How to care for a fig with a violin leaf

Sharing tips on how to care for a fig with a violin, how often to water it, how much water, how much sunlight, all these important questions!

Meet Frida Kahlo. It is our beautiful fig fig plant, which greets everyone who enters our home. Frieda receives so many compliments both in real life and online and I often get questions about how to take care of these plant tips. I hesitated to write this post because I used to be a known plant killer. In the last handful of years, I HAVE FINALLY found my place, and although I feel quite confident in my daily life, I am still afraid to throw anything away. I can’t help but wonder if Frieda will pull back her leaves and burst into flames after I press publish this post, but I’ll try. I hope you find some helpful tips here and my fellow violin lovers on the violin leaves, please share your best tips in the comments !!

A fig with violin leaves is also called a Ficus lyrata. They are tropical trees that do extremely well outdoors in temperate and humid environments. In the last 10 years or so, their popularity has grown. Fig-leaf figs usually adorn magazine covers, Instagram and Pinterest posts. This is a beautiful houseplant that can add to the aesthetic appeal of your space and can be a stunning, architectural statement in your home. It influences the decor and is also known to be a challenging houseplant to maintain. In this post, I share tried and tested tips on how to take care of a fig with a violin and keep it looking lush, healthy and thriving for a long time.

How to care for a fig with a violin leaf

Proper placement and lighting requirements

The key to figs from violin leaves, tropical plants and houseplants is to find a place in your home where they will be happy. This is usually a north or south facing window where you can get a lot of sunlight. These plants also tend to do well in areas with high ceilings, sky lights and large windows. If you live in an area that is not well lit, you can use lighting for growth. I am in a Facebook group with violin leaves (obsessed) and many members use lights to grow their plants. Inspect the area and make sure you do not have vents that will blow directly onto the plant.

While the sun is a good thing, watch out for too much hot blue on the plant because it can cause sunburn. We have another violin sheet, Fred, which was forgotten outside and burned in the sun. He had brown spots for a long time, but eventually recovered.

Watering

Well, there are a lot of methods here: the glass method (often watering a small amount) or the rarer method (A LOT of water every 7-12 days). I found that the cup method did NOT work for me. She was dropping leaves like crazy, and I was walking around the plant, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Change the game: the water meter! I ordered this from Amazon and check its water every 7-10 days. I water the plant ONLY when the soil dries out and the meter reaches level 2 or 3 and then I soak it to hell. I will use 4 large measuring cups filled with filtered water and water the soil. (Frida prefers filtered water from the refrigerator rather than the sink. Our levels here in Tucson are too acidic and this affects its leaves.) Before watering, use a water meter or food stick to drill holes in the soil – they will not damage the roots . This will help to saturate the soil with oxygen and make the water flow more freely. A good rule of thumb: water until it starts to come out of the drain holes and then leave it alone.

Note: figs from violin leaves I LOVE the rain and I have the feeling that rainwater is much better for the plants than the water from the sink. Call me crazy, but they respond differently. If it rains, pull your healthier plants out!

Planting medium

Tip: before placing the fig from the leaves on a violin, keep it in the pot from the nursery in the area of ​​your house where he will live. In this way, it may have time to adapt to the lighting and the environment before further shocking the plant by replanting. For potted soil, make sure you use something that allows water to flow instead of retaining water, which can cause root rot. They sell special soil for fig leaves from the violin leaf and I know many people who have been lucky with cactus / succulent soil. I used Miracle Grow potting soil and it works well. Consult your nursery to see what they recommend for your climate.

When you pot the fig from a violin leaf, you do not need a huge pot, as the roots do not need much space to expand. They actually do better when lightly tied, and many violin leaf figs do well in the original pot from the nursery. I would choose something around this size or a little bigger. Important: make sure that the pot has a drainage hole so that water can easily flow through it. I also like to put small stones on the bottom of the pot before adding the plant and soil so that the water can move easily and prevent root rot.

Fertilization

You do not need to * fertilize your plant if the soil is healthy and the plant is thriving. If you notice that it needs a little reinforcement, I like this fertilizer mixed with filtered water. (It was too acidic with the water in the sink and caused problems for me to stop using it.) If you decide to use fertilizer, do it twice a year: once in the summer and once in the winter.

Routine maintenance

Blurring! As I mentioned earlier, FLFs love a humid environment. If you live in a dry climate, fog can have a positive effect on the leaves. You can place a humidifier in a low place near your plant or occasionally mist it by hand. I use this Mr. from Amazon and spray the leaves only when I water (once every 7-12 days). I mist the leaves and then wipe the dust off with a paper towel. In this way, the dusty leaves do not interfere with the possibility of receiving sunlight.

Weak trunks: I’ve heard of people gently shaking the trunks of their trees every few days, especially if they are weaker / smaller. This is to stimulate strong winds and promote a stronger trunk. I haven’t done this for Frieda, but I can try this for Fred.

Funny note: figs from violin leaves will grow as high as their ceiling allows. Our ceilings are 30 feet and I hope with all my heart IT GROWS HUGE.

Transplantation

I have found that these plants are best left alone, so I would recommend transplanting only if absolutely necessary. (This can cause stress to the plants and we don’t want to stress them out!) Some sites recommend replanting every 2-3 years to get fresh nutrients from the soil, but I have a feeling that if the plant is happy, leave it on peace haha. Some indicators you may want to transplant: the soil recedes from the edges and you may see a lot of roots, a bacterial infection (a lot of brown spots on the leaves) or root rot. You can avoid root rot by making sure there is plenty of drainage and avoid watering. If you need to transplant, shake off the excess soil from the roots and cut off all the ends of the roots that are overgrown. (It’s like cutting it.) If you see any messy roots, cut them too. Put in a pot with a few inches of soil, surround with very fresh new soil and water.

Good friends! That’s all I have for you and I will add more to this post as I think about new tips.

Do you have plant babies? Any great tips you’ve learned over time? Please share all plant tips with us!

xo

Gina