Fiddle Leaf Fig Care Guide

Bright, indirect. Six or more hours of bright, indirect light a day: a few feet back from a south or east window, or behind a sheer curtain. Hot afternoon sun scorches the leaves; too little light drops them.

Water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry, then soak until it drains, and never let the pot sit in water. Overwatering is the most common way to lose this plant.

Enjoys high humidity. Spritz occasionally.

Avoid cold drafts under 50°F and no hotter than 95°F during the day.

Outside: Grow in early morning sun (2-4 hours) where nights are above 50°F.

Indoors: The Fiddle Leaf Fig prefers bright, indirect light for at least six hours in a southern, eastern and western windows.

Fertilize once a month during the growing spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer or topical granular soil fertilizer. Let the plant rest in the fall and winter.

When receiving the plant, do not repot immediately but wait at least 6-12 months or if the roots are beginning to get crowded and growing through the drainage holes.

Repot in the spring, using a 2" bigger pot to keep the roots drier. (Too big of a pot could cause the soil to dry slower, which is not helpful.) Use a well-draining indoor potting mix with perlite to help with drainage.

Water your plant in the old pot before transferring over and let sit an hour. Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow to drain. Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen.

Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners. If the plant is rootbound, cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling.

Note: If your Fiddle Leaf Fig has outgrown their space inside, cut back the roots by 20% to stunt their growth and add new potting soil to the existing container.

Ensure the plant is sitting about 1" below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over.

Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil.

Gently wipe clean with a soft, damp cloth or paper towel. Work gently from the stem's base toward the leaf's tip, cleaning both sides at once. After cleaning the leaves, remove any dead leaves or debris on the surface of the soil.

Top off the soil if it has settled.

Prune away damaged or diseased leaves down to the stem base with sterile scissors. To prune the Fiddle Leaf Fig, cut between two nodes (where the leaves emerge from the stem). Here the plant will stimulate new growth and branch into two stems, and form young leaves making the fig bushier. Use the pruned stems for propagation.

Take a cutting between two nodes (where the leaves emerge from the stem) with several leaves on the cutting.

Cut the largest leaves in half to reduce moisture loss while the cutting roots.

Place the cuttings in a clean glass jar filled with filtered or bottled water and place in a bright, indirect light spot. Change the water each week. After several weeks, white spots will begin to appear on the stem and after approximately 6-8 weeks, roots will emerge.

Use a pot with drainage, plant the rooted cutting in damp, well-draining potting mix, and tamp the soil down around the stem.

Place the stem at least 1-2 inches down into the soil. Set them in bright, indirect sunlight while they are rooting.

Check the moisture and humidity each day and add misting to keep the soil moist while the roots establish.

After 6-8 weeks, roots will begin to establish. You can tug onto the stem to ensure the roots are secure.