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Healthy Dwarf fig tree not producing fruit

Hi Herman,

Do you recommend dolomitic lime over agricultural lime as others have recommended in the past?

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BoyerHoldingsLLC

Hello Mulox,

I am new to fig tree growing and the forum but I have a couple of observations.  One, you said this is a dwarf tree variety, but it appears to be well over 6ft tall.  That seems like a big size for a dwarf variety.  Is it possible that the plant is putting it's energy into new growth every year versus setting fruit?



Hi Craig, thanks for your comment. I have read on Dwarf fruit tree boards that you never want to prune Dwarf's like you do non-dwarf trees... you are supposed to let them just go crazy, which is exactly what I have done.  

You are right though... it does not appear to be a dwarf now, and I am certainly willing to try anything at this point...

If I were you I would cut all branches but one and grafted all of them with different Fig cuttings. You have plenty of time to prepare for this. Read and learn on the Internet on grafting ( especially Figs ). During the winter buy, find, cut from your neighbors etc ) some Cutting . Keep them in the lower fruit box of your refrigerator in the  a little bit damp paper towel (watch for the mold sometimes during the storage ! ) In the early spring, right before the growth of your ''Tree'' graft them on each branch of your tree. Do it closer to the ground not  high  ( you don't need a leggy tree ( right ! ) Don't waste your life and time  on  your tree! Figs can give you fruit even in the first year and if you don't have any fruit for 7 years....it,s just waste of your time !  You can leave on branch of your tree growing just to see if anything happens in the future with it !.... It will be your own experiment without harming your crop!

Craig:Dolomitic L,is better,regular gardener limestone is just fine.
Both raises the PH,and make tree productive with,sweet high quality fruits.

Ok guys, I checked with my wife and she is 80% certain this tree is a Brown Turkey or Black Mission.  Also, she does not think it was a Dwarf variety, and looking at how full/tall it is, I tend to agree.
Even so, I doubt this new info really affects any of the advice I have seen out here... but just in case, let me know!

Hello Mulox, 

Have you ever tried fertilizing this tree?  I'm curious if you fertilize it this year if it will produce figs next year. 

Craig 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BoyerHoldingsLLC
Hello Mulox, 

Have you ever tried fertilizing this tree?  I'm curious if you fertilize it this year if it will produce figs next year. 

No, never tried fertilizing, so it's worth a shot!  A few questions:
1. When is the right time of year to do that?
2. What kind should I use?
3. I have never pruned it, because I mistakenly thought it was a Dwarf, and it is not... so should I prune at the same time as fertilize?  Or wait until March to prune?

Also, right now it sits in a semi-shaded area... some 50 foot oaks are limiting sun to 6-8 hours daily in summer.  Obviously that has not affected the growth of this tree so far.  However, I am hiring a tree service to come in and do some long overdue pruning of the oaks, so that will increase daily sun hours... should I be concerned?

  • ricky
  • · Edited

Since, You know that it is either Brown Turkey or Black mission, both are 2 crops varieties, Both are known that easy to get figs.

Therefore, grafting is a bad idea, highly likely waste your time.

Boyer is right, I think that trying to Fertilizing them is better idea to get figs.

If you don't mind my story, I live in PNW with cooler climate, I am newbie and want to enjoy figs this year, I bought 8 nursery fig trees and planted them in ground at March, Due to micro climate of colder in my garden, none of them bearing figlets while same fig trees at nursery, full of figs, in order to get figs, I applied higher dosage of fertilizer, 24-7-16 or 10-10-10 or Tomatoes fertilizer leftover from other garden projects, After 2 weeks, 50% of them have figs, after 5 weeks, all of my trees had figs, My Co-worker at work, She loves fig, She bought 5 fig trees from Costco at spring time and planted them in ground, none of them has fig, She is so upset.

I did plant 2 fig trees in shaded area between 2 houses, it has about 7 hours SUN, they do bearing figs but later and less figs, But problem here is that, Due to cooler climate here, Figs take longer to be ripen before fall/winter.

If I were you, I would apply 1 bag of big box store whatever "manure" to your fig tree, Then at spring time, If your tree leaves out and you don't see figlets, you might apply some fertilizer to soil rightaway.

Prune them is a good idea to get figs too, It might scare the tree to bear figs or it reduces tree Canopy, so extra leftover nutrition to support branches are used to get figs.








Hi Mulox, 

I can only speak from my limited fig growing experience but I fertilize with half a cup of my own dry fertilizer while planting in April.  I think this helps get the plant off to a good growing start.  I then re fertilized a few days ago with the same dry fertilizer and amount, 1/2 a cup, to help with fruit production.  I think conventional wisdom would say to prune after the tree has gone dormant, but perhaps, you should take some drastic measures with this tree and prune now.  If you combine a hard pruning with full sun, it may put all of it's energy into fruit production. 


Craig 

What do you think about pruning Herman? Thanks for the clarification on dolomite lime. I had heard it was a better type to use.

Thanks guys, really appreciate all of the advice!  I think I am going to reserve grafting as a last resort, since I am too new to this and that looks difficult.
I know it's probably late in the season but I am going to try some light pruning now, and maybe some fertilizer.  Also I am pruning back the shady trees, so this Brown Turkey will now get a lot more sun.  I will prune a lot more in the winter and try again next year.

As for pruning now, I really suck at it and need some help please.  Here are some pics of the back and left/right sides.  As you can see, all of the growth is slanted towards the sunny part of the yard... very little of it is actually straight up and down.  Suggestions please?

Turkey back.jpg 


A few more pics from the left/right sides and trunk...

Turkey left.jpg  Turkey right.jpg  Turkey low.jpg 


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