Hi guys,

After finding a hidden fig in the undergrowth at our new house i thought 'hey cool fresh figs' but alas nothing happened it just stayed very stretched and leafy.
You can see it between the Rose and wheelbarrow

Anyway it had to be moved due to landscaping so a quick read on the web ( my first mistake) gave me just enough info to massacre it and put it in a very unattractive and rushed lined pit in john innes #3 compost up against a south facing fence ready for espalier training. After all how hard can it be? Mmm.
I thought it dead but it now lives and is budding from the top leaf node and two on opposite sides underneath that - phew.

Then I found this fantastic forum and thought oops, what have I done!

My questions are

Should I let it do what it wants this year to settle in after such a massacre or should I start the training of the branches as it wants to live?

Which training should I attempt as a beginner? I've read a fan is best for a fig but I like the apparent simple Japanese style of two horizontal main branches with the fruiting vertical ones.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Jez (UK)

     Hi Jez...I think that the tree has had enough trauma for one season...I would let it settle in to build a strong root system, and at the end of the year when the leaves drop off, and it goes dormant for the winter, then take a good look at the bare structure and make your plans to train the branches for the following season...good luck.

Good advice Vince

Thanks Vince, Mike.

It confirmed what I think I was thinking in the back of head. Let it have rest and do what it likes.

I'll enjoy watching it making its mind up.

While I agree I wouldn't do a lot of pruning this year, I don't see anything wrong with picking 2 branches and training them where you want then to be.  I'd also give a lot of fertilizer early on in the year to help the plant grow vigorously

Cheers,

As I only have three buds ( 1 up as a leader and 1 either side) I will look after those.

I'm looking to get the branches about 5 to 6 foot long so I assume I should remove any side shoots to develop the main branches this year?

Hi Tourandaddy,
I would fertilize well the tree until August, and let her grow what she wants where she wants. Just spread the stems so that they don't shade each other too much.
In March next year, considering a possible winter die back, I would then shape the tree .
You should consider getting infos on that strain as if the tree is not adapted to your climate... The tree could well never ripen anything for you.
So perhaps, buying now a known tree could be your best option . Do you like poker/bets ?
Good luck with your tree !

Good advice.

I did think about just starting with a new tree but I can't bear to just throw this one away.

Our garden centres here are not particularly diverse in the the different types of figs they sell so I am wrongly assuming it will be a BT or similar as most of us don't have a clue so they play it safe.

I will let it grow and when I have some good leaves I'll see if I can perhaps narrow down the identity.

I'm overwhelmed by the helpfulness so far of everyone here to point a youngling in the right direction instead of stumbling in the dark

Thanks

Jez

I'm just a noob, so don't take my advice. Just a thought...

Since you don't know what kind it is and it may not produce any fruit in your climate, would you consider grafting a suitable variety onto it? It looks to me like you have a pretty chunky stump there. Using it as a graft base would prevent you from wasting that tree and give you a much better head start compared to starting a cutting from scratch.

Is this tree in the only spot you have to grow a fig? If you have another acceptable spot, get another tree of a known variety and plant it too. Then you have a back-up incase this one turns out to be a bust.