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Texas Blue Giant Fig

I bought a Texas Blue Giant fig a number of years back (6 - 6) from one of the catalogue vendors: far enough back that I can no longer remember which supplier it was. At any rate, I have had it potted all this time and have up potted it as the tree grew and have even propagated the plant a number of time using suckers and cuttings. The plant grows beautifully, is always full and a luscious green, which is why I have kept it all these years. It has not, however, produced a single fig in the time I have owned it. It has not even started a figlet during all of these years.

Anyone have any ideas as to what the issue is with this fig? I'm thinking that it was produced from seed and sold as a Texas Blue Giant but that the reality of it is that it is not a viable fig... Thoughts?

Thanks,
Tony
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Tony,
I have several Texas Blue Giant fig trees in 10 gallon pots.  I know exactly what's wrong with your tree.  Your tree is very root bound.  TBG is a fast growing tree.  I have one that's in a 10 gallon pot sitting on pure concrete.  It get 8 hour plus of sun a day.  Last year it gave me a boat load of figs.  This year, I got none because the tree is root bound and sitting on hot concrete daily.  It is the same age as my other trees but those are not on concrete and are not root bound.  You won't get figs this year but come Fall, up-pot your tree and root prune it.  Next year, you will be staking the limbs ups with 2x4s to hold the fruit on!
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Dennis,

Thanks for the info. I will definitely do that and see if it makes a difference...

Tony
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Up pot, root prune as Dennis said, then do a minimal tip prune on half of the tips, next year do the other half.  My original tree was almost 4 yrs old before I saw my first fig.

The TBG is a real under rated fig, it does very well in my environment.
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Originally Posted by dkirtexas
Up pot, root prune as Dennis said, then do a minimal tip prune on half of the tips, next year do the other half.  My original tree was almost 4 yrs old before I saw my first fig.

The TBG is a real under rated fig, it does very well in my environment.


Thanks! Will do as suggested and hope for the best!

Regards,
Tony
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Hi tsparozi,

Without a photo, it did not happen/does not exist !
A tree in a pot calls for more maintenance regarding fertilizer and watering.

Did you fertilize your tree during that time ?
Is it in a self-watering pot ? or with a saucer under ? or on cement ?
Is the pot on dirt with roots escaping the pot ? ( a really good way to grow - I have some like that and they really look well ... I wish they would do it all )

A photo will help too for judging the overall health of the tree ( weak stems, strong stems, nice trunk , too bushy , too high ... ) ... worth a hundred questions .
Do you have other trees / other strains ? Are other strains behaving better with the same cares ?
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Originally Posted by jdsfrance
Hi tsparozi,

Without a photo, it did not happen/does not exist !


Thanks! Your point is well made. A picture is worth a thousand words... I have been quite delinquent in documenting the figs in my possession and will be looking in the future to this and the 'ourfigs' forum for assistance with formally documenting what cultivars I have.

Meanwhile in response to your questions, the figs are potted into quit large containers 14-16" deep and in most cases the same diameter and larger with ample drainage holes and a 2" bottom layer consisting of stones and gravel to assist in drainage and avoiding root rot. The containers themselves are always in my garden resting on soil. I mostly avoid black containers to help keep roots at a lower temperature when exposed to full sun. They get full sub exposure from about 10AM through about 6PM and partial shade otherwise. They get daily watering using hand directed water unless a persistent heat spell requires otherwise. I sometimes use a lawn sprinkler system to do a deep soaking in lieu of hand watering. I usually fertilize every 2 weeks during the growing season using a liquid fertilizer like MiracleGrow Liquafeed which is a 12-4-8 formulation which I apply after first watering the containers with regular water (artesian well system, not clorinated/florinated city/town water. I always thought I got my fair share of figs considering I am in 6A (at least until I read about some of the yields others get under similar circumstances and growing zones) although I have noticed a down spiral in the case of some of the plants which is why the suggestion about checking for root bound pots struck home. Some of the containers definitely do need to have their root balls cut back in the fall as it has been a number of years since that was done. I do get Breba figs on some of the plants that usually start when containers are still under weather watch and protected in the garage. In spite of my best efforts and doing the fig 'shuffle' to harden the plants off in the spring, the Breba figs always fail to mature and fall off. The main crop usually begins growing almost immediately thereafter.

The Texas fig however, was up potted progressively over the course of the years and was put into its current container only a few years ago. Assuming all variables are applied the same across the entire fig group, this particular cultivar is the only one that NEVER showed even a glimmer of a fig to date.

Thanks again for your consideration and feedback!

Tony

PS I will be looking into the Super Bloom fertilizer suggestions as well (for next season) although not sure that I want to spike any new fig growth with a "super" dose of fertilizer as we begin to wind down the growing season.
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