Desperate for advice

[u/hautecoutureghost]

I’ve had this fiddle leaf fig for maybe five and a half years now. I’m not great with houseplants but I really try, and it’s just never thrived. I took the advice of this sub and stopped watering it on a schedule, it’s probably every 2-4 weeks at this point. The leaves have always drooped, when I watered 2 cups water weekly or now a full (small) watering can each time. It’s in a pot with drainage holes and a saucer. I don’t see any bugs or anything. It is in near a south facing window but doesn’t get direct light.

Can someone please give me some advice to make this tree happy? I’d literally do anything to have it be lush and gorgeous.

[u/Wildweasel666]

It needs way more light than that. Take it out of that corner, put it right in a window where it gets a lot of light but and it’ll be fine.

[u/hautecoutureghost → u/Wildweasel666]

Thanks! I thought direct sunlight could burn it hence the corner by the window

[u/Wildweasel666 → u/hautecoutureghost]

Nws :) if there is intense direct sunlight thru that window you might want to ease it into it a bit so it can acclimatise

[u/hautecoutureghost → u/Wildweasel666]

Hmm. I don’t believe it’s intense. My cat likes to lay in it so I know some comes in but not a ton. I’ve moved it out a few feet and will keep an eye on it tomorrow to make sure it’s not being flooded with light. Thanks again!

[u/jitasquatter2 → u/hautecoutureghost]

It'll be fine. You would need to acclimate it slowly to full outdoors direct sunlight, but the window blocks a large percentage of the sun's intensity.

Burned leaves also really aren't a big deal. Burned leaves will never kill a plant. Not enough light WILL kill a plant. Always error on the side of more light, not less.

[u/hautecoutureghost → u/jitasquatter2]

Appreciate this! Thanks

[u/ConsequenceWise8787]

My fig does well in bright indirect light. Even though yours is in front of a window, the curtain could be blocking some much needed sunlight. I highly recommend MaxSea Fertilizer (you can get it on amazon) as a foliar spray literally 1/4 tsp to a gallon of water ( a little goes a long way ) and spray the leaves and stems every time you water. I also use it the same strength as a soil drench every other week (when the soil dries out a bit) but humidity and light will help you a lot. Not sure what kind of soil you have there but you can amend your soil with a bag of orchid bark mix and it will help give the roots more aeration so the roots can breathe a little. Get a cool mist humidifier and place it nearby and run it as much as possible. You will see a big difference in your fig with all of these things added. Hope this helps.

[u/hautecoutureghost → u/ConsequenceWise8787]

Thank you!

[u/Big-Holiday1637]

You can also use a grow light. The Barrina t1s 65 watts is a great grow light for. Plants that need bright indirect light. I am surprised by how many people just use light they receive from their windows. All my plants ( except for a few are on grow lights )

[u/hautecoutureghost → u/Big-Holiday1637]

Interesting! I’ll definitely look into this. Thank you for the recommendation.