A neighbor a few blocks from me cut down a 15' fig tree and put the chopped up pieces out on his curb. I took a couple branches, including the crown of the tree. The base of that chunk is a little thicker than an inch. I checked the rings and it looks like the tree is six years old. Is there any way to save the crown and make a new tree out of it?

I really like this fig. A lot of people grow fig trees in my neighborhood, and this is the best one I've sampled. It's medium/large and has green skin and a really bright red interior. Here's a picture of a dried out, unripe fig that was attached to a branch. Unlike most of the other unripe figs I've pulled open, this one is bright red on the inside.

I have a couple of other pieces, so if the crown doesn't take, I'd probably still be able to get a tree or two out of it. Any thoughts?

No,. not really. Take as many cuttings as you can. They should root pretty easy since they are not fully dormant, yet.

You'll get some nice cuttings out of what you've got already.  But if your neighbor is trying to get rid of the tree, he might be willing for you to dig it up next spring if it sprouts again.  Worth asking!

What about digging up the stump and replanting it in your yard?  If he wants the tree out, I'm sure he would want the stump out too.

That are a lot of variables here, but in some cases, digging up the stump might work, it will dig in with some good roots and top growth quickly in the Spring, and give you a big jump on a good size tree a lot quicker than just cuttings.

Even if you try this though, I would definately start a bunch of cuttings also just in case, as that is the only sure bet.

Best wishes.

John

Hi Matt.  Back again.

Basically you want to weigh the effort of transplanting the stump against the chances it can be transplanted successfully.

If the stump was in pretty good shape, not too big, and I could get it out without any extreme effort, and with some good roots and at least a little of the truck on the stump, I would give that a try, along with starting a bunch of cuttings as well.

In the right situation it might work well, and personally, I enjoy a challenge in gardening, and often end up doing things people think are not possible, which is part of the fun.

If the stump is in bad shape and impossible to get out with any decent root though, that probably isn't worth the effort though.

The cuttings will be a sure thing though either way.

Best wishes.

John

Hi Matt , I'm a new fig nut and in the beginning of the
summer a neighbor gave me a cutting that was 6' tall
so I brought it home and planted it in a pot ,it was just
a big stick  and I thought for sure it would be dead in a
week but about a month or 2 later it started growing leaves and then new limbs so I vote on planting it .you
can always throw it away if it dies. You have nothing to
loose by planting it and if it makes it you can eat them
great figs that you love so much.
Good Luck And Happy Gardening...

I'm looking at at least 15 plants that can be made from this crown. Cut it up to 6 inch a piece. Even the thick cutting can be rooted.

I'm very much from the School of Nothing Ventured; Nothing Gained, so I'm with Debbie and Bass.  I would cut off some nice cuttings to start, and then plant what's left of the crown too. 

AND I would ask the neighbor if he wanted that stump out.  If it's no more than 6-8 inches across (much bigger and it's not worth the work; and you can't get enough good roots with it) you should be able to get it out with a shovel, determination, and some good exercise. 

I dig stumps this size up all the time with just a shovel.  Start about 1.5 to 2 feet out from the center and dig a circle around the stump, keep circling and working your shove under further and further, trying to save as many roots as you can, and after some circling, digging under, and lifting, you should be able to pull the stump out, shake off the excess dirt, and move it to your place in a wheel barrow. 

If the grounds not too hard, taking it out is not too hard either (but the opposite is also true).  If you can do this, transplant it into some good dirt in a good spot, and I'll bet you roots will continue to grow starting this Fall, in the Spring you will get some strong new shoots, and you will  have a nice fig bush and some figs next summer.  The cuttings will work too but it would probably be two years plus before you get many figs.

Let us know how it goes.

Best wishes.

John
North Georgia Piedmont
Zone 7b

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I think I'm going to cut all of the branches down to an inch or two and try rooting the crown. What medium would be best?

John, I think digging up the stump would be a great idea, but I think the guy is keeping the tree. He left a little bit of it standing. The tree's in his front yard, right against his front window. He's an older guy, so he may have just wanted to make it easier to overwinter (or possibly his wife didn't want a 15' tarp-covered tree right in front of her house again).

Well . . . since he wants to keep the tree, then digging it up would be a little ackward I guess.  ;-)

It will take a little longer with the cuttings, but that looks like a great fig Matt.  Hope they root well for you and that you will be picking figs before you know it.

Best wishes.

John

Matt, any idea what fig it is?

The owner let me have a couple figs last fall. I asked him what kind it was. He paused for a minute and said, "It's a fig!" There was a little bit of a language barrier. He was very nice, though, and the figs were tasty.

After removing the branches, the crown isn't actually all that big. I have it in a pot now, but I'm thinking I might get an oversized baggie and go the paper towel method.

Hi Matt,

Hi Matt,

  I am new to the forum as of a few months ago, and looking for some one in my area with figs. I read this thread the other day, and you are in my area, or with in driven distance.
             On June 2, a friend gave me a 4' cutting of a white fig that his father brought over from Italy years ago and does not know the name of the fig. I did not think it would root, so I made 3,   6"cutting from the top, and they rooted, not many leaves yet. I would like to know if you have any cuttings started and  would like to trade figs? I hope they are not the same.

Bugs

Here's another update of an old unknown fig post. I only managed to rooty one of the cuttings that I kept for myself. I accidentally planted it upside down, which seemed to slow down the growth. This year was the first that I got figs to ripen. Very tasty.

I missed the replies from Gorgi and Bugs from 2011. Sorry, guys.