Hello all,

I have a Brown Turkey fig tree that I grew from a cutting, and last summer (second summer) it grew about 6 feet tall in a container. It produced 3 figs on the main trunk that didn't ripen before frost. Heartbreak.

So, my question is, what do I do with it this year to get the most figs? Shall I cut it off or tie it sideways to encourage branching?

I also have a few more varieties that are less than a foot tall, also in containers. These trees are multi-stemmed already except for one Celeste - which is also one trunk, albeit only about 9 inches tall. Do I pinch or prune this Celeste one too?

All trees overwintered in pots - the large Brown Turkey in a dormant stage in the dark, the other small ones in the kitchen with vegatative growth, yet in stasis. The smalls just broke their buds and began growing activity in the last few weeks.

I am totally in love with the idea of figs, yet I have never tasted a fresh fig in my life. I've been growing these trees for a few years now, and would love to at least taste the fruit of my hope this year!  *smiling* But my main concern is for future healthy growth & shape of my trees.

I am in southeast Ohio in zone 6B, if that helps for you to answer my pruning questions. I do intend to grow them all in containers and bring them inside the basement in the dark for dormant winter storage.

Thanks so much!

rebecca

Pinch the growth tip once the weather warms and your brown turkey puts on leaves outside.  This will force it to send out side branches.  As each branch develops leaves, pinch after 5 leaves.  Now more branches.  Continue this process until you have a full tree.  This year you should have many figs.  I don't own a brown turkey, but many figs put on two crops. 

The Breba crop comes on last years growth, so you will lose that crop if you prune prior to getting the breba.  Pruning is cutting a piece (cutting) off a branch or trunk.

Pinching means simply pull out the growth tip.  Pinching is different than pruning.  Pinching will preserve the breba crop, and make a lot more places for the main crop to grow.

Good luck to you!

Suzi

Hello Rebecca,
Welcome to the forum community.

Although it may be painful, IMO, you will need to prune the trees to establish the "main scaffold branches", after they are established the yearly fruiting branches can then be pinched if needed.
Here is a pruning topic that may be of some help... http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/pruning-and-training-figs-tree-or-bush-form-6388743?&trail=50
A container horizontal tree may not be as productive as a standard tree form and may be more difficult to move and store in the winter.
Good Luck.

Thank both of you so much for the wisdom! I use the American Horticultural Society pruning and training book for all my fruit trees, but there isn't much advice in there for container figs grown in cold climates.

And many thanks Pete, for the link. That's exactly what I was looking for here...but kept getting sidetracked by all the other posts. That thread should be a sticky for us newbies...

As far as the horizontal tying idea, I was hoping that it would encourage lateral growth from the horizontal position, and then I could release it once the growth got going, and return it to its vertical state. I do that with apple trees, and wondered it I could get away with it for figs - and perhaps not lose my crop this year by having to prune.

It would be easier on me if I was able to buy fresh figs...  *laughing* I am dying to taste even one!

rebecca

Welcome to the forum Rebecca. I can't add anything to your question because IMHO ascpete is the authority on this. I'm trying his advice this year as well.

Welcome to the forum. 

In addition to the advice of Pete on pruning as above, since you had some issues with late ripening, you might benefit from doing the 'fig shuffle' with your potted figs.  That means not waiting until the last date of frost has passed, but setting your plants out in the sun earlier in the spring but moving them back inside (garage or shed where they will not frost) when there is danger of frost.  This might get them a couple extra weeks of growing season.  The same can be done in the fall as well.

Goiod luck with your figs!

Thanks again to everyone for the advice! I sure appreciate you...

Pete, should I prune now then? While it's still dormant?

Also, will it leak latex while dormant, or should I use a grafting compound or sealer on the cut edges?

rebecca

Rebecca,
You're welcome.

Yes, you can tie the single trunk horizontal, produce buds, then return to the vertical position, but you still need to remove the apical end to get faster bud production. The only thing to be gained by using this procedure may be a few breba figs near the top of the main trunk.

The trees can be pruned in Fall or Spring, while dormant. I personally seal all cut ends and have never had a problem and get better growth from the buds that form near the sealed end, Pruning Sealer outdoors, Elmer's School Glue for dry location (indoors) and dormant cuts do not usually leak latex or sap.

<edit> IMO, The tree form is much easier to handle (by the main trunk) and to store than the bush form.

Ok, so these fig tees will eventually all be in pots on my deck, southern exposure,  so is it better to train for tree form or bush form? (As far as maneuverability in and out of the house)

They sort of look the same to me in the diagrams, except that the tree form scaffolds begin a little higher on the trunk.

What then,  is the best trunk length to prune this tree to?  *sigh*

rebecca

Rebecca,
  You said: "I am totally in love with the idea of figs, yet I have never tasted a fresh fig in my life."
  You will soon learn that there are many, many crazy people on this forum who grow hundreds of trees and propagate hundreds of cuttings each year because they love the taste of the fig fruit.  However, we need to open up a special wing of this asylum for people like you, who jump in head first without having tasted them ;-)  That is commitment!
Jim
PS -- The taste profiles of fresh figs vary wildly, but they are all orders of magnitude better than the taste of dried figs.
PPS -- The first fig that you grow yourself on your own tree is especially tastey!

Totally true Jim!  *laughing*

I just know they look so beautiful and mouthwatering in photos. And the foliage -- it's just so Eden!  *lol* They've just GOT to taste wonderful...

I've shuffled the trees outside to spend the day playing in the filtered sun. I went ahead and pruned the main trunk of my Brown Turkey to about 2 feet high, waiting for an answer on just how short to go, and created cuttings of the trimmed trunk so I can make more trees. I noticed the trunk seems dry instead of plump, yet there is a definite green cambium ring around the woody heart. The buds have not broken yet so I trust it's still dormant.

Hopefully I'll get a few figs from something this year.  *grin*

I'd take even one!

Rebecca,

Any of your trees that don't have leaves yet (or if the leaves are still relatively small) can go directly into full sun. The leaves will develope tolerance to the sun as it enlarges, without burning.

Rebecca
You got lots of great advice here on how to prune/train your trees. 
You mentioned a southern exposure this of course is key for the figs to grow and ripen as long as you keep them well watered so they don't dry out.  It can get pretty hot in black pots.
One thing I found out is that if I plant an established tree in a prepared area, southern exposure in-ground then it will grow like crazy and produce more figs than you can imagine.  You may want to consider that with your brown turkey fig.  In late fall you can dig the fig tree up with minimal effort and put him back in a container to bring in to your garage for the winter.

You would also benefit from getting a few more varieties.  Hardy Chicago, Florea and Nordland might survive outside for you.  Violette de Bordeaux is inexpensive and tastes great.  Desert King bears only a breba crop but it would start your season off early.  Best of luck with your fig endeavors.

Think Rcantor said it great Hardy Chicago and V. Bordeaux 2 fine tasting figs course taste can be subjective.

Rebecca,
I am one of those people who started growing figs without tasting them fresh. Then my daughter bought a pack for me and they tasted bland, nothing to shout about. I am depending on the raving reviews of members who said they tasted great when eaten fresh from the trees. I have yet to have a fruit from my trees but I just can't wait to taste them.

Norhayati

Thanks again to everyone for contributing to this thread.  *smiling*

Bob, I do have the Hardy Chicago and the Violette de Bordeaux. I also just bought 2 each Desert King and Conadria cuttings from eBay yesterday. So hopefully I'll have the breba crop in the future. Adding more varieties is not a problem for me. *laughing* However I'd like to move from being a fig voyeur to fig connoisseur!

I took a breath and pruned my brown turkey to a good 16" trunk this morning - and soothed myself with the fact that I can create more trees with the cuttings. It's a 1" caliper tree, so hopefully this year it'll grow fast.

Pino, I do have a couple of areas against my home on the south side that I will try to grow a tree in ground. All my trees but the brown turkey were cuttings last spring, so I'll have to get more growth out of them before planting. However, if I get some active cuttings from this pruning, perhaps I'll put the brown turkey in the ground and see what happens.

Norhayati, you too! *smiling* I'm glad to have company in my corner asylum that Jim made for us...

May I suggest you air layer the main trunk and then when it has rooted, cut it off. New shoots will appear and branc out

Once you taste a few fresh figs, you will get a feel for what you like.  Figs are like wine.  Some like it dry, some like it sweet, some like it fruity, some like it oaked.  It's all a matter of taste.  I like thin skinned juicy figs with a berry, or rich figgy flavor.  Juicy is key to me.  Not a fan of dry pithy figdom.

Figs with two crops will only bear breba (first crop) on new wood.  Cut that, you get no breba crop, or maybe one or two brebas.  Brebas are usually not the best anyway, so no big loss.  I seriously chopped a VDB to move it to our new property, and was surprised that it actually has 3 breba on it.  I thought I almost killed the thing root and top pruning. 

Good luck with your cuttings! 

Suzi

So.... now my tree is about 2 feet tall after the whack, and it's almost constantly weeping from the wound (which is coated with asphalt tree wound/grafting coating) The liquid is running down the trunk of the tree, and I see no bud swell whatsoever yet. The cambium layer is still green. This started a few days after the pruning.

I am still bringing the tree in at night, and out during the day in the warm temps.

My other young figs in the unheated greenhouse have all leafed out - but they spent the winter in a sleep state in the kitchen, but not dormant. So I have no other fig to compare this to, that spent the winter dormant.

Is this normal?

Also, at what nighttime temps is it safe to leave the tree outside all the time?

Thank you!

Try packing cinnamon on the wound. The sap will make it stick and it works for stopping "bleeding" for me.

the latex should stop in few days at most. best to cut them when they are dormant. once they awake, the latex can drip for awhile. 

Hi Widowbryant,

If you are in an haste buy a tree :) . You probably could find some at around 20$ if you lurk around in the nurseries - if they have some.
Starting from cutting in zone 6, you need two full years and the third the tree will start to bear a light crop.
My BT got burned to the ground. Then, she made two stems from the dirt, showed figs, but none riped. Year after, small bud winter die back, developed a canopy at 1 meter of height, showed more figs and only 3 riped. Year after -this year- I see "some" brebas on the tree .
One needs to be patient. The only way to be faster is to buy a tree - and not let her be winter-burned like I did :(

Good luck with your trees !