How do you make a fiddle leaf fig stand up straight?
To stake your tree, get a bamboo or wooden stake the same length as the trunk and stick it in the soil close to the trunk. Then secure the trunk to the stake with plant tape or ties. Remove the stake every few weeks and when you wiggle to see if the trunk can stand on its own.
So the simple steps to strengthen a weak or leaning Fiddle Leaf Fig trunk are: 1. Make sure it's getting enough light (checking the distance between new leaves may help you determine this), 2. Give it some outdoor time where it can get a breeze, 3. Wiggle the trunk if you can't get it outside, and 4.
Leaves That Point Straight Up
Healthy fiddle leaves either stick straight up or relax slightly. As long as they're not drooping, you're okay! If a lot of leaves seem to be pointing toward your plant's light source though, this could indicate that your tree wants a little more light.
Notching Your Fiddle Leaf Fig
Notching is a method of encouraging a Fiddle Leaf Fig to branch that doesn't involve removing any height off the plant. Instead, small cuts or 'notches' are made up and down the stem or trunk to encourage new growth to form further down the plant.
Keep a consistent watering schedule–water when the top 50-75% of the soil is dry. If you accidentally let your Fiddle Leaf Fig's soil dry out completely, you may see branches go limp or leaves droop and crisp up. If the soil is extremely dry all the way through the pot, a good soak is in order.
Short Answer. The most common reason a Fiddle Leaf Fig leans is that it's not receiving enough sunlight. The branches will stretch toward the nearest window to improve photosynthesis and growth, becoming lopsided. Other reasons for leaning include a lack of water, inadequate nutrients, and an incorrect pot size.
"Fiddle Leaf Figs in particular, can grow quite weak and do not support themselves very well as the lack of wind indoors means that they do not strengthen over time. It is always a good idea to give them a good shake from time to time," Richard said.
Use a sharp, clean tool to prune your plant and be sure that the cutting motion is not crushing or damaging the stem. Make each cut about half an inch from any leaves or the trunk. This allows your plant to properly heal without risk of infection to the main trunk or any remaining leaves.
Water the soil thoroughly and place the plant in an area with bright indirect light. Your plant will take 2-4 weeks to settle from the shock and adjust to its new home.
The number one way to kill a fiddle leaf fig is to overwater it or not allow for proper drainage. Water your plant about once a week or every 10 days. As we mentioned earlier, FLFs are native to a rainforest-like environment, which means they're used to receiving a huge deluge of water with dry spells in between.
Do you water fiddle leaf fig from top or bottom?
1. Give it the proper amount of water. Mackenna recommends keeping this rule of thumb in mind when it comes to watering this plant: It's better to underwater than overwater! She recommends allowing the top 1-2 in of soil to dry out between watering and strongly recommend bottom watering your fiddle.
There are a few reasons why coffee grounds are good for some plants: coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen (which is an important component of many fertilizers, Fiddle Leaf Fig Food included); coffee grounds are acidic, and some plants prefer more acidic soil (rhododendron, hydrangeas, and camellias are good ...

Managing soil moisture is critical to success with fiddle leaf figs. Grow plants in Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix, as it contains coconut coir, which holds and releases water and helps soil easily re-wet. Add it to a container that is 1/3 wider than the plant's root ball and has several drainage holes.
The most common causes include a watering imbalance - either overwatering or underwatering - exposure to cold draft or exposure to too much light. Your plant's leaves are usually held upright by water tension - this is the same phenomenon that allows objects to float on water.
If your plant's leaves are looking wilted and yellow, the problem is likely overwatering. Overwatered leaves will have a very soft, floppy look, because they're waterlogged. Solution: First, check the soil. If it's really wet, then overwatering is likely.
New growth is always a great sign of a healthy plant, and if the leaves on your Fiddle grow large and strong, that means your plant is thriving. However, if the new leaves grow in small and stunted, it could be a sign that your plant is lacking in nutrients.
In addition to dusting leaves, it's also a good idea to rotate your plant weekly or bi-weekly. Rotating your plant gives it even light exposure, meaning one side won't be growing drastically more than another, leading to a sturdy and symmetrical Fiddle Leaf Fig.
South-facing windows receive the brightest sunlight for the longest period of time. This makes them ideal for Fiddle Leaf Figs. Just make sure you don't place your plant directly by the window or you could risk burning its leaves.
Make the cut just above the top of your node. Do not cut into the node which would damage it, but just above. Cutting your fiddle leaf fig or any plant in the fig family will produce an oozing, milky, white latex sap. Just don't eat it or get it in your eyes as it can be irritating and don't let it hit the carpet.
Trim off brown leaf tips or spots with clean shears. Cut off only the damaged tips or spots leaving a tiny margin of brown so not to damage the remaining healthy foliage on the plant.
What does an overwatered fiddle leaf look like?
Overwatering Symptoms: Brown spots or brown shaded areas in the middle of the leaves along with around the edges, yellowing leaves, and leaf drop (lower leaves often dropping first). Overwatering is one of the most common Fiddle Leaf Fig problems.
"Fiddle-leaf figs enjoy lots of light and they can often take up to five hours of direct light a day." According to Greenery Unlimited, it does best "close to south- or west-facing windows, or directly in an east-facing window," and nothing can be anything blocking that light (like a building or trees).
You can use a normal floor lamp with a fluorescent or LED bulb near your fiddle leaf fig or you can purchase special lights for houseplants. Aim for at least six to eight hours of artificial light per day.
How do I tell when my Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree needs water? Once you've established that the top few inches of soil have dried, the easiest way to tell if your Fiddle Leaf needs water is to look at the leaves. If the leaves are not rigid and upright, and they start to look floppy, they're telling you they need water.
Fiddle leaf figs do best on fertilizer with a 3-1-2 N-P-K ratio, or 3% nitrogen, 1% phosphorus, and 2% potassium. You should see these numbers displayed prominently on the package of any fertilizer you're considering, so keep an eye out!
Yes, you can use tap water for your Fiddle Leaf Fig. Some plants, including Dracaenas, are sensitive to fluoride and other chemicals commonly found in tap water. But Fiddle Leaf Fig is not one of them. It can tolerate minerals and other ingredients used for purifying drinking water.
Are Eggshells Good For Fiddle Leaf Fig? Yes, eggshells are good for Fiddle Leaf Figs but only if your plant is deficient in calcium. Since calcium is the main nutrient found in eggshells, don't risk giving too much of it to your plant. The way you use eggshells as homemade fertilizer also makes a difference.
You know that last bit of coffee that always seems to be left in the carafe? Don't just pour it down the drain — you can use it to fertilize your plants, both indoor and outdoor. Coffee grounds (and brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, producing healthy green growth and strong stems.
Eggshells can provide plants with a few of the secondary nutrients used by plants, most notably calcium, but also small amounts of potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Fiddle Leaf Figs don't particularly need calcium, so adding eggshells probably won't have much benefit for this plant.
There are risks to using diluted coffee or coffee grounds on fiddle leaf figs. Directly applying coffee grounds to indoor plant soil can cause excessive moisture retention, fungal overgrowth, and impair plant growth due to over-acidifying the soil.
What position do fig trees like?
Grow figs in a warm, sheltered spot in full sun. Plant them in pots or use rubble or submerged paving slabs to restrict root growth when growing in the ground. Keep pot-grown plants well-watered and feed weekly with tomato food once fruits start appearing.
We love to see growth on our fiddle leaf fig trees, but we prefer fresh new growth at the top of the tree, not the very bottom of the trunk. Leaves at the base of the tree can give your fiddle a bushy or even unbalanced appearance, which isn't the best thing for an ornamental plant.