How do you make figs productive in small containers?

My theory is that vigor management is the key. Growing too fast with 5-8 inch internodes and they aren't very fruitful. Plus they outgrow small containers way too fast. If grown at moderate vigor with 2-3 inch internodes they will be more fruitful and can be maintained in a 3-10 gallon pot. Not enough vigor and they'll stop growing which can limit main crop in long season areas. Water and nitrogen being the main controllers of vigor.

Picture is a fruitful Paradiso in a 3 gallon pot.
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What do you think?

Steve,
Pruning, that's how you make figs productive in small containers, both limb and root pruning.
Last season I started a topic on limb pruning to demonstrate how simple the procedure could be. The pictures are of a 2 year old Conadria and a 2 year old improved Celeste in 5 gallon Buckets, with over 4 dozen formed figs each, Even with a late start and a mild wet summer, I was still able to harvest several dozen from the improved Celeste and a few from the Conadria before Fall weather, If they were in a greenhouse, I would have been able to harvest all the improved Celeste and a few dozen Conadria Figs.


 

Pete:

Could we say that in addition to your excellent pruning, your figs are growing with moderate vigor and that may well also contribute to their productive condition? The internode length on those appears to be about 3 inches.

Steve,
I can agree with you about the nodal spacing of 2-3 inches being an indicator of good growth, but I cannot agree about them growing at a "moderate vigor". The fig trees were provided with regular fertilizer and watered daily, I did not attempt to restrict their growth in any way, other than growing them in small containers. They grew to their optimal inherent vigor under those conditions. Several cultivars grew at a longer internode spacing under the same conditions.

One of the keys to pruning to the "Japanese Container Tree Form" is pruning the fruiting branches back to 2 buds/nodes for the growth of the current year's fruiting branches, and leaving only one shoot to produce figs at each fruiting branch. Once the main scaffold is formed, this technique forces the tree to puts all its energy into those limited branches, keeping it small and productive.

Small containers do restrict growth. But up to a point the more nitrogen the more growth. So I guess your fertilizer program must be about right.

What I don't agree with is saying that forcing all the trees energy into limited branches will keep the tree small. More branches, not less, will equate to less growth per branch.

Steve,
I do agree with your comment as to the number of branches, that is the key to the pruning technique. forcing all growth into those limited branches, then pruning them off at the end of the season... It was posted for an in ground tree and used for "the Japanese Espalier".

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Pete:

Thanks for sharing. I used to live near Fresno. I'm figuring some pruning methods will work better on one variety than another. I'm surprised that his Kadota didn't grow more than that. Must work for that variety.

Steve,
IMO this pruning technique (Japanese Container Tree Form) should work for most fig cultivars...

How would you implement "Vigor Management" on container grown figs for increased fig production?
What would you expect for fig production with a 5 gallon pot as the maximum container size?
Thanks.

What is the N-P-K ratio of your fertilizer? I use a 15-30-15 and it works great for me in containers. The higher P increases fruit production and the lower N limits unnecessary stretch during growth.

You manage vigor primarily by watering and nitrogen. Too much and young plants blow by the size appropriate for 3-5 gallon pots with no fruit. So people think there's no choice but up potting. I just wonder if that isn't why a lot of posters think they need 20-50 gallon pots for figs. When truth is I've grown dozens of fruit species in 5-10 gallon pots. Figs are one of the easier to grow fruitfully in a small pot.

Scot:
Are you using Miracle Gro or a different type of fertilizer? If so, could you share the product you are using and how often you apply your fertilizer?
Thanks much, Leon

Hi Fignutty,
Do you have photos of those fruits when ripe ?
Did they all ripe properly ?
A follow up over the next seasons would be interesting, to see if the tree keeps on producing or will kind of struggle to stay alive regarding the size of the pot - You pruning kills will be at test as well I suppose.
I already saw some fig tree loaded like that, but that wouldn't get the fruits to ripe - but my fig season is shorter . I'm in Zone 7-6 .

The stem is really thick. Did it grow like that in the pot - or is it an airlayer from an in ground bigger tree ?

As for the vigor, I still don't understand completely how the fig trees do behave; especially my still small "Longue d'aout" - but I'll keep on trying to understand !
I have some clues ... and ideas come will reading the attempts that other members of this forum do try .
It would be great that you keep that post updated in the following seasons.

jds:

Fruit ripens great in a pot. All of it if your season is long enough. The plant is second leaf from a rooted cutting.

2nd yr VdB in 3 gal provided more than 20 figs last yr. i think that's more than enough for me with number of trees i have. but some of the other figs didn't put on that much. Black Madeira put on over 10 figs. Figo Preto about 8. but CdDB only about 5, and CdDN, none. so i guess it all depends on the variety as to what will work for each. then again, my White Greek which improved nice on taste dept. only give me 4 figs in 10 gal. 

Since I'm mostly in agreement with Steve (Fignutty) that healthy fig trees can be grown productively in smaller containers than are commonly used. I will be starting cuttings of several different cultivars which will be planted in 5 gallon buckets this year and grown in those buckets for the next few years as a proof of concept.
My initial thought is to use 6 - 10 cultivars including Atreano, Celeste, Conadria, O'Rourke, Southern Brown Turkey and Violette de Bordeaux. Since I'm already using 5 gallon buckets as my intermediate sized container going to inground and 20 gallon SIPs (modified 30 gallon barrels) there would be no additional work required to isolate several individual plants this growing season. The goal is to produce 5 to 6 dozen figs on each 5 gallon plant after the 2nd year. I've included Atreano and Conadria for their reputation as "aggressive" growing cultivars.

I have a few general questions to ask...
What is considered productive for a small fig tree in a 5 gallon pot?
What is considered productive for a fig tree in a 10 gallon, 20 gallon and 25 gallon pot?
Which standard cultivars are considered too aggressive (grower) to remain in 5 gallon pots?
Thanks.

Kathleen's Black is extremely aggressive. i did emergency root pruning last spring. this spring, i did scheduled root pruning. the area where new soil was added last spring was choked with new roots. on the other hand, VdB didn't have as much. however, both in 10 gal, VdB produced 3 times as much as Kathleen's Black. 

Great topic.  I'm beginning the use of 5 gallon covered SIPs this year, so I plan to contribute my results later this year, as I know not many people use covers.