I hope I can be of help! This post describes step by step instructions on How to Repot a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree. In one step you’ll want to remove your root ball from the existing pot. Be careful not to damage the roots. If your root ball is stuck, consider cutting down the side of the container with scissors. Hope this has been helpful!

I don’t have advice about your fig - but just wanted to say that I love your space! That plant is gorgeous too, you’re doing something right!

Thank you so much both! I’ve been watching a few youtube videos as well. I’m going to try repotting this weekend and will see how it goes!

Finally repotted this weekend. I upsized to a 14” pot from a 10” pot and got a taller cache pot as well. The ficus was completely root bound and it took a half hour of massage to loosen the root ball. Crossing my fingers the ficus will survive the shock of repotting. Thanks!

What a gorgeous pot and lots of light for your Fiddle Leaf Fig. Great job with repotting the plant. If you ever need additional help, you can ask the Fiddle Leaf Fig Doctor a question here:

Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Doctor Forum

Hi there! I was curious for an update on how your fig is doing after the repotting?

I know spring is the ideal time to repot, and I’m wondering if anyone can give me advice on whether it’s too late (August). I live in San Francisco so we have an “Indian summer” here, where it’s warm through sept / oct, not sure if that makes a difference.

I never repotted from the original container bc shortly after I got my FLF, it started dropping leaves (nov 2017). I’m FINALLY seeing new growth for the first time and I’m wondering whether I keep it in its root bound pot / state, or whether it’s better to repot before winter. I’d be heartbroken if I finally got it to this point and then it goes downhill after repotting!

Claire - I’ve also been feeding it with your FLF plant food :)

thanks!

SC,

The fig is doing well (as far as I can tell). Since up-sizing the grow pot, each branch on the fig has sprouted three new leaves. All the leaves look the same as before. The only thing that surprises me is how quickly the roots grow. I usually water the plant in the shower and give the entire plant a good rinse. I inspect the soil under the moss during that time as well and I can see new roots everywhere. I suspect by next late spring/early summer I'm going to have to trim the roots or up-size again. I think I'm going with the former since I really don't want the fig to grow any bigger.

In fact, in early July I chopped off a diagonal branch because it was getting too big for the space and for my liking. I will take photos when I'm home. Just proximal to the cut, I'm already seeing a new growth...I think it's going to be a branch(?), it's about the size of my thumb. Anyway I'll just keep an eye on it.

I did strip the severed branch of its leaves except for the top two. I planted the branch with two top leaves intact in wet perlite and the rest of the leaves (9 leaves) in a glass vase with water. I'm curious if either will root...just a little experiment since I don't want to discard the plant. They're all still green. If I get any water roots from the glass vase leaves, I'll probably bring them to my office as decorations in a vase. If I get roots in the perlite branch, I'll probably transfer it to soil and give it to a trusted friend (or bring it to my office...the south wall and east wall in my office are 15-20ft tall window walls that I can experiment with for the baby fig). I'm not sure how long the water-rooted leaves can last in water, since water is just...water. I imagine the leaves will eventually need a little source of micro and macro nutrients. My friend suggested putting the water rooted leaves in soil after they root, but I don't think I'm going to do that. In my (limited) experience with other plants, water roots tend to be different from roots formed in porous substrates. They just seem to be spongier and more delicate. It may not be the case with FLF, I dunno. I have zero experience. I just think it makes more sense for water roots to have different characteristics since the medium they are in are so different from, say, perlite or some other solid medium. I don't know if differences in physical characteristics of the two different media (oxygen tension, mechanical properties, the constant dilution of whatever is in the root in water, etc.) or the microbial environment (the soil microbiome? lol) or whatever cause the roots to grow differently, but I suspect they have to be quite different in architecture and perhaps even on the cellular level. I just don't think you can transplant water rooted plants to soil and expect the water roots to suddenly work. Enough baseless babbling. Getting back to work...will take photos for you when I can! If you decide to up-size the pot, good luck! Will follow with interest since I have limited experience with plants.

SC, as promised...

FLF shape now post-trimming, cut leaves are in the glass vase by the window:

close up of top foliage...pretty unchanged and still dense and green:

Here's where I cut (red circle):

You can see new leaves growing proximal to the cut:

Wow it looks so good! I hope one day my FLF can look like that :) thanks for sharing!!

Thanks SC! Let us know if you end up repotting your fiddle leaf fig! I too would like to know how late you push it...