I have noticed over the last few years that main-crop figs  growing on un-pinched green branches are spaced further apart, and are much easier to pick.  I pinch back all my terminal buds to encourage earlier ripening in my short season, and this results in shorter internodal distances from leaf to leaf, and also results in far too many figs sprouting only at the terminal ends of my branches. Most of the fig production is within the last 4 inches on each branch. The figs are so packed that it becomes almost impossible to pick them when they are ripe.  I would rather NOT thin out the figs...I'm greedy.

I may need to wait a little longer for  to lengthen before the pinching out terminals.  Maybe the nodes will be farther apart, and figs will be spaced in better positions for development and picking.

Since main-crop figs will sprout from new wood, I think that I will prune back some ( EDIT:  OLDER) branches next season to encourage some newer branches to grow.  I would like to have longer internodal distances on my fruiting branches but I've  read that high nitrogen fertilizers are to be avoided, and that these formulas cut down fig production.

Any suggestions?  My figs are in a bunch...ouch!

Frank

Frank,

High N fertilizers are not a good solution to begin with. The thinner and weaker wood would not support the weight of a fig let alone a whole branch full. 

Have you had your soil tested to see what your macro and micro nutrients are running? 

Chris...

I use very diluted, "Foliage-Pro 9-3-6", and a macro/micro solution called Pro-TeKt, both made by Dyna-Gro. 

I don't think it's a fertilizer problem, but most of the branches on my trees are bare except for the last 8-12", which is where all of this season's growth, and all the figs are concentrated.  Wood from previous years, rarely sprouts, even after pinching back.  I've tried notching older buds, but nothing sprouts from these dormant buds.

Next year I will try to cut back into older wood and see if this will cause more older buds to sprout.

Thanks for the help.

Frank

Bronx types - Next year I will try to cut back into older wood and see if this will cause more older buds to sprout.

You awaken dormant nodes when you cut back on older wood and thus select new fruiting branches for future.

Martin,
I think you just answered a question concerning pruning.  My trees have only been pruned one time (last winter)  I was trying to determine should I prune back below the new growth or not this year.

Thanks Martin, and others ....that's what I will do next Spring.  The branches just keep getting longer, but fig production remains the same.  I need MORE branches producing fruit.

I will try cutting branches back to induce more new wood to sprout.

Frank

I find that 2 things make old wood sprout.  1 is cutting off all the growing branches, which my dogs did for me earlier in the year.  The other is giving a lot of osmocote 14-14-14 and water daily.  a few branch tips can't make use of all that nutrition so the old wood sprouts.

Princess the mole hunter



And Tank, who will help Princess





The Marine you see in the picture is not me.  He's 6'2"

Frank ,
I think the Pro-Tekt you mentioned is just a silicon source to help the wood harden for Winter.
I use it as well. Pretty sure there are no other micro nutrients in it .
Doesn't the Foliage - Pro have micros ?

Pict #2
A couple of nice faces!, LOL  We really should have a photo day to post our most current photos, it would be interesting to put names with faces.

@ Kerry....

You are absolutely right!  It's the "Foliage Pro" that contains the other good stuff.  Thanks for the "save".  Hate to give out wrong information.  Both these products ( Foliage-Pro, and Pro-TeKt) give the figs what they need...plus, a good handful of granular limestone.

Sorry, I was in error.

Frank

Chris...

Thanks for posting the formula.  It's good stuff.

Frank

Frank,

I would still be interested to examine your soil report. There has to be a reason you are only get growth and figs on the ends of the branches. 

Frank, could you upload some wide angle shoots of the tree and a few close ups near the good growth on the branches? 

Search for apical dominance.  It's fairly common.

Are you referring to the condition that the bids on the end inhibit the development of buds lower on the branch?

I believe that harder pruning in the Spring will solve my problems.  Internodal distances are greatest on first-growth wood that sprouts after dormancy.  I really never pruned back branches.  I always hoped buds would sprout further back from the older, 2-3 year old wood, and that my trees would fill out, and produce more fruiting branches...but that never happens.  The branches just keep getting longer, and longer, and new growth is only from the terminal ends of those branches.

I think fig trees have very strong apical dominance, and must be cut back hard in order to induce branching from older, dormant buds.  Look at any neglected fig tree.  All current growth is located at the terminal ends of the branches, never from the trunks, never back from section on a branch that's 4-5 years old.  The whole tree is bare wood except at the very ends of each branch where new wood has sprouted.

Let's say you grow a cutting for 5 years, and never prune it, and, never pinch out the terminal bud. Let's also say that it grew 1 ft. each year....at the end of five years, the tree is now 5 feet tall.  Figs formed starting in year three, and continued every year thereafter.  Now, it's year six.  Where will main-crop figs form?  They will sprout from the leaf-nodes on green wood formed in year 6, and not from older wood.  This growth pattern will continue, and the tree will get taller and taller.  If it branches, this pattern will continue, and each branch will grow the same way.

Next Spring my trees will be cut back.

Frank

Frank - I have experienced the same issue after 4 years, and my fast growing tree cannot make it into the garage anymore as it is too tall.  I plan to cut back hard in the late winter, back to the older wood.