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Fiddle Leaf Fig Pruning

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I am in Georgia with a fiddle leaf fig tree. It was not happy when I got it - lots of brown spots on leaves/dried up leaves, but it has grown several healthy looking leaves over the fall and winter in its new home. It has branching at the top, but no leaves until the tips of the branches. I'd like to encourage it to bud all along the branches it has for a more full look. Is there a way to prune it to help with that? How and when should I prune it? Just FYI I am also planning to repot it soon at the beginning of spring. In the pictures, you can see that there are two plants in the same pot. I posted a couple more pictures in the comments as well.

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Comments (4)

kleverett31
Original Author
8 years ago
Another picture...
Dave
8 years ago
I'd wait until later in June to repot. That'll be the best time of year for this tree.

when doing so, after you've removed all of the old soil from the root mass, do not leave the roots exposed to air for an extended period of time. If you need to take your time, make sure you mist the roots with water often.

As far as getting it to fill out, I'd put it outside for the summer (when nighttime temps stay above 55°). That should help. I cannot really tell by your pics where a good spot to trim to promote back budding would be. That's because I only see leaves at the very tips. If it had leaves along the stem, you could cut back to one of those and that should help with back budding.
kleverett31 thanked Dave
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Hello! I need help, my fiddle leaf fig is taking over my studio apartment. I have had this tree for two years and it is now almost 8 feet tall. Its longest branch is growing more to the side now so the space it requires keeps growing, also the weight seems to be making the tree lean and possibly needs staking. I have never pruned it because I was scared of the outcome but I think it is time. See photo. I would like to aim for a more rounded or oval compact shape on top of a single trunk. Branch 2 is the tallest/longest, the photo doesn't reflect it accurately. It is the branch portion of the trunk. Branches 1 and 3 are close in height and they are probably the height I would like to aim for. I was wondering if I could trim the tops of these to promote back budding. Branch 4 just began to spout 2 weeks ago and I'm not sure what to do with it. Branch 5 was on the tree originally but has always been thin not doing much. I changed the soil last spring and hoped to straighten the tree with this but it began to lean again. Any tips on pruning would be much appreciated! (I'm not sure if I attached the photo correctly)
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If the trunks divide at or just above the soil line, I'd keep it as a twin trunk. If they divide several inches above the soil line, I'd probably remove one - and I base that purely on aesthetics. Trunks that split well above the soil line don't look as natural as those that split lower. I'd prune back to where the plant started to get leggy ...... which is the plant's way of telling you it wants more light. A side benefit to truncating the trunks is the lateral branching that will follow. I don't expect a very enthusiastic response because of the light issue, and you'll be dealing with leggy branches if you can't increase the light intensity the plant is getting. I appreciate you acknowledging my contributions - thanks. Al
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kleverett31
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks! I read that it was best to repot in late winter/early spring. I guess that might not be the right information? Yeah, that's the problem. There are only leaves at the branch tips and I'd like them all along the branch! I see nodes all along the branches where leaves used to be, but nothing seems to be growing there now. If I put it outside, I should keep it out of full sun right? I don't have a great place for it outside as most of our yard gets full sun for at least part of the day, or is in full shade... Any tips on where to put it when I move it out?
Dave
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Winter / early spring wouldn't be the best time for ficus (including your ficus lyrata). June, around Father's Day would be the best possible time for a repot. Repotting is best done when the tree is at its highest energy reserves and that happens right around the end of spring / beginning of summer.

Youd be doing a full repot, correct? That would be where you remove all of the old soil and place in fresh soil.

You can acclimate the tree to full sun gradually. Put it outside all day on a cloudy day and then slowly get it used to full sun. Some leaves might turn white and drop but a new flush of growth will emerge that'll handle full sun just fine.

I do this with my large ficus benjamina every summer.

Read these two threads. Great info. Your ficus lyrata is close enough in growing requirements to ficus benjamina.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1493078/ficus-trees-in-containers

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/2842847/container-soils-water-movement-and-retention-xxii?n=410
kleverett31 thanked Dave

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