It’s funny how trends* can burrow into our thoughts and over time alter what we like. For years I’ve spied big and beautiful fiddle leaf fig plants [or are they trees?! #Clueless] in some of my favourite roomscapes. In the beginning I didn’t think much of them. But then they started to grow on me. Like a little bit something tropical in your living room. I hesitated for so long to buy one because I’ve heard they’re tricky. And actually, because I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a fiddle leaf fig in real life. I may not have been looking particularly hard because this week I spied loads of them in our local hardware store.
I’ve heard fiddle leaf figs can be a bit high maintenance. Therefore, it was only natural that someone with such a fantastic record for murdering plants would buy one! In all seriousness, I’m determined to keep this guy alive. So far I’ve read that one cup of water per week is a good starting point and polishing the leaves with coconut oil is a must (?). Do they like direct sunlight? Do they hate hot / cold rooms? Should I prune it? Re-pot it? Rotate the pot? Can they thrive in dark corners? [ie – our entire apartment]. If you have any fig tips at all that you wouldn’t mind sharing, I would be hugely appreciative. At the very least I think I’ll need to set an alarm on my phone for when to water it …
Standing at just 1ft tall and take pride of place on our dining room table already, he’s just a widdle fiddle.
*Can plants be trendy? That doesn’t sound right. I don’t see them as something that should be treated as a trend, but you know what I mean.
Yay!! Welcome to Fig Lovers Anonymous. You should receive your packet in the post in 2-3 working days. Ahem. So you have a plant, mine is a tree (two different things from my understanding) so I can't really give much advice. I had a plant for a while and it absolutely refused to live. It was very sad. I even gave it to my MIL (she who is the Plant Whisperer) and she couldn't even bring it back. However, I bought a little tree and it's just completely thrived, despite the fact that I have a history of plant genocide. My own gets a lot of indirect light, very little direct light, I do clean it's leaves (although I never heard of the coconut thing, must try that) pretty often because they get dusty and it can't do it's plant thing when the light can't get to them. I also have a self-watering pot which I fill about every 6 weeks (I think this is why mine does so well). The room isn't particularly warm nor does it get freezing cold and it's not near any radiators – it seems to be happy anyway. So that's all I've got for you! May your widdle fiddle grow big and strong and best of luck with it! They are just the most gorgeous specimens, trends be damned. xxx
ZOMG I never thought that the reason people dust a plants leaves would be for it's own photosynthesis-al benefits. Mind = blown. I thought people only did that for their own aesthetic sake. How naive am I.
And I haven't much hope if you and your MIL couldn't keep a fig plant alive :/ But I have seen those self-watering pots and was thinking on buying one! So I think that's on the list. I may call you in hysterics if a leaf falls off (KNOCK ON WOOD).
Ha – I also didn't realise people dust plants for the photosynthesis! Now you think about it, it seems obvious, d'oh!
Good luck keeping it alive – as a fellow plant murderer, my best wishes are with you! I found a couple of pots with amaryllis bulbs in, sitting around in the icy cold conservatory (aka junk room) – they've not been touched since the Lumberjack and his naturey skills left. They just looked like two dead brown lumps sticking out of some dessicated old soil. But I brought them into the living room, watered them and thought these are goners.. But guess what?? Green leaves are shooting up – it's a bloody miracle! Imagine if they actually flower – what the hell!! xx
Hahaha you're an accidental gardener! I particularly love hyacinth around this time of year. I think they're grown and sprout around this time of year too. Back when I was living with my parents they always had a couple of them on the go on the kitchen window sill. You must share a picture when your amaryllis is flowering!
Crossing my black thumbs for you.
Indirect sunlight! And they don't like to be moved, so pick a spot and stick with it! Like they don't even like to be rotated apparently.
Thank you Em! He's destined for the dining room then 🙂
I've never actually seen one of these in real life! Is it a chain store you found it in?(crosses fingers). And trend be damned, they're gorgeous!
I found them in B&Q actually! They had looooooads of them but they were on the top shelf of giant plant stand so that may be why I never saw them before. This one is still alive so I'm tempted to get another … Someone stop me.
Getting "figgy" with it. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I am a dork. I love puns.
I knew you'd like that.