This is the season to fertilize your fiddle leaf fig tree plant.
"Which season?" you ask.
All seasons. Your fiddle leaf fig tree plant is a living, growing organism. All living beings need nutrition all year long. So, if you want it to be healthy, you need to fertilize it all year long at different intervals per season.
Here's the why and how:
Fiddle-Leaf Fig Tree Soil Gets Depleted Fast
Your fiddle leaves are simply a reflection of the condition of its soil. The fact is, when you purchase a new fiddle-leaf fig tree plant, the soil will become depleted in about 6 months or less. These trees are hungry. Equally, their soil relies on a cocktail of nutrients and elements to stay healthy, and, when they're stuck in a pot, you're the bartender.
It's true that this ficus creates the plant's own food through photosynthesis and other types of plant magic. After all, these trees grow out in the wild without any domestic help. But, keep in mind, unless your tree is situated outside in the tropics, it's not gathering enough raw materials from its pot to maintain fertile soil. You'll need to give your fiddle leaf fig tree plant more than just water and sunlight. It needs fertilizer, too.
So, whether it's Spring, Summer, Winter, or Autumn when you're reading this, we can guarantee that your fiddle leaf fig probably needs some fertilizer and plant food.
That said, the time of year will determine how often you fertilize your ficus.
Top 5 fiddle leaf fig tree fertilizer questions answered
How often does the fiddle leaf fig tree houseplant need fertilizer?
During Spring and Summer, we feed our Ficus lyratas constantly. That means at every watering with a water-soluble fertilizer (not a slow-release fertilizer). Depending on your tree's particular environment and growing media you'll be fertilizing your Ficus at least every 14 days, and in most cases every 7-10 days.
During Autumn and Winter, when growth tends to slow down, we cut back feeding to once per month.
Do fiddle leaf figs like fertilizer?
Of course, yes. The fiddle leaf fig tree plant needs fertilizer to support its broad, green leaves, sturdy stems, and reliable roots. When contained in a pot, this plant thrives on a 3-1-2 NPK (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate) ratio and a particular blend of trace minerals.
What is a good 3-1-2 NPK ratio plant food for the fiddle leaf fig tree?
We made Fiddle Leaf Treats™ to offer the best nutrition for fiddle leaf fig trees. Reason being, it contains a perfect balance of macro nutrients and organically-bonded trace minerals your ficus plants crave for quality growth and healthy root systems.
In addition, it's enhanced with botanical sea kelp which feeds soil microbes (which comes with a whole bunch more benefits for your plant). The combination of chelated minerals and sea kelp make this formula truly unique, there's really nothing else like it.
We've written more about soil microbes in the article below.
When should I NOT fertilize my fiddle leaf fig tree?
You should not fertilize your fiddle leaf fig tree as a solution to curing disease or in an attempt to combat inadequate sunlight. Fertilizing an under-sunned, or diseased Ficus may take your situation from bad to worse. First, give attention to the problem, then fertilize once you have the plant stabilized.
How do I know if my fiddle leaf fig tree needs fertilizer?
If you haven't fertilized your plant in more than a month, you know it needs to be fertilized. We see lots of fiddle-leaf plants that are just stuck next to a window. They survive, yes. But, they are hangry (hungry/angry). We spot hangry plants by their small new growth, droopy older leaves, and/or generally sparse, sad foliage.
When put in the right environment, fertilizer is the game changer that creates pro-quality fiddle leaf fig trees.
In conclusion
You've asked the question that directed you to this article which we assume means your ficus needs feeding. Unless your tree is sick, over watered, or under-sunned, now is the season to start giving your fiddle leaf fig tree regular fertilizing.
Remember, what you feed grows. Feed your ficus Fiddle Leaf Treats™ available from Bless Your Soil at this website.
