Best Fertilizer For Fig Trees of 2024: Top 6 Picks

By Harry RamosLast update: 2024-12-02

Fig trees, like any other plants, do best when fed with plenty of essential life-giving nutrients to flourish through the season. Give them all that they crave with the best fertilizers for fig trees below!

Here are the best fertilizer for fig trees you can buy in 2024:

  • Best For Fiddle-Leaf Fig Trees: Slow-Release Fertilizer by Perfect Plants
  • Best For Strong Stems And Leaves: Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food for Ficus Lyrata
  • Best Slow-release Fertilizer: Earthworm Technologies EarthPods Fig & Ficus Plant Food
  • Best For Green Glossy Leaves: The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food
  • Best For Potted Trees: Jobe's Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes
  • Best Continuous-Release: Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed Continuous-release Plant Food

Best Fertilizer For Indoor Fig Trees

Best For Fiddle-Leaf Fig Trees: Slow-Release Fertilizer by Perfect Plants

Slow-Release Fertilizer by Perfect Plants
Slow-Release Fertilizer by Perfect Plants
Pros
  • Easy to use and apply on all fiddle leaf fig tree sizes
  • Safe and gentle on roots
  • Release essential nutrients over 6 month period
  • Time-saving
  • No hassle with frequent fertilization
Cons
  • Nothing much to complain

Available in a 5-oz resealable bag, this slow-release pellet formula will help with brighter leaf color, glossier leaves, and increased rigidity along with trunk toughness. With the NPK ratio of 16-5-11 - the low amount of phosphorus, it is just the right choice for ornamental fiddle-leaf fig plant fertilization.

Moreover, not only does it has less chance of error like the liquid fig tree fertilizers but it also will release required nutrients consistently over 6 months. Just one dose of this slow-release product is all you need to improve the soil’s nutrition levels.

Slow-Release Fertilizer by Perfect Plants Specifications

When to Apply

During the growing season & re-pot every 1-3 years

How to Use

On the top inch of soil at the root ball

Benefits

Encourage to grow more, glossier leaves, reduce brown spots & dropped leaves, and increase rigidity for trunk

Fertilizer Analysis

16-5-11

Available Sizes


5-oz resealable bag

Highlight Features

Proper and consistent nutrient release & re-sealable

Heavy-duty bag — perfect for storage or later use

Verdict

Slow-Release Fertilizer by Perfect Plants disperse all essential nutrients evenly throughout the soil to feed your fiddle-leaf fig trees.

Best For Strong Stems And Leaves: Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food for Ficus Lyrata

Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food for Ficus Lyrata
Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food for Ficus Lyrata
Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Calcium-fortified & urea-free
  • Lime the soil and make it more alkaline
  • Provide many years of lush, graceful foliage
  • Last from 6 months to a year
Cons
  • Be careful with overfeeding

This product by Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant Food is among the best organic fertilizer specifically formulated for your finicky (ficus lyrata) trees and plants.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food is fortified with calcium for cell wall structure enhancement and the 3-1-2 N-P-K ratio helps with healthy leaf, stem, and root growth. It's safe to use and designed to be gently applied whenever you water, without any risk of burning your plants as long as it is properly diluted.

However, since it is liquid fertilizers, you might overfeed your fig trees – like the way we can overfeed ourselves.

Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food for Ficus Lyrata Specifications

When to Apply

Every 6 months during the spring and summer growth period

How to Use

On the top inch of soil

Benefits

Encourage strong roots, stems, and leaves

Fertilizer Analysis

3-1-2

Available Sizes


8 oz bottle

Highlight Features

All-organic

Free E-book included

Calcium for steady growth

Verdict

Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food for Ficus Lyrata ensures steady healthy growth in indoor houseplant.

Best Slow-release Fertilizer: Earthworm Technologies EarthPods Fig & Ficus Plant Food

Earthworm Technologies EarthPods Fig & Ficus Plant Food
Earthworm Technologies EarthPods Fig & Ficus Plant Food
Pros
  • Fast & easy to apply
  • No mess, no smell, no measuring
  • Eco-friendly
  • Safe and effective for a healthy and happy plant
  • Robust with a variety of organic plant nutrients & a diverse range of beneficial soil microbes
Cons
  • It might take a while to see the results

This product by Earthworm Technologies makes fiddle leaf fig care a way less challenging task.

Its forest-earth-like composition comprises of a diverse population of 100% organic plant nutrients, natural growth hormones, trace minerals, and beneficial soil microbes in a form uninterruptedly available to your fig trees.

EarthPod breaks down and delivers the slow-release directly to the root zone of these trendy houseplants.

Like other fertilizer spikes, it might take a while to see how effectively the EarthPods Fig & Ficus Plant Food works.

Earthworm Technologies EarthPods Fig & Ficus Plant Food Specifications

When to Apply

Every 2-3 weeks

How to Use

Near the stem of your favorite plants

Benefits

Stimulate robust root growth, stem / leaf development & color vibrancy; reduce transplant shock; build resistance to disease / pests / drought

Fertilizer Analysis

N/A

Available Sizes


100 open capsules

Highlight Features

A 5-year supply for a single special fiddle leaf fig plant & bonus patent design

Verdict

Earthworm Technologies EarthPods Plant Food makes your fiddle-leaf fig tree an appealing living sculpture in your well-lit room.

Best Fertilizer For Outdoor Fig Trees

Best For Green Glossy Leaves: The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food

The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food
The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food
Pros
  • Simple to use
  • Clear directions
Cons
  • Pricey

Do your fig trees show their yellow leaves? This can be a sign of nitrogen deficiency. In this case, your plant needs to be provided a high amount of nitrogen.

The NPK ratio of The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food is 16-5-11, so it has the highest content of nitrogen which plays an important role in the growth of leaves and stems.

The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food Specifications

Fertilizer Analysis

16-5-11

Available Sizes

A balanced mix

Verdict

The Grow Co Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree Plant Food has a high content of nitrogen, so it works well for leaf growth.

Best For Potted Trees: Jobe's Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes

Jobe's Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes
Jobe's Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes
Pros
  • OMRI-listed safe for use in organic gardening
  • Easy to use
  • Make for fast, easy and mess-free fertilizing
  • Satisfaction Guaranteed or your money back
Cons
  • Bad smell

With these fertilizer spikes by Jobe’s Organics, your rooted trees will flourish without any other special treatment in the fertilizer world. No mess, fuss-free, with less water required - that what we love about this product.

The greatest advantage of these fertilizer spikes is the Jobe’s Biozome - a mixture of healthy bacteria, Archaea, and Mycorrhizal fungi allowing for long-term benefits seen in a more healthy eco-system.

Like the last product by Jobe's Organics, these Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes also smell bad.

Jobe's Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes Specifications

When to Apply

At the time of potting & feed every 4 to 6 weeks

How to Use

Insert into the soil

Benefits

Create a healthy eco-system; increase root mass; promote plant growth, and help your garden resist drought, disease, and insects

Fertilizer Analysis

3-5-5

Available Sizes


A 6 pack re-sealable pouch

Highlight Features

Efficient delivery system for organics

Verdict

Jobe's Organics Fruit & Citrus Fertilizer Spikes help potted trees keep on soaring and transfer nutrients to the core for maximum growth potential.

Best Continuous-Release: Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed Continuous-release Plant Food

Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed Continuous-release Plant Food
Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed Continuous-release Plant Food
Pros
  • Contain added potassium, magnesium, sulfur and iron
  • Feed up to 3 months
  • Prevent overfeeding or burning when used as directed
  • No mixing required
Cons
  • Not easy to use as advertised

Last on our list of the best fertilizers for fig trees is Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed. This continuously-released plant food available in a 4.5-lb container allows you to feed your fig trees for up to 3 months just by shaking out the recommended amount once.

The 8-2-10 NPK formulation is great for fig tree fertilizers because nitrogen and potassium often get depleted quicker while additional potassium, iron, sulfur, and magnesium help prevent common nutrient deficiencies. You can even buy this product in bulk because this fertilizer is also good for other fruit trees such as lychees, avocados, citrus trees or watermelons.

The one thing that users complain about is the flap on the cap that breaks off easily.

Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed Continuous-release Plant Food Specifications

When to Apply

Apply early in the season and reapply every 3 months during the growing season & reapply every 3 months and water regularly.

How to Use

Sprinkle around the tree

Benefits

Improve common nutrient deficiencies & support root strength and development

Fertilizer Analysis

8-2-10

Available Sizes


4.5lbs

Highlight Features

Efficient delivery system for organics

Verdict

Miracle-Gro 1048291 Shake 'n Feed Continuous-release Plant Food takes the worry out of guessing the right fertilizer amount and remembering when to feed your fig trees.

How To Choose The Best Fertilizer For Fig Trees?

Fertilizer Analysis

  • The very first thing to consider is what to feed your fig trees. You can distinguish plant fertilizer varieties by the fertilizer analysis or the N-P-K ratio, the percentage of nitrogen (chemical symbol N), phosphorus (chemical symbol P), and potassium (chemical symbol K) that these products contain.
  • A general-purpose fertilizer with the NPK ratio of 8-8-8 contains 8% nitrogen, 8% phosphorus, and 8% potassium. The formulation with the 3-1-2 ratio allows sustaining the already existing leaves and developing new ones is the best choice for your fiddle leaf fig plants.

Form And Duration

  • The best choices for ficus trees are liquid and water-soluble fertilizers. Slow-release pellets not only feed the plants with a steady nitrogen stream for their leaves’ health but also evenly disperse all essential nutrients throughout the soil to reach their roots. Ficus plants, though, do not need plant food during their dormancy and too much fertilizer can even be harmful. It’s best to fertilize your fig trees during their growing season. Start in the early spring when new growth appears and stop fertilizing in the late summer/early autumn.
  • Liquid fertilizers need frequent applications which might lead to stress on the roots and inconsistencies in the soil while slow-release pellets minimize hassle for all gardeners while maximizing soil conditions.

Which Brands Make The Best Fertilizer For Fig Trees?

Miracle-Gro

  • Miracle-Gro is one of the three brands manufactured in the U.S. by the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company which began introducing lawn seed in 1868. This American multinational corporation based in Ohio has been providing consumers with garden, lawn, and pest control products for beautiful & healthy gardens.

Earthworm Technologies

  • After Earthworm Technologies was introduced to the world, gardeners don’t have to worry about the lack of options for professional-grade organic plant food fertilizer products anymore. TeaDrops® plant food fertilizer steeping packets and EarthPods® natural plant food capsules are something we could rely on for steady top tier results.

Jobe’s Company

  • With a true passion for home and garden products and spending over the past few years increasing the variety of fertilizers and plant spikes, Jobe’s Company now has up to 200 products available at North America’s home improvement, hardware, garden, and discount stores.

FAQs

How often do you fertilize a fig tree?

One- and two-year-old fig trees should be fed with an ounce of fertilizer per month, from when they begin putting on new leaves and stop before late July. In mid-spring, mid-summer, and late winter, apply one-thirds lb of fertilizer per foot of the bush height of older trees three times per year.

How do you take care of a fig tree?

The best method to take care of your fig trees is to plant them in a location that receives a lot of sunshine and water them whenever the soil around them gets dry. Each time, you should water them with 1 water gallon.

How much water does a fig tree need?

The watering requirements of each fig tree depend mostly on the weather and the soil conditions, but the rule of thumb is that a fig tree should receive at least 1 and no more than 1 1/2 inches of water per week, either from rain or irrigation. The soil around your fig trees should be moist but not soaked. Dig down at least 2 inches to test the moisture level of your soil.

What type of soil do fig trees like?

Though fig trees flourish in loamy soil which includes a wide range of organic matter, you can grow them in other types of soil such as rich loam, light sand, limestone, or heavy clay.

Should you water fig trees?

No fig trees prefer wet feet, so don’t water them too often. Once or twice watering times per week during hot, rainless periods is reasonable.

Conclusion

You don’t necessarily need professional gardening skills to grow your fig trees. But, the best fertilizers for fig trees are a must for the job.


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