The Fiddle Leaf Fig, or Ficus Lyrata, is one of today's most desired houseplants because of its dramatic and beautiful look. On top of that, these plants can get massive with their large leaves and tree-like trunk, making them the perfect statement piece for your home. In this plant care guide, we will discuss some of the essential topics and tips to grow a healthy and happy Fiddle. These topics will include lighting requirements, watering and humidity requirements, fertilization, and repotting.
Quick Overview:
Light: Bright Indirect
Water: Medium
Temperature: 60°-80°
Humidity: Above Average
Pet Friendly: No
Let’s get started!
Lighting Requirements:
The Ficus Lyrata is such an awarding plant that is also very fun to care for. If given the right requirements, this plant can flourish into a tall and lush beast of a plant!
For lighting, your Fiddle will love a spot in your home with plenty of bright and indirect lighting. This means placing it next to an eastern or western-facing window. If you place it next to a south-facing window, acclimate it slowly because you can risk burning your Fiddle's leaves if it is in too direct lighting.
The bigger and taller your Fiddle grows, the more light it is going to require from you. This means as it matures and grows, if it is not getting enough light, you may need to add a grow light or two next to your Fiddle so that it stays healthy, especially in the darker winter months.
Water And Humidity:
There is a reason why the Fiddle Leaf Fig is notorious for being a fairly demanding plant and a lot of this boils down to its water and humidity requirements. To be on the safe side, wait until the top inch or two of your Fiddle's soil is dry and then give it a thorough watering. Make sure you completely soak the soil and roots, watching as water exits the drainage holes before you stop. Drain the excess water after your watering session to avoid having the roots sit too long and risk the potential for root rot.
As for humidity requirements, the Fiddle Leaf Fig requires a bit more humidity than average. These plants are native to the lowland rainforests of western Africa, making their natural habitat tropical, warm, and humid. Mimicking this as much as possible in our homes will make the Fiddle grow fast, big, glossy, and beautiful! Setting a humidifier to 40%-60% will be perfect for your plant baby to thrive.
Fertilization:
Fertilizing your houseplants for the first time can be a scary task to tackle, especially if you are starting with a plant like a Fiddle Leaf Fig where it may be a little scary to mess up. I know there is a lot of information about right and wrong fertilizers, whether or not to use natural fertilizers, slow release versus rapid fertilizer, and so much more. However, our goal is to make this as simple as possible because the reality is, any fertilizer is better than no fertilizer at all. So instead of feeling overwhelmed, just do what is easiest for you. Even if that means simply heading to your local Walmart, plant nursery, or even hardware store to grab some houseplant fertilizer. If you're fertilizing for the first time, heavily dilute your fertilizer with water. Even more than what is recommended on the bottle. If you fertilize too heavily, you will risk burning the roots and leaves of your Fiddle.
General Plant Maintenance:
Lastly, we have the topic of regular plant maintenance for your Fiddle Leaf Fig. Since these leaves are so massive, they easily collect dust and debris that floats around your home. This can become problematic if it starts to affect your Fiddle's ability to soak up the proper sunlight. I recommend that you take a damp cloth and wipe off your Fiddle's leaves once a week to prevent this from becoming an issue
Your Fiddle Leaf Fig will be susceptible to common house pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, and scale. Regular inspections of your plant will help you catch this before it harms your plant (remember to check under the leaves as well). Also, daily misting of your Fiddle can help to prevent pests as well!
Final Thoughts:
If you haven't gotten yourself a Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus Lyrata) yet, here is your sign to bite the bullet! If you already have one but didn't quite know how to keep this sucker alive, I hope this care guide did you well.
Don't forget to check out our other plant care guides for more useful tips on how to keep your urban jungle thriving!
Stay planted my friends ❀
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