Learning how to care for your fiddle leaf fig tree requires you to conduct a few basic protocols that can allow your plant to thrive over time.
Whether you’re looking to maintain fiddle leaf figs for the holidays or going away for the holidays and want to make sure the plants thrive, there are some things you can consider in caring for your plants.
Fiddle leaf figs are versatile plants to keep in the home that don’t demand strict maintenance to sustain them. Getting the right nutrients and the best soil for fiddle leaf figs is essential to keep them healthy.
They are great to have in the home and can provide you with plenty of oxygen with accurate growing conditions.
This article further explores holiday care for fiddle leaf figs to maintain and sustain their plant growth, even when you’re gone for a few days.
How To Take Holiday Care For Fiddle Leaf Figs
Taking care of fiddle leaf figs for the holiday season can provide your plant with a vibrant appearance for all your guests coming over for the holidays.
- Get The Right Pot For Fiddle Leaf Plants: Make sure to locate earthenware or clay pots to provide your plants with enough oxygen to breathe. The pots should have a hole (or multiple!) underneath for proper drainage. This is so the plants can filter out water appropriately.
- Use Smart Gravel For Proper Drainage: Grab some Houseplant Smart Gravel ideal for putting in planter pots and place them in the bottom. You can then transfer your figs into the new pot with our gravel. If they are already prepped for these then make sure the plants have other necessary growing conditions to maintain their growth.
- Maintain Proper Lighting: Fiddle leaf figs love the sunlight and can grow well in lit rooms. Be sure to have your plants near indirect sunlight or near the window.
- Maintain a Good Water Schedule: Fiddle leaf fig trees also need to have an adequate water schedule. Ensure you water them once a week and check underneath the soil for dryness. If the soil is dry then they need to be fed water to ensure they grow well.
- Keep Their Leaves Clean & Fresh: Your plants should appear vibrant for the holiday season and to do so is to ensure they don’t have any dirt on their leaves. The dirt may suffocate them and make them appear unhealthy at first glance. Use a wet cloth to wipe them carefully then use a leaf shine spray to maintain their health and vibrancy.
- Prune & Propagate: To care for your fiddle leaf figs for the holidays, make sure to prune and propagate them. Fiddle leaf fig pruning can create new fiddle leaves allowing for new growth to come on board. The process makes the plant grow more which can reveal shiny new growth.
These are some of the ways you can care for your plants to ensure they thrive for the holidays. Properly caring for fiddle leaf plants and providing the best soil for fiddle leaf figs can improve proper drainage as well.
Learn more about Pruning and Shaping Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant
How To Care For Fiddle Leaf Figs While You’re Away For The Holidays
For those who are going away for the holiday season, there are different precautions to take to make sure the plants maintain their health while you’re away.
1. Automated Light
Make sure to place your fiddle leaf figs where they won’t get direct sunlight but receive indirect sunlight. It is best to place the plant directly in front of and up against your brightest window. If direct sunlight hits the leaves, a sheer curtain can turn the light indirect.
Another way to get automated light onto your plants is to set up a grow light with automated timing sequences. The plants can receive light at a specific duration without you being home.
2. Automate The Watering
You can automate the watering by using a water globe that has a long stem. The stem of the globe extends far for you to place within the soil. The water inside the globe drips in the soil over a certain period which can make it easy for your plants to receive water by themselves.
You can also use a wine bottle by placing water inside and then covering your thumb over the mouth. You can place it in the soil while covering the mouth with your thumb. Let go once it’s inside then wait to see how much water drains over time.
If these methods aren’t ideal, you can use an automated drip system and set it up before you go on your holiday trip.
This way your plants receive enough water while you’re away during the holiday season and can hold their green luster for a few weeks. They can even hold their beautiful green appearance with the best soil for fiddle leaf figs.
3. Automate Humidity
Your plants can receive enough humidity by placing a water-filled pebble tray underneath the fiddle leaf plant. It’s best to keep the plant’s roots away from the water and pebbles.
Ideally, the evaporation of the water gives your plants humidity for a few weeks. Also, getting a humidifier and putting it on a timer can provide your plants humidity automatically. You won’t have to worry about whether your plant is receiving enough humidity while you’re away.
4. Plant Sitter
If you can’t set up a proper care protocol for your plants then consider hiring a plant sitter to feed and care for it. They must be responsible and trustworthy to take care of your plants in the home while you are away for the holidays. They should also know how to take care of the fiddle leaf fig plant before you leave.
Best Growing Conditions For Fiddle Leaf Figs
Fiddle Leaf Fig plants enjoy a warm temperate environment with moderate humidity levels and abundant indirect sunlight seeping near them.
An ideal temperature for fiddle leaf figs ranges from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. The plants enjoy room-temperature water with enough nutrients in the best soil for fiddle leaf figs.
A nutrient fiddle leaf fig fertilizer can help maintain their health, especially if you’re away for a few weeks. Make sure to feed them a fertilizer with the N-P-K ratio.
These nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium which are great to have in a fertilizer for your plants. If using fertilizer, ensure to feed it to them once a month. If leaving for the holidays, feed them fertilizer or calibrate if they can maintain the nutrients while you’re away.
How Long Can Fiddle Leaf Figs Go Without Water?
Fiddle leaf figs can go up to 10 days without water. For those leaving for the holidays, be sure to be back within 10 days or set up an automatic drip solution.
The plants are resilient and don’t require too much maintenance, but should be taken care of properly by feeding them water once a week.
What To Watch Out For In The Winter
Fiddle leaf figs tend to dry out faster in the winter due to the heat circulating within the household.
A good rule of thumb is to group a set of plants in one area and provide a humidifier nearby to keep the plants from getting dried out. Increasing the humidity and minimizing the water intake the fiddle leaf figs receive is essential to sustain their health during the winter months.
Keeping your plant with enough moisture and humidity can allow the plant to avoid drying out. For those of you going away for the holidays, consider these tips before leaving. If possible, keep the home from overheating by lowering the temperature before leaving.
As we mentioned above, an ideal temperature for fiddle leaf figs is between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Final Thoughts Of Holiday Care For Fiddle Leaf Figs
Taking care of your fiddle leaf figs for the holiday can allow them to maintain their lively and vibrant leaves for years.
Knowing how to care for them for the holidays and setting up an automatic system to take care of them is essential to allowing them to thrive. Also, ensuring to provide the best soil for fiddle leaf figs can sustain them long-term.Â
Getting a plant sitter can also allow you the freedom to leave the home without worrying about setting up proper care systems in place while you’re away.
Sprucing up by fiddle leaf fig pruning and caring for them for the holidays can allow your guests to experience a relaxing ambiance.
Avoid overheating the home during the winter months by keeping a moderate temperature in the home or grouping all the plants in one place. Ensure to have a humidity timer in place to keep the plants from drying out, especially for those of you who are planning a trip for the holidays.
There’s a lot to consider in caring for your fiddle leaf fig plants and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Many can enjoy a beautiful vibrant plant with accurate care protocols and proper conditions.
Learn more about the Fiddle Leaf Tree Growing Guide.
