How To Branch Fiddle Foliage Figs (Notching vs. Pruning)

Do you have a fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) that is one tall stalk with no branches and possibly about to scrape the ceiling? Do y'all really want a tree-like dabble leaf with a unmarried torso and multiple branches at the top? If so, you've come to the right mail.

We'll get into specific pruning and notching techniques and a footstep by step process of making your bush-league-like fiddle leaf into a beautiful branching tree.

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Photo by Mike Marquez on Unsplash

First, if you lot're in need of your first fiddle leaf fig either so you have this branching problem to eventually consider, or you want to add an additional fiddle leaf to have a pot with 2 or 3 single stalks, here's a fiddle leafage fig source.

I practice want to say I think fiddle leafage figs look beautiful either fashion - as multiple unmarried trunks with leaves all the fashion downwards to the base of operations or one plant pruned into a tree with a bushy, full canopy. A couple issues with the single-torso forms though:

  • One body with no lateral branches might eventually hit the ceiling (unless you have really loftier ceilings!)

  • If you stick with single-trunk, no laterals, they can look a bit lanky and lonely in their pot after a while. I call up they await ameliorate with a group of three unmarried-stalk Ficus lyratas . The plants looks more balanced that way. (This might also exist my favorite way to see them - tin't determine.)

A non-branching fiddle leaf fig (aka Ficus lyrata). Pruning or notching will produce branching and turn it into a tree with a bushy canopy. Source | Kara Eads via Unsplash

A non-branching fiddle leaf fig (aka Ficus lyrata). Pruning or notching will produce branching and turn it into a tree with a bushy awning. Source | Kara Eads via Unsplash

And then if you've decided to clip your fiddle leaf into a tree, there are two methods to do so. One is pruning and the other is notching.

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Why pruning = growth: apical authorization

Ever wondered why pruning does what information technology does? If yous're anything similar me, I always demand to know the why backside what I'm doing. Just knowing what to exercise isn't enough. And then here's a little establish science for you:

The chief vertical stem of a plant grows more vigorously over other side stems. This is known as upmost dominance. Apical dominance occurs when the main shoot (the apex) inhibits the growth of lateral buds and so that the plant may grow vertically.

The reason is that the plant needs to devote free energy into upward growth and so it can go more lite for photosynthesis. Makes sense, correct?

The dominant vertical shoot is able to practise this through a hormone called auxin. Auxin e'er moves downward in the dominant vertical shoot to inhibit the growth and development of lateral buds below the apex which would otherwise grow into branches. Again, information technology's forcing the constitute to direct it's free energy into upright growth to get more light.

Pruning the apex branch disrupts the flow of growth-regulating auxin so the lower nodes can develop branches. Graphic | Greenhouse Studio

Pruning the apex branch disrupts the flow of growth-regulating auxin so the lower nodes can develop branches. Graphic | Greenhouse Studio

Pruning/Pinching the ascendant vertical branch

In the case of your fiddle leaf fig, it's probably the only branch available to take information technology from a fiddle leaf bush to a fiddle leafage tree. Here are a couple more points to consider before jumping in:

  • The more than severe the pruning, the greater the resulting regrowth. This is considering the found is regrowing in an attempt to restore a remainder betwixt the shoot arrangement (above soil) and the root organization below, which is currently prepare to support the plant at it'south larger size prior to pruning.

  • The most vigorous shoot growth volition usually occur inside 6 to 8 inches of the pruning cut.

OK, let's get to it.

Brand the cut on your fiddle foliage fig

  1. Decide how much of your Ficus lyrata you desire to cut. Again, the longer a department you cut, the more significant the branching will be. (And the more you'll reduce the elevation of the plant, at to the lowest degree for that shoot.)

    • If you only pinch out the new buds at the top of your fiddle leaf fig with your fingers, information technology won't be stimulated to produce equally many lateral branches off of the master torso.

      • Pinching is more useful if yous want to stimulate a bit of lateral growth to make your plant expect fuller near the top.

    • On the other hand, if y'all prune 12" of shoot off the elevation, you'll run across a lot more branching.

  2. Identify which node you lot want to cut in a higher place. Nodes are found on stems and are the points where leaves, buds, or branches grow. Not all nodes have leaves or branches though - there might just be a mark and slight thickening of the stem. The sections in between the nodes on the stalk are called internodes.

fiddle-leaf-fig-node-internode-stem-anatomy.jpg

3. Use a sterile pair of pruners. Make the cutting just to a higher place the top of your node. Do not cut into the node which would damage it, just only above.

  • Cut your fiddle leaf fig or whatever plant in the fig family unit will produce an oozing, milky, white latex sap. Just don't eat it or get it in your eyes as it tin exist irritating and don't let it hit the carpet.

four. Final tip - don't strip leaves off the trunk until your dabble leaf has established information technology's new branches. Those leaves assistance grow the new lateral buds, so you lot want your establish every bit potent every bit possible.

(Wondering what to do with your pruned plant parts? Why not abound another fiddle leaf fig?)

That'south it! Now wait a few weeks for your new lateral buds which will somewhen develop into branches. How long it takes depends on diverse factors, but your chances of success are better if you practice this during spring which is prime growing season rather than wintertime when fiddle leafs are semi-dormant. New growth volition happen faster in spring than if information technology's washed during winter when information technology will have the plant longer to recover from the wound and to make new buds.

Small, branching fiddle leaf fig tree. Source | Lauren Mancke on Unsplash

Notching

Notching is where instead of pruning the top shoot, you instead brand a careful incision to a higher place a node. Notching is an avant-garde technique and the only reason I'd recommend using it over pruning is if you don't want to reduce the height of your fiddle leaf.

Notching likewise works by disrupting the flow of growth regulator hormones (we're talking auxin again here). Once the wound callouses over, the outcome is gone and hormones will flow once more.

How to notch your fiddle leaf fig

  • Start, notching requires some finesse. Y'all run the risk of cut off the limb if the incision is too deep. (But hey, fifty-fifty if you accidentally decapitate your ficus, y'all'll certainly take branching!) Make the incision to shallow, and it might non work.

  • It doesn't produce consequent results like pruning. Consider making a couple more than notches than you want branches, although this could peradventure requite you less than ideal gaps in your dabble leaf branches. (Again, this is a non-consequence with pruning since it works about effectively on the nodes closest to the wound.)

  • Information technology's best washed on a woody stem rather than on greenish growth that is softer and newer.

Hither's how to practice it:

  1. Use a clean, precipitous blade to make an incision in a higher place a node. I used the tip-border of a new X-Acto knife blade. (The kind where y'all can snap off the old blades.) This gave me practiced purchase on the internode. Utilise pruners as most practise if you're more comfortable.

  2. Just Above the node, make an incision i/3 of the way effectually the stem and no more than ane/three deep into the stem. You'll see some latex sap which you should wipe upwardly only in case kids or pets decide to lick information technology since it does look similar milk.

    1. The reason for making the incision higher up rather than below the node is that cutting merely above disrupts growth regulating hormones like auxin. Cut just below a node promotes flowering/fruiting by diverting saccharide flow from the vegetative growth into reproductive growth (flowers & fruit).

  3. Leave it alone to heal and hopefully you'll have buds later on several weeks that turn into branches. Again, same as with pruning, you volition increase your chances of success by doing this during spring or early summer which is prime growing season for your dabble foliage.

  4. Terminal tip - don't strip leaves off the torso until your fiddle leaf has established it's new branches. Those leaves help abound the new lateral buds, then you desire your plant as stiff as possible.

So that's basically it. It's not difficult at all to transform your single-stalk fiddle leafage into a total, tree-like awning. More than annihilation, information technology just takes patience to wait for those branches to appear after yous've done your pruning or notching.

What do you think? Do you prefer your fiddle leafs single-stalked either alone or in groups or as a unmarried-trunked tree?

fiddle-leaf-fig-prune-bush-branch-tree.jpg

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XO,
Tina