Meet Our New Fiddle Leaf Fig

Meet Jewel, our new Fiddle Leaf Fig.  Yes, we named her.  Yes, we I am a crazy plant lady and I had the kids name her!  She makes a dramatic statement and I am so happy I just went for it. I have been wanting one of these for a while and finally bit the bullet last week while my parents were in town.  They are so dramatic and quite popular in design. I was a little scared because I have read they can be finicky and they are a little on the pricey side. I at least wanted to see what they were all about and wanted talk to a professional about how to take care of one before making a decision. We explored a local nursery/greenhouse and found several of these beauties that had just arrived.  I think were the only people in that greenhouse one day after we got 12 inches of snow (can you say cabin fever?)!  Something about walking through a warm greenhouse with the sun beaming in that makes you want to buy everything in the place.  My mom and I could have looked for hours! I was originally going to go with a smaller tree (about 4 ft), but decided to “go big or go home” with the 6-footer.  I spoke with the “indoor plant lady” at the greenhouse and she said FLF are slow growing, so I should not expect significant growth over the next year.  My mom convinced me I needed the larger one and I am so glad I did!  I am just in love with the way she has brought the space to life. We decided to put her in the back corner of our living room near a bank of large windows.  They are perfect for a corner space.  I already had this woven basket and the pot fit perfectly.  I added a sturdy, plastic plant tray between the basket and the pot.  I love the way the natural basket adds some nice texture against the dark hardwoods. Here’s the lowdown on how I was told for care for our Fiddle Leaf Fig…

1.  Water the tree when it gets dry about 1/3 of the way down.  This does not mean every week or every 10 days.  This means you should check the plant a 1/3 of the way down and see if it is dry on a regular basis.  The dryness will depend on the light it receives and how dry your home is.  2.  When dry, add a gallon of water, a quarter of a gallon at a time.  You will know when you have added enough water when some starts to trickle out of the bottom.  3.  Never let your plants/trees sit in water.  If you tray fills up after watering, remove it, dry it out, and put it back. 4.  Overwatering will kill your trees/plants.  5.  The FLF needs lots of indirect sunlight.  We have cell shades that I open every day to let the light in.  Finding the right corner/spot by a window is important. 6.  Repot every 2-3 years. 7.  I am going to add some plant food once a month when I water. We have only had our Fiddle Leaf for about a week, so all is still good here.  I will continue to update you on the progress and if these tips work for us.  I know there are several people who think these plants are finicky, but the lady at the greenhouse told me they are fairly low maintenance.  Here’s hoping Jewel likes her new home! *In case you were wondering, this 6 foot tree cost $109.  The 4 foot one I was looking at was $39.  They also have an extremely large size for close to $200.  I hope with proper TLC (and a little bit of talking to), we can keep her alive and well for a long time to come! Linking up with:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com
http://savvysouthernstyle.net/
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/
http://www.tipjunkie.com/
http://www.notjustahousewife.net/
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
http://sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com/
http://lilluna.com/
http://www.somewhatsimple.com/
http://craftionary.blogspot.com/
http://itsoverflowing.com
http://too-much-time.com/
http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/
http://www.skiptomylou.org/
http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/