I lost weight this week guys.
How much do four wisdom teeth weigh? That’s how much I lost.
…and I’m going to keep it off!
Also I look like a chipmunk, but I like to think it’s charming and adorable, like a real chipmunk.
(It’s neither charming nor adorable.)
So you know how I viciously murder all plants that come near me? (Also not charming or adorable.) Well, check out how my little fiddle leaf baby is doing! Here he was when he was just a wee tot:
And now he’s taller, fuller, actually still living!
Proud mama. *wipes tears.*
Fiddle leaf figs are known to be finnicky and rude, demanding in a haughty french accent that you do exactly what they request! “Put me by zee window! No, TAKE ME AWAY AT ONCE! Fetch me a – how do you say? – latte! NOW!” They’re kind of jerks, just saying.
So what the heck is going on here? Why am I, a founding member of the Black Thumb Society, keeping not just one but TWO fiddle-leaf figs alive for more than a year?
I’ve cracked the code, buds! I figured them out. And yes, I’ll share it with you. Because you’re cute. Not like a chipmunk though. Just be thankful for that.
When my tiny fig was just growing, I started by trying to see if the soil felt moist, and watering it when it seemed dry. The leaves started turning brown and falling off, things started to look dire, and his demanding French voice started to fade and whisper weakly. Obviously I was killing him.
Then I stopped trying to predict his water needs. I actually just stopped checking how moist the soil was — because that method just doesn’t work for me. Apparently I don’t have a working hygrometer in my fingertip. (I just googled it, and “hygrometer” is a tool that measures humidity. I dropped it in this paragraph like it’s something I already knew.)
Instead, I watered it with exactly one cup of water once a week. Precisely. I disregarded all other signs, set a timer on my phone for every Saturday, and give it one cup of water.
HE LOVED IT.
As he grew, I gradually increased the water amount, and now at his full teenage level, he gets two cups of water, once a week, on the dot.
And he’s flourishing!
As for light, I try to leave both of my figs in the same spot. They get weird when you change things on them; they do best when they get the same light all the time, because they cannot handle change!
It’s a character flaw, but I like to think he’s working on it.
That’s the trick, guys: one cup of a water a week, two after it grows bigger. And don’t move them.
He’s a teenager now, but I have grand dreams of him growing huge and eating our whole house, Little Shop of Horrors style.
Have you ever kept one of these guys alive for any period of time? Did you know the trick?
Hi, I'm Kelly. Glad you're here! This little blog is where I chronicle our efforts to fix up our beaten-down home on a tiny budget. We're not there yet, but here's a peek at the view along the way...
LOVED this post! It was hilarious once again 😉
And I figured out that my husband is just like a fiddle leaf, he cannot handle change either. Maybe I should start treating him that way too?!?!
Yes, one cup of water, once a week. It works for finnicky plants and finnicky husbands.
I’ve had mine since January. We started out rocky. He was loosing leaves. Turning brown. Then I found his spot – left side of the sliders in the dining room- NOT right. Water same amount once a week – Sunday. He had at least 5 new leaves grow over the summer. He’s happy now. I’m worried about the winter though. If it will be too drafty by the sliders…
“Left of the sliders — not right.” hahaha. That sounds exactly like my guys. “PUT ME OVER THERE. And I only accept water on Sundays!”
Thanks so much!! My little Ikea Fiddle Leaf only joined the family about a month ago and now I know I was Definitely over watering. I really want this little one to live and grow to gargantuan size as well. I’m keeping a spider plant alive so I’m hoping I’m not too black thumb!!
You can never overwater one because theyre from the rainforest
you crack me up! maybe i should send mine to you so you can have an adopted middle child.
Congrats! I just moved my own indoor plant out to the back porch after a couple of years of unsuccess. I can’t get him to look not crunchy and he’s still alive but he has always looked terrible… I’m just cruel!
Well hot dang I guess I need to go and get a fiddle fig now. I have one happy happy spot for it. But only one. He better not get prissy on that spot either.
he is going to be prissy about it isnt he?
I can confirm that he is definitely going to be prissy about it. He will hate your happy happy spot and demand an inconvenient spot in the middle of the hallway.
THREE years !! I think I am setting a world record! 🙂
marcy
No rotating? Ever tried a plant light? Maybe too much attention. I’m still in the test-the-moisture-with-your-finger-stage. Moving on to cup-a-week-stage. Thanks so much!
I think if he knew he had his own special light, it would go straight to his head. You have to watch the ego with these guys.
Hey Kelly! Thanks for the advice! I just got one last month. So far so good — I usually have a black thumb as well. One question…have you transferred your “teenager” to a bigger pot or did you keep it in the original one from the nursery? I read somewhere that they’ll freak out if you change their pot, but I was wondering if I needed to step-up so it’ll have more room to grow. Just curious to see if you made the transfer.
I haven’t made any transfers yet. I’ve heard the same thing about changing pots, so I’ve been scared to try.
I have trasfered mine that is when it really took off….they need a bigger pot with maturity.. 🙂
They prefer to be root bound, so don’t transfer until you absolutely have to.
This made me literally laugh out loud: “Put me by zee window! No, TAKE ME AWAY AT ONCE! Fetch me a – how do you say? – latte! NOW!” They’re kind of jerks, just saying.”
You are hilarious!
Hmmm interesting – scratching chin. So what you are saying is if I am a frankophile cheeseloving chipmunk, I too can have a Fiddle leaf fig? For more than a week? 😀
I love that you put yours in a basket by the way. That is my favorite Fiddle leaf accessory du jour. Oh la la 🙂
I kill all the things. Any time something in this house lives for longer than a week (I should specify something green. The kids are fine.), Nick asks what’s happening. I casually mention I watered it the other day. To which he responds you know it’s really amazing what water and sun will do for a plant. Jerk. 🙂
Where did you get the baskets you put your plants in?
I think I got them both at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Best place to buy a big basket!
How is it that we can’t give you 5 stars or a thumbs up, or at least send you a virtual fruit basket for the funniest post ever written about a fiddle fig plant!! I’m not a native English speaker so I must confess I had to look up what a fiddle fig was, but just by the name I had a feeling it would be a very needy plant. Anyway, my husband is French and I have to say the him and plant seem to have a very similar accent and manner. Thank you for making me laugh, greetings from the French Alps from a Spanish reader.
hahaha! It cracks me up that my plant and your husband have the same accent and manner. Made my day. 🙂
Great tips! I am a classic over waterer – if you have any tips to stop the parade of dead orchids at my house please do share 🙂
Don’t look at me — the only orchid success I’ve had is with the fake kind.
I am a chronic orchid murderer. But if you buy it from Trader Joe’s and happen to murder it, they will let you trade it in for a new one and try and give you tips! One ice cube a week and some indirect light kept my orchid alive until we move. Getting them to rebloom is like trying to walk on water!
Where can I find a temperamental fiddle leaf plant? I must have one!!!
Thanks for the deep belly laugh btw, I needed that!
Hey! I actually have an idea or two about orchids 🙂 I have never gotten anything to grow. However, my sweetie started buying discounted orchids for me at Lowe’s. One lived…then another…then another. I have only had one death (and truthfully that one was only half on me–the plant was small and weak and the pot was too tiny).
Now I have….about 20 orchids, one vanilla, two african violets (also picky), and a few other misc trees and plants in my “plant room”.
The key to orchids is NOT watering them too much. that is the number one thing people do wrong. Orchids are “air plants” and need plenty of air on their roots. Some of them you can even staple to a piece of wood and hang on a wall! Now they do need SOME water, but really a lot less than one would think. They also need to NOT be in potting soil. I find that moss works best. I have tried orchid bark, replanted ALLLL of the orchids in bark, and now I hate it and am waiting for a warm day to replant in moss. The bark makes them too dry. When mine were in moss, I watered maybe every other week or so and they were happy. With the bark, I have to water more often, but I don’t think the orchids really like it much. Plus they have the “perennial pout”–what perennial plants do when you move them: pout for weeks or months until they are over themselves, then they get back to being happy.
Now, what orchids DO need is humidity. Some orchid growers put their orchids in empty fish tanks, with a little water in the bottom of the tank but the pot sitting on something to get it above the water, as that helps build sort of a “bubble of humidity” that orchids love. What I have done instead is to get pretty cheap glass dishes from a local thrift store and put some glass marbles at the bottom for the pots to sit on. Then when I water, the water is caught in the glass dish, but the roots of the orchid do not sit in it and rot. As the air evaporates, there is a bubble of humidity around the plants that keeps them happy. You can also have a small desk top fountain that puts humidity in the air by them.
They also like some sun, but not harsh direct sun. For example, mine are in an east facing window. By the time the sun is hot and strong, it has moved past that window. Dappled sun is great.
They also like to be sort of squished in their pots, so transplanting doesn’t happen often.
I hope this helps some! Get some orchids, find a sunny, but not too sunny, window sill, find a way for them to get humidity, and go easy on the water 🙂
water your orchid with a few ice cubes once a week, works great
I think this weird thing happened where I glanced at my blog feed this morning and saw the title of this post but didn’t read it yet, and then I went back to sleep for a little while, and I DREAMED that I had a fiddle leaf fig, and it was dead, and, in my dream, I thought, “I’d better to read what Kelly has to say about this.” I’m not sure what to make of all of that. I don’t know if it means I SHOULD get a fiddle leaf fig or I shouldn’t. Hmm….
I think it means you SHOULD get one, now that you know how to keep them in their place and not let them get too demanding.
Okay, serious question. I have a fiddle leaf fig and he’s alive and it’s been like 4 months, so I’m proud. But some of his leaves (especially the older ones on the bottom) have turned brown along the edges and in some spots in the middle. My husband says I’m killing him, but I want to think that leaves just can’t grow FOREVER and have to die at some point. Does your fiddle leaf fig have leaves that start turning brown? Or is my tree really dying? Total black thumb here.
From my limited experience, when the leaves start turning brown, it’s bad news. It usually spreads to the other leaves. I think he might be yelling at you in french.
Those brown spots mean the soil is too wet. Try Kelly’s method. Check out my comment at end of these comments.
I don’t know how it’s possible I only found your blog a month ago. I LOVE it. I’m now reading all your posts & hoping some of your wit will rub off on me!
hahaha! Little buddy is growing up so big and strong. Word of caution if it starts demanding you feed it blood: Destroy. Immediately. It won’t work out well and you’ll be required to murder a dentist.
I hope you are looking and feeling less chipmunk these days. 🙂
I try to leave both of my figs in the same spot too, and did you ever figure out the secret to the shamrock plant?
The shamrock is DEAD! DEAD DEAD DEAD!! *runs away crying.*
I think if you water your dead, dead shamrock it will come back. I read somewhere that they will go dormant until conditions are just right and then re-grow. I have ‘killed’ mine many times and if I just remember to water it some it comes back.
Lol! Loved the post! Question, do you pluck the bottom leaves off to keep the plant looking more like a tree? Or do the leaves fall off on their own?
Thanks!
I want mine to look more tree-like, so I plucked the bottom leaves off myself.
Ok, I completely forgot that I had another question for you. Have you repotted yours at all?
I haven’t. I’m afraid to. 🙂
I once lost the same four pounds, too (all four of my wisdom teeth at the same time!). Your plant is doing exceptionally well! Woo-hoo for you! I just might try one, but if it need a lot of bright sunlight then it may not thrive in my home. I usually only do well with philodendrons and orchids. (Btw, I am still loving your Hermes purse pictured in the first photo above.)
P.S.-This is the first post I’ve received in my inbox in several months. Don’t know what happened, but glad to receive them again.)
Oh no! I didn’t realize there’d been an email problem. Thanks for letting me know!
You are so funny! My fiddle leaf fig is still a baby, but it’s going strong. Thanks for the good advice. Your teenager fig is looking good!
My black thumb doesn’t have a working hygrometer either. This post actually makes me want to get a plant, though. Sadly, I have no good open spots near a window. I will just have to plant vicariously through you. 😉
I’m glad I’m not the only one who measures my FLF’s intake. I’ve been doing 2 cups every 2 weeks, but they’re starting to look at me funny on watering day. Mine don’t have a French accent, it’s more like Scarlett O’Hara – “you can take it all back to the kitchen, I won’t eat a bite!” Or if you’re a day late for watering day “Oh Rhett, where will I go, what will I do? My life is over! Nothing will ever happen to me anymore!”
HAHAHAHA!! This totally made my day.
Omigosh, you crack me up as usual! I love the photo of your studious ‘teenager’! I have the opposite problem with plants and so currently my entire house is in various representions from solarium to potting shed. The poor, long-suffering husband has been quite tolerant. Unfortunately, it was 35 degrees this morning in Lewisville, NC, so now there are ‘outdoor’ plants that will have to be brought in for the winter. Wonder where those are going….
Excited to give this watering tip a try! I left mine outside all summer {not in direct sunlight} at the advice of another blogger and it has seemed to work wonders. I’ve been panicking that I’ll kill it this winter though once indoors {because I almost did last year}. Thanks for the advice!
As a fellow murderer of ALL plants (even a cactus… no jokes) I devoured this post and even stood by with my notebook! But alas, I know the cup of water a week secret. We had an orchid which some unsuspecting fool bought us as a house warming gift – my husband gave it two days but it went on to live for 2 years! And flowered (yes, I am smug about it). It lived steadily on a cup of water a week, no more, no less. Perhaps I shouldn’t mention that it met it’s end when I flung open the kitchen window a little too vigorously while it happened to be perched on the window cill… Oh well!
Somehow I’ve managed to keep mine alive too, and added another one to the family too! That’s a small victory for me because I’m definitely not a green thumb. I’ll have to try the one/two cups of water a week thing. I randomly water mine when I remember 🙂
You do realize your fig leaf is just biding it’s time and waiting until you’re all smug about keeping it alive and then … in the middle of the night … plop, plop, plop. Next morning nothing but an empty pot with a skinny stick in it. Amidst a pile of dead leaves. Never to be seen alive again…
(Hey, it’s nearly Halloween and time for a good horror story … although there should be a hook somewhere in there).
That is terrifying. *screams and runs!*
What a great post, absolutely love the pics…hilarious! I have been wanting one of these plants for a long time. I’m afraid I don’t have the right light for one, but I’m willing to try and fail at least once…maybe twice. Thanks for all the great tips!
If you don’t have enough light for a fiddle leaf, try a corn plant. They’re not in fashion so much right now, may be a little hard to find, but ask the plant store (try the small privately owned stores if there are any near you) to order you one. The one cup a week method works with them…or even less, if the light is low. check out my little message about watering at the end of these comments.
Great post! I found that the same process has worked for about 4 years now with a Boston Fern…. Now it gets 1 quart of water once a week and is totally spectacular. Have never repotted it… Same reason as yours… Am afraid to upset it.
Hi I’m a first time reader of your blog, but I felt compelled to comment – you are awesome! I loved reading this, your funny chatty tone is really refreshing – keep it up! Now to read through your archives…
Great trick about the water! I’m very sporadic with my watering. Mine is growing but not like yours, so I’m definitely going to try this!
Omg! I’m so excited to know that I will not be killing my soon to be fiddle fig now! Although it may be a sign that the last 3 times I’ve gone to ikea to get my tree they’re out and will restock the next day or so but I’m lazy and it’s an hour away so yeah off to ikea this weekend hahahaha!
Alright, I can’t wait to try this… Mine is about to give up the ghost, but to be fair I’ve been horribly neglecting it because it is so darn picky. I would make a great mother.
Hi there! I just wandered into this post through Pinterest. This article about your *Fickle* Leaf Fig really made me smile. It is now time for me to check out some more of this View Along The Way. I can already tell it’s gonna be good!
Darlings! I’ve been an interior horticulturist for 30 years or more, so that’s where I’m coming from. You’ve stumbled on one of the great secrets of keeping plants … don’t water too much, but water regularly. Want to know why the “feel the top of the soil to see if it’s dry” method doesn’t keep your plant(s) alive? Because the soil in the bottom of the pot, where the roots are, is still wet. What you need to do is get a simple bamboo kebob skewer, and stick it into the soil, all the way to the bottom. Don’t worry, won’t hurt the plant, they kind of like having their roots tickled. When you pull up the skewer, run it between your fingers – it should feel almost dry…not completely, but almost. (For fiddle leaves; other plants are not necessarily the same) When it feels like that, you can water. If it doesn’t feel like that, don’t water.
Or if you want to be all technological, you can buy one of those simple moisture meters all the plant stores sell. Which works fine until it stops working. But if you run the probe thing between your fingers you’ll be able to make sure it’s working.
Of course, if you want your plant to live long enough to take over the living room, you’ll need to water a little more. When you water, you should give it enough so that some water runs through the drainage holes into the saucer. You can leave it there, not enough to cause any problems, as long as you always test the soil before you water.
Don’t worry about repotting – they can stay in the same pot for several years. If it gets so big that it can’t stand up, then you might have to put it into a bigger pot.
If you have anything about houseplants you want to ask me, just shoot me a msg at my blog, or my email.
Love to all and bona fortuna…
M
Way to hijack the owner’s blog post…
My leaves on my fiddle leaves are rusting what causes that?
Off topic…
What are those paint colors? Love, love, love!
Thanks! Brittany Blue and Dark Caviar by Benjamin Moore.
Ahh the truth comes out! I feel like I am not a legit design blogger because I do not own a fiddle leaf fig. I have always heard they were finicky so I figured I would just kill the darn thing so why bother. Now that I know the super secret inside scoop I can take the plunge and finally be a part of the club. I feel like one of the cool kids now…
I bought my fiddle fig leaf plant at Ikea after looking for one for TWO years! It was doing fine then it all just went and died on me last week. (sad face) so I am wondering if I should leave the branches alone and water it once a week and hope it grows again or do I need to run over to Ikea and get a new plant??
YOU KILL ME!! I just picked up a fiddle and don’t want to kill this little investment. I came across your site on Pinterest and I’m mostly just excited to find someone as funny as me!! I read it twice just to laugh again!! THANKS for the tips! HUGS!
this was really helpful- i have read EVERYTHING online about fiddle leaf fig care, and nothing helps. nothing! i’ve read that these brats can grow a couple feet a year, but i got mine on easter of 2014 – and it hasn’t grown an INCH. okay, maybe half an inch, BUT PROBABLY NOT. i never overwater it, i keep it in great light, i don’t mess with it a lot – and it just won’t grow :/ i don’t think mine’s french, I THINK IT’S RUSSIAN. BASTARD.
Oh, the Russian variety is notoriously difficult. You can’t be blamed for his lack of growth at all. 😉
Hi, I loved your post and wondered what kind of light your finicky baby is getting from his perfect spot? Thank you and Congratulations!!!
I’ve had my fiddle leaf fig for about 10 years and had no idea what it was until this week. I bought it pretty small at a Home Depot and now it’s about 12 feet tall. Not nearly as gorgeous as the Elle picture though. I posted a picture of my plant on instagram sascharomeo is my user name if you want to see. Since learning what this jungle plant is called I’ve been obsessing and going crazy on instagram.
Oh my word, your “Harold” is absolutely gorgeous! Who knew that neglect would amount to such a beautiful specimen. I was just gifted a 4′ tall FLF (temporarily named Edgar) today and am praying and hoping I don’t kill it with my notorious black thumb. If it ends up even half as tall as yours, I’ll consider it a rousing success!
What an awesome gift! Edgar is a perfectly fitting name, BTW. You have my complete unsolicited approval. 😉
Thanks for the tip and the humor! I have a peace lily that I water when it droops, but it hasn’t had new dirt for a lot of years. I guess it’s time to give it more love.
I have the fiddle leaf fig that could. He was a cast-off from my boss. She said if I could save him, he was mine. He looked awful, all the leaves drooped heavily. Very slowly, he perked up. Then he grew bigger. I prominently placed him in my living room. Then my dog attacked and mutilated him during an anxiety attack. One of his two off-shoots (not branches, more like little trunks) was stripped bare of its leaves. To add insult to injury, my dog peed on the pile of leaves he’d ripped from the plant. I thought that was it for him….but…..new leaves are sprouting from the bare area! This guy is a trooper.
I just came home with my first ever fiddle leaf fig and came right here to read what you wrote. I don’t know if mine is a baby or teenager…I think it might look more like your teenage one. I am terrified I’m going to kill it. My original plan was to keep it on the screened porch for the summer months and move it indoors when it gets cold, but I’m wondering if that’s a bad idea because of the change. I have the worst track record with plants and I really don’t want this one to die! It’s so pretty!! Do you fertilize it? The woman at the nursery suggested fertilizer too.
This post was so funny that I had to write! It is true that these trees are super fussy. I’ve had three now and I can never keep them alive, but I refuse to give up on them. They are just too pretty and delicate and makes any room look just right. I recently bough another large one, over 6 feet. He was beautiful and green and plump but that was 3 months ago. He has lost over 20 leaves and others are beginning to turn brown. I just don’t know what to do and I’m almost to the point where I just have to give up and buy a (dare I say), FAKE Ficus. I do the same as you started out. I feel the soil and when dry, I give it a good watering (about a pitcher full). Should I cut down? I haven’t watered it as much and so now it only lost 2 leaves in the last week. Others seem to be hanging on to dear life and turning brown on the edges. Please help my tree!
I feel like a serious late comer to the game but I love your blog! And I never read have time to read blogs consistently unless they really catch my interest and the writing is good. I can’t even tell you how your blog has changed my life this week. I loved the series on decorating and the lead fabric is going to save my life. I think you are clearly hilarious and I wish we were real life friends. I actually am a blogger too (awwww) so Ya know, there’s that. And also the safe house project was so amazing and inspiring. You are just.the.shiz.
My fig is as tall as my window, pretty big, but now his leaves are browning on the edge on the bottom!
Did you grow your tree from seed or you got the little guy at a greenhouse or something?
I got him at a nursery when he was itty bitty. 🙂
Can I just tell you how glad I am that it’s not just my fiddle leaf fig being a brat?!? I’m so glad to know this secret – thank you!
I just bought one on the markdown plant section at Walmart. I’ve never had one but I keep seeing
them on blogs and Pinterest. I had it 3 or 4 wks. It had a couple of yellow leaves on the bottom when I got it. Now it has 2 or 3 new ones on top. I haven’t watered it much, just a little once or twice. I need some more dirt though as it looks to on need more on top.The kittens keep trying to climb in it. I put it in prettybrighg flight by French doors. I’ l try your method and let you know how it does. Thanks For The info. I’d like to have another if I could find one.
I can’t believe you found one at walmart! They’ve been so hard to find in the past!
I saw a BUNCH at Home Depot recently. $10, about a foot and a half tall, and most were in need of some TLC.
Got mine at Walmart for less than $5. I was nervous since I had heard how finicky these trees are and have killed other ficus varieties. Doing well – almost a year now.
hi your blog is cute I’ve had my fiddle fig for 13 yr he is an old man 8 ft. tall thanks for the advise on the watering, I get brown leaves n lose a lot of leaves over the course of the winter but he grow taller n more leaves every summer, I’ve even started new plants from cuttings.
Thanks again Rose
I got one after I moved into my new house a little over a month ago, and I too, am notoriously bad about killing plants (the lady who sold me the house left nearly all her potted plants, and sadly, most of the ones out front and about a third of the ones out back have withered away to nothingness!). I plopped the little Fritz out on my screened in back porch, and have to give him about a cup of water twice a week (yay Florida!), but he’s only lost one leaf and has sprouted nearly a dozen! He’s going to have to come inside in the winter so he doesn’t freeze to death, so we’ll see how he fares.
Just throwing this question out there…Has any one ever checked on the direction of the window/light which these guys happen to love. I know that with some of my plants they prefer northeast natural light and protest when they get moved.
Thanks
Hi! I just got a fiddle leaf fig of my own, a baby one, and found this post looking for tips on how to care for it. I don’t own many houseplants, just a very resilient jade and two dead orchids (RIP), and so I have a question for you : how do you water these things indoors without making a mess?? I’ve been taking my FLF to my kitchen sink to water for now, since its small and portable, but what do I do once its reached the size of your teenager? I read that double potting, even with pebbles or gravel in the outer pot, causes root rot, and I can’t imagine I’d be carrying my FLF to the kitchen sink each time I needed to water it at that size (although that would certainly fit its neediness profile). How do you do it?
Won’t double-potting work as long as the inner pot is raised significantly within the outer pot (like several inches)? Then the excess water will drain out into the outer pot and not continue to touch the inner one. Anyone else’s ideas would be appreciated since that is what I intend on doing.
I have a mismatched dinner plate plate/platter under my pot. It curves up slightly so it catches any water that runs through. Not overwatering so I haven’t had any spill over yet.
When I was in college years ago I learned a trick to these plants, they are pot heads. Yep they love bong water. I have long since outgrown that but I learned that these plants love liquid fertilizer. They grow almost out of control with it. They also love dirty air. If a room gets poor air exchanges and high volume of people or CO2 they thrive. They filter and clean the air so well its like they use up their own air.
Also about your orchids, don’t water them that way. Go get orchid food. Mix it in a gallon jug. Fill sink with water and food. Soak your roots and then let them dry. They need air on their roots. So dont put them in dirt. Put them in an open orchid pot. They will bloom and bloom again. Also they love bathrooms and indirect sun light.
So glad I found this post! I get my plant tomorrow!!
I inherited mine 10 years ago….One and only plant I have ever had besides my hastas! Mine is huge out of control take over your life scary nightmare type thing lol! Was hoping to get some tricks on trimming it 🙂 I like you water once a week although mine is much larger it gets 1 pitcher a week same time! They grow towards light so it might stay in the same spot I rotate it once a month or so….otherwise u get crazy out of control branches lol! Would love the help trimming!
What is a good time of year (spring, winter, summer, fall) to transplant into a bigger pot. Don’t wan to “uproot” my friend who is doing pretty well.
Where can I purchase one?
Hi! Wondering if you have figured out s reason why my fiddle leaf has dry brittle leaves. Mine is odd-shaped like your monster one…I love it but it’s not youthful or shiny! Thanks!
Your fig leaf plants are gorgeous! I am working on growing a youngin myself… Please tell me where you found that beautiful multicolored rug in what looks like your foyer!
OK, my question is this. How humid is the area where you live? I will try the one cup a week rule, but I live in Utah where there is about zero moisture in the air. Do you think I need to water more?
I have one in the ground in So. Texas since my father-in-law passed away in 1995. It has frozen more than once and always comes back. I do nothing! It’s about 5′ tall. Papa must take care of it from up above ????
After reading your post, I decided I must have some fiddle leaf figs. I can kill a silk tree though. I remembered seeing them at IKEA many times and rarely at Home Depot. So off I went to Home Depot, they had one that was in really bad shape. I knew not to bother with it because my green thumbs skills are not up for that kind of battle. The we went to ikea, we even drove my hubbies old SUV to have room for several figs. We left empty handed as they didn’t have any! Do you know if they stopped caring them? I’m so bummed, I want about 5 of them.
You are crazy!!! In a great way.. I laughed all the way through this post.. I saw this plant onpinterest… AND I KNEW I HAD TO HAVE ONE… I found one at Home Depot and a clearance baby( $7) at Walmart.. I put them both in a big pot.. And things are looking great.. Thanks for the info.. My mom could bring a dead plant in concrete back to life… Me however… I am your black thumb club… VP!!!!
What is that gorgeous blue color in your entry way. What brand of paint? What’s the name of the color? I LOVE IT!
I just bought a fiddle leaf tree and the leaves are turning black at the edges, anyway here’s a stupid question for you, when you say cup, can you give in oz or ml size? is it a tea cup?
Does the fiddle leaf pot need to have a drain hole?
This was hilarious! I was wondering, do you give yours any plant food? And is it still in the original container? I just got a fiddle leaf for my 30th birthday and I so want to keep it alive!
do you remove leaves that have brown spots at the first sign of them?
LOVED THIS! You are a great writer!!! XO, ~Amy
Loved reading this post. Just bought mine a few weeks ago. Looked really healthy until recently when I noticed some of the leaves curling. What does this mean -too much water? too much sunlight? The leaves are nice and green. And I don’t see brown. Hmm…
Oh my Gosh I am so glad I came across this post!!! I recently purchased a fiddle leaf fig and had no idea they were so hard to maintain. My bottom leaves also started turning brown recently . I cut a leaf off and took it to my gardening center. They told me it was a sign of underwater….OR over water…LOL who knows..right.!! so this totally answers my question. I am definitely over watering it. LOL mine is the size of your baby one and the gardener told me to pour at least 2 cups once the soil feels dry… 🙁 sad just poured 2 in today.. Wish I came across this sooner. Hope he doesn’t mold and die on me. Thanks for the great post.. looking forward to growing my fiddle leaf fig I was dreading it before. 😀
Read this post randomly on Pinterest. I too have a black thumb, but that isn’t my comment. This post is hilariously written and it kept my attention good job!