I've been overwatering my fiddle leaf fig for two years straight

The leaves kept dropping and I thought it needed more, not less. A plant expert at the Portland nursery last weekend took one look and said 'that pot is a swamp'. Anyone else kill a plant with kindness before figuring it out?

3 comments

3 Comments

irisjenkins24d ago

Actually, that swamp comment is interesting because my fiddle leaf fig did the opposite. For a whole year I was so scared to overwater it that I basically let it get bone dry. The leaves got all crispy and started to drop too. Turns out I was under-watering it, which looks weirdly similar. It's so easy to misread what they want (they're such drama queens). The only thing that worked for me was getting a moisture meter and actually checking the soil an inch down.

ericmason24d agoMost Upvoted

Tell me about it. I once killed a cactus from underwatering. A cactus. The thing built for deserts. I was so proud of keeping it alive for months, then it just shriveled into a sad little raisin. My partner still brings it up to make fun of me. Plants really know how to humble you fast.

rileynelson24d ago

My buddy did that with a peace lily, gave it so much love it got root rot. He was so confused when it started wilting even though the soil was wet.

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