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When I first started growing plants over a decade ago , I only wanted to acquire those that would provide food for my phratry . Then I ascertain fiddle - folio figs ( Ficus lyrata ) . Unlike the fig trees in my orchard , this tree does n’t grow fruit ( or if it does , it ’s uneatable ) . So why do I make love growing violin - leaf figs ?
Have you seen them ? They ’re gorgeous . No wonder they have become the “ in ” works to have . You see them in aim and fashion magazine , upmarket hotel lobbies , and stylish home all over the place . They ’re one of the top - sell houseplants out there .
They ’re also finicky , so if you want to get produce one , or you want to make the one you have expand , keep reading .
What Are Fiddle-Leaf Figs?
aboriginal to West African lowland pelting forest , violin - leaf Ficus carica are an evergreen ornamental also known as banjo fig or lyre leaf tree . you’re able to farm them outside if you live in the right climate , but they are more suited to being an indoor ornamental in most spot .
In their aboriginal environs , they can uprise up to 50 feet tall . In the US , extraneous specimens typically mature to about 20 foot tall . Indoors , they ’re special to about 10 feet tall .
You wo n’t unremarkably see the fiddle - leaf Libyan Islamic Group green goods fruit , especially indoors , but do n’t concern , you are n’t miss out on anything . They are n’t like the edible Libyan Fighting Group that people spend a fortune on at supermarkets .
While beautiful , with its massive , Jurassic - looking foliation , this popular houseplant has a bit of a reputation for being particularly fickle in regards to light , water system , grunge , and temperature .
Fiddle - folio common fig tree eject a rubber-base paint that can be irritate to the skin . Wear baseball glove when working with this flora .
Propagating Ficus Lyrata
It ’s possible , but very hard to grow a fiddle - leaf by seed , so I do n’t recommend render . That ’s all right , there are two light way of life to propagate this plant life .
Air Layering
If you ’ve never tried this before , it ’s not to a fault complicated . Basically , you ’re growing new roots on the shank of the female parent plant . Once roots are forge , you could cut off the stem with the new antecedent and plant it in its own container .
The atmosphere layering method is extremely easy and you do n’t have to worry about trying to keep a separate plant alive , since the female parent flora is still feeding the freshly - form part .
GrowingFicus Lyrataby Stem Cutting
prow cuttings are a reliable method acting , but take longer to produce roots and the transplanted clipping is usually small to come out with than the air layered root .
Planting Fiddle-Leaf Figs
Whether you buy a violin - leafage fig or propagate your own , you ’ll involve to put it in its unexampled home . As a quick by , if you purchase a transplant , try not to do it during uttermost heat energy or cold-blooded . change the plant from the store to your menage could shock or even kill it . This plant REALLY does n’t like extreme or speedy change in temperature .
take a container that is a few inches larger than the one the fiddle - folio Libyan Fighting Group organ transplant is produce in and check that that it has at least one drain hole . Fill a few inches at the bottom with loamy , well - drain soil . Place your flora in the pot and sate around it with dirt .
Place your fig in a spot that bewilder lots of indirect sunlight . Six to eight hours next to a window with a sheer mantle over it would be idealistic . It can handle an hour or two of verbatim sunshine , but not during the hottest part of the day . Not enough sun and your FFL will originate leggy .
Care and Maintenance
Do n’t overwater your potted plant , but keep the dirt moist . If you are n’t trusted how moist it should be , aim to have the grease slightly ironical rather than too wet , so the roots can dry out between lachrymation . You do n’t require to allow the land get too wry , but it should never be soggy , either .
violin - leaf fig are sensible to stand water and they ’ll rot in a hurry if the roots are n’t in soil with good drain . You ’ll notice brownish spots on the leaves if the root word are in too much moisture . lease the first inch or so of soil dry out in between tearing .
When you water , be sure to empty the catchment under your pot so that the water does n’t pose .
Fertilize with aslow - departure grainy fertilizermade for container plants . Ficus lyrataloves food so to avoid have to fertilise it liquid fertilizer every two week , employ the dense exit option . Otherwise , employ a liquid fertiliser every other workweek .
lop to assert symmetry . You ’ll often see fiddle - leafage Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya grow a bite lopsided to pass on towards where they get more light . New branches go forth from the close node to anywhere you cut , so you may make fullness in a sparse fleck with heedful pruning .
If you like the modern ‘ tree ’ look , remove the lower leaves to form a trunk and trim the tips of the upper limb to further a shaggy-coated growth use . If you care a more bush - like growing habit , do n’t trim the lower offset .
Ficus Lyratagrows quite fleetly at times and may become root - throttle . Repot every couple of years if the plant looks like outgrowing its container .
violin - leaf figs have airy root , which are beginning that emerge out of the trunk above the soil and turn over down into the soil . These are n’t a preindication of being potbound . Instead , look for roots circling the perimeter of the mint or come out of the drain hole . That ’s when it ’s time to repot .
Every calendar month wipe the leave gently with a dampish cloth . Be careful and pass over both the front and back of foliage . If you do n’t do this , dust clog up the pores of the leaves and they ca n’t respirate .
revolve your plant regularly so they do n’t produce skew-whiff . In dry climates , spray the leaves on a regular basis to improve humidness . you could also grow plants on a tray filled with rocks . Put piddle in the careen tray to raise the humidity around the plant .
How to Grow Fiddle-Leaf Figs Outdoors
If you ’re planning on develop your violin - leafage fig outside , you demand a subtropic surroundings , such as in USDA Growing Zones 11 - 13 . But just living in a Zone with the right temperature is n’t enough . They need humidity , the right twinkle , and moist soil .
Nighttime temperature ca n’t sink below 50ºF and daytime should not pass 95ºF. They need six to eight hour of sunlight . They love moist , still air and batch of water . The soil should be ample and well - draining with a pH of 6.6 to 7 .
Choose compact varieties like ‘ Compacta ’ and ‘ Bambino ’ if blank space is an issue . ‘ Suncoast ’ is more cold - tolerant than others for outside planting .
Fertilize the tree three time a year in give , summertime , and fall .
For an international tree , you’re able to foreshorten it back hard to keep it to the size of it you want . Just do n’t trim back more than a third of the industrial plant at a time .
Growing in Containers Outdoors
You ’ll be far more successful growing violin - leaf figure inside and leaving them there , but if you want , you could move the container outside during dependable weather condition .
First , you ’ll need to transition outside slowly over a full point of weeks so you do n’t appall the works . Make certain it ’s not scupper to strong tip and rainfall .
Place the container in a slightly shady office , gradually be active it into a full sun side . If you live in a sunny , hot domain , keep it in mottled sunlight , especially in the hottest part of the day . Every two weeks circumvolve the container 1/4 a routine clockwise to give all part of the plant exposure to sunshine .
If the industrial plant lose a few leaves , do n’t panic . They will often do this with changes in temperature . They ’ll usually grow back .
Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Fiddle-Leaf Figs
Not only are fiddle - foliage figs finicky about their grow conditions , but they ’re prone to several pests and diseases .
Spider Mites
Often the first time you noticespider mitesis when you see the webbing on the foliage or yellow and chocolate-brown point on the leaves .
This little creature can defeat your flora if they ’re left unbridled in high-pitched enough in numbers . utilise a miticide or oil - found spray like neem oil . you could also seek a dish soap answer . Use 1 liter of pee to 1 teaspoon of smooth dish soap . Wipe the leaf with this mixed bag on a regular basis .
Mealybugs
Sapsuckers like mealybugs can cause a mickle of damage to aFicus lyrata . Yellowing of leaves and humiliated muscularity are often signs of this pest .
you’re able to prune out modest plague . Indoors , utilize rubbing alcohol on a cotton wool mop to relate the bug , or utilise the dish soap method acting above .
Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats love pot mix and seed raising mix and can harm roots by chewing on them . They look like short lilliputian mosquitos and are often seen in light by windows .
The best natural method acting to control them is to cut a potato into large cube and place this on the medium in your container . The larvae that do all the impairment love life white potato and will overrun them . Remove the spud every two days and replace it with wise pieces .
Root Rot
If your plant is yellow , originate orotund chocolate-brown spots , or seems to be slowly fail , you may have root rot . This can be from overwatering or there is a pathogen in the container medium .
Remove the plant from the container and moisten the root word under running water . reduce away any rotting , sludgy , or diseased - looking root . Dip the remaining ascendent in a fungicide . Before repotting , lave the container out with bleach and water . Replant , ensure secure drain . Use a new potting mix .
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