How to Care for Big Leaf Plants

Do you have big leaf plants at home? Do you get frustrated by seeing dead leaves or don’t know how to properly take care of big leaf plants? Follow this guide that will help you to take proper care for big leaf plants.

There is no such thing as too many big leaf plants, as big leaf plants make a huge impact in your home or any place they are kept at. There are different types of big leaf plants like Monstera Deliciosa, Fiddle Leaf Fig, Tree Philodendron, and Bird of paradise with stunningly huge exotic leaves, popular in the gardening world.

Whether they are outdoor plants grown in the garden yard or indoor plants grown in the pot, their big leaves bring warmth to your home. In addition, they also complement your home decor and purify the air quality. 

Not only do big leaf plants with large colorful leaves, oversized foliage, and hanging limbs can tie a room together. But they also provide any space with a tropical jungle-like vibe.

Bigleaf plants can grow well in sunny and shady areas under indirect sunlight. Research has shown that plants can improve your health by boosting your mood by just having them around. Proper watering and lighting are the two most important components for a healthy plant for any houseplant. 

However, how much we try to keep plants healthy, we somehow miss a thing or two that leave our plants in dying condition or they start to look unhealthy. If this is the same case with you, we have come up with the best advice to take care of big leaf plants. 

So, in this article, we’ve highlighted some plant care tips for your big leaf plants. You can follow these instructions to ensure the good growth of your big leaf plants.

Btw, have you checked our post featuring 19 Best Indoor Big Leaf Plants to Make your Home Lively?

How to Take Care of Big Leaf Plants

There are a few ways to care for big leaf plants. So let’s get into the specifics of how to take big leaf plants care.

Firstly you should never let your plants dry out because this can lead to the yellowing of leaves. Secondly, temperature and humidity play an important role. So the trick is to give some extra love by misting regularly and placing it close to other planty friends. 

Also Read: How to Start Bonsai Gardening at Home

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #1: Water

Every plant has different watering requirements so as in the case of big leaf plants as well. Here are a few tips that will help you with the watering requirements of big leaf plants. Have a look! 

  1. Bigleaf plants need moderate levels of water to keep the soil moist.
  2. Water the soil once it’s dry, as in some cases less or overwatering can lead to inadequate growth or even death of the plant.
  3. There are many ways to determine when a plant needs water. You can stick your finger into the soil to determine how often it needs water.
  4. Often big leaf plants like Fiddle leaf fig tree, Rubber tree, Monstera Deliciosa need water once a week. So, do not overwater these plants.
  5. If the leaves of the big leaf plants are discolored, or they have wilted. Then they need extra water than their routine.
  6. Make sure to water thoroughly from the top until water comes out of the bottom of the pot.

These are some of the watering tips for big leaf plants. Let’s move to how much light does big leaf plants require. 

Also Read: How to Propagate Prayer Plant

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #2: Sunlight 

Always in the dilemma that you much sunlight is needed for big leaf plants. Keep on reading and get out of your dilemma.

  1. As with watering, every big leaf plant needs different light requirements. Few big leaf plants like Bird of paradise, Elephant ear plants need bright direct to bright indirect sunlight.
  2. Plants like Fiddle leaf fig Monstera Deliciosa need bright to medium indirect sunlight.
  3. As seasons change, it’s best to provide big leaf plants with the appropriate light. It is better to place them close to south-facing windows. But some plants need nutrients and grow well from direct light, like Rubber tree plants and Banana tree plants.

The right amount of light, temperature, and humidity will keep big leaf plants happy. Plants adapt to themselves with time so it is better to avoid moving plants around. 

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #3: Humidity 

Big leat plants are mostly tropical plants and they need a good amount of humidity. Check the below tips on humidity requirements for big leaf plants. 

big leaf plant
  1. A good dose of humidity is one of the important components for big leaf plants.
  2. Big Leaf Plants grow best in rich loamy, well-drained soil.
  3. You can also use a spray bottle with distilled water to mist over the plants for extra moisture.
  4. To increase the humidity near the big leaf plants, you can find a cheaper alternative to the humidifier. Like filling a tray with pebbles and putting the water up and below the tops of the stones will cause evaporation. It will lead to humidity in the room.
  5. Moreover, occasionally misting plants’ leaves and grouping plants closely together will increase humidity.

These are some of the most important humidity requirements for big leaf plants. Take care of those and your big leaf plants will be happy. 

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #4: Fertiliser

To give fertilizer or not to give is always a question that confuses every gardener.  Most houseplants thrive well with balanced Fertilizer. It goes for big leaf plants, too, as plants derive all the nutrients from fertilizers and potting soils to survive. 

This section will help you to know more about fertilizer requirements for big leaf plants in particular.  

  1. Feed them occasionally for recommended strength during spring and summer if big leaf plants are actively growing.
  2. Don’t feed your plant if it’s not necessary.
  3. It’s best to use free-draining soil with an extra bit of fertilizer during the growing season. 
  4. Don’t fertilize big leaf plants during winter since it is their resting period.
  5. Maintain the temperature of big leaf plants during winter if the temperature drops below 50°F. The leaves tend to turn curly and black, thus damaging the plant’s roots.

We are sure now you know the fertilizer requirements for big leaf plants. Let’s move to the next section. 

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #5: Prune Your Big Leaf Plants

Pruning your big leaf plants is very essential for keeping them in check and for the new healthy growth. Keep these points in mind if you are looking to prune your big leaf plants. 

  1. Big Leaf Plants require pruning to get rid of old growth. At the same time, Monstera Deliciosa and Bird of paradise don’t require much pruning at all. 
  2. You need to cut off dead leaves or damaged stems as they attract bugs. 
  3. Pruning big leaf plants regularly will keep the plants healthy and prevent replantation.

Well, that’s all for the pruning of big leaf plants. Not only for big leaf plants, pruning is essential for any kind of plant if you want them to grow healthy and bushy. 

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #6: Toxicity 

How about saving your big leaf plants for pests and diseases? Follow the below tips to prevent pests in big leaf plants.

  1. Big Leaf Plants are prone to diseases either caused by bacteria or fungus. As most of the big leaf plants are houseplants, they are more likely to get affected by leaf spots.
  2. If you happen to witness any leaf pieces in the soil, avoid watering the leaves and cut off the infected leaves.
  3. Few of the big leaf plants like Bird of paradise, Philodendron gloriosum, African Mask plants have toxicity level, which means it irritates if ingested.
  4. They are toxic to humans and pets and can cause stomach upset and skin irritation around the mouth if ingested.

Make sure that you should keep big leaf plants from the reach of pets as it can cause skin irritation to them. Another great indoor plant could be a money plant that you can grow easily even if you are a beginner.

Big Leaf Plant Care Tip #7: Repotting

When do you repot big leaf plants? That’s the question everyone asks when the plants tend to grow out of the pots. Do not worry, find the tips below to repot big leaf plants. 

  1. Sometimes you need a bigger pot to repot your plants if they have outgrown the pot every 2 years according to the type of the big leaf plants.
  2. Choose a pot that is bigger than the current one but not huge. Because a huge container is prone to encourage root and stem rot problems. So take care of the root system when repotting to avoid damage.
  3. Pulling a plant out will ruin the stem and tear roots if your plant is wet and damaged. Make sure you do not overwater them before repotting. Also, ensure that you water them thoroughly after repotting big leaf plants.
  4. Use a high-quality potting mix to fill your pot and ensure holes in pot for drainage.

That is how you repot big leaf plants with ease. If you follow all the tips, we are sure you can do it without damaging your plants. 

What are the Types of Big Leaf Plants?

Here are different types of big leaf plants that can turn your house into an oasis of greenery in its trailing piece of lushness. 

  • Fiddle leaf fig
  • Bird of paradise 
  • Monstera Deliciosa 
  • Banana tree plant 
  • Elephant ear plant 
  • Olive tree
  • Rubber plant 
  • Kim plant 
  • Philodendron Xanadu
  • African Mask Plant 
  • Philodendron Gloriosum

These big leaf plants require either bright or indirect sunlight with a bit of nurturing in changing positions. To avoid root and soil rot should be well-drained. It’s better to underwater your plants than overwater them. 

Want to grow curry leaf plants? Check out our guide on how to grow curry leaf plants with ease.

Grow Big Leaf Plants!

These are all the tips that will help you to take care of big leaf plants. Big Leaf Plants thrive well once they are used to their surroundings. So finding the right spot with light and temperature is important. Moreover, few big leaf plants like banana plants and Rubber plants grow well in direct sunlight.

These big leaf plant caring tips will help keep your plants healthy and thrive in good conditions.

With most homes having dry air, especially during winter, you could purchase a humidifier for your grouping plants. Plus, keep an eye out for yellow or limp leaves. Finally, make sure your pot has drainage holes so the water gets into the soil and doesn’t suffocate the roots. 

If you follow all these tips will surely help to take care of big leaf plants. If you know any tips that can help grow big leaf plants healthy, do let us know in the comments section below. 

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