To understand our relationship with the outdoors, you must first understand our origins. We, Ficus lyrata, are native to the lowland tropical rainforests of Western Africa. In our natural habitat, we grow as large, broad-leaved evergreen trees, but we begin our lives in the dappled shade of the forest canopy. This is a critical point. We are not adapted to the harsh, direct, and sustained sunlight of an open field or a south-facing patio. Our large, delicate leaves are designed to capture filtered light. Our roots thrive in warm, consistently moist but well-aerated soil, and our entire system is calibrated for the high humidity and stable, warm temperatures of the tropics. When you place us outdoors, you are not simply moving a pot; you are relocating a complex organism with specific evolutionary adaptations.
When done correctly, a summer spent outdoors can be a period of exceptional growth and vitality for us. The key is to replicate our natural conditions as closely as possible. The increased air circulation outdoors can help deter pests like spider mites that thrive in stagnant indoor air. The gentle morning sun provides a quality of light that is often superior to even the best indoor grow lights, encouraging stronger, larger leaf development. Rainfall is naturally soft and free of the minerals often found in tap water, which can cause unsightly leaf tip burn. Furthermore, the slight day-to-night temperature fluctuation can stimulate more robust growth than the constant temperature of a climate-controlled home. For a Fiddle Leaf Fig that has been struggling indoors, a carefully managed outdoor summer can be a rejuvenating experience.
However, the outdoor environment is fraught with perils that our indoor existence shields us from. The greatest threat is sunscald. Our leaves, accustomed to indirect light, have not developed protective coatings to withstand the intensity of direct afternoon sun. Exposure will cause large, pale, scorched patches on our leaves, damaging our photosynthetic machinery and creating permanent scars. Secondly, wind is a formidable enemy. Our large leaves act like sails, and a strong gust can topple our pots, snap our stems, or shred our delicate foliage. Thirdly, temperature fluctuations can be extreme. While we enjoy warmth, a sudden cold snap, even in summer, can cause severe shock and leaf drop. Finally, we become vulnerable to a wider range of pests, such as aphids and scale insects, and fungal issues if our leaves remain wet for prolonged periods, especially overnight.
If you decide to move us outside, it must be a gradual process of acclimation, often called "hardening off." This cannot be rushed. Begin in late spring or early summer when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 15°C (60°F). For the first week, place us in a location of deep shade for just a few hours during the day, then bring us back inside. Gradually increase the duration of our outdoor time over the next week. In the second week, you can move us to a spot with very gentle morning sun for a short period, but we must be shielded from any direct sun from 10 a.m. onwards. Our permanent summer spot should be one of complete protection: a north-facing patio, a spot under a dense tree that provides bright but filtered light all day, or a location shielded by a shade cloth. You must monitor us daily for signs of stress, such as drooping or discolored leaves, and be prepared to water more frequently as outdoor conditions dry the soil faster.
