Friday, February 1, 2013

Caring for a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

So I bought a fiddle Leaf Fig tree- I know it seems like everyone is getting one these days but I seriously love the look of them and have been trying to add some life  and natural touches to our home so I had to get one myself. 



I read up on them before getting one and everywhere I read seemed to suggest that these are easy to care for plants. But from reading comments from readers on these websites it doesn't sound like the case. 


I bought my Fiddle Fig online from Home Depot since we don't have a plant nursery within 70 miles of us. (Am I the only one who didn't know you could order plants online and have them delivered in home? Score!) 






From researching online here's what I found out:

-They seem to be senstive to watering- either over or under. Overwatering can cause a root fungus, while underwatering can of course not give the tree enough nutrients.

-They like abundant but not direct sunlight. To much will cause them to dry out and cause the leaves to burn. To little and the leaves will thin out and fall off.

-Don't keep them near a draft, this could cause the tree to go dormant and drop leaves.

-I read somewhere that you shouldn't use water from a water softener- this depletes a lot of the minerals the tree needs. I guess that could go for any plant?

-Prune the tree every year. They tend to grow towards the light so rotating it every now and then will prohibit any leaning.

-The leaves are hard and rubbery- so clean the dust off them every once in a while to ensure good sunlight exposure.




-These plants are poisonous to animals! I didn't realize this fact until after I bought the plant and would have thought twice about getting one since I have a cat and a dog. Le Chat hasn't messed with the plant and it's in a spot where it would be hard for her to jump up on so far so good. 





I've had my Fiddle Leaf Fig for over a month now and am still learning about it. My little tree seems to be doing well. It's even growing some new leaves! Cuteness!!



Sources: Tree SpeciesHouseplants Care, Garden Guides

4 comments:

Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication said...

These trees are so cute! I love them, but... I hate taking care of plants haha. I may need to just suck it up and get some living plants in my house though.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing. I didn't know fig trees were poisonous, and I even worked at a vet clinic for 2 years. You learn something new everyday. Can you recommend tree care in Calgary for a fig tree? Do you think it would survive the climate?

Action Tree Service said...

Thanks for this post. I didnt know these plants are poisonous to animals.
Tree Care

Unknown said...

Did you replant it into a different pot when you got home? Or is it still in the black container you bought it in? Just bought one today.