Fiddle Leaf Fig Not Growing [Reasons & What to Do]

The fiddle-leaf fig is independent and can do very well with its own energy. The plant has a commendable grasp of communication, protection, growth, and knowledge of a situation before it proceeds further; it’s quite a commendable trait.

Your fiddle leaf fig plant may endure stunted growth or no growth at all due to a variety of different reasons. Fret not! Your plant will ensure it communicates its problem to you – you’ll have to be observant enough to notice it.

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Fiddle Leaf Fig Not Growing

A fiddle-leaf fig is sensitive to nature. As independent as it may be, it is also entirely dependent on its surrounding variables. This is why, as a plant caretaker, you ought to ensure that you follow some base rules.

There are genuine reasons that restrict the plant from growing:

Changing Weather

If you live anywhere in the USA where the weather is sharp and complacent, your plant may fall prey to it. Fiddle-leaf figs require monitored temperatures, and any slight change, let alone drastic, can have an adverse effect on the plant.

The plant does not do well with extreme temperatures, be it the summers or winters.

To cope with this issue, you can create an atmosphere for your fiddle-leaf fig, which can boost its growth and also not affect its mood.

Sickness

Your plant may have caught up on an infection. This can be of any kind: pesticide, bacterium, or fungi.

An infection can restrict growth, but that hints at an underlying issue: too much moisture.

Fiddle-leaf figs require just enough water to keep the soil hydrated. Before adding more water to the plant, you must check if the soil has drained out the moisture it already held. Water-fed areas are great homes for infections to boost and multiply.

At home with hues suggests a way to cope with this issue: check your plant’s leaves. If the leaves have moisture, you will have to dry them. Check the soil – note if it has too much moisture.

Bacterial infections are harder to skim through as opposed to fungal infections. Study your plant’s behavior, and check for discolored leaves, yellow leaves, or inky spots.

It is sometimes tough to differentiate between bacterial and fungal infection, but there’s one node that separates them: a bacterial infection causes dry leaves, often with cracks within it. That’s when you know it’s a bacterial infection.

Attend to proper solutions if you encounter any infection.

Fertilizer

Fertilizers play a massive role in maintaining the health and growth of a plant. This goes for fiddle-leaf figs as well. It is essential to monitor the quality and usage of fertilizer your plant is being fed.

Fertilizer provides nutrients to fiddle-leaf figs through a smooth process the plant follows diligently. This is why choosing a quality-grade fertilizer for your plant is crucial.

If you’re not a massive fan of fertilizer, the healthy houseplant suggests going for compost. Compost is available ready-made, but you can also prepare it yourself.

Pick out food scraps and yard waste. You’ll have to provide these materials with enough time to break them down. There are different varieties of compost you can use; in both forms of matter.

No Room to Breathe

Fiddle-leaf figs tend to spread out wide. They cover every inch of space around them. So, if they don’t have enough room to breathe, they will be restricted. The fiddle-leaf fig plant generally breathes via its leaves. Essentially, leaves breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

The fiddle-leaf fig plant requires enough room to know it can spread and an atmosphere that suits them, for example, humidity levels.

Root Destruct

There are chances your fiddle-leaf fig is growing leaves on the bottom. According to the fiddle leaf fig plant, your plant may be experiencing root damage. If root damage has occurred, fiddle leaf figs may sometimes grow what is known as suckers right at the base.

To cope with this issue, prune the suckers and allow your plant enough time to recover.

Health Issues

Your plant may be experiencing health issues if suckers can be seen at the bottom of the plant. Trees have their own healing mechanisms. If they do experience health issues, they happen to grow out to regain momentum.

If your fiddle-leaf fig is growing suckers at the base of the tree, you may want to check for any health issues your plant or tree might be facing.

Leaf Care

Your fiddle-leaf fig plant needs extra care when it comes to its leaves. The plant takes great pride in its structure and also in its leaves. If the leaves are not taken care of, the plant may act out on compulsion.

Fiddle-leaf fig plants should have dry leaves. No amount of water should reside at the top of the leaves. If so, bacteria spread may run rampant and inadvertently affect the growth of the plant.

While ensuring dryness, it is also important to note that your fiddle-leaf fig plant is clean and no dust or particles have made their way there. If so, clean the leaves and dust off any particles gently.

The leaves of a fiddle-leaf fig are wide, but they are also flat. This means it’s easy for an external substance to find a way there. When unknown particles reside on the leaf, it becomes a task to allow sunlight to pave through.

If there is no ample sunlight, growth may be halted. Your fiddle-leaf fig plants need adequate sunlight as much as they require controlled temperatures. To enhance growth, ensure your plant’s leaves are not compromised in any manner.

Halted growth can also stress your plant. When your fiddle-leaf fig plant is stressed, it may not be able to perform well, which means it won’t be able to take care of itself, resulting in slow or no growth of the plant or its leaves.

How To Boost Growth

While it is vital to take note of factors that may harm your fiddle-tree fig’s growth, there are ways to boost growth as well.

After you’ve worked on all the factors that may harm your plant’s growth, work on ways you can increase your fiddle-tree fig’s growth.

Firstly, you can opt for bigger planters. Your pot size may be affecting the plant’s growth, considering it may not have enough space to provide for a bigger plant. After you change your fiddle-tree fig pot and promote it to a bigger one, you may begin to notice the change, considering important factors were adhered to.

What you can do next is ensure water regulation. Your plant cannot be given too much water, but don’t let that mislead you into not providing any water at all.

There’s an easy way to cope with this:

If your plant’s leaves are wet, dry them off gently.
If your fiddle-leaf fig pot has completely dry soil, water the soil.
If your fiddle-leaf fig pot is quite moist, wait for the soil to drain out all moisture.
If your fiddle-leaf fig pot is dry enough, add water to just the soil.

One important consideration to take note of when thinking of how to handle your plant’s stunted growth is fertilizer.

What fertilizer are you using?
Does it sit well with your plant’s requirements?

Your fertilizer requirements depend on where you reside in the USA because you have to take note of the species of your plant, what season you’re growing your plant in, and whether you’re going to move around or stay in one place.

If you’re moving from one city to another in the USA, your plant will endure fast-pacing changes in nature and may be affected. Be prepared with all the necessary precautions and techniques.

Fiddle-leaf figs are generally sensitive. They take up a lot from where they are and the purpose they fulfill. This is why they require spacious areas and adequate, well-maintained temperatures.

If you’re growing the plant outdoors, ensure there’s no sharp source of sunlight. In the winter, you have to be careful, considering the drop in temperatures.

If you’ve planted the fiddle-leaf fig indoors, temperature control is convenient.

Final Thoughts

Our plants learn a lot from us. They breathe in carbon dioxide, but they also breathe in much of our behavior. They not only observe us but also communicate with us. If your fiddle-leaf fig is not growing in its current state or not growing leaves, it will communicate that to you.

As plant caretakers, we ought to spend time with them, understand what they’re doing, and engage in routine discussions with them. This will be helpful when any drawback does face the plant because we’ll be able to tackle it in time.

Over time, we will also be able to keep track of the plant’s health and if there are discretions in its care-taking. If there’s no checking up on a fiddle-leaf fig for days, the plant may endure health issues, especially if it is exposed to direct sunlight, or no room to breathe, or has a drop in temperature.

Plants endure a rough time because they don’t give up. All we have to do is not give up from our end, and regularly check up on our plants.