Fiddle leaf figs are very popular houseplants that many people have fallen in love with. If you’ve just recently started taking care of one, you might be trying to learn everything that you can.
If you’re wondering how fast fiddle leaf fig plants grow, you should know that they can grow substantially each year. How well yours will grow is likely going to depend on various factors, though.
Read on to learn about the average growth rate of these plants. You’re also going to be able to learn about things that you can do to make these plants grow even faster.
How Fast Fiddle Leaf Figs Grow
A fiddle leaf fig plant is going to be capable of growing a couple of feet in one year when you care for them right. This might seem like a very large number, and it certainly is when compared to many other common houseplants.
It’s notable that these plants can get very tall when you do a good job of taking care of them. You will find some that reach heights of six feet or taller.
These gigantic houseplants will provide a significant amount of aesthetic appeal to any room that you decide to place them in. Not only are the plants fun to care for, but they’re also really attractive.
Fiddle leaf fig plants have such a unique shape to them that they seem special in some way. This is a great plant to put in your living room or den.
If you’re hoping to help yours to grow as tall as possible, there are some things that you can do. Keep reading to get the best advice for growing them.
Be Sure to Get the Pot Size Right
One of the first things that you should focus on is getting the pot size right. You want to give your fiddle leaf fig plant room to grow, and this means placing it in a fairly large pot.
If a fiddle leaf fig plant is in a pot that is a bit too small, its growth will be stifled due to the roots not being able to spread out. This is why you want to have a big enough pot that will allow the plant to grow and thrive.
However, you can’t just place one in a pot that is disproportionately large. If you were to do this, you’d run into issues with watering the plant because it wouldn’t drain properly.
This means that you must find a pot that is big enough to give the plant room to grow without being too big. As you continue to care for the fiddle leaf fig, you’ll have to place it in bigger pots as it gets larger.
Water the Plant Properly
It should come as no surprise to hear that regular watering is a necessity when you want your fiddle leaf fig to grow. Water is what gives the plant the ability to grow by helping nutrients get to the roots.
Watering your plant every 7 to 10 days is going to be normal. You want to water it thoroughly, but you don’t want to water it too much.
Before you water the plant, it’s going to be wise to check the soil to see if it needs to be watered. Depending on how well the plant is draining, it might not need to be watered every single week.
If the top two inches of the soil are still wet, you don’t need to water the plant yet. Watering when the plant doesn’t need more water can potentially lead to issues such as root rot, and this is certainly not going to positively impact the growth of the plant.
Be mindful of the soil’s condition before watering the plant. So long as you’re paying attention and watering the plant when it needs to be watered, everything should go just fine.
Remember That Drainage Matters
Drainage is an important part of the process when you’re taking care of plants. If plants aren’t draining properly, they’re going to encounter various issues.
To get the drainage right for your fiddle leaf fig, it’s going to be necessary to find a pot that has good drainage holes. It’s recommended to test the drainage holes first to see how well things drain.
You can help the pot to drain a bit better by placing some gravel on the bottom, too. This keeps the soil from clogging up the holes and creating issues for your plant.
So long as you pick a good pot and use soil that has good drainage properties, it should be easy to take care of these plants. Take the time to pick out a good pot and soil since that is vital to the growth of the them.
Ensure That the Plant Has Optimal Lighting Conditions
Optimal lighting conditions will ensure that the plant is able to grow tall. These plants like receiving bright and consistent light, but you need to ensure that the light is filtered so that the plant isn’t harmed.
Avoid harsh direct sunlight by providing a filtered environment for the fiddle leaf fig. Choose a room in your home where the plant will be able to get the brightest light possible and then do what you can to filter the sunlight.
East-facing windows are great for these plants and you should use one if possible. Most west-facing windows are going to provide sunlight that is too harsh for the plant.
Improve Soil Aeration
Soil aeration is something that can help your plant out a lot. Sometimes soil will get compacted and this can make it harder for your plants to grow.
Aerating the soil helps to loosen things up so that the plant can work with what it has. If you ever feel like the top of the soil in the plant’s pot is hard or crusted, it’s going to be wise to aerate the soil.
You can use a small utensil such as a fork or a gardening spade to aerate the soil. Just poke holes in the soil and then move the soil around a bit.
Try to rotate whatever utensil you choose to use and break the soil up. It’ll wind up making things a lot better for your plant.
Change the Soil Annually
Changing the soil annually can help your fiddle leaf fig out, too. Most experts recommend changing the soil in the early spring as the growing season is about to start.
This idea will pair nicely with potting the plant in larger pots as it continues to grow. There’s a good chance that your plant will need a new pot each year if it’s growing as much as it has the potential to.
Just pick out soil that drains well and has good aeration to get the best results. Don’t bother to try to knock all of the old soil away from the roots, though.
Consider Giving the Plant Fertilizer
You can give fiddle leaf figs fertilizer to help them grow faster as well. It’s best not to do this very often, though.
These plants should receive fertilizer during the growing season. This means that you’ll be giving it fertilizer during the spring and the summer.
You could fertilize the plant as much as once per month in some cases, but you might not need to do it that often. Just be sure to use a good type of organic fertilizer and you should enjoy the best possible results.
Do Your Best
Caring for these plants will be very satisfying, and you should be able to help them grow quite fast by using the tips above. It’s hard to say exactly how tall your fiddle leaf fig could become over time, but it’s definitely going to be impressive when you’re doing everything right.
Just do your best to pay attention to the basics so that you can continue to have a good experience. Helping these plants to thrive is really about providing them with good soil, ensuring that they’re in pots that are sized properly, and watering them well.
One of the most common mistakes that people make is watering a plant too much, and this means that you need to pay attention to the soil. So long as you’re doing your best and being careful, it should be possible to help your plant grow a lot in just one year.
Hopefully, you feel even more confident about taking care of your fiddle leaf fig now. The plant should be an excellent addition to your home for many years to come.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.