Equipped Friends

Do not fear!

All the FAQs will support you on the journey. When you purchased your fiddle, it had just been watered so the first step is to put in the right spot near a window with light and then watch the soil! When you see the soil has dried out, you know it's time to water and that will help you with knowing how frequently your fiddle friend needs water in YOUR home. I do have general watering info in FAQ, but observation in it's new spot is the first step! 

Once you figure out it's water frequency needs, the next thing is to see how the new growth is and let that help you determine if it's in a good spot for lighting, need fertilizer, etc.

You've got this! 

*You're more likely to overwater than underwater so be careful!*

On average this is our recommendation to begin with:

Warmer months: 1 cup every 4-7 days 

Cooler months: 1 cup every 10-14 days

For the size pots that most of Equipped Fiddles come in (6 in pots), 1 cup of water per watering is perfect!

As your fiddle gets used to your environment and/or you repot it, those needs may change, but it will communicate with you! If leaf branches are sagging instead of upright or new growth is beginning to relax, more water is needed per watering OR you need to increase your frequency due to warmer temperatures. 

Fertilizer is highly recommended for deep, dark green leaves and to ensure your plant gets what it needs. You can try growing without it, but for the happiest plant, love, sun, and fertilizer are key! However, I would recommend not fertilizing in the winter since growth is slower during that time. I also would recommend starting slow (such as half the recommended amount) because over-fertilizing can cause buildup in the soil and actually create the opposite effect! You can read more in the FAQ "Why do my leaves look different?" about leaf language to see what your new growth may be revealing. 

I have found this fertilizer to be great and the most affordable: *Aquatic Arts Fertilizer *

The fiddle leaf fig you purchased from Equipped Fiddles may have lighter leaves because it’s still growing and some growth occurred during the winter. As it matures with longer days, more sun, and regular feeding (fertilizer), the leaves will darken. In warmer months, with more frequent watering, your plant eats and drinks more, supporting this change.

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Fiddles love to be near south-facing windows! I have yet to experience a fiddle that's getting too much sun while inside (but I have burned many leaves by setting it outside in the sun..be careful!).

Depending on where you place your fiddle in relation to a window, you may want to consider a grow light, though I have found it shouldn't be necessary. 

For simple, in-pot lights that are also aesthetically please, I'd recommend one that can be adjusted in height as your plant grows. (I've used this one from Amazon: * 2 pack in pot lights OR on stand with timer*)

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REPOTTING

It is often recommended to repot every 2 or so years. Your fiddle from Equipped Fiddles was grown with the intent that you can enjoy it in it's current pot until one of two things occur:

1. It's beginning to be root bound (not having enough soil for the amount of roots). Observing the roots will likely be difficult with the vessel your fiddle leaf is currently in, but here are some signs: stunted growth, yellowing or lighter colored leaves, water drains quickly and/or dries out very quickly, looks dry and compacted, leaves are getting smaller, or difficulty removing the plant from its pot when you decide to repot it.

2. You want to give it the space to grow even bigger. 

If you'd like to keep your fiddle small and in it's current pot indefinitely, you can! Every 1-2 years, remove it from the pot and prune the roots to help give it space in the pot again to absorb the nutrients from the soil and to limit how big it gets. 

Last 2 very important things:

•  What soil you use matters. I've tried a few and Black Gold organic seems to hold up the best without getting to compact and hard (don't over pack the soil when you're repotting!). It's likely cheaper in store at Walmart or Tractor Supply, but this is the exact one I get: https://amzn.to/41pTPdZ
• You want to minimize transplant shock! During the repotting, use hydrogen peroxide (it helps bring oxygen to the roots). Mix 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 cup of water and drench your soil with that mixture for that first watering. This has worked like a charm for me!

PRUNING

 I love to prune! It's not difficult, though it can feel scary. The main things to keep in mind are:

1. Never remove all the leaves. Depending on the state of your fiddle before you prune, always leave 2 leaves so that it can use it's leaves for photosynthesis. 

2. Cutting down to green/new wood will cause the fiddle to simply continue growing on that same branch you cut. 

3. Cutting on old/brown wood will force the fiddle to branch out into new areas! 

4. When in doubt, take it slow! Just like when we get a haircut, we know that we can always take more off but can never put more back on. The same is true with pruning. 

5. You can cut individual leaves off, but I often prefer to let the fiddle decide when that time is. Working from the top down in pruning helps you control height and branching, whereas the bottom-up let's it decide what it wants to do with growth by dropping leaves as it feels it needs to redirect energy elsewhere. 

Don't worry! Before addressing those pesky gnats, take a moment to ask yourself these two questions:

1. Is my fiddle getting enough sunlight?

2. Am I watering my fiddle before the soil on the surface starts to dry out?

If you answered "yes" to the first question, it’s possible you’re overwatering your fiddle. It's important to let the soil dry out between waterings! Gnats thrive in moist soil, and if you’re watering too often (especially if your fiddle isn’t getting enough sun), they’ll start to settle in.

If you’ve caught the gnats early, it could be because the soil hasn’t had enough time to dry. However, if this has been going on for a while and your fiddle is showing signs of distress, or you are because you're seeing them everywhere, it's possible that the gnats are a result of root rot caused by excessive watering.

If you suspect root rot, here’s what you can do:

1. Carefully remove your fiddle from its pot and gently remove any old, damp soil from the roots.

2. Replant it in fresh, dry soil.

3. For the first watering, use hydrogen peroxide (don’t worry, it’s safe!). Mix 1 tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 cup of water to help damaged roots absorb nutrients more effectively. It also works as a natural gnat deterrent!

Once your fiddle is back in its pot and treated with peroxide, if the gnats persist, you might want to try using gnat traps and watering with "Gnat tea". Gnat tea is soaking "mosquito bits" in water and watering every 5-7 days for a few weeks until the gnats are gone. I have become a fan of this method because it's a very targeted approach. With a quick google search, you will find that you can buy mosquito bits at many stores, or of course, you can always get it from Amazon! Link to Amazon is here: Mosquito Bits

For gnat traps, there are a lot of great options on Amazon, and I recommend these affordable, aesthetically-pleasing one:*36 Pack Fungus Gnat Traps for House Plants *

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Fiddle leaf figs TALK! Or as I like to say, their leaves tell you just about everything you need to know. Here's everything I have personally observed:

1. Leaf Color Issues

2.Leaf Shape & Texture

3. Leaf Loss

4. Spots, Pests, & Residue

5. Nutrient Deficiencies

Remember: 

New leaves are the best indicator of health and avoid fertilizing stressed plants until recovery begins

Fiddle leaf figs have a reputation of being extremely temperamental and this scared me at first. However, I have found the opposite to be true--I found they are very forgiving and resilient! But I do believe like many living things, they reflect their environment. They will truly always communicate with you and tell you what they need--you just have to pay attention to what the leaves are telling you. If you go through a season of having some sort of issue, the affected leaves will unfortunately likely not bounce back, but that's okay! As heartbreaking as I thought that was when I started my journey in 2019, I found that this actually gave me the permission and freedom I needed to prune and have my fiddle change it's shape and venture out! It will usually end up dropping it's old, bottom leaves as it grows, so it's never stuck as looking like an unhealthy tree. Cheer it on and encourage it! It truly has so much grace to give. 

Pruning/removing bad leaves is also an option, but be sure to dig in and research before going at it! As forgiving as they are, just like us, there are some things to consider before diving in. 

*Fun fact* Fiddle Leaf Figs can live for 25-50 years, or even longer! All the information provided on this site will set you up for that type of success for your new friend!

Pricing for each fiddle is thoughtfully based on the materials and design of its vessel (such as ceramic or concrete vs. plastic, whether a saucer is included, etc.), as well as the size of both the vessel and the fiddle itself. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, and we hope you choose the one that speaks to you—ready to begin a fun and rewarding journey together!

Believe it or not, these can grow as tall as you’d like! The bigger the pot, the bigger the tree. Most of our fiddles come in 6" pots so you can enjoy watching them grow and shape them over time. Regular pruning helps control height, and tips are in the FAQ under 'When do I repot or prune?' Trust the process—you can always reshape it as it grows.

If you have a specific vessel or name in mind for your personalized water-absorbing saucer, feel free to reach out—we’ll see what we can do! Not all of our trees are listed, so we might already have what you're looking for or can possibly create it.

Fiddle leaf figs are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. Though it is very rarely life-threatening, the leaves and stems contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause:

• Mouth irritation (burning, drooling, pawing at the mouth)

• Vomiting

• Trouble swallowing

It's best that if you have curious pets, to keep plants out of reach so they aren't uncomfortable.

Not here in the US! They are from the tropical region of Africa and therefore, would not survive the climates here.

If your fiddle friend does get zapped with cold (loss of heat, left in cold car, etc), it will very quickly start showing every stress sign possible! You may see browning or yellowing leaves, sagging or dropping leaves. Do NOT water it more! It needs to first warm up, which I recommend wrapping the pot with a towel or blanket and getting it as close to the sun as possible.