Monday, February 11, 2013

caring for and propagating fiddle leaf figs

My friend found a fiddle leaf fig (ficus lyrata) for a great price at Home Depot this past weekend and blogged about it here. Who knew! Never seen them at our HD before and the price was 1/3 of what we paid for ours several years ago at nursery nearby.



Our fig tree sits next to a northern exposure window so it reaches a bit to get the light. It came with a tangle of gorgeous leaves when we purchased it and dropped them slowly to find its right size for the conditions of the room. 


I have been propagating them the last few years which is quite easy. 
This is one I rooted and potted this year, very happy in a southern exposure window. On its way to becoming a tree because I placed just one branch in the soil. If I wanted a shrub form, I could have placed several in the pot. (The snow melted last night, windy and warm today.)


I just root in a glass of water for several months and freshen the water weekly. I have placed three in this glass. Activities like this make getting through the winter more enjoyable!  Here is the thing about caring for fiddle leaf fig trees. They do not like constant moist soil. They like to dry out. Let them dry out completely before watering. This means do NOT water each week. I think I must water just two times a month. It is on its own schedule. The baby plants I am growing do get a bit more water because they are in a sunnier location and dry out faster. Best way to know is to put your finger down onto the soil and feel for dryness. A sign that you are watering too much is brown edges on the leaves.


Bulb update- the second stalk of the white amaryllis bloomed and its sibling is finally inching up.




What about you? Is there a ficus lyrata in your house?




11 comments:

  1. Houseplants must love your big windows!!! Looks beautiful, Cindy. And I think Home Depot has great houseplants.

    BTW, I deleted your old blog URL last week and added the new one. Today it is showing Stylish Serendipity again?? Check it out on my blog list.
    xo
    Loi

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  2. Yours is gorgeous, Cindy! How tall is it? Mine will also be northern exposure, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed it likes it as well as yours does.

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  3. Yes! I have 4 total. 3 small babies and one big tree. Gives my home such a great look!

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  4. I have a wonderful Fiddle Leaf Fig. It's three stalks and grows too fast for the room quickly. I have tried air layering and snipping off the top and taking all but a few (or even) on leaf off and putting it into water. None have survived. I have also done this with shoots off the bottom. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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  5. I have a wonderful Fiddle Leaf Fig. It's three stalks and grows too fast for the room quickly. I have tried air layering and snipping off the top and taking all but a few (or even) on leaf off and putting it into water. None have survived. I have also done this with shoots off the bottom. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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  6. Hi Cindy,

    What kind of soil do you plant your fiddle leaf figs in? I've read most potting soils contain wetting agents that hold onto water excessively and drown the plant. It looks like you have enjoyed quite a bit of success and I would love your insight!

    Thank you!

    Erin

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  7. just found you..... I just got 2 very sad (ok - they are mostly d e a d , but we wont tell them that!) fiddle heads.... and am trying to save them.. hoping that they rally. This gives me inspiration and hope!

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  8. You say that fiddle leaf figs do not like constant moist soil, but you put the cuttings in a glass of water for several months? Does that work alright? They don't start rotting?

    My work is getting rid of their overgrown fiddle leaf, which is looking a little sad, and I will be taking some large (nearly 3'!) cuttings home. I'm trying to find the best way to get them to root, and finding quite a variety of ways online. Your way looks simple, but I want to make sure that I give my cuttings the best chance to survive! Any tips would be great. :)

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  9. Is it normal for a fiddle leaf to droop after being cut and reported as a cutting? I'm not sure if it's dying or not.

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  10. Hi Cindy,

    I recently got a few fiddle leafs to root in water and now I am not sure when I should plant it in soil. I would be most grateful to hear about your experience and recommendations.

    Best,

    Elizabeth

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  11. I really love your photos, you have a beautiful home! Most importantly, thanks for the clear propagating instructions. Just what I needed!

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I would love to hear from you!