Figs

[MuddyBuckets]

Located in Piedmont NC (Charlotte area). When should I prune my in ground large fig trees/bushes? How far back should they be cut? Very poor fig production this season. Were severely pruned back last winter when dormant in January.

[Worth1]

Don't prune this year is all I have to say.

Worth

[imp]

Here is a link that gives more information on the when how and why of pruning a fig tree.


https://www.wilsonbrosgardens.com/ho...e-or-bush.html

[Rajun Gardener]

That's good info Imp.

MuddyBuckets, you didn't get fruit this year because it's all new growth and usually figs are on last years growth.

From the article= "Figs are produced each active growth season on "old wood" (branches produced the previous season). So, to produce more fruit in future seasons you need to produce more branches.
TIP: When pruning a fig tree, always keep in mind that if you cut back too much you will not have fruit that year or maybe even the next. Take your time and don't over prune. This being said, over pruning will very rarely harm a fig tree."

I would let it recover and it should produce. I also fertilize my trees twice a year with triple 13 sprinkled around the tree line in Spring and Fall.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

That's good info Imp.

MuddyBuckets, you didn't get fruit this year because it's all new growth and usually figs are on last years growth.

From the article= "Figs are produced each active growth season on "old wood" (branches produced the previous season). So, to produce more fruit in future seasons you need to produce more branches.
TIP: When pruning a fig tree, always keep in mind that if you cut back too much you will not have fruit that year or maybe even the next. Take your time and don't over prune. This being said, over pruning will very rarely harm a fig tree."

I would let it recover and it should produce. I also fertilize my trees twice a year with triple 13 sprinkled around the tree line in Spring and Fall.

Not quite true. All common figs (need no pollination to ripen) will produce on first year wood. Some will produce two crops -- the earlier first crop on second year wood, the later second crop on first year wood. While the first crop figs are typically bigger, there are usually fewer of them and I understand they are not as good as the second/main crop.

San Pedro varieties, the most well known of which Desert King, will only produce a second crop if you live in certain parts of CA populated by the fig wasp which needs to pollinate the figs in order for the second crop to ripen. That's why it's so popular for it's heavier and better first crop in the Northwest and colder/shorter season areas -- the first crop ripens early.

So unless you have a San Pedro, prune as much as you need/want to and harvest main crop figs off next year's new wood. If your tree is not putting on a lot of new growth every season, then look for possible issues -- healthy fig trees are very fast growers. And you should wait to prune until the tree goes dormant.




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[Worth1]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...Id3Ui2lO6Wn3L0

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...El6yy94lAwj_aS

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...r2g-kGKtkjg25f

[Rajun Gardener]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Not quite true. All common figs (need no pollination to ripen) will produce on first year wood. Some will produce two crops -- the earlier first crop on second year wood, the later second crop on first year wood. While the first crop figs are typically bigger, there are usually fewer of them and I understand they are not as good as the second/main crop.

San Pedro varieties, the most well known of which Desert King, will only produce a second crop if you live in certain parts of CA populated by the fig wasp which needs to pollinate the figs in order for the second crop to ripen. That's why it's so popular for it's heavier and better first crop in the Northwest and colder/shorter season areas -- the first crop ripens early.

So unless you have a San Pedro, prune as much as you need/want to and harvest main crop figs off next year's new wood. If your tree is not putting on a lot of new growth every season, then look for possible issues -- healthy fig trees are very fast growers. And you should wait to prune until the tree goes dormant.

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You are correct and I didn't get that deep into it. We don't know what type tree it is, if it's healthy or growing conditions. Some trees put on two distinctive crops, the earlier crop, called breba, grows on old wood and the new crop or main crop grows on the new wood of this year.
It was pruned heavy in January and I'm guessing he pruned off all the new growth without knowing it.
New growth isn't growth in Spring that make figs, it's growth from this past year. Meaning the new branches that grew this year(2018) will bear fruit in Spring/Summer(2019). It's a little confusing but that's the way figs grow.

By now his tree should've grew many new branches and those branches will make figs next season.


Just my 2¢ from experience with my trees.

Here's an article that might help identify what type of fig tree you have.
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonly...ub1529Figs.pdf

[drew51]

You can't prune off new growth, new growth is new growth is new growth. What is stated above certainly is not how figs grow.

I have over 50 fig trees here in Michigan and have been growing them for 5 years. New wood is new wood. You can prune now and may lose breba crop, but no matter how much you prune off, you will still get 2nd or main crop figs. I had nubs produce figs. Some of my trees are in high demand to growers and I have cut them to a stump to supply wood. They will grow back and produce figs the next spring. This last year we had early fall freezes and late spring freezes. This damaged much wood on figs across the country. Not just figs I might add. Many growers have late figs, or even no figs this year. due to the damage. My guess if you had problems this year, join the club so did everybody else. I'm picking more unripe figs off my trees than I ever had in the last 5 years. No big deal we all start over now, and it's fig tree pruning season. If you grow to produce breba do not prune, but if you wish to shape your tree you can prune now. But I advise pruning in late winter or early spring where the lows of the year are done. Pruning can lower hardiness. But many fig owners prune now to prep tree for wrapping if in ground in zones 5-8. Figs seem to do OK keeping hardiness. I'm still am wary so prune early spring. Some debate on how pruning affects hardiness in figs. No debate in stone fruit or pom fruit, do not prune now! Prune just before dormancy break. Cherry trees should be pruned mid-summer only, when as dry as possible. You can prune before dormancy break, but some risk of fungal infections. I grow all of this fruit too for the last 8 years. Growing some fruit for over 40 years, like grapes.

Back to figs, in zones 5-8 most do not grow for breba. Buds are easily cold damaged and production is unreliable. Some keep a few known varieties for producing breba fig trees to produce more breba but in general we grow in these zones for the new wood crop or main crop.
Any breba is a bonus.

Father's Daughter got it 100% correct, no more needs to be said. If production is a problem you need to look for growing problems, figs should produce. I just wanted to let all know this was a bad year for figs due to the freezes I mentioned. So not a typical fig year. Growing fruit correctly takes years and years sometimes to know what and how to produce large harvests. The school of hard knocks is the best teacher.

[Rajun Gardener]

Originally Posted by drew51

You can't prune off new growth, new growth is new growth is new growth. What is stated above certainly is not how figs grow.

Father's Daughter got it 100% correct, no more needs to be said.

Now you know more needs to be said!

I'm glad we're having this discussion, there's much to be learned. I'm even gonna do some of that fancy pruning which I never prune unless a branch is hanging on the ground or a branch is growing across the others to avoid damage. Why would I want to cut off productive branches?

After I read your post I had to go look at my trees and do a little more research. My terminology isn't correct according to the fig gurus. What you call new wood I would call sprouts. The sprouts/new growth grows from new wood and these make main crop figs. What I call new wood is this years new growth after they hardened off from green tender shoots in Spring to actual wood in Fall.

I took some pics to show what I'm talking about. This is a two year old tree that hasn't found it's fruiting cycle yet and is putting on figs now.


You can see the figs growing from the green sprouts/new growth, I wouldn't call that wood compared to lower on the branch that's a dark brown from this years growth. The growing tip is also green and has figs.

Here's a growing tip of a branch and you can still see the figs are on the new green sprouts.


Here's a pic of an old tree that's going dormant. You can see the new wood from this years sprouts/new growth are darker than last years growth.

If you prune those off you're losing all those figs.

Here's another one, those dark growing tips is what I call new wood and next Spring they will grow sprouts/new growth and produce figs.



With all that being said, you can call it and prune it any way you like. The tree will make figs.

There's some crazy pruning techniques out there that work but I'm satisfied with production and don't see the need to babysit a tree all year pruning at different times. Mother Nature can do it for me.

Drew, what type of figs are you growing?

This is an interesting technique.
https://stevec.smugmug.com/Other/Kad...Tree/i-g3pT93C

[Worth1]

The term is last year's new growth for many trees.
They put out what will be blooms the year before.
As stated above this year's new growth puts out figs.
That new growth goes on all summer in the south.

[drew51]

Nice looking tree, looks great! Yes the term new wood is very confusing. New wood does mean year old wood in some circumstances. Depending on what plant you mean. In the fig community it generally refers to current year's growth. Also the use of "leaf" is confusing to fig growers, but it a very valuable tool to stone fruit growers, or in general fruit growers as it refers to how many seasons the plant has been in one spot. Such as I have 6th leaf trees, but most are 7 or 8 years old. Then we have clonal age. This refers to how old the clone is. We graft all peach trees and we are cloning them. They do have a clonal age though. It rarely is useful to know, but with some species it's important. Such as bamboo which flowers every 120 years or so, and 90 percent of bamboo that flower die. All clones from the tree will flower once they reach 120 years clonal age. If too small, they will flower once big enough. And in the case of bamboo, will die. So if planting bamboo, it is useful to know the clonal age.

[drew51]

Drew, what type of figs are you growing?




Mostly Mt. Etna types, although i have all kinds from many countries. attached is a list of figs I'm growing.

[Rajun Gardener]

That's a big list. Are you growing all of them in containers?

[drew51]

Not all but most. I don't have many recent pictures. Here are some of my plants 2 years ago.



If grown right in containers, they produce well.


Sometimes I pick up figs for their ornamental value too. These figs need to be left on till they are about to fall off, pretty good when super ripe.
Beautiful plant. I have a couple of different variegated figs. Some are very expensive.



The best part is always having a nice selection of fresh figs. I also dry many too.

[Rajun Gardener]

Nice plants and the figs look good too.

I snagged some cuttings from my Uncles tree that fruits twice a year. I started them last Fall and transplanted them this Spring. One is about 4' tall already. I might have to protect that one this winter if we have freeze warnings.

I'll try to get a pic of the leaves, maybe you can identify it.