The most likely cause of leggy, spindly growth on your Fiddle Leaf Fig is insufficient exposure to sunlight. Fiddle Leaf Figs like lots of bright light, so making sure they are properly situated near a window with lots of sun exposure will help reduce leggy growth.
A fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) with leggy or unstable growth usually indicates inadequate light. The entire plant may grow tall and weak, with a frail trunk. Leaves may be spaced far apart on long branches or this may happen only to the lower branches if they are blocked from sunlight.
Can I cut the top off my fiddle leaf fig?
Cutting the top of the fiddle leaf fig will keep it short and encourage side branches to grow, creating a more compact look. Pruning it heavily on one side helps give a balanced look if the fiddle leaf fig is lopsided.
How do you save leggy fiddle leaf figs? – Related Questions
How far back can I prune a fiddle leaf fig?
Just take care not to prune more than 10 percent of the fiddle-leaf fig at any given time. To prune lateral branches, make a cut just above the branch collar. If you cut too close to the trunk, you risk wounding the tissue in the branch collar, and a wounded collar can allow disease pathogens to get into the trunk.
What happens when fiddle leaf fig gets too tall?
Fiddle Leaf Figs can grow ten feet or more indoors, and that can make regular care and maintaining their long-term health difficult. If you find yourself with a Fig that’s too tall for the space it’s in, you’ll need to prune it back, so be prepared to make significant cuts on your Fig.
How do you top a fiddle fig?
Here’s how to do it:
Use a clean, sharp blade to make an incision above a node.
Just ABOVE the node, make an incision 1/3 of the way around the stem and no more than 1/3 deep into the stem.
Leave it alone to heal and hopefully you’ll have buds after several weeks that turn into branches.
Can you cut the top of a fig tree?
1. Cut off the top of the newly planted fig tree about 24 inches from the soil. Act in late winter or early spring before the first buds appear. Trim all remaining branches back to 6 inches.
What happens when you prune a fiddle leaf?
What does an overwatered fiddle 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.
Where do you cut fiddle leaf figs?
I Chopped My Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree
Prune your trees at the right time!
Find the tippy top of the plant where new leaves grow, go down a few leaves, and from there cut/prune the whole top of the plant off.
Up your watering once pruned, to every three to four days.
When should you throw out a fiddle leaf fig?
If almost all of your leaves have dried out due to severe dehydration and several of your branches have died, you may be better off calling it quits and getting a new fiddle. Technically, you can revive your fiddle if part of the trunk or stem is still alive, but it will take a lot of time and care.
Do fiddle figs need full sun?
“Fiddle leaf figs need lots of indirect light and some direct sun,” he says. “Afternoon sun from a south- or west-facing window will be too strong.” So remember, just like the nourishing rays that filter down from the jungle’s dense canopy, your fig needs good sun in your home, too.
What season Should I repot fiddle leaf?
Fiddle Leaf Figs usually need to be repotted every two years, and spring is a great time to do this because weather conditions can help your tree recover from potential root shock. Warmer temperatures also mean it’s possible to repot your fiddle outside, which is especially helpful if your tree is large!
Should you wipe fiddle leaf leaves?
DON’T scrub your leaves.
Be gentle with your fiddle’s leaves! Even wiping with a rough cloth can remove the top layer of cells from the leaves. Avoid using anything to wipe your leaves besides a very soft cloth, and only give it a gentle wipe-down.
What does an unhealthy fiddle leaf look like?
Signs a fiddle leaf fig plant is ailing
These include brown spots on leaves, which can mean over- or under-watering. Brown spots in the middle of leaves are caused by fungal disease, which occurs with too much watering. Browning on the edge of leaves indicates under-watering and drafty, dry air.
Should I spray my fiddle leaf fig with water?
It’s a good idea to mist new leaf buds, but ONLY the lead buds, and not so much that water drips down the other leaves. Give your new baby buds a good misting a few times every week and use a clean, soft cloth to gently dab up extra water if you’d like. You can still raise a healthy fiddle leaf fig in a dry climate.
