How to Fix Fiddle Leaf Fig Stunted Growth

Learn more about fiddle leaf fig stunted growth:

It happens to every fiddle leaf fig parent at some point: Why has your plant stopped growing? Your fiddle leaf fig is experiencing stunted growth.

Either you’ve had your fiddle leaf fig for a while and it hasn’t grown, or it did grow at one point, but now growth has stopped. What gives?

There are a few reasons for stunted growth in fiddle leaf figs, and the good news is, they’re all easy to treat!

Let’s take a look at those reasons and how to fix them.

3 Ways to Fix Fiddle Leaf Fig Stunted Growth

1. Make sure your plant isn’t thirsty.

Plants need water to support their metabolic functions, including growth! A dry plant just won’t have the resources to grow. If your soil feels a little dry (if it’s dry an inch or two below the surface) and has been for a while, watering might be your issue.

Try giving it a little more water each week and keep tabs on your soil with a moisture meter throughout the week to make sure it isn’t too wet. We don’t want root rot!

2. Fertilize your fiddle.

Plants get their energy from sunlight, but they do require certain nutrients in their soil in order to grow and thrive. These nutrients occur naturally in the plant’s native outdoor habitat, but for indoor plants, they need to get their nutrients from the soil they’re potted in. Fiddle leaf figs in particular need a lot of fertilizer to grow their large leaves.

Most potting soils come enriched with nutrients, but it doesn’t take long before the plant has used all those nutrients up and needs to be supplemented.

This is where fertilizer comes in. It’s like a vitamin supplement for your plant!

We love Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food because it’s perfectly formulated with the perfect N-P-K ratio for fiddle leaf figs. The best part is, it’s so gentle you can include it into your watering routine each week! That way, you never have to remember a fertilizing schedule and you can ensure that your tree gets the perfect amount every time.

3. Repot your fiddle.

Another common reason for stunted growth in fiddle leaf figs is simply outgrowing their pot, or getting root bound.

This is when the roots wrap so tightly around themselves that they can’t branch out or absorb the water or nutrients necessary to support growth.

If you notice lots of roots popping out the top of your soil or coming out the bottom of your pot, it’s probably time to repot. Most fiddle leaf figs need to be repotted every two to three years, so if it’s been a while since you upgraded your plants’ pot, it might be due!

Repotting sounds intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. This post tells you everything you need to know about repotting your fiddle leaf fig. If your fiddle leaf fig is too big to repot, you can top-dress it by removing the top 4 inches of soil and replacing with fresh soil.

Environment is critical for a healthy plant (indoor or outdoor), so once the right watering schedule, nutrients, and pot size are in place, your fiddle leaf fig can grow and thrive!

Grab the Essentials for Your Fiddle Leaf Fig:

• Premium Fiddle Leaf Fig Potting Soil
• Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food
• Root Rot Treatment
• Houseplant Leaf Armor to protect against insects, bacteria, and fungus (As an added bonus, it also cleans and adds shine to your plant’s leaves!)
• Moisture meter to always know when your plant is thirsty.

To learn more:

• Sign up for our free Fiddle Leaf Fig Care 101 Webinar or enroll in our free Fiddle Leaf Fig Course for advanced fiddle leaf fig care.
• Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter.
• Read The Fiddle Leaf Fig Expert, your complete guide to growing healthy fiddle leaf fig plants. The book is available in full-color paperback or Kindle edition on Amazon now!
• Click to join our community on Facebook: Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Group.