Greetings, all!

I have a love 3' Fiddle Leaf Fig that I bought last year around September. I have no good excuse, other than that this summer was ridiculously crazy and I didn't realize that was the best time for repotting my FLF. I've noticed over the past month that I am having to water WAY more than usual, and after doing some research today, I believe the roots are too crowded. Actually, I believe it may be possible that I have two plants in one pot. I live in zone 7b 15 mi from 8a. She sits in a northeasterly sunroom with lots of morning light.

My questions:

Should I repot now? And if so, should I go a head and separate the plants? (I eventually would like to do this as I prefer to have one taller plant that branches out. )

OR

Should I wait until next spring? If so, is there anything I need to do to help it along through the winter?

While I am asking... Should I go ahead and prune? or wait?

I apologize for the neediness of this post... any relevant advice would be greatly appreciated. It's been difficult to find the answer and I am certainly "green" at caring for these plants.

Best,

Hi, I am also zone 7. I think you should wait for spring to repot. With less light now, the plant probably will slow down. Now is NOT the time when it wants to grow any new roots, especially anything as major as getting those two apart.

It is a big plant for that size pot, but looks very healthy and happy. Carry on! Spring is only four months away.

If you just want to pot up to a slightly larger pot, I think that would be fine. I wouldn't separate the plants or do any major root disturbance until spring, though.

Thanks for the responses folks. As a compromise, do you believe there would be any harm in adding a little soil to the top to keep the moisture in longer?

Most houseplants, including your Ficus Lyrata, are tropical in origin and non-seasonal. That means you can repot and prune at any time of the year.

The exposure of some surface roots is not a cause for concern. If your plant has enough soil to retain water for 3 days or more, there is no need to move it to a larger pot. It certainly looks healthy enough. If you do repot, move it to a pot one size larger and add potting soil to the bottom and sides, but not on top. Remember to reduce your watering frequency after you repot.

The nursery grower put two plants together on purpose to create a fuller plant. Lyratas don't reliably send out side branches and tend to just grow ever taller. Trying to separate the two plants whose roots are completely entwined is not recommended. I do recommend regular pruning to keep the plant looking manageable. Pruning will also sometimes promote side branching.