Hey all.  looking for some help with my (so far) only fig.  Will a newly established tree typically drop its breba crop figlets?  This was an aprox 4-5 ft tree purchased from a nursery and planted over a month ago (picture in a prior thread).  I suspect bird activity but they were no more than pea to nickel sized and the few i found in the pot didnt seem damaged but some were just gone i think.

Also, is branch spreading popular on fig trees to provide more space for growing?  I haven't seen it mentioned much but this tree has a lot of the branching aiming straight up with a few close together. I can bend them by hand without too much trouble so wondering if i should weigh them down to have more horizontal branches. 

I plan to pinch after 6 or so leaves as is highly recommended here for my climate (NYC).  Do I just break off the tip with the emerging leaves (i havent yet found a picture of exactly where to break it off)?  How big should the leaves be prior to pinching?  I am at around 6 leaves now but dont want to damage the top most leaves trying to get at that tiny tip.

Thanks.

well, my trees didn't.other's here know more about fig drop. you should search that.

i'd like to see a pic of the pinch point too.

Are you in Queens? First question is what variety of fig do you grow. Many breba will drop in the normal course of business in the northeast. Transplantation or lack of full sun will reinforce the tendency. With over fifteen trees in my collection I can count my established breba one one hand. There are 5 right now, 3 alone on my Negronne. Main crop will not normally drop like that unless there is a real problem. Is your fig in ground? Is it over-saturated with water? Anyway, in Queens we are just starting to push main crop right now, they are teeeeny if there at all...

raf-Yes, in queens.  Atreano, purchased at zainos in westbury.  I don't think overly saturated it is in a 5-1-1 mix, it is in a container and i haven't needed to water much with the rain. What do you grow?  What grows best for you?  This is my only one i am a supreme newbie. 

The weather patterns have been very unstable in the NYC area over the last few months.  Very cold one week then warm the next.  Most of fig the trees in The Bronx, have been seriously damaged, if not killed back to the roots.   Trees will shed what they cannot support, and, for whatever reasons.  Newly planted trees are no exception, and breba especially, can abort.  

Pinching question:  After 6-8 leaves have grown on the stem in question, locate the terminal bud, and pinch out this bud.  Try not to damage the tender leaves near the terminal bud.  That's it!  You're done.  If you want a branch to extend longer, for design reasons, or to fill in a bare area, don't pinch it.  It's that simple.  Pinching helps set and ripen a main-crop of figs sooner, and also controls growth.  YOU decide how it's gonna be. 

In a few seasons, and with a more mature root system, your new tree(s) will more than likely, settle down.  Enjoy the growing experience.  The main-crop figs are the prize.

Good luck and happy growing.



Frank

You can grow many varieties in a container, just be careful with late maturing varieties which will need an extended growing season. For a beginner you can't go wrong with Atreano, Negronne/Violet de Bordeaux, Hardy Chicago, Brooklyn White or Dark, or Marseilles Black VS. Most of those are not sold in stores but you can try ejp here on the forum he may have some for sale.

I hadn't seen any response yet regarding spreading the branches. Also, I took this picture which isn't too great, to show what I think I am supposed to do about pinching. Not sure why I can't grasp exactly where to pinch but I think it is the cone shaped pointy end where the leaves come from. It's hard to pick that off and try not to damage leaves.

Yes you have the right idea, the green terminal bud is what you pick off, put on a disposable glove and pick it off, it is soft. Using a blade will probably cause you to damage the top leaf after the bud. I never heard of anyone weighing down branches. I suppose you could do it, pruning helps you shape a tree over at least several seasons but works best of all methods, there is also espaliering.

the strongest branches are at 45 degrees from the stem. you can wedge a piece of wood in the crotch or weigh down branches to achieve this.

breba has to have right condition. i have no clue what that condition is. most of my early breba drop every yr. some tree will put in breba late, they seem to do better. i only have two early breba still on the trees this season. breba crops are inferior to main crop on most trees, so don't really concern myself with them.

Hi,
With temps swinging some trees will drop some brebas.
You have strains that are known to drop the brebas crop wherever you are.
Proper watering and fertilizing helps, but when they want to drop... they do. Even BT this year lost 3 brebas (to temps swing) - out of 20 or 30 so not that many but still !
In my vicinity, I've seen trees that look like BT per the leaf and that have no brebas at all ...
Cold temps are the key - if your climate has a cold spring - the cause is lost except some years with luck of course.

Knowing the strain you have helps already - here "ronde de bordeaux" and "Rouge de bordeaux" are referred as being unifera for that reason.

For bending the branches, you can of course just be careful to not split the branch from the trunk as branches tend to split easily on fig trees.
My strains are chosen to not grow high (most known cultivars are) so they do branch naturally over the years - and with the help of winter die-back of course !
So I don't need to bend them, but I do stack them to bend the trunks toward the outside of their middle because I grow bushy still - so to spread them, or to push them out of my walkways .
Good luck with your trees !