How Dry Is Too Dry? When to Water Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Do you know when to water your fiddle leaf fig?

Did you know that the number-one cause of sick fiddle leaf fig plants is over-watering? It’s so tempting to water our plants more often than they need in an effort to care for them. I used to over-water all of my houseplants when I was younger because I cared about them so much. But the damage from over-watering can be serious and tough to remedy. You’re much better off under-watering your fiddle leaf fig than over-watering. Here’s a guide for exactly when to water your fiddle leaf fig tree.

How Dry Is Too Dry?

It’s tough to give a benchmark of how often to water your fiddle leaf fig, because it depends on many factors including:

• How good is your drainage?
• How large is your container?
• How much sun does your plant get?
• How large is your plant?
• Is it actively growing?
• How dry is your environment?

Roughly once a week is a good rule of thumb for when to water, but that may be too much if your plant is in a relatively large container or isn’t getting enough light. To determine when to water, look for signs of a dry plant before you water.

When to Water Your Fiddle Leaf Fig

You’ll know it’s safe to water your fiddle leaf fig when you see signs of dryness, including:

1. Slightly droopy leaves
2. Some wrinkling in younger leaves
3. Dry soil 2 to 4 inches below the surface (Use a moisture meter like this one for more accuracy!)

Here’s a photo of my rescue plant, Goose, when he is really ready for a drink.

Letting your plant get very dry before you water it can be scary, but keep in mind that it will perk back up in a few hours! See the “after” picture of Goose below. With this strategy, you can be sure you’re not killing it with too much water. Overall, you are much better off allowing your plant to dry out a bit between waterings than watering too soon. Try it out for yourself, learn when to water your fiddle leaf fig and let me know how it goes!

For more info about watering your fiddle leaf fig, read our Ultimate Watering Guide here.

Grab the Essentials for Your Fiddle Leaf Fig:

• Premium Fiddle Leaf Fig Potting Soil
• Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food
• Root Rot Treatment
• Houseplant Leaf Armor to protect against insects, bacteria, and fungus (As an added bonus, it also cleans and adds shine to your plant’s leaves!)
• Moisture meter to always know when your plant is thirsty.

To learn more:

• To learn more, sign up for our free Fiddle Leaf Fig Care 101 Webinar for advanced fiddle leaf fig care.
• Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter.
• Read The Fiddle Leaf Fig Expert, your complete guide to growing healthy fiddle leaf fig plants. The book is available in full-color paperback or Kindle edition on Amazon now!
• Click to join our community on Facebook: Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Resource Group.