats trying to crawl out of the pot whenever you water your plant, they could be the cause of your brown spots/holes in the leaves. This would also be an indicator that you have some sort of fungal problem because those are actually Fungus Gnats. I have an organic fungicide spray (it contains neem oil) and that seems to do the trick. Using a fungicide spray and practicing good watering habits should take care of any fungal problems.

But if you notice very dark, almost black discolouration on your leaves, that may be a sign of root rot. To remedy this, if caught in time, you would need to make sure your pot has been properly draining all excess water and avoid overwatering it. If the damage done is too severe, you would need to clean off the root ball and cut off all affected areas of the root system and repot your plant.

So that just about wraps up my general care guide/FAQs when it comes to indoor Fiddle Leaf Figs. If I have failed to mention something or you have a FLF crisis of your own and you're not sure how to deal with it, feel free to reach out; I'd be happy to update this post, covering more common concerns and/or questions and answers.

As always, don't forget to "Subscribe" to my blog to stay up to date with posts and feel to share advice of your own!

xoxo

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