Ah, the fiddle leaf plant. Aka the most popular girl in school. Her foliage is iconic and everyone wants to be her. She filters the air, adds the perfect green touch to any space, and seamlessly puts a coffee shop on the map for being “Insta worthy” just because there’s a fiddle leaf next to a neon sign.
Despite her brilliant foliage, the fiddle leaf is high maintenance and very picky. She intimidates novice plant owners into buying cheap looking faux fiddle leaf plants instead. I may be in the minority, but I personally hate the look of faux plants. Sure, there is the occasional (expensive) faux plant that doesn’t look half bad, but the majority are a waste of money. Harsh, I know. I firmly believe that anyone can take care of a fiddle leaf plant, even self-proclaimed “brown thumbers.” I am here to share my 5 secrets on how I not only keep my fiddle leaf plant alive, but how I keep her thriving!
(1) Direct sunlight. She needs to be right next to a window preferably.
(2) Thorough watering 1x per week. More water ≠ better. Overwatering is the number one cause of root rot. My rule of thumb is to water thoroughly, yet infrequently. Completely soak your fiddle leaf’s soil, then wait until the top layer of soil is dried out before watering again. For reference, I empty an entire 30oz watering can, then wait until the soil is dry to the touch, which takes about one week on average. This may vary depending on the size of your fiddle leaf and the climate where you live.
Important: don’t overwater to the point that your plant is in standing water!
(3) Stable home life. Aka pick a good spot and don’t move her. Fiddle leaf plants don’t adjust well to change. Oh you want to rearrange your furniture for the seventh time this month? Sorry, you’ll need to design around your fiddle leaf staying put. As much as she wishes she could be the fun, outgoing enneagram type 7, that’s just not her. She hates change and she needs a stable routine. She’s the boring girl in the office who eats the same club sandwich every day at the exact same time. But the good news? That means she’s actually pretty low maintenance once you nail down a rhythm.
(4) Cut off browning leaves. If your fiddle leaf starts to develop brown spots, that’s a sign of infection (usually caused by over or underwatering). Immediately cut off said-browning leaf in order to prevent any potential spread. This will keep your other leaves healthy!
(5) Joyful Dirt plant food. This is my secret weapon to keeping all my plants healthy. I sprinkle a little bit of Joyful Dirt (approximately 1tbsp) into my watering can before I water my fiddle leaf. I do this every other watering, so about twice a month. When I use it consistently, new leaves start sprouting up (see below)! If your plant is struggling, I would use this every single watering until it’s healthy again.
Follow my 5 tips for a healthy (and thriving) fiddle leaf! Share your comments and questions below.
INTERIORS BY BECK 