I was wondering about the slow growth of my two Smith figs. About 4 inch in one year. In Spring both start with a good growth then it stops in Summer. Noire de Caromb for example with the same treatment grow about 30 inch in one year.

Any other experience?

Smith is a fairly slow grower for me as well. The plant is healthy, but just grows kind of slow as compared to many of my other figs.

It has been speculated that TXBA-1 is the same as Smith. They do have the same leaf shape. My TXBA-1 was one of the slowest figs I owned for probably 4 years, next to no growth. I put it in the ground this spring, and it exploded in growth with multiple stems of up to 5 ft tall. It's a beautiful plant now.

Mike in Hanover, VA

Wow, I've had the opposite experience. All of my Smith cuttings rooted fast, and have grown fast too. From my cuttings in February, one has been planted in ground and another is in a 15 gallon. Very thick stems also. No fruit ripening this year, but a lot of growth.

MGorski
That gives me an idea. I should put my slow growers in the ground in early spring time. I will let it in the ground and hopefully after good growth until put it back in the pot again. I hope it works.

Gary, my TXBA-1 now also has thick stems.

OttawanZ5, I highly recomend putting your plants in the ground for strong growth. There were a few that had FMV that didn't grow quickly, but I still think they grew better than they had while in pots. I'm going to be digging a few of mine up to move inside, but most are going to stay in the ground protected for the winter.

Mike in Hanover, VA

My Smith from Just Fruits is a healthy plant, it is containerized and had explosive growth in April-June then it slowed down and focused on about 25 fruits to ripen. A straight upright grower. At one point it had to shed a few leaves in july because there were just too many in too small a space, I consider it to have been an adjustment. It fruited fairly early considering I heard it was late to ripen. I will wake it up early nevertheless in my greenhouse next year.

TXBA-1=Smith?

Mike in Hanover, VA

My Smith grew very well this year.  Planted in ground this year in April (Coastal NC - 8a), didn't seem to be doing much above ground then exploded.

First pic is April 30, newly planted.

Second pic is Sept 24, 2nd tree from left.

Planted three small figs in my parents ground and they almost showed no growth with heavy watering etc..

Hi maxi,
I don't know the Smith fig but :
Can be that particular spot : Do they get sun there ? Do you water regularly?
If so, then an hand full of fertilizer (10/10/10) every two weeks will correct that next year. Here I started fertilizing in March for the roots to make reserves before the buds do break.
I never have fears to fertilize figtrees ... The only problem is with the seedlings ... They are weaker and burn much more easily ... But let's blame the slugs for loosing some seedlings .

My "Longue d'aout" has been a slow grower for me . I'm fed up with lda. So this year I doubled the fertilizer dose ... and it grew already better and surprisingly thickened a bit, but still not as fast as my other trees...
Could be the spot where I planted my lda, as some other members on the forum report good growth on lda ...
I'm now keeping up with that fertilizer program, and if the lda tree burns, hey well, I will have a new free spot for another more productive tree !
And if she succeeds, guess, I'll get more figs from her next year !

My Smith was the most frustrating fig that I have ever owned.  It was also my first, it kinda set there and did nothing, it was out of the way so I left it there. It was a whip for 11 yrs and only produced 1 fig.  I decided to either cure it or kill it, In February 3 yrs ago, I cut if off 6 inches above the ground and it exploded.  I used the cuttings and they exploded.  It seems that they need some kind of a "Jump start".  It is now one of my best producers.

Smith is my favorite "ugly" fig! I had one in the ground for about 8 years. Sunday, I dug it out and what a large root ball! I repotted it in a SWP. But it can be a slow grower if it doesn't get what it needs at the time. In one year, I had mine in a 10 gallon pot and it exploded with growth and got sick. The next year, I planted it in my orchard and it just took off. The base of my tree is as big as my knee but the tree is only 5 feet tall. It's very healthy! ANd yes, TX-BA1 is the same as Smith. Both are NOT hardy trees so if you have it, now is the time to move indoors.

cheers!

Well, a lot of different experience. I don`t think it is a particular problem. My fertilizer ist one of the best I ever used in the past full organic 4/7/12 no problems with any other fig. Only smith grow really slow. Both are healthy and hardy to -14°C are no problem for my little tree in ground. (Zone 7b - Germany)

I will put one in ground next year and the other one is already in ground. Maybe I cut the other down for some kind of "jump start". Maybe it needs more fertilizer in April-June because after June it completely stops growth.

Any other suggestions?

Maybe some added nitrogen for more vegetative growth?  4/7/12 is real low on nitrogen. I used Osmocote 14-14-14 at planting in April, and then regular MG (24-8-16) twice more in the Summer.  Also gave it some lime and ironite.

Hey Phil, I love the pic of your tree.  But why plant it so close to the house?  Where are you exactly in NC?  How cold did it get last winter?  Do you winterize your Smith?  If so, how?  What's your process?

I'm in Charlotte, zone 8a BUT I do think its really 7b!  I reported it to USDA last year and they came back and said my zip is one of the hottest spots in Charlotte.  Even though it got down to 8 degree twice last winter!  Go figure!