You should wait until June to repot.

When you do, remove the tree from the pot, work out all soil from in and around the roots. You want to completely bare root it (keep the roots misted and moist the whole time), untangle roots and prune any that are dead, circling (that will not untangle or are too long).

place it in either the same size pot it was in or one size up.

Thoroughly water and do not fertilize for a couple weeks until you see new growth.

Thank you so much for the good advice Dave. So I should focus on detangling and removing the dirt, more than trimming the roots themselves (except for if they are already dead or too tangled to loosen)?

I live in a very warm climate (spring weather is here already) do you still recommend waiting until June or should I do it when temps hit a certain degree? June is very hot here. If that is the best time to do it though, I will wait until then!

Temps don't have anything to do with the right time to repot.

Day length is is the factor. The day length in late June is much longer than current.

The longer the days, the more energy the plant will have stored. So yes, I'd wait till around June.

Detangling, pruning problematic roots and removing the all the soil are the most important. You need to be sure to get all of the current soil out since you're switching to a faster draining mix. You don't want 5:1:1 mixed with a heavier peat mix. You'll have wet and dry pockets.

Have you made the 5:1:1 before?

Thanks Dave! I potted 4 citrus trees into 5:1:1 about 2 years ago. It worked out nicely, though only one of them is still potted, the rest are in ground. I did a slight variation because of our hot temps, but I don't know if I will put this fiddle leaf fig outdoors at all. If keep it inside then I will probably just do the standard 5:1:1.

All of my ficus are in 5:1:1 (I have a 7' ficus Benjamina in an 18" terra cotta pot).

All of my ficus go outside for the summer. I acclimate them into direct sun too. They grow feet in all directions each year.

Glad to help!

I really appreciate you sharing all of your knowledge! I have heard that the fiddle leaf fig is pretty temperamental about direct sun... If I do put it outside at all would I need to have it on my shaded patio? We are in southern utah. Similar climate to Las Vegas... Hot, dry desert.

Only if it's not acclimated. Your fiddle leaf fig (ficus lyrata) is no different than my ficus Benjamina as far as cultural wants and needs.

it would love fun sun if acclimated.

outside and inside:

Wow your Benjamina is absolutely beautiful!! I also love the ties that you have attached to it in the first picture - never seen anything like that but I like it way more than using poles. Is that something that you could use on any tree or is it best suited to braided trunks where each rope can attach to a separate trunk? My tree has a teeny tiny little bamboo pole taped to it, but I have also been wanting to ask if that will make the trunk less sturdy (if it is depending on the bamboo to hold it up?)

Thank you!

the supports were used because it had just been repotted.

it was to keep it steady in the wind while it's roots have time to fill the new mix.

The bamboo is used more for plants that have a hard time supporting themselves.

Okay that makes sense! Should I try to get rid of the bamboo when I re pot and use supports similar to yours, or since the bamboo is already there will it likely need it permanently?