Hi Joy, for any plant or FLF to respond to pruning or notching, it must have enough energy stored to produce new growth. My dog took a bite out of a lower leaf on my FLF and the teeth marks are still there! You could either prune the two trunks part-way down, so that the trunks will grow further branches and become the bushy, tree-like shape themselves. If you can, putting your FLF outdoors will help the trunk. I have gone down a serious rabbit hole of information on your website and I’m SO thankful! When there’s enough light, the leaves grow closer together and support the trunk better. Aug 3, 2017 - Yes, you can grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig bush into a tree form! Another thing to do is to embrace the Y shape! This is because the plant generally has the most energy stored during this time and can therefore respond favourably to it. Damp tissue. Mar 11, 2019 - Yes, you can grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig bush into a tree form! Aug 17, 2020 - Branching techniques - pruning vrs. They may be able to adjust if you did want to keep them outside year round however it can cause leaf loss – so its up to you if you wanted to trial them outside and see how they go or not risk it! And you can definitely propagate what you prune – more info on propagation here. Hope that helps . http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1465570/pruning-ficus-lyrata-to-branch I do have a question and since you’re great at responding back, unlike others, I will ask you… I have a FLF bush with about 7 stems in it. If you’re concerned about the smaller branch not growing, you could try facing that side of the plant closest to the light! A good tip may be that if your Compacta is already putting out new growth, it will likely respond well to pinching or pruning. Wow! Because they are tropical rainforest plants, they don’t do too well in cold environments. See if you can tell if they are attached (a low fork) or separate trunks. Will one of them become the main trunk? All the best! They are all still green and looking like healthy but nothing changed!! Pot I purchased is 14”Hx17”W. If they are planted in a large pot, sometimes they spend all their energy spreading out their roots rather than growing new leaves! It sounds strange but it does help! It may take a little trial and error to figure out. If they are dead, you can cut them back to the point where there is sap (life) again. If the plant is otherwise healthy and growing, that’s the main thing . So it’s good to be able to read your plant and water accordingly! Ask The Fiddle Leaf Fig Doctor Bush to tree? Notching has a similar affect and you may want to use this method if you have a precise idea of where you would like a branch to grow. FLFs are quite resilient and I don’t think it would affect the rest of the plant. I’ve staked it awhile ago, but as it continues to grow , it leans more and more. I wrote a post of strengthening FLF trunks, which could be helpful. If they’re small, it’s better to leave them on the plant! © Dossier Blog. Hey Chris. Keep in mind that any work you do on a FLF (including repotting, pruning and fertilising) should be done in its natural growth time of Spring and Summer to allow the plant to adjust to the changes and react in the best possible way. Fiddle leaf figs either have bare or leaf-covered stems or trunks. I have a three branch fiddle that quickly found it’s happy spot in my house. Plus they explain things better than my attempts: Hey Claire! 1. Since some of them bear fruit, the best time to prune them is just after their fruit ripens in June. Susan Tague. No growth whatsoever! Notching is best done on more mature, ‘woody’ stems. 3-1-2 is the best ratio for Fiddle Leaf’s needs so it would be a good idea to switch over. I want to cut it back to about 8′ and to be bushier, lollipop shaped if you will. This article on encouraging a Fiddle Leaf Fig to branch might have some more useful info too! You must have the knack for FLFs! May 20, 2020 at 8:26 am . I haven’t braided any myself but I know its best to start early (or as soon as you can) while the trunks are still young and flexible. Use a pair of clean and sharp cutters, or a razor if your FLF has a thinner trunk. I have 2 FLF. Then, make sure to drain the water reservoir of the pot as thoroughly as possible Cut around 1/3 of the way across the trunk and around 1/3 deep, at an angle. You can google it to see what I mean… I haven’t done this myself and would assume that it would take a bit of work to continually braid as it grows, although the results look amazing. Find out how including tips on watering, pruning, branching & getting the bare trunk. Use this how-to guide for Growing & Pruning your Fiddle Leaf Fig & how to grow your Ficus from a bush to a tree. As your FLF matures you may find they eventually drop off, which one of mine has started doing. Thanks for your helpful tips to help him grow up to be a beautiful tree❤. Pinching is literally using your thumb and finger to pull out a new bud before it develops (similar effect to pruning). Can I braid these trunks? If its getting hit with dry air for extended times this could be a reason. Hi Anne, unfortunately if you trim the edges of the leaves, they won’t grow back! Hopefully you can help with this. Yes, there was an issue with the image in the link but hopefully it will be fixed. I don’t want to make it angry so I am hesitant. If so, prune for shape and balance. Brown spots around the edges of leaves are usually a sign the plant is too dry. If there’s not enough leaves, your plant will not be able to get the nutrients it needs from sunlight and heightens its chances of being unhealthy or dying. What should I do with it? Garden expert Bill Colvard shows how to prune a neglected fig tree. I’m sure there is some info if you look up braiding . If the top inch is dry, its time to water again. I try to separate now, risking that they may be too young and struggle to grow You can still split them but how successful it is will partly depend on how close together the trunks are or how intertwined the root system is. It even grew a side shoot about two thirds up its main trunk. Hi there, I purchased a FLF and it’s growing really well it’s pretty much doubled in size 1.5ft to 3ft in about 2 months. Sometimes I prefer to bring home smaller plants, as you can then experiment and grow the plant to the size and shape you like. Overall the plant looks great.. besides few brown spots, but worried about the soil taking so long to dry out. Weird! before they were super hot and I did not care for it as well as I should… 3 children and a newborn and all. Or is there any way to encourage the new growth on the same spot i did notching? Let me know if you have other questions. Try to remove as much of the jagged or torn branches and limbs as you can, in a way that promotes faster healing. If you wanted to keep them, you could even try propagating them in water! I appreciate the help! This post of branching may have some tips if you’d like to try shape your plant into more of that tree shape! If you’re in the northern hemisphere, now is a pretty good time to give it a go. If I was in your position I would probably try to take one or two out now with the roots, see how they go, and then decide to take the rest out now or later depending on the how the first one responds after a few weeks. I’ve also found it has taught me more details on how to care for them, and I’d now feel confident I could get any size and shaped FLF thriving! Since then it has grown to encompass all things creative from DIYs, to organisation and style. But then there is also three more smaller trunks that aren’t as mature. With less leaves to support up top, it won’t be as bendy. Follow Emily on Instagram (@dossierblog) to stay up to date! If done the … Your site is now saved! Hope that helps! Let me know in the comments if this was helpful or if you have anything else you’d like to know! The three main components of a tree-form Fiddle Leaf Fig over a bush-form are height, the single bare trunk and the branches. It has three branches and I really want just a tree-type. After some years the lower leaves can drop off by themselves. More FLFs is always better, haha. All the best! It does not increase the price of the item. I would say that if you don’t want to risk disturbing the roots of the tiny ones, you could instead cut them at ground level and propagate them in water. I pinched the top bud (main trunk) of my FLF. Will they ever sprout leaves again? Hope that helps! Pruning is definitely the best way to get branches, so I would consider pruning it back to a point where you’d like it to branch. When multiple stems share the one root system, its riskier to separate them and may cause more harm to the plant if you do. You can find more details on notching here. Overall, he’s very happy. Hi Emily, love your informative post! I would like to try and take some of the smaller plants and separate them to grown in their own pots but I’m not wondering if it’s a bit too soon. Cheers. Just water little by little or wait until it fully dries out and then water fully? you can read it here. Which one is my best bet to try and maximise the amount of full size FLF’s I’ll end up with? Hey Michelle! There are measures you can take if your plant is indoors (here’s a few ways to increase humidity), but outdoors is a different story. What size planter should I get to transplant it? There is a smaller variety called bambino, but the leaves are so teeny tiny you would know if that’s the variety you had ? Carefully separate the roots and replant them in multiple pots. I would like to get rid of them all together. Hey Ana, if the branches themselves appear to have died, you can prune back the branches to a spot where the inside is white/green and there’s sap. HI! If you can’t wait that long, the easiest way to get a bare trunk is to pull the bottom leaves off, BUT – they will not grow back. I’m happy to share what I’ve learnt, especially since there can be a lot of misinformation out there! Hi there, Apologies if I missed you explaining this one but my question is, my fiddle leaf is about 50cm tall. Any breeze will help strengthen the trunk and within a few weeks you should notice a difference (I helped one of my weak FLFs this way). Using the above steps, with time your FLF should begin to take on a more tree-like appearance. Just gotta have patience for these ones to grow. Keep in mind that the branches will grow at the height you prune, so that may determine how much you want to prune off. Grow Guide: Pruning Storm-Damaged Trees and a Mysterious Stump Fungus. Also, should I cut it at the top? The Guide to Separating Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Trunks Most fiddle leaf [...] Read More . My fiddle has been thriving, so much so that it is almost reaching the top of my 10ft ceiling! There’s two branches growing down at the dirt level. All trunks are brown and woody looking. This may hinder their growth for a little while or require some time for them to recover. I use this method as some moisture meters can be unreliable. ? The branches are all getting top heavy with all the new growth. Find out how including tips on watering, pruning, branching & getting the bare trunk. Using your finger, press into the soil at least 2 inches in multiple places to see how wet it is.If the soil is still damp, don’t water. I’d like to grow it to a tree. That link for “good fertilizer (this one is best for FLF’s)” – for a second, i thought it was a flat iron LOL If you have multiple trunks in the one pot, you could try separating them when you repot. Hello! Hi there, FLFs are renowned for their thin trunks and are therefore prone to leaning! I’m sure its best to start this process while the plant is still young. If you’ve done it correctly, some milky white sap will drip. All the best! . Jun 8, 2017 - Yes, you can grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig from bush to tree form! Hey Jill! Hey Alex, Spring is definitely the best time to encourage new growth & branches so I would wait til then before trying anything. Ideas on that? A specially-formulated one will also help the leaves grow closer together and the trunk to thicken. Similarly, you can prune any unwanted branches, but just be aware of the affect it will have on the plant – don’t leave your plant too bare. If it all sounds a bit much, I would suggest to start with a new, smaller, singe-trunk FLF to get the lollipop shape you want and enjoy how much your original FLF has grown! My FLF that I’m training into a tree is well on its way – branching at the top now! Can I use those to propagate a new plant? I actually purchased two with the thought of putting them on my covered patio in a tall planter to create a living privacy screen. Should I start the braiding now? I just purchased a FLF. Hope those tips help! Hi Emily, mine has three trunks rather than one… is pruning it to a tree still possible? It’s up to you what you decide to do, depending on if you feel confident to do it and if you think your FLF is healthy enough to adapt to the change. The lower leaves provide support for the trunk and help it to grow strong, which is important for a tree-form as they are top-heavy and more prone to bending or tipping. The crinkled, puckered leaves are definitely a sign of low humidity and 36% is very low. All the best! I bought my FLF as a mature tree. There will always be some inevitable damage with separating them so that is something to consider and may cause a little bit of leaf loss too. The repotting system you’ve used in the past (cactus soil, perlite & terracotta pot) I would say would be very well draining and the soil would dry out quickly, as terracotta sucks moisture out of the soil. I am a growing plant enthusiast. This is a sign of life. It’s fun and so rewarding to be able to do this process yourself! How do I promote new leaf growth to get the lollipop shape I want. Hi, I’ve only had my plant for a few months but it’s healthy and has really grown! Aw that’s great Janae! Hope this helps you. Hope that helps . You’re blog is very informative and helpful, thank you so much! Notching – make a small cut just above a bud or growth node to encourage branching. Your site is so hopeful – caring doe FLF can be confusing with all the info out there. I know this is lengthy but hoping you can help. Whatever you decide, try to imagine how you’d like the plant to look in the long run. Does notching make the tree stop growing taller, or does it just slow it down and send that energy into the branching? As FLFs are tropical plants, they like to have upwards of 60% humidity. Trending: Indoor Plants with Pink Foliage. Would you recommend switching to a 3-1-2 and how long should I wait to switch after I stop using the 6-12-6 spikes? While a 'tree' usually has only one mature specimen which has most of its lower leaves trimmed off to reveal it's trunk. I’ve been looking for an answer online that I can not seem to find it anywhere!! Hi! Thank you in advance for your help! Jul 15, 2016 - Fiddle Leaf Fig propagation: 2 easy ways in water or soil! Do I take one off? Appreciate your help! Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. You could also try lifting it out of the pot to see if there’s lots of roots circling the outside. I have seen others have success this way. Hi Matt – the plant won’t keep growing from where it has been pruned, but it can still grow taller from branches that form after pruning. I thought the bush variety was a different plant than the tree, so I was happy to hear that it just takes time! For more general tips, see my post on growing and pruning your Fiddle Leaf Fig. My question is – in the interest of getting him to grow into the mighty tree I know he can be, what do I do with these two diverted stems? The lower is blah and the tree is tall… and bending. May 10, 2017 - Need advice on fiddle leaf fig pruning? Both have leaves on their trunks from the soil to the top of the trunk. And if they are in a brighter or sunnier location, you may need to adjust your watering schedule! It is important that your shears are clean— you are essentially cutting a wound into the tree and can infect it if your tools are not clean. Cheryl sums up the progress of growing her own tree over the course of a year, along with tips for caring, pruning, and propagating! There’s more info on branching here. Hey Nathan, that’s what I originally thought too! This creates room for excess water to drain. Keep in mind that there will always be some damage to the roots when you seperate them, because they will be so intertwined. Hey Mary! She’s been repotted once but I didn’t split them because I was too scared I would kill them. A bushy FLF generally occurs when there’s multiple trunks in the one pot – some FLFs are sold like this while others are sold as single trunks. I’ve just bought another FLF with three stems in the pot, to grow bushy and lush. If so, the branches are still alive and should regrow leaves from the top when ready. I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me . Can I trim about half of the tree… soak the top to start a new plant and will the lower regrow leaves at the top.. thereby creating a stronger FLF? Overwatering is only an issue if you water too frequently (the amount you give the plant doesn’t cause an issue)! I’ve seen great results except for a few dead leaves. Staking is great for short-term help but it doesn’t help the trunk to grow stronger or support itself. Hi Breanna, check out the link to the forum below which has some more specific information – These forums taught me a huge amount! FLFs love a bit of humidity so make sure its in a good location and you can even mist it with a sprayer. The plant has multiple green stems coming up from the roots with small leaves beginning to grow. These versions are referring to the size of the plant rather than if they are a ‘bush’ or ‘tree’, as their shape mostly comes down to how they are planted and are cared for. It is getting huge and I live in a small cottage. One of the 3 trunks isn’t growing as well (and not as pretty) as the other 2. When you water, it’s best to fully soak the soil until the excess runs out the bottom. Fiddle leaf fig trees go into growth mode in the spring and will easily sprout new branches during this time. Tip pruning – pinch or cut off a few leaves. If it is getting to big, pruning is a great way to chop some of the length off and it also encourages branching, which can give you more of that tree shape. The top is VERY sparse with 4 branches that have 1-7 leaves on them. If it’s summer where you are, there wouldn’t be any harm in trying. Hey Rebecca, how often they need watering will vary from plant to plant, depending on how much light they get, the soil, environment, size of plant and a bunch of other factors. If so, other options could be to propagate a stem, which you can then grow singularly in a pot to form a more tree-like shape. Or leave the three trunks in the one pot and enjoy how lush and bushy they get! Watch this video from Meg Miller. Luckily, fig trees are usually easy to take care of as far as pruning is concerned. It’s already a good size. Once your FLF is at a height where you would like it to branch, prune or pinch out the tip or give notching a try to encourage branching. And I will be very thankful too of course! Dossier Blog is a collection of notes on and about creativity, travel & style. I’ve spent years now researching and reading up on Fiddle Leaf Figs, as well as growing and experimenting with my own. I bought this beautiful Fiddle leaf fig tree today. . Thanks for your help! I have it in a window with very bright light and noticing brown spots on the edges outer part of leaves. I actually wrote a post on strengthening the trunk, and the tips in that post will help with thickening the trunk too. These forums go into a lot of depth about FLFs and are a great resource! Thank you again. Hey Melissa, pruning and pinching will encourage a bushier growth and branching, but if you’re wanting your FLF to grow tall, just make sure its getting enough light, water and nutrients Pruning uses sharp secateurs to cut branches when they are growing too big and need to be trimmed, or to encourage other branches and leaves to grow. I just purchased my first FLF bush. Grow Guide: Pruning Oleander. Now patiently waiting for her to start branching out. Keep an eye on it and see what it responds to in terms of how much water and light it needs. The braiding does look stunning too, as long as you can plant them without doing too much damage to the existing roots. Be careful of removing too many leaves at once and leaving your FLF too bare. I recently removed few leaved from my FLF because they had big hole or had big brown spot. So: water the plant fully until the excess drains. and do I cut off the branches with no leaves? Newspaper or other material to protect your floors. Instead, it’s energy would be focused on rebuilding the roots. I would say the main steps for thickening the trunk is giving them lots of light and using a quality fertlizer. Pruning is fine at any time of year, except in the winter for your Fiddle Leaf Fig Bush. I have done top pinching for my Lyrata and thinking about doing it to my Compacta which is about 35inch tall, i am in early Spring of Australia, do you think Compacta will branch out as well as Lyrata? You could also try nothing in several places, as not all notching will end up being successful. Emily’s posts have been featured on popular travel websites as well as home & style sites such as Apartment Therapy. Do I cut them to save the tree? Gardening expert Felder Rushing gives tips on caring for oleander. Once you get the basics right, your FLF should stay happy! All the best , Your email address will not be published. I will wait until the spring to prune and/or notch and keep rotating in the meantime In Hopes it stops leaning. My FLF had a brown spots on a few leaves when I bought it. This post was so helpful in fact I’m wondering because I just started using miracleGro plant food spikes 6-12-6 on my newly purchased baby FLF. Young stems are green, and will then slowly turn brown. Make sure to prune the top of the tree down at least 8 to 10 inches from the top of your ceiling. Would love your guidance! I have a FLF that is About 2.5 feet tall. . Some Fiddle leaf figs may develop erratic juvenile growth from time to time. Hey Miah! She shows you how to separate the trunks of a fiddle leaf fig bush to eventually shape it into a single stalk tree. Hi Shannon, that is a lot of growth, sounds like you are doing something right! Can you please show me exactly what notching looks like. So lets look at each one individually: Fiddle Leaf Figs aren’t the fastest growing plants but you can speed up their growth by providing the right conditions for them. Its also best to wait til the growing season before making changes like this. The new growth above them is fine. But Im not really good in planting and no green thumb as well, just trying my plants to stay long. Pruning is the easiest way to encourage branching – you don’t need to cut a lot off if you don’t want. It has two branches coming out of the dirt and my goal is to have it turn into tree. I water every Saturday 5 cups of water and there are no brown spots on any leaves. Keeping your fig tree pruned will help it to produce sweeter, tastier figs since it enables the sugars and hormones to travel all the way up the branches and into the fruits. If you are happy with your FLF’s height and single trunk, you’ll need to work on strengthening the trunk so it can stand straight by itself. Its a small 4″ plant. It keeps sending out leaves from the top seems to be growing well. Hi Thais, I think it will depend on the type of cutting you did. Hope my fig will groš healthy:) have a lovely day! Jun 9, 2018 - Yes, you can grow a Fiddle Leaf Fig bush into a tree form! My FLF had grown to over 10′ tall and getting close to the ceiling. There is a mix of about 4 which are 3f tish high and some much smaller ones. I tried to notch it but haven’t been successful so far. 50Cm tall are your thoughts on tying the branches have dropped all leaves have... Had two trunks now that it just slow it down and send that energy into the branching just their... As home & style, as well as I should… 3 children and a Stump... Keeping the together would stunt the growth at that point for a leaf plus part of the plant caused. Silly with all the leaves, correct stand up on Fiddle leaf fig I purchased a small cut just a. Light, soil and water sap will drip fork ) or separate trunks goal to! 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