Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus Lyrata)
With large fiddle shaped glossy leaves featuring very large, heavy veins, the fiddle leaf fig, is a well-recognised house plant. To look their best they require bright, filtered light to grow. Keep them away from direct sunlight especially during hot summer afternoons as their leaves can burn. Rotate the plant every couple of days, so growth is even. Fiddle leaf fig plants that are kept in very low light conditions will fail to grow rapidly.
The Fiddle leaf fig will give you very few issues if grown outside in a large pot. Being a large tree, ficus need more indirect light than many indoor environments can offer and will grow reasonably fast when grown in pots outside.
Growing Conditions
Aspect Fiddle leaf fig prefers bright indirect light inside or a protected patio.
Soil Use Seasol Indoor Potting Mix a premium potting mix especially formulated for indoor plants.
Growing Spring and summer is the growing season for the fiddle leaf fig, however, they will continue to grow during winter too. Watch the foliage during the cooler months, as they may look a little tired.
General care
Watering Fiddle leaf figs prefer evenly moist soil. Allowing plants to completely dry out can cause leaf drop. In spring take them outside and give them a good water, allow them to drain properly before bringing them indoors.
Potting Keep in a plastic nursery pot and sit inside a cover pot unless growing outside. They will take off in spring and summer as this is their peak growing season.
Feeding A liquid or granular fertiliser can be used. Apply granular PowerFeed Controlled Release Pots & Plants for Indoor & Outdoors once every season. It combines a premium mix of nutrients, seaweed, and microbes for all plants in pots. Supplement or apply a liquid fertiliser such as PowerFeed PRO SERIES Pots & Planters or PowerFeed All Purpose including Natives every 2 to 4 weeks from spring to autumn and less often in winter.
For a ready-to-use no mixing formula, apply PowerFeed Indoor & Potted Plants 1.25 Lt trigger spray to the soil. This easy-to-use liquid fertiliser and soil conditioner helps to improve your soil and feed your plants. Apply every 2 to 4 weeks during the growing season and monthly in winter if needed.
Watch out If you have a sad looking ficus indoors, chop it back hard and place outside on a protected patio or verandah. It will regrow with two or more fresh new shoots. Wipe leaves regularly to remove dust. A spray of EarthCare White oil insect spray will give a great shine to the leaves.
Watch out for spider mites and mealybug. Treat straight away with EarthCare Enviro Pest insect spray. Ensure to cover both sides of the leaf and repeat 14 days later if needed.
Ficus can be problematic inside due to lower light conditions.
Growing potted plants outside removes this problem. Never allow the roots of your fiddle leaf fig to escape the pot when growing outside as they can be very invasive.
