Comments on: Fig Trees http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/ Featuring Vegetable Gardening Tips, Organic Growing Techniques, and Unique Plants for the Backyard Gardener Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:11:01 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: M. http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-111386 M. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:10:51 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-111386 Having taken over two fig trees from my "Tata" aka Nonno/grandfather after his passing, my instincts have been to bury the fig trees as he had done - in Late October/November digging a long trench between the two trees, tying them, wrapping LOOSELY with plastic tarp, digging on the side of the tree opposite where they are going to lay, tipping the tree down, covering with plywood over the trench, a layer of plastic with openings for air at the "head" and "foot" sides of the trench, and dirt on top. Location is suburban Chicagoland. There are two fig trees - one white and one black. They are both about 6 feet tall. Questions: 1.) should I add some straw around the rootball in the hole? to prevent the concern I read about rodents, I can lay screen down over the hole 2.) fertilizers recommended and timing? 3.) backfilling of some dirt around the wrapped tree when in the hole? 4.) pruning - not knowing what my grandfather did, would the safest bet be to lightly trim one-half of each tree in the fall prior to burying and then the other half the following summer after fruiting or fall to avoid not getting fruits at all? 5.) having trimmed some 8"-12" branches today, which I made the mistake of putting into about an inch of water - should I - leave some in the water, cut off the bottom that had been sitting in water and place sticks in the refrigerator, etc? Any recommendations appreciated. Having taken over two fig trees from my “Tata” aka Nonno/grandfather after his passing, my instincts have been to bury the fig trees as he had done – in Late October/November digging a long trench between the two trees, tying them, wrapping LOOSELY with plastic tarp, digging on the side of the tree opposite where they are going to lay, tipping the tree down, covering with plywood over the trench, a layer of plastic with openings for air at the “head” and “foot” sides of the trench, and dirt on top. Location is suburban Chicagoland. There are two fig trees – one white and one black. They are both about 6 feet tall. Questions: 1.) should I add some straw around the rootball in the hole? to prevent the concern I read about rodents, I can lay screen down over the hole 2.) fertilizers recommended and timing? 3.) backfilling of some dirt around the wrapped tree when in the hole? 4.) pruning – not knowing what my grandfather did, would the safest bet be to lightly trim one-half of each tree in the fall prior to burying and then the other half the following summer after fruiting or fall to avoid not getting fruits at all? 5.) having trimmed some 8″-12″ branches today, which I made the mistake of putting into about an inch of water – should I – leave some in the water, cut off the bottom that had been sitting in water and place sticks in the refrigerator, etc? Any recommendations appreciated.

]]> By: Kenny Point http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-106743 Kenny Point Sat, 05 Sep 2009 02:41:43 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-106743 Mike, I use a liquid organic fertilizer like a fish and seaweed mix to feed my potted fig trees. I don't do much pruning on the plants and storing the trees in an unheated greenhouse for the winter would be fine. There's no need to strengthen up or "harden off" the fig trees... just move them outdoors in early spring while they are still dormant, but after temperatures have begun to warm up. Mike, I use a liquid organic fertilizer like a fish and seaweed mix to feed my potted fig trees. I don’t do much pruning on the plants and storing the trees in an unheated greenhouse for the winter would be fine. There’s no need to strengthen up or “harden off” the fig trees… just move them outdoors in early spring while they are still dormant, but after temperatures have begun to warm up.

]]> By: Mike http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-106436 Mike Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:12:16 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-106436 Thanks for the info. Yes I have a garage and thats where I kept them last winter. What do you feed them? Do you trim the tree to keep it on the shorter side? The olive oil trick from post 141 works when temps are high. Would storing them in a greenhouse be ok for winter and would they still strengthen up on their own without having to move them in and outside for a couple of weeks? Thanks for the info. Yes I have a garage and thats where I kept them last winter. What do you feed them? Do you trim the tree to keep it on the shorter side? The olive oil trick from post 141 works when temps are high. Would storing them in a greenhouse be ok for winter and would they still strengthen up on their own without having to move them in and outside for a couple of weeks?

]]> By: Kenny Point http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-106415 Kenny Point Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:26:53 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-106415 Mike I would wait and plant that fig tree out next spring if you have a garage or unheated building where you could keep it over the winter. When planting just dig a large hole and add a little compost but nothing too rich. Figs are not very demanding and don't require much in the way of fertilization after they are established. I feed my figs a couple of times during the growing season since they are planted in containers and they do fine with very little attention. Mike I would wait and plant that fig tree out next spring if you have a garage or unheated building where you could keep it over the winter. When planting just dig a large hole and add a little compost but nothing too rich. Figs are not very demanding and don’t require much in the way of fertilization after they are established. I feed my figs a couple of times during the growing season since they are planted in containers and they do fine with very little attention.

]]> By: Mike http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-106399 Mike Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:29:12 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-106399 Kenny-I'm located on Long Island, NY I want to transplant from pot to ground, when is the best time to do this? The tree was a cut branch from last year that is now 6ft tall with no fruit. How should I prep the soil for transplanting? Any help would be great. Thanks Kenny-I’m located on Long Island, NY I want to transplant from pot to ground, when is the best time to do this? The tree was a cut branch from last year that is now 6ft tall with no fruit. How should I prep the soil for transplanting? Any help would be great. Thanks

]]> By: Kenny Point http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-106408 Kenny Point Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:56:24 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-106408 Hi Maria, sorry to hear about your fig and I can't tell you why it isn't ripening, especially since you aren't growing is a short season climate. I have heard of some gardeners rubbing a drop of olive oil on the bottom of the figs to held speed up the ripening. Other than that the only thing that I can suggest would be to try planting a different fig variety. Hi Maria, sorry to hear about your fig and I can’t tell you why it isn’t ripening, especially since you aren’t growing is a short season climate. I have heard of some gardeners rubbing a drop of olive oil on the bottom of the figs to held speed up the ripening. Other than that the only thing that I can suggest would be to try planting a different fig variety.

]]> By: Maria http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-106303 Maria Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:43:55 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-106303 Could someone please tell me why my figs never ripen? I live in Dallas, have had this tree for 5 years....Brown Turkey Fig...gets plenty of fruit...looks beautiful. Never ripens. This is disappointing. Could someone please tell me why my figs never ripen? I live in Dallas, have had this tree for 5 years….Brown Turkey Fig…gets plenty of fruit…looks beautiful. Never ripens.

This is disappointing.

]]> By: Ed http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/fig-trees/#comment-105767 Ed Mon, 31 Aug 2009 05:56:22 +0000 http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/2005/11/27/fig-trees/#comment-105767 My wife loves the fruit from fig trees...so, I set out and bought and planted a fig tree, about 1 1/2 ft. tall. Well, I live 30 mins. south of Phoenix and the summers are always brutal here...my question is, this little guy was doing good all through spring and early summer until about a month and half ago. Once it got really hot, the leaves shriveled up and I was only left with a brown twig...I still water it once a week. Is this tree dead or did it go into dormancy and will come back. Also, we have about the worst soil there ever was...I call it gravel dirt. Do you have any suggestions for growing trees in this type of environment esp. for figs. My wife loves the fruit from fig trees…so, I set out and bought and planted a fig tree, about 1 1/2 ft. tall. Well, I live 30 mins. south of Phoenix and the summers are always brutal here…my question is, this little guy was doing good all through spring and early summer until about a month and half ago. Once it got really hot, the leaves shriveled up and I was only left with a brown twig…I still water it once a week. Is this tree dead or did it go into dormancy and will come back. Also, we have about the worst soil there ever was…I call it gravel dirt. Do you have any suggestions for growing trees in this type of environment esp. for figs.

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