Caring for Fig Trees & Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees Indoors - Cut Through the Noise
Fig Trees Indoors
Did you know fig trees can thrive indoors as houseplants and produce fruit reliably? They are one of the best container fruiting plants, but achieving success requires specific conditions.
My name is Ross the Fig Boss, an educator of fig trees. I've grown 1000s of fig trees and spent 1000s of dollars and 1000s of hours learning everything I can about these oh-so-special Ficus trees. This guide will cut through the noise on how to care for an indoor fig tree to maximize its potential. I’ll also cover the fig tree’s close relative, the fiddle leaf fig, my favorite houseplant.
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Fig Tree Indoor Care
The Importance of Sunlight
While fig trees can grow indoors, they’re much better off when exposed to natural sunlight. If you can place your fig tree outdoors after your last frost date, it will benefit greatly from direct sunlight. However, for indoor cultivation, a sunny window alone isn’t sufficient because the light is diffused and far less intense. Without supplemental lighting, your fig tree will very likely never produce fruit.
Regrettably, I often hear from growers who have lost valuable years simply because they were unaware of this important detail.
To mimic outdoor conditions, invest in high-quality grow lights. Here are two professional grow lights I would invest in:
When choosing grow lights, they should emit the correct spectrum (Kelvin temperature) and be positioned at an appropriate distance from the leaves. Run the lights for about 16 hours a day to encourage growth and fruiting.
Maintaining Optimal Temperatures
Maintaining consistently warm temperatures is critical for maximizing the growth, fruiting, and ripening potential of fig trees, especially when grown indoors. Aim for a temperature range of 70–95°F, a steady 78°F is considered the optimal temperature for their metabolism to function efficiently enabling faster nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, and growth.
Warmth plays a role in both setting fruit buds and ripening them. Inconsistent or lower temperatures may slow or halt this process.
Practical Ways to Maintain Warm Temperatures Indoors
Grow Lights: Use LED grow lights, which emit both light and some heat, to maintain warmth while providing essential light for photosynthesis.
Warm Rooms: Position your fig tree in a room that maintains steady temperatures. Avoid drafty areas or spaces near air conditioners.
Sunlight Exposure: If possible, place the fig tree near a window where direct sunlight can warm the pot and surrounding area.
Heat Mats: Place a heat mat under the pot to directly warm the soil, which is critical for root health and nutrient uptake. These mats can raise soil temperatures by around 10°F, creating the ideal conditions for growth.
The heat mat I use: VIVOSUN Durable Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat
Proper Watering Practices
Fig trees are sensitive to overwatering and underwatering. Overwatering can lead to root rot, fungus gnat infestations, defoliation, and even death, while underwatering may cause leaves or fruit to drop.
Young fig trees or those in cooler environments are particularly sensitive to overwatering.
Frequency of Watering
The frequency depends on factors like room temperature, humidity, and pot size. Here’s a general guideline:
Warm environments (above 78°F): Water more frequently, possibly daily, as the tree actively transpires and consumes more moisture.
Cool environments (below 70°F): Water less often, as the tree’s growth slows and the soil retains moisture longer.
Use lukewarm water: Cold water can shock the roots, while warm water encourages better nutrient absorption.
Avoid drafts and heating vents: Drafts can dry out the soil faster, while vents may cause uneven moisture distribution.
Related: Fig Tree Watering | How Much Water, When to Water & Why Excess Water Leads to Watered-Down Figs!
Fertilizing for Success
Fertilizer is essential for fig trees, especially when grown indoors because it replenishes nutrients that the plant depletes from its limited soil.
What to Use:
Unfortunately, organic fertilizers can be slow to break down indoors, so synthetic options are often more practical. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote is an excellent choice. Additionally, supplement with trace minerals and micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, and sulfur using additives such as greensand, rock dust, gypsum, oyster shells, diatomaceous earth, or lime.
My recommendation: Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Plus Outdoor & Indoor
Fertilizer Application Guide:
Add ½ cup of Osmocote annually per five gallons of soil.
Include ¼ cup of trace minerals annually.
Choosing the Right Soil
Good drainage is essential for fig trees. Avoid dense, peat-heavy soils to counteract the negative effects of a heavy hand. Instead, use a mix that is:
50% organic material (peat moss, worm castings, compost, or coco coir).
50% drainage material (perlite, vermiculite, rice hulls, or fine bark chips).
For convenience, consider pre-mixed options like Pro-Mix HP or succulent soil blends. These mixes strike the right balance between water retention and drainage, reducing the risk of overwatering.
Preventing Pests
Indoor fig trees can attract pests such as fungus gnats, spider mites, and scale. Here’s how to address them:
Observe your tree daily to catch issues early.
Avoid neglecting or over-pampering your plant. Both extremes can harm a fig tree’s health.
Related: Revive an Unhealthy Fig Tree
Fungus Gnats: Avoid overwatering to deter gnats. They’ll make a home in your waterlogged soil. Allow the soil to dry out to disrupt their life cycle.
Place a bowl nearby of 50% water mixed with 50% apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish soap to attract and kill them.
A layer of perlite or rice hulls on the soil surface can prevent their penetration into the soil.
It’s very common to see fungus gnats during the rooting process. Fig cuttings without roots can remain in overly saturated soil for too long, increasing the risk of infestations.
Scale: Use a glove to manually remove the scale and spray the tree with neem oil or insecticidal soap.
Spider Mites: Take your fig tree outside and spray it with high-pressure water. Follow-up by spraying the insecticides above and quarantining it from other plants.
These two pests love environments with lower humidity. It’s not uncommon to see houseplants affected by them, especially fig trees. Consider using a humidifier to raise the ambient humidity in your indoor grow area.
Thank you for getting this far in the article. You might be wondering, does all of this apply to the fiddle leaf fig? What are the differences if any?
Fiddle Leaf Fig Care
Fiddle leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) are one of the most attractive houseplants you can grow. Unlike the common fig tree (Ficus carica), these plants are not cultivated for fruit but for their ornamental appeal.
Therefore, fiddle leaf figs have slightly lower light needs than fruiting fig trees, however, they still require ample sunlight to thrive. A bright room with plenty of direct or indirect sunlight is ideal.
Contrary to the incorrect and frequently regurgitated information on the internet about these special trees, they can handle direct sunlight indoors without burning. The more light (artificial or otherwise) they receive, the better.
Key Tips for Sunlight:
Place your fiddle leaf fig near a sunny window.
If using grow lights, keep them on for no more than 16 hours a day.
Avoid sudden transitions from low light to high light, as this can cause leaf sunburn (mostly an issue when moving plants from indoors to outdoors).
Frequently, I’m asked…
