Want to know a dirty little secret about me? I’m a dirt phobe. Especially wet dirt.  I know it sounds crazy because you see lovely plants all around my current home. Believe it or not, I rarely had plants in my own home for years.  Growing up we had tons of plants around because my mom loved them but I was never a big fan. You know why? Guess who had to water them? Moi, of course!

Fast forward to the current stitch and the succulents trend got me back into the green game.  Now I am growing my own little baby jungalow (a term coined by the talented Justina Blakeney) and loving every minute of it.

One plant in particular, the infamous fiddle leaf fig, aka FDF, has taken living spaces by storm! Even Costco offered these beauts for awhile at a great wholesale price of $39! Generally, they aren’t cheap and notoriously finicky.  My little FDF is my buddy and he roams wherever my camera goes.  But he definitely rebels if he doesn’t go back to his beloved spot upstairs where it’s light and bright in my guest bedroom.  Stick with me as I delve into plant care and at the end you will get a surprise!

 

A few fun tips about FDF plants that I have personally learned so far:

They love bright but INDIRECT light! So if you place your FDF just off to the side of a window (not in the way dark shadowy corner) they will blissfully grow leaves.

Do not water weekly.  The nursery guy told me to and I diligently did this for a couple weeks and the leaves started to turn  brown, spotty and crinkle. I freaked out for a week and decided to let it dry out more.

DO water once every 2-3 weeks bordering the full 3 weeks.  It may look dry but it makes them happy.  Even if you stick your finger deeper in the dirt and feels slightly dry, leave it. You can use a moisture stick which tells you how dry the dirt is.  However, even then, you will have to trial and error where on the monitor your plants like.  How I gauge is if the pot is extremely light due to lack of moisture, its time to water that baby!

Additionally, drain it very, very well.  Usually I take it outside to our front porch and  water thoroughly until the water seeps out from the bottom. Because I know he’s my tender noodle, I bring him inside away from direct sun light or harsh cold weather.  I put a thick old towel under him until he’s not dripping anymore.  Then he goes back in the basket and upstairs to his lovely haven.

Last but not least, don’t move it too much.  I know it sounds crazy, but if they are happy, leave them be. Just by moving them for watering, I realize it disturbs their tranquil state and it takes a few days for them to stabilize.  Maybe I am psychoanalyzing my FDF’s behavior, but I swear he gets unhappy when there’s a change.  The good thing is, he bounces back! And I don’t have to be that hover plant parent every time he cries foul.  Tough love baby!

I hope this helps you and encourages you to go outside of your comfort zone and start your own little jungalow of sorts soon! What kind of plants are you interested in?

And Now for a Giveaway!

Oh! And I how could I forget to mention this next part! To celebrate the launch of my website and blog, Good Company Wares and I have teamed up to offer you a set of wonderful planters that literally will give any space, corner, table, wall an extra dose of style! The quality and workmanship of Good Company Wares is hands down impeccable!

Psss… Mother’s day is coming up, maybe your lovely somebody will want one of these beautiful planters!!

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is sign up for my weekly Design Drop and you will automatically be entered! And if you follow Good Company Wares and me on IG and Facebook,  you can increase your chances to win too!

Good luck and happy day!

xo,

Anita

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