Oh…the finicky fiddle leaf fig. I honestly love the beauty of this plant. Out of all the houseplants, it’s definitely my favorite. But they are the hardest to take care of! Or so I thought…I was always hesitant in getting one but I finally broke down and scooped one up for $25 at Home Depot last summer! I thought, why not just give it a try! I wasn’t spending a small fortune {they can get pretty pricey at the garden stores} and Home Depot has an amazing return policy on any plants! A 1 year guarantee! You can’t beat that!
After a ton of research and honestly just getting to “know” my fiddle leaf, I can honestly say it has not been bad at all to take care of! And this is coming from someone who killed succulents! Here are a few tips I have learned along the way! I hope it helps those that are discouraged or even scared about getting one!
TIP #1 – Bright, indirect light is a must! Don’t put it near a window that only gets some light or a spot that gets direct sun rays. It may be a bit of trial and error but this is the most important thing when it comes to the fiddle leaf fig.
TIP #2: Get on a good watering schedule. Again, this will be trial and error. At first I was religiously watering my fiddle leaf once a week and in the sink. It honestly wasn’t getting the right amount of water. Now, maybe about every 10-14 days {or when the leaves look droopy} I give it a nice rain shower, just like it would in the rain forest. I usually do this at night and let it drain in the shower overnight and its good to go in the morning. They also like being in more humid spots so it always perks the plant right back up, especially in the winter.
TIP #3: If you aren’t giving it a nice rain shower, then make sure you dust off the leaves every now and then. The dust can build up and block out the sunlight that the leaves need to keep the plant healthy and getting nutrients. Once I starting the rain showers, I didn’t have to do this anymore but just keep in mind they need to be kept clean and dust free.
TIP #4: Perk up the plant with some used coffee grounds! This was a tip I got from a fellow Instagrammer and friend, and I have to say…it works! I only do this about once a month but I take a few tablespoons of our used coffee grounds and place on the top of the soil right before I do the rain shower. Honestly, I was reluctant but it really does work!
A few more silly tips….we always name our houseplants! I don’t know, I read that somewhere lol! The kids named our fiddle leaf Fiona and they talk to her and sing to her. It’s so cute! We always refer to her as Fiona! She is part of our family! Also, and another silly one but since they are finicky word is, they don’t like to be left alone! Proof of the matter is, it’s true! At least in our case! When we went on vacation, she lost a ton of leaves! Honestly I thought she was done. But I nursed her back to life and moved her to our family room. It’s the space we are in the most and since that move, she truly has thrived.
Also, no need to repot it immediately. Unless the roots are growing from the bottom and it’s outgrown the pot, you really don’t need to repot it. The fiddle leaf fig likes to be compact so moving it to a bigger pot may cause some shock. Another tip I read and held true too! She is in the same pot from Home Depot and I just place that pot in a “cuter” decorative pot. I do keep a plastic liner on the bottom to catch any water drippings or loose dirt. I remove that liner when I give her the rain shower.
Lastly, these plants do go dormant in winter. So they won’t grow or sprout new buds. I am definitely noticed no new growth and will see what happens in the spring time.
All in all, be patient! It’s a beautiful plant that adds LIFE to any space! When Fiona is being watered, there is always something missing from our family room and its that pop of beautiful green! I honestly can’t wait to get another one! GOOD LUCK!
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