Fiddle Leaf Figs look great in a variety of situations in a home or office. One of the best ways to show off your Fiddle Leaf Fig is to place it in a basket. There are lots of different styles available, and they tend to be cheaper than other types of planters (especially large ones).
The best way to use a basket with a Fiddle Leaf Fig is to keep the plant in a nursery pot and put that, along with a saucer, inside a basket. This method gives your plant the right conditions to thrive while giving the appearance of being planted in the basket.
Baskets are lightweight, versatile, and there are options to fit in with all sorts of decorating schemes. And while it’s usually best not to plant a Fiddle Leaf Fig directly into a basket, it isn’t impossible. The section below will explain two different ways to display your Fiddle Leaf Fig in a basket.
How to Plant Your Fiddle Leaf Fig in a Basket
In most cases, people prefer to use a basket as a cachepot instead of a planter. If you’re not familiar with the term cache pot, it simply means a decorative outer container that a less-attractive planter is placed inside. Cachepots usually do not have drainage holes, and they can be made of any type of material since they do not come into direct contact with the potting soil.
Most Fiddle Leaf Figs are sold in plastic nursery pots, which are cheap and light but not particularly attractive. However, you can usually continue growing your Fiddle Leaf Fig in its nursery pot for at least a couple of years before it needs to be repotted. A Fiddle Leaf Fig in this kind of container is a prime candidate for being put into a basket.
Your pot should have drainage holes in the bottom, which means you will also need a saucer to collect any excess water that drains out. Without a saucer, that water will likely damage your basket and whatever is underneath it.
Fiddle Leaf Figs need for their soil to be allowed to dry out before being watered again. Depending on the material the basket is made from and how tightly it is woven, putting your Fiddle Leaf Fig into a basket may limit how much air circulation is available around the pot to assist with evaporation. You might find that your potting soil needs more time to dry out if it’s inside a basket, so be sure to check with your finger or a moisture meter to be sure you don’t overwater.
Can You Plant a Fiddle Leaf Fig Directly in a Basket?
In most cases, you should not plant your Fiddle Leaf Fig directly into a basket. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, many baskets are made of organic materials like straw or wicker. These can become waterlogged, damaged, or moldy with prolonged contact with wet soil. There aren’t many natural baskets that are appropriate for wet soil.
Second, baskets are usually woven or porous. They are not meant to be watertight. That means that water will flow out from various parts of the basket every time you water your plants, and it will be very hard to regulate soil moisture.
That said, you do have a couple of options if you are determined to plant your Fiddle Leaf Fig directly in a basket. The first is to purchase a product that mimics the look of a basket but is designed to hold plants, like this set of three resin wicker planters. They will not be damaged by wet soil and have drainage holes built-in.
Another choice would be lining the basket with plastic. Some baskets come with a plastic lining, but you would need to cut a couple of holes in the bottom to allow water to drain out. Or, you could line the basket with a plastic grocery or garbage bag, again allowing drainage holes in the bottom, and plant your Fiddle Leaf Fig in the plastic liner. Fiddle Leaf Figs are sensitive to overwatering, so drainage is imperative in the container.
Each of these options will still need to have a saucer to catch the water that drains out, and if you line a basket with plastic, the bottom of the basket will likely degrade over time as it is subjected to moisture. For those reasons, the cache pot method is recommended for most situations.
Choosing the Right Basket for a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Baskets are most typically woven from some type of natural material such as seagrass, wicker, or jute. But baskets can be made from many other things, such as wire, fabric, or plastic, and they do not have to be woven. Although most baskets are designed to hold or transport items, they also make great options to hold a Fiddle Leaf Fig.
When choosing a basket for your Fiddle Leaf Fig, there are two primary considerations. It needs to be functional for you and your plant, and it should look great. Luckily, there are many excellent options at all price points, so you can find the perfect basket to make into your Fiddle Leaf Fig’s home.
Size
It’s frustrating to come home with a new basket and find that it is too big or too small for what you need, so be sure to measure your pot and allow enough space for it to fit comfortably inside the basket (both height and diameter). At the same time, I try to avoid getting a basket that’s much bigger than the pot inside because I don’t like seeing so much empty space between the two pots.
It’s best to get a basket with a diameter about 4-5 inches bigger than the widest part of the planter or saucer. This much space allows you to insert and remove the interior pot and saucer easily but still hides them from view.
Material
As mentioned before, baskets can be made from a wide range of materials. For most people, all basket materials will function the same, and they’ll just want to choose based on appearance. However, some materials may be better than others for your particular situation – for example, a more durable material like sisal for a basket that’s kept outside or an eco-friendly choice if you’re focused on a sustainable lifestyle.
Shape
Most baskets are cylindrical, so they usually work well with regular plastic nursery pots. However, there are plenty of baskets around that are more unique shapes. The shape you choose should work with your room and the interior pot. Square and “belly” baskets are easy to come by, but also keep an eye out for unusual shapes if those suit your taste.
Appearance
Finally, you can find baskets in a huge range of colors, patterns, and styles. No matter what type of look you’re going for, there is very likely to be a basket that can house your Fiddle Leaf Fig in style.
Our Other Recommendations
There are some great options already linked in this article, but I couldn’t resist sharing a few of my other top choices as a home for a Fiddle Leaf Fig. Any of these would make a gorgeous addition to a home and show off your plant in style.
- This seagrass planter set comes with liners, so you don’t have to worry about a saucer if you don’t have one already. Bonus: it’s an affordable set of three!
- These sisal woven planter baskets come in a variety of beautiful earth tones and patterns.
- The garland and pom-pom on this seagrass basket set it apart from the typical planter. It would be a great focal point in a room!
- These geometric patterned sisal baskets would complement a modern or monochrome-styled room perfectly!
Whether you purchase a basket online or find a beautiful specimen in a local shop, you can’t go wrong. Fiddle Leaf Figs look especially stunning when their nursery pots are nestled inside a beautiful basket!