Not all indoor plants are the same. Some decorate a side table or sit quietly near the kitchen window. Others have star quality and light up a room. Fiddle leaf figs (Lyrata fig) fall into the “star” category with their huge, glossy, violin-shaped leaves and proud, upright carriage. I happen to share my apartment in San Francisco with three of them and consider them part of my family.
But every indoor plant needs a little care, no matter how strong and wonderful they look. And in June, as spring turns to summer, it’s time to focus fiddle leaf care. In general, these indoor plants need bright indirect light, humidity and constant watering. But in June, it’s time to go a little further.
Here are five tasks to put on your fig leaf list for the month.
1. Check your sun exposure
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When I first adopted a fig leaf plant, I closely associated it with a fig tree. I have planted a few figs in my garden in France, so I know their growing requirements very well. Figs I like the sun, the direct sun. My plants get 8 hours of sun a day. As an iron word, I latched onto the word “fig” in my leaf’s common name and just went with it, placing my houseplant next to a south-facing window.
But fiddle leaf plants are not closely related to figs and their light needs are different. These lovely violin shaped leaves they need indirect lightnot direct sunlight. Mine came with big, lush, leathery leaves but those quickly it got crispy in the sun.
Even if you didn’t make the same mistake I did, June is the time to check your plant’s sun exposure. As spring matures into summer, the sun’s path across the sky changes and its intensity increases. On a day in June when you are spending the day at home, watch the sunlight on your violin sheet every few hours. A little morning sun isn’t so bad, but if the rays of afternoon sunlight are touching the leaves of your houseplant, move it to another location.
2. Calculate if the temperature is steep
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Fiddle leaf figs are picky about a number of things, but are quite tolerant when it comes to temperatures. They will thrive in average household temperatures (as low as 60 degrees F and as high as 85 degrees) as long as there are no temperature swings. A very large temperature swing can cause fallen leaves.
As sun exposure shifts in June, the temperature of the room your violin sheet is in may also change. You can combine this task with the previous one. Whenever you check your sun exposure, check the thermometer too. A simple one thermometer/hygrometer combo from Amazon it will help a lot when taking care of your indoor plants.
An upward swing may be due to too much direct sunlight entering the room, and a downward swing may be due to extra air conditioning time. If this is the case, it’s time to move the houseplant to a room without temperature changes.
3. Dust off those pretty leaves
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Fig leaf dusting It shouldn’t be limited to June, but June is a good month to restart this work every other week if you’ve been neglecting it. Dust on the leaves hinders the process of photosynthesis. And it also detracts from the beauty of the iconic foliage.
How to dust? Use a damp cloth and gently wipe both sides of each leaf. Microfiber cloth works well. Be sure to hold the sheet with one hand while wiping with the other. It will break your heart if you accidentally crack the leaf.
4. Review your watering habits
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Fig leaf houseplants need regular watering, but are somewhat picky about how much. They prefer moist soil but oppose excess water. They will let you know by dropping their leaves and, if the condition continues, development of root rot. They will signal too little water, the leaves will wilt and the color will be dull. Generally, you want to water when the top two inches of soil is dry. You don’t need to use a measuring tape. Just pour a finger into the soil up to the second joint. Or buy a small one moisture meter from Amazon.
If you keep your houseplant in a clay pot, you should be concerned about high salt levels in the soil. Salt can accumulate in the soil from the clay pot or from watering with treated water. June is the ideal time for wash away salt build-up. Pour tap water into the soil until it spills out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the container. If the tap water is fluoridated, use filtered water.
5. Move your violin sheet again Fig
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June is the perfect time to check if it is time to replace your fiddle leaf fig indoor plant. You don’t want it to run out of soil as summer approaches. How can you tell if it’s time?
The leaves of the plant are a good thermometer of discomfort. If the leaves turn yellow or drop, it may be a sign that it has outgrown its pot. Another indication is that the roots of the plant are growing out of the pot or down and out of the drainage holes. Finally, if there are no new leaves or growth, or the soil is pale, it’s time to replant. Take a container just larger than the old one and put a base layer of fresh potting soil at the bottom.
The key to repotting your houseplant is to water it well a few days in advance. When it’s transplant day, turn the container on its side and wrap the plug of soil and roots. Cut off any dead or damaged roots. Place the fig leaf in the new pot and add a 1:1 mix of old soil to new soil to fill the pot.
