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Deuce Cities Henhouse

Not Killing a Fiddle Leaf Fig

Paint Colors, Ahh.
Rollover the above image for the BEFORE
Hey. So, I discovered something on the internet that has really gotten to me. This may be an indication that I’m getting super old and becoming naive to new things on the internet, but I just visited getoffmyinternets.com (GOMI) for the first time. I came across the ‘Decorating Bloggers’ section and I realized that some people really expect a lot out of the old internets, and get pissed at it and the writers of it without much hesitation or regard. Thankfully, no one was yelling at me – yet, but I saw a lot of good bloggers being ripped apart. Needless to say I felt very uneasy after perusing a few threads. I’m super sensitive to peoples opinion of me, especially because I always try to do the absolute best that I can do, and I have a bad habit of letting other peoples judgements get to me. I feel for fellow bloggers who get run through the wringer on sites like GOMI.

Anyway, I was planning on writing a post about my very inexpensive Ikea Fiddle Leaf Fig and how it’s flourishing nearly two years after bringing it home (mouse over the above image to see it in its infancy). BUT, after checking out that highly-aggro site, all I could hear was the internet trolls yelling at me about my dumb hipster tree and how I suck because doing anything that’s trendy is the worst, and obviously I am a horrible person because of it. Then I blasted T.Swifts ‘Shake it off‘ on repeat, and decided the haters were just going to have to hate. I’ve always loved having plants in my home, I love my Fiddle Leaf Figs. Yes, the first time I new it existed was after seeing it on the internet, but WHATEVER, I will continue to care for them and enjoy having them in my home.

I don’t have the worlds greenest thumb – I have to replace my Maiden Hair ferns about once every six months because they are sensitive bros, and they like to commit suicide if I miss a watering by a day or two. It kind of just goes with the territory, you have to be prepared to kill a plant every once in awhile. I’ve had really good luck with both my Fiddle Leafs but it took a lot of trial and error before I got the perfect care formula figured out. I wanted to share some of my tricks with you guys, and hopefully you won’t hate me for it, right?

4 Steps to Not Kill a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Location
I almost killed both of my FLFs within the first weeks of coming to my home. They are sensitive teens who are angst-y and emotional. Both my figs turned brown and dropped half their leaves immediately. I panicked, read the internet and realized they probably needed more sunlight and less water. I live in Minnesota and sunlight is hard to come by, especially in the winter months. I have both my Figs spending the winter in the sunniest room in my house, the east facing sunroom off of our master bedroom. This room only gets a few hours of direct sunlight in the morning and then indirect light for the rest of the day. Once I moved them to this space they really began to flourish. They stopped dropping leaves immediately. FLFs make new growth beginning in spring and continuing to early fall. Don’t worry if your tree isn’t growing after you bring it home in the middle of the winter, it’s not ready to yet. Just let it chill for the winter and be amazed at the frequency of new growth in the warmer months. Keep your trees away from dry radiators or drafty areas in the winter, and likewise air conditioners in the summer.
4 Steps to Not Kill a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Wipe Down Leaves
My tree always seems much more vibrant and happier after I give their leaves a good dusting. FLF leaves are huge, as you probably have noticed and because of their larger surface area, can collect a lot of dust. That dust is bad for the tree and can block a good amount of valuable light from getting to the plant. This plant needs light to live and be happy! Plus who wants a dusty old plant taking up space in their home? I wipe down the leaves about once every two months, or sooner if it needs it.
4 Steps to Not Kill a Fiddle Leaf Fig
Watering
Fiddle Leaf Figs like a chance to get a bit dry on the surface of their pots before needing to be watered. I’ve discovered that my trees like to be watered with a quart of water every Monday morning. A good rule of thumb is waiting to see their newest growth (on top) get a little wilted, then water. I like having a schedule though, because I am super anal. As you may have noticed I have never officially potted these guys, if it ain’t broke, ya know? In the summer time when the plants are growing I fertilize with a water soluble fertilizer – you should be able to easily find this at your local garden center.

So do you hate me because I have a plant in my home that other people also have? No? Good. So do you have one too? Have any tips or tricks you care to share? Maybe yours is from the land of blue and yellow like mine, how’s it doing?

58 comments
in gardening
58 comments… add one
  • Lexy January 28, 2015

    I only recently discovered GOMI myself. It is brutal.
    “my dumb hipster tree” LOL. FL Figs really fill a niche in the house plant world. Until their advent, it’s been hard, if not impossible, to find houseplants that grow tall and don’t look like an office plant.

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      It’s true. I never had any desire to have a tree before this. They are so beautiful in the light, it’s hard to resist.

  • Melanie January 28, 2015

    Hater’s gonna hate indeed! I freaking love these plants and don’t care if they’re deemed ‘trendy’ or ‘overdone’ those people don’t have to sit on my couch and admire it’s beauty and dreamy leaves and the miracle of keeping it alive! I bought mine last winter and I too am a Minnesotan (oh heeeey!) and found all these tips as well. I have mine in front of a big picture window in the living room – I tried moving it 3 measly feet and it freaked out. I swear I heard it crying and cursing so back it went and it’s happy as a clam. I also found the once a week watering (confession – we usually just do a glass of water that we find laying around the living room on Sundays) but I haven’t dusted yet – brilliant!

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      I agree with you 100%! We need all the green we can get to survive the winter. We have so many house plants this year and I honestly think it’s having a huge impact on my outlook. Granted it’s not as cold as last year – I still give all the house plants a lot of credit fending off the winter blues.

      They are so particular, that’s funny that three feet made it freak out on you. Tell it to chill.

  • Stacey January 28, 2015

    Felicia Day wrote an excellent post a few years ago about content creators and internet hate. For the life of me I can’t find it, but maybe your google-fu is stronger than mine.

    Your figs look amazing! November 2013 I spent way too much money on a beautiful fig from Home Depot. It was dead within a month, and crushed my green confidence. The internet taught me that MOST figs from Home Depot die within 45 days, so maybe it wasn’t my fault. I went to a local nursery last January and bought 2 (for a fraction of the cost of the HD one) smaller ones and they’re quite green and happy today. When we moved in August they were out in direct sunlight for 4-5 hours and some of the leaves got sunburned, which sucked. Most of those leaves died, but many still have ugly spots on them. When the shock wore off, they started growing new leaves, so it’s all good.
    My Texas self is used to planning the garden in late January and planting by mid-February. This northern weather is all a bunch of hippie crap, IMO.

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Just the other day I listened to the most recent This American Life which also speaks to the subject of internet bullying. Then it just so happened that I ran into the GOMI site the day after. I had no idea – I thought people just mean to each other passive aggressively on twitter.

      I didn’t know that HD had large Fiddle Leaf’s for sale. That’s too bad that happened to you. You have to imagine that big box places like that (including my beloved Ikea) have truckfuls of plants come in and they probably aren’t given the care in transportation that is required. Glad to hear you are having luck with your new trees, I’m sure you’re doing everything right if they are surviving now. I thought about putting mine out in the sun this summer but worried about them getting burned or over watered. I left them in the sunroom, but I think this summer I might bring them down to the front porch or living room.

      I wish I could tell you that our weather was different here but it’s not. I’m just about to order some seeds online so I can start indoor seedlings for my garden, maybe that would help satiate your gardening itch.

  • Teresa January 28, 2015

    I skim GOMI every so often. It sort of reminds me of Mean Girls and the people (I guess sometimes me) commenting on the site are the outcasts whereas the bloggers are seen as the Mean Girls. That said I live in an uber hipster city, Portland OR, and no one I know personally has a fiddle leaf fig plant. So there’s that. It might have to do with our 1 week total all year of sunshine though. I’ve been considering buying one for my well lit apartment but I already killed my Mother In Law’s tongue this winter. It’s both cold and dark here all winter long :(

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Hey Teresa, Well I hope people see me as inclusive and not one of those mean girls. I try to be.

      As I was writing this post I was thinking about how there is never any Fiddle Leaf Figs in all those pretty Scandinavian interiors either. I think you could be fairly successful if you have a big window, sounds like you might have it. Even if it’s cloudy there is still indirect sunlight being filtered through the atmosphere. On a side note – I have never heard of anyone killing a mother in law tongue – OH NO! Did you give it tons of water? I feel like those ones like to be abused.

      • Teresa January 29, 2015

        I am cool with you because you’re one of the few online bloggers with a record collection ;)

        I always forget to water my mother in law’s, sincerely. It began to droop starting this winter, it was perky all summer in the same spot, and I think it was lack of sunlight. Portland has been under a dense fog cover during our mornings which is when I get the best light at home. I can only blame our weather since the plants all thrived during summer. I’m waiting until spring to get a fig and it’ll sit as close to my bank of windows as possible while I pray Nov-July.

  • Melissa January 28, 2015

    I found GOMI about a year ago. They are just nasty people! There were just so many unnecessary, judging comments. Its sad really. I love your blog, and I love what you write about. And I love my stupid trendy FLF and I dont even care what anyone says!

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Okay, I’m glad I’m not alone. For a second I thought everyone might be in on GOMI and posting there all the time. It really is overwhelming to see pages and pages (sometimes 100’s) of comments directed at one blog or blogger. I’m glad you like visiting here!

      • JulA February 2, 2015

        My favorite part about GOMI is that they are clearly the Internet hate machine, but when they get called out on it, they circle the wagons like, “It’s free speech! You can’t tell us not to snark on stuff! It’s just the internet, calm down!” Yeah, okay: I’m not telling you to stop; I’m just saying that you’re all harpies.

  • Helen January 28, 2015

    Aw, you and your house plants are totally SOMIs!

  • Anya January 28, 2015

    Pssht! Girl Please! I forget who said it but “Hell is other peoples expectations.” Screw the haters, I love your blog and am envious of your Fiddle leaf fig. I bought mine 3 years ago from a Nursery and went for a 5′ $ingle $tem that was amazingly beautiful and looked that way for about 3 weeks. Then my Dad thought she needed sun and put her on a south facing concrete driveway in the searing heat for a week while I was out of town. Its taken her 2 years to recover and this year while I set her outside in the covered north- east facing side porch she produced her first new growth, then lost about half of it once I brought her in for the fall/winter. Franny the Fig and I have declared a truce, she will produce new growth in the spring/summer while outside and will drop 90% of her leaves in the fall when I take her back in and let me decorate her for Christmas to keep her festive looking.
    Keep up the good work, pay no attention to the haters. If owning a Fiddle Leaf Fig, enthusiastically reading blogs like yours, and occasionally indulging a trend makes me a “wanna be hipster-fan girl”, so be it.
    Anya

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Hey don’t fear. I meant to mention it but every fall after the growing season my fig drops a few brown leaves from the bottom of it. I think it’s just kind of what they do. It sounds like you have the hang of her though. Good luck with it!

  • Elise January 28, 2015

    If it makes you feel better, the whole reason I discovered your blog was from someone listing you as a SOMI (stay on my internets). So, there’s that. But in general, yes, it’s one of those places that brings out the nasty in people, so I stay away these days.

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Elsie and all the rest of you commenters. I had no idea that SOMI was a thing, I suspect via GOMI.com. Well I’m glad we ran into each other on the internet. I get that there can be some productive convos there, and since today I looked at a few more threads. There is some positivity, but I still don’t think it would be good for me to read, I am too fragile ;)

      • A.J. February 2, 2015

        I think I also found you because someone on GOMI listed you as SOMI. I think GOMI is hilarious when they call out certain obnoxious bloggers, so maybe that makes me a bad person but meh.

        btw, hi from North Dakota, where I do not have ample light in any of the areas of my house where I’d put a cute FLF. :/

  • Jenn January 28, 2015

    I am a regular blog reader and I also visit GOMI. In fact I first found out about you there (as a SOMI). For me it’s no different from the entertainment websites I read or book review sites or Amazon reviews. Some people generate content and others discuss / comment on it. GOMI does skew more negative because blog comments overwhelmingly skew positive but otherwise it’s really no different to other discussion forums on the internet.
    Hey but I am not only a GOMI reader, I am also a Fiddle Leaf Fig owner! The two are not mutually exclusive. :) My Ikea fig has grown incredibly over the last year, thanks to indirect sun from a south facing window and weekly watering. I think the light is the key but not over watering is also super important.

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Hey Jenn, I’m responding similarly to all of you GOMIers. Thanks for the insight, at first glance I was taken aback by some of the major dissing going on.

      I know that the FLF and GOMI are not mutually exclusive, I could just hear it all in my head. I did see a thread that was dedicated to the hatred of the fig ;) It all freaked me out.

  • Alice January 28, 2015

    I actually found you through GOMI – on the Stay on My Internets side I think. I have to admit I love GOMI, most of the commenters there are whip smart, and there are some hamcats in the design forums that really know their stuff. I think GOMI fills an important niche – letting people discuss and compare blogs outside those blog’s comments sections, which can often feel troll-ish. GOMI actually started when some fashion bloggers were heavily moderating comments and people wanted a richer conversation than “OMG Gorgeous! [link to my blog]”

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Alice! This is crazy, I had no idea there was a SOMI. Well that’s nice for me, I guess, right? I totally getting hating on things for fun, it’s one of my favorite joke go-tos (next to the pun) – I just don’t do it publicly. It sounds like from what you guys are saying there is a lot of just for fun smart witty stuff happening on GOMI too. I do have to say, I did feel like some stuff was particularly personal and dissful, that’s all. And I am a baby and I am glad no one talks about me like that as far as I know. It would probably crush my soul.

      I feel like such an old fart not knowing all this stuff. I just go to the places on the internet that are safe for me, man ;) Thanks for taking the time to explain it to me.

  • Holly January 28, 2015

    I also found your blog through GOMI (again from the Stay on My Internets side of things). I think that some corners of GOMI are filled with weird vitriol, but for someone who doesn’t have a blog/blog network and is always looking for new awesome content, it can be super helpful because for every complaint about someone’s blog there is someone else suggesting an alternative option.

    Your blog is wonderful and I am so glad to have found it!

    • holly January 28, 2015

      ETA..Also, I am always SHOCKED at how helpful wiping the leaves down is! The minute I started doing that to my big-leafed plants was the minute they started flourishing! House plants are the best, no matter what kind of plant it is!

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      I seriously had no idea! Well I appreciate that you guys all found me at GOMI (a bunch of you left similar comments so I’m replying to them all as a unit and separately). There was some majorly dissful stuff, and I hate it when people feel like they are owed a certain amount of content from a blog – especially when it’s people like me who are just doing it because it’s what they love to do. Even when I have sponsored posts (which has been rare) it’s 95% based on what I want to blog about, the sponsor just gets rolled in there. Thanks for the nice compliment, I’m glad you found it too. I like chatting with all you guys!

  • AshLey January 28, 2015

    Though I’ve read about these plants on blogs before, it was always bloggers in different states writing about them. As a fellow Minneapolite I’m glad to hear we can have these plants in our homes and have them thrive! I see an IKEA trip in my near future…

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Do it Ashley! They aren’t always at Ikea, just once in awhile, but they are dirt cheap. Don’t bring them home on the coldest day, they are such babies they will for sure die. Luckily for us it seems like there are a lot of warm days in our future. I got my other one at Bachmans during an indoor plant sale – watch out for those they happen in the summer when no one is buying that stuff. I got it a little larger than the Ikea one for 40% off (19 bucks). Good luck!

  • Amy January 28, 2015

    yikes, GOMI. i have never been to the site but it just seems so nasty!

    anyways, your fig looks lovely! i am a fellow minnesotan (holla!) and also bought my fig from ikea. i believe i got it in november, and it was SO exciting to see some new growth right away! i have it facing east in front of a big glass door. i totally second-guessed myself when buying it, feeling like an idiot because i had seen the plants and loved them in others’ homes. but the reality is that the plant is so beautiful, and it seems like a bit of the tropics, which we need here in the frozen north. it makes me happy to see that bit of green LIFE in the corner of the room. i am still figuring out a watering schedule. thanks for the tips. you have a great blog and fantastic style! your bedroom is a particular favorite of mine.

    • Scoops January 28, 2015

      Amy! Sounds like you’ve got a good method going on – keep up and don’t expect to see any more growth till March or April, then you’ll be getting new leaves all the time. Try out the watering schedule I use and see if it works for your plant, I bet it will since our conditions are so similar. Good luck!

  • nicky at not my mother January 28, 2015

    Dont get too mad at GOMI. I found you through there (as an example of someone doing it right). And it can be good to find somewhere to air your WTF? Comments when so many bloggers delete anything remotely disagreeing with them. Also GOMI has policies about not trolling bloggers directly. And its pretty damn funny sometimes too :-)

    PS I want a hipster fig and tips like these are useful!

    • Scoops January 29, 2015

      Hey Nicky! I won’t be mad at it, you guys have really made it clear that their is some good critique going on there, so I will take it as that. I think I must have just clicked a few snarky sounding links.

      I like jokes :)

  • Morgan January 28, 2015

    Ah! Thanks so much for the advice! I’m currently caring for my first baby FlF and kept it by the window for weeks and moved and I admittedly forgot about it for about a week and it started to die. By the window it lives now!

    • Scoops January 29, 2015

      Morgan! Sounds like you are learning the ways of the finicky fig. They tell you when they’re not happy. Good luck, glad you to hear you’re speaking it’s language!

  • Jody January 29, 2015

    Hello, brand new reader here – I think I found you via Pinterest while trying to decide if that Rifle Paper copper peonies wallpaper is right for me (and it so is, you cemented that decision)… I just wanted to say that I love the content of your blog, your writing style and decorating style are on point. I’m really looking forward to skimming through the archives to see more. I had never heard of this GOMI site, sounds like something new they are injecting into produce. I checked it out and it’s just plain sad. People getting so snarky about design? Come on. So keep on keepin’ on because I really like what I see and whether or not you end up on GOMI should not deter you from creating such wonderful content.

    • Scoops January 29, 2015

      So glad you decided to go with the paper. Where are you putting it? I still get happy about it every time I walk into my bedroom – so if you haven’t put it up yet, I’m sure you’re going to love it.

      Thanks for you comment! I’m glad you found me!

      • Jody January 30, 2015

        It will be going up in our half bath. I would love it for our bedroom but I’m not sure my husband would ;)

  • Laura January 29, 2015

    Don’t let the trolls get you down! Your blog is interesting and inspiring, and we should all put our energies into supporting positive, creative web content, rather than indulging sadsack internet haters. Keep doing what you’re doing, and rest in the knowledge that you have already impressed so many of us out here in the blogosphere.

    • Scoops January 29, 2015

      I’m all about the positivity! Thanks so much – I wasn’t fishing for compliments, but you guys have all been sweet in your comments. I’m glad you like to visit here – to me blogging is something that I can’t live without. I’ve been at it for so long now on a regular basis, it’s just a habit. Nobody read this blog when I started, and a few people are reading it now – that is really crazy to me, and I’m really thankful for it. It’s funner to write when people actually read it, and write back!

  • Julia January 29, 2015

    Thanks for the fiddle leaf tips for Mpls winters! I’m taking care of a fiddle leaf for a friend who’s overseas for a while and it got caught in a draft that I didn’t realize was there. That’s been rectified, but I’m glad to hear I’ve got some time for it to recover before she returns! Luckily it’s in a room with south/west exposure, which seems even more promising based on what you wrote. Also, I love plants and there’s no way I’d let trends dictate whether or not I have a certain plant!

    That said, I think you’re being too hard on GOMI. I read (and sometimes comment) there. I find it to be though-provoking, intelligent, and full of critical-thinking/open-minded individuals who mostly self-police (it’s pretty free from homophobia, body-shaming, racism, etc., at least compared to most other comment-based sections of the web). It’s a good place to discuss the ethics and consequences of blogging/social media: financial disclosure, rights of children, plagiarism/originality/trends, consumerism, what narrative is presented, etc. I realize that what I write is sometimes critical, but I don’t see it as different from what I’ve always done as a reader,etc., which is to discuss my thoughts on what people publish for an audience. That’s just part of how I am as a reader. Thoughtful criticism of published work is (or can be) really valuable and very different from bullying/”hating”. I agree that some commenters on GOMI cross the line, and plenty state opinion as fact (but that happens everywhere), but I think having a space for critical discussion of this new media is more valuable than a kind of positivity that leads little room for dissent or difference.

    And more personally, the thing about criticism (thoughtful–the stuff that’s just hating is just hating) is that the creator gets to decide what to incorporate. Clearly there are more and less helpful ways to frame it, but it comes down to your choice. Does a fiddle leaf fern potentially brand you to some as “hipster”? Sure. But that isn’t necessarily bad, even if that commenter framed it as a negative for him/her. That’s just information on how one individual perceives the narrative you’re sharing. The moment you start writing publicly under the guise of “personal”, you’re shaping the story you’re telling. Does fiddle-leaf fig = hipster? Is “hipster” part of the story you’re telling? How much does it matter to you if your perception of your story/brand and your readers’ perception line up? It’s like critique of any creative project where it’s up to the creator to decide if s/he wants feedback, how to balance creative intent with audience, etc.

    • Scoops January 29, 2015

      Hey Julia, Admittedly, I only glanced at GOMI. It came up in my statcounter as a link that HH was receiving traffic from. It was linked to part of a thread that I thought was a bit rough on another blogger. Then I looked a little further and I saw commenters criticizing other DIY bloggers marriages, their bad hair cuts, their financial situations, name calling etc. I didn’t explore much further because I am the type of the person that doesn’t do well in that sort of situation, and I project those thoughts onto myself even though they are not directed specifically at me. So I’ve learned to just cut my losses and stay away when I encounter situations like that. Because of that, I stopped looking around, stopped reading and wrote this post based on what I saw. I figured the entire site was personally attacking people. I TOTALLY get making fun of celebrities and stuff like that – like I said in another comment reply, I love joking around and having fun at pop-cultures expense. Bloggers are usually not celebrities though – instead they’re just people sharing about what they love and what they make – I don’t think they expect to get personally critiqued for it.

      I do understand criticism makes us all better, stronger ,smarter. BUT I hated critiques in school, and would hold my breath till they were over, however I always walked away feeling like they were worth the pain and anxiety though. I’m glad to hear that GOMI is overall more about critical discussion, and I’ll be exploring it some more as soon as I hit this here submit button.

      Thanks for you comment, and good luck babysitting your friends tree!

      • Julia January 29, 2015

        Thank you for replying and understanding where I’m coming from. Your response clarifies things and I would probably rescind my recommendation of GOMI based on that context. I’m probably the exact opposite on creative critiques–I’ve always really looked forward to them, I miss having them, and I’ve tried to find ways of replicating them in my life outside of school (with limited success, unfortunately). Getting critical feedback from people I respect intellectually/creatively during the creative process is something that feels really good and energizing for me. It sounds like we’re probably very different in that (aside from finding it an overall positive experience) and I can definitely see where GOMI would be more of a stressful/anxiety-provoking website for you if that’s not the kind of situation you enjoy. And I totally get that and respect that you know when you’re in situations that aren’t going to be healthy or productive or positive for you. If GOMI brings you down, no need to dally there.

        The celebrity/blogger delineation is interesting. I don’t see a clear dividing line between “celebrities” and “bloggers”, which is something that comes up sometimes on GOMI because it’s such a new phenomenon (social media fame) in an age-old world (human chatter about people in our perceived networks). Some bloggers have recognition/influence with strangers, which is celebrity whether they intend it or not. Once money starts changing hand, when bloggers are appearing in digital, print, and video ads, I feel like the claims of people *just* sharing what they love/make get blurred. A lot of the bloggers in your sidebar (many of whom I follow and enjoy) blog professionally, or who have used blogging as part of their celebrity (intended or not) while they also are on television, writing books, doing columns for magazines, filming ad campaigns, partnering with national brands. That’s celebrity, even in a small way. They might still be individuals blogging for funsies, but they’ve chosen to monetize and make public what they do (and I am not faulting them for either at all!) and that makes them MORE than just individuals. Fame is a double-edged sword for anyone. Traditional celebrities are just as human as blogger celebrities and it makes me uncomfortable when people body-snark on Kim Kardashian or Tom Cruise or anyone, regardless of what I think of their creative work and public persona. But I also am uncomfortable with the idea that some individuals who choose to be public figures (even at a small scale) and accrue the monetary/social benefit of that want to censor or silence any criticism of themselves, the values they espouse, or the brands that they endorse/sell.

        And thanks for the good wishes for the friend’s plant!

        • Ali January 30, 2015

          I admit that I frequent GOMI, though I hardly ever post. I’m pretty much on board with what Julia’s saying. I think that the site is good for calling out the shady dealings of some bloggers (illegally not disclosing payment from companies, plagiarizing the work of others), and, as public figures making money off their sites, I feel that they’re not free from that type of criticism. The line of who counts and who does not count as a public figure is a bit blurry, though, and that makes me feel uncomfortable when some smaller, hobby bloggers get mentioned and critiqued. I also enjoy having a forum to discuss design ideas and blogs, as none of my real-life friends are into the subject. Overall, though, my favorite part might be the “Members Only” section where people talk about books, movies, product reviews, and life advice. Prior to GOMI, I did not know that I didn’t need a membership to buy booze at Costco or that Queen Helene’s Mint Julep mask works wonders and is super cheap.

          I also agree with what you said about some of the comments being way out of line (about people’s bodies, marriages, etc.). When those types of comments are made, I feel that other readers will frequently shut that line of conversation down, but yeah, those original statements are still there, lurking on the site. I can see how that would be a total bummer for a blogger to read. Internet bullying is most definitely a real thing, and some of the posters on GOMI are bullies, or, at the very least, major jackholes. I kind of love GOMI, but I kind of hate it, too.

          You seem to have a good attitude about the whole thing, which is great to see. I really like your site and would be really sad if the negativity of others made you want to stop blogging. Something that I like about your site is that you seem authentic in both your writing and design choices. Fiddle leaf trees are super trendy, but if it’s something that you legitimately like, then it will make sense in your space. There’s nothing wrong with doing something trendy as long as a person does it for their own pleasure – I think the criticism comes when the person follows a trend for the sake of following a trend. I don’t want to drop names, but I can think of one or two other bloggers who bought fiddle leaf figs and you can 100% tell that they only have them because they want to be Pinterest popular. The design in those houses seem a bit fake and are harder for me to appreciate, but whatever, it’s the blogger’s prerogative to do what they want.

  • Vanessa January 29, 2015

    Interesting post Scoops, good discussion. I’ve never heard of any of that stuff, it sounds like “poison pen” letters for the digital age. But you are right, when there is a behavior you don’t like just turn away. It works for kids, dogs and sometimes horses.

    • Scoops February 4, 2015

      I totally get that people need another source for venting about stuff on the internet, but yeah, I’m still not into the meanness – I guess it’s the midwestern in me.

  • Sarge IN CHARGE January 31, 2015

    Do you know what I find helps my fiddle leave fig? Complete and total neglect! I don’t water it until I literally cannot remember the last time I watered it… and somehow mine has been producing new growth year round for a year straight. I did run into the situation where it looked more like a fiddle leaf fig bush so I trimmed up the bottom to give it more of a tree shape (with some encouragement from your pruning post btw!).

    I am theorizing that the staghorn fern will be the new fiddle leaf fig so get on that bandwagon early :) they are so dramatic and architectural. I was worried that mine would hate Minnesota (they are tropical after all) but it is growing like never before.

    • Scoops February 4, 2015

      Woah, really? Year round growth, I didn’t know that was possible! I usually get one new leaf in the middle of winter and that’s it. I can tell when spring is right around the corner though because my tree starts going nuts with new growth. Did your tree make new branches when you pruned it? Just curious how that worked out for you?

      I do like that staghorn fern when it’s small, but sometimes when it gets big it freaks me out. It’s kind of alienish. You must have great light to be able to grow all the things so well, what sort of light do your plants get? Do you face them east or south as well? So curious!

  • ann b. January 31, 2015

    I love your blog. Keep writing for yourself and those who follow you. For those who post positive constructive comments and who are of like mind will continue to follow you.

    • Scoops February 4, 2015

      Ann! I will, I’m not too worried about what other people think – take it or leave it is how I see it. I feel like that’s the best way of making your opinion heard.

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  • Gabby May 31, 2016

    Halp! The leaves of my FLF are curling and cracking and getting little holes in them. Did this ever happen to you? I’ve tried researching the ole Internet but it’s mostly plant-obsessively using terms I don’t understand. I have a black thumb and you’re my only hope. xoxo

  • Alyssa June 2, 2016

    Hi! I found your site while looking for information on pruning a fiddle leaf fig. I saw your post from a couple of years ago about your attempt to prune. How did it turn out? Did it sprout another branch? I have one that is thriving but tall and lanky and I’d like to try the same thing and wondered about your results. I can’t tell if the one above is the one you pruned or not.

    I don’t read too many blogs so I can’t attest to much of what you touched on above, but I had to laugh at anyone calling a plant “hipster,” especially one as beautiful as this. There are things that scream “hipster” but a plant is not one of them. Your blog is lovely, by the way. Best wishes!

  • Morgan Rene September 8, 2018

    Still reading all your FLF posts to this date. Thanks for creating a space to get this information out there. Your writing style and insights are quite enjoyable to read, and I’ll be back to brush up on information as our growth journey continues. You’re appreciated Scoops!

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