Fiddle Me This:
How am I keeping my fiddle leaf fig alive?

I've kept my fiddle leaf fig alive for over a year! I possess the inkiest of black thumbs, so this is a major victory for me. I'll share my secrets, but first I have to make a confession...

My fiddle did lose a limb while under my care. When Dan purchased the plant for me two Mother's Days ago, it actually had three "trunks." Two of the trunks survived and are sprouting lots of new wide green leaves, but the leaves on the third trunk dried up, browned, and fell away. There has been no sign of life on that third trunk for a while now, and my fiddle looks a bit lop-sided as a result.

BUT! It's alive. (It's alive!) And, actually, it seems to be thriving right now.

The secret is in a self-watering planter and adding a bit of Miracle Grow every time I water it in the spring, summer, and winter. Without the help of a self-watering planter, I either drown my plants or forget about them and let them become extremely dehydrated. There's really no in-between. The self-watering planter makes it easy for me to see if my fiddle is thirsty. I just stick my fingers in the hole at the bottom of the planter and if I feel any moisture, I let my plant be for another day or two. If it's dry, I add a teaspoon of miracle grow to my watering can (spring through fall) and give it a good drink. I occasionally water the top of the soil a bit, but I usually just pour the water into the hole at the base of the planter.

Fiddles should be planted using an all-purpose potting mix. They thrive in the bright indirect light of an east or west window. (Mine is nestled in the corner between a north-facing and an east-facing window.) Try to keep it at a temperature between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and away from chilly drafts. (Mine is actually located right next to an air-conditioning vent, but it's doing well anyway!)

By the way, when I asked for a fiddle leaf fig for Mother's Day, I actually had something like this beauty from World Market in mind. I am wondering if I might have a different species than the one that is being replicated in the 6-foot faux tree. As I mentioned earlier, my fiddle had three "trunks" and looks decidedly more plant-like than tree-like. I love my real fiddle, but the World Market one seems to be calling my name too.

So tell me, are you a "Real Plant" or "Faux Plant" kind of girl? Do you have a green thumb? Please tell me your ways!

P.S. As long as we're talking victories and confessions, I have something else to share with you! Two Christmases ago, Dan bought me a laptop, so that I could take it to a coffee shop and write for GC&M. (Goodness, he gives good gifts!) Well, I could not figure out how to log into WordPress (the program I use for my blog) from my laptop for. the. life. of. me. (There were actual tears.) So there my laptop sat, hardly used, for about a year and a half, except when my 10-year-old needed to borrow it for his online Latin class. Last week, an idea popped into my head of a logical way to try logging into WordPress from my laptop and, after only a few minutes of mild frustration, I finally got it to work! Hurrah! I'm hoping this will result in more frequent and more thoughtful posts (that is, posts that are written without the constant interruption of sweet little boys). Will you clink your coffee mug with me in celebration?

XOXO,
Kristin