Fiddle fig plants (Ficus Lyrata) are a great plant to grow indoors; however, they can get too large, or you wish to place them outside for a spell of natural weather and enjoy the fresh air. Your fig plants can grow in humid climates in USDA hardiness zones 10 – 12, although there are things you need to do and know.
If you have the perfect spot for it, you can move your potted fiddle leaf fig outside. You can move fiddle leaf figs outside if the environment allows the plant to survive. Make sure the plant transitions gradually because a rapid environmental shift can shock it. Ensure the plant receives plenty of indirect light as too much sun can harm your plant.
In our guide, you can learn more about your outdoor fiddle leaf fig tree and what you need to do to ensure they survive and thrive outdoors. By the end, you’ll know much more about fiddle leaf fig care and what it takes to keep your fiddle fig outside year-round and to cope with temperature fluctuations.
Can I Move My Fiddle Leaf Fig Outside?
You can view this from two distinct angles. First, do you want to permanently move your fiddle leaf fig tree to the garden so it can get bigger, or are you just going to bring it outside in a container for the summer?
Your fiddle leaf fig tree in a container can be moved outside during the warmer months.
Remember to keep your plant in a sunny location away from the wind and heavy rains. Besides this, air and drafts that are hot or cold can cause Fiddle Leaf Figs to drop leaves because they like a humid environment with plenty of moisture and still air.
To acclimatize to its new location, it needs filtered sunlight, and your plant needs plenty of time. Moving something to face direct sunlight for an extended period could cause scoring, and the damaged leaves fall.
Placing your plant with light shade and away from the hotter afternoon sun is better. Then, as the plant grows accustomed to the outdoor light, you can gradually increase the amount of sunlight it receives. (Learn How Often To Water Ferns Outside)
Should You Rotate Your Fiddle Leaf Fig?
If you grow your Fiddle Leaf Fig plant inside, it will love light areas around the home. However, they can grow and leaf lopsided if they don’t even receive sunlight.
Putting your fiddle leaf fig on a rotation schedule is a great idea. This will comprise 1/4 or 1/2 turns every 2 weeks. Depending on where you place your Fiddle Leaf fig outdoors, you may or may not need to rotate as much depending on how the plant adjusts.
What Temperature Is Too Cold For My Fiddle Leaf Fig?
Your fiddle leaf fig tree cannot tolerate temperatures below fifty degrees; if it gets too cold, you risk losing your plant.
The plant originates as a tropical rainforest plant, and the plants thrive in temperatures from the 60s to the 80s and with high humidity, thus making it ideal indoor plants.
Ensure your fiddle leaf fig plant gets enough moisture to prevent drying out and isn’t in direct sun or sits too close to a fireplace or vent.
Can Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees Handle Full Sun?
Although a fiddle leaf fig tree prefers full sun, you’ll need to adapt it if it has been in partial shade or filtered sunlight.
Increase your daily exposure to good sunlight a little at a time for optimum results.
They should move their pot or container in increased sunlight. When given time to acclimate, they can tolerate 6–8 hours per day in direct sun.
The following symptoms could show that your fiddle leaf fig needs more sunlight.
How Often To Water An Outside Fiddle Leaf Fig?
As the water requirements change because of your plant’s growth, it’s challenging to determine an exact amount or set a regular schedule.
You must monitor the soil to determine whether your fiddle leaf fig needs some water.
Water your plant when the top inch of soil feels cold and dry, but if the soil feels warm and damp, wait before giving it another drink.
Avoid watering your Fiddle Leaf Fig outside if the soil is damp to prevent fungal growth and root rot.
Moving your plant to a new pot with well-draining soil may improve overall growth. (Learn How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With Hydrogen Peroxide)
Other Factors For Growing Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Outdoors
One of the fundamental factors needed for any plant’s growth is its light needs.
Although they are banyan trees in the wild, fiddle leaf figs grow naturally because of the bright African sun.
Because they are shielded from the sun’s rays, they can grow in the branches of other trees. As a result, these plants thrive best in bright, filtered light.
Houseplants may not adapt to such lighting conditions because they are not exposed to direct, bright sunlight.
Fiddle leaf figs thrive as indoor plants when exposed to medium-bright sunlight and receive bright light for 6 to 8 hours each day. Signs of not enough light are yellowing on the lower leaves.
Keep your plants away from direct sun; even better is to cover your window with a sheer curtain to filter the light from the sun to your fiddle leaf fig.
Aside from this, your window should face either south or east. For example, a Fiddle Leaf Fig shouldn’t be placed close to a north-facing window because it won’t get enough light.
When outdoors, you can keep Fiddle Leaf Figs outside in the direct sun in some regions like Southern California, as their temperatures don’t drop too much during the winter.
Growing Your Fiddle Leaf Fig Outdoors For The Summer
You can either plant a fiddle tree outdoors in a pot, much like you would indoors, or plant it directly into the ground.
Overwatering and underwatering are far less of a problem in the ground than in a pot because drainage will be much better, and your tree’s roots may reach deep into the soil for water as the tree grows.
Ensure your fiddle is acclimated to direct sunlight if you intend to place it in the sun to avoid sunburn.
By starting it in a darkened area and slowly increasing its time in full sun each day, you can start this procedure indoors and gradually increase its outdoor light.
You can either keep the tree where it is or plant it in the ground when it can withstand full sun for most of the day or the lighting conditions of its planned location.
Soil Type
Also, consider the soil where you’ll plant your fiddle. Put your outdoor fiddle in a pot and use fast-draining soil.
If you dig it up, dig down a foot and get a handful of dirt. Compress the dirt. If it feels mushy, heavy, and smooth, your soil contains clay and will drain slowly.
You undoubtedly have sandy soil if the soil feels gritty, crumbly, and rocky.
Using rich, loamy soil with abundant nutrients, clay, sand, and organic material is ideal.
You may need to add compost, peat moss, or manure to the top layer of soil to enrich the growing conditions for the roots of your fiddle.
Soil pH
Fiddle leaf figs prefer 6-7 pH soil. You can purchase a pH test kit or take a quick test using baking soda and vinegar.
Pour an amount of vinegar onto a handful of soil. If you see it fizzing, you may have Alkaline soil.
Mix soil with baking soda and water. If you see it fizz, you have acidic soil.
Add sulfur, compost, or manure to alkaline soil to raise pH, and add lime to acidic soil before you plant. (Find the Best Soil Test Kit)
Fiddle Leaf Fig Growth Outdoors
One of the best things about growing a fiddle in the ground outdoors is that it will grow much, much taller than it would indoors.
Fiddles typically reach a height of 10 feet indoors. But unlike anything you could ever expect to plant indoors, an outdoor fiddle may grow up to 60 feet tall with a wider trunk and richer canopy.
Your outdoor tree may want some trimming to find it healthy and well-shaped.
If you see dead or ill-looking stuff on your fiddle, like brown spots or mold, ensure you trim it and dispose of it and not on your compost pile.
You can “lop” off branches to rebalance your tree if it looks an odd shape. You can accomplish this with a reliable set of pruning shears for smaller trees or get expert help for larger trees.
In either case, we advise planning your cuts before you make them if you intend to remove branches from your tree.
To see the contour of the tree before you make any cuts, label the branches with colored tape or twine to avoid too many cuts and create an unattractive tree.
Outdoors Pests and Disease
Like an indoor fiddle, an outdoor fiddle leaf fig plant is susceptible to pests and illnesses.
The following are some of the most common pests and illnesses to be on the lookout for:
Spider mites: These tiny pests savor the sap from the leaves of your fiddle plant. Observe the leaves for little brown specks.
Aphids: Another bug that feeds on fiddle leaves is the aphid. Pay attention to the leaves for tiny holes, honeydew, yellowing, and wilting. Ladybugs can help control population growth.
Powdery Mildew: The two major factors contributing to powdery mildew are high humidity and insufficient airflow between the leaves. You can deal with this as you would an indoor tree or plant.
Bacterial infection: You may notice light-brown spots on the leaves, so remove as much as possible to stop the disease from spreading. Moving your plant out of the shade and giving it more summer light may help.
Final Thoughts of Outdoor Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant
Many of the same guidelines you would consider while growing a fiddle leaf fig indoors also apply when growing your Fiddle leaf Fig outside.
If you live in the right climate, you might even find that an outdoor fiddle takes little upkeep besides winter care, and you can enjoy seeing your fiddle develop outside as it grows tall and gorgeous!
