Darryl

Environment:
This is definitely the right place for a fiddle leaf fig – it’s a great light situation!

Effort:
If we think of ‘light’ as the “engine” of growth, then all the supporting functions of watering and fertilizing need to be optimal – just like a powerful engine must be paired with optimal fuel, tires, etc.  In your case, you should adjust your WHEN to water from ‘when completely dry’ to ‘when partially dry’.

Practically speaking, this would mean instead of waiting for the soil to be dry all the way down to the bottom of the pot, your cue to water should be when the soil is dry down to just 3 or 4 inches into the soil.  Probing the soil with a chopstick will help you gauge the soil dryness at this depth.  In terms of HOW to water, you’re doing it right: fully soak the soil and let excess drain away.

Going forward, ensure that you’re using fertilizer regularly: you could even dilute to half the recommended strength and use that at every watering.  Personally, I use a slow release fertilizer, which is mixed directly into the soil – so I’m effectively “fertilizing” every time I water.

It’s hard to tell exactly how big your pot is from the photos but, at this plant height and light situation, I think you could repot into a 12″ diameter pot.  With a smaller pot and high light, water usage will be rapid, making it difficult to keep up with watering/fertilizing.  A larger pot is like having a larger gas tank – a buffer in between waterings.  But I would only recommend this because the light is strong enough to ensure good water usage.

Expectations:
The overall plant looks great so I wouldn’t be too concerned about the lower leaves dying off – a few will inevitably die off over the years.  I think with an improved watering strategy and fertilizing regularly (and perhaps a larger pot), you should see some new growth in the coming weeks.

Hope this helps!

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