hiya, guys. i know i'm supposed to stop fertilizing soon, but i'm fuzzy  on the details.  first frost here is mid october, so one month in advance?

does it matter that i'm using 5-1-1 which has no nutrients i don't add?

i've been using 9-3-6 several times each week, quarter strength.

please help, or i'll just guess.

Susie, you are right, that season length, first frost date, etc. are important factors.

So with 10 weeks till frost, if you are still getting active new growth, I would stop fertilizing. You don't want green wood when frost time comes.

Plan of action: Stop now, and take notes. See how long before all of the wood has hardened. If it happens in 6 weeks, you will know you could push 2-3 more weeks. If it hasn't fully hardened by first frost, then you will know that 8-1 was a little too late to be fertilizing. All this assumes you will use the same fertilizer and frequency next season.

One season should give you pretty good data for your location. and next year you can adjust accordingly.

thank you jon, will do. apprieciate the help.

Daniel,

Water is a whole different issue. As long as you have leaves, you will need to water more or less the same amount - more when it is hot, and less when it is cooler. When they are dormant, then water use and loss drops off quite a bit, but they still should not be completely dry.

my pleasure  dan.

jon, it's wonderful to get your expert opinions to guide us.
i was about to ask dan's question.

i followed your direction and stopped fertilizing and marked it on the calander so i'll know next year.

Everybody has their different ways of feeding their figs.  Me?  I give mine liquid 5-1-1 or 2-6-3 stuff till the end of August.  All organic stuff.  This year all of my trees are a month late due to the sever flooding and rain.  Now, we have the normal 85 and 88 degree tempertures and my figs are loving it!  I water my trees everyday until I see some trying to ripen, then I delay one day.  Over the past week, I just started picking these figs:

Hardy Chicago
Souadi
Kathleen Black
Peter's Honey
Cartengen Negra (posussum broke my large 4yr old tree last night.  I caught him and today her's in posussem ville!)
Atreano
Improved Brown Turkey
Celeste
Pastillere
LSU Gold
Piedmonte
Improved Celeste
Zephyr
Zembalas Black
LSU Tiger
Mega Celeste
LSU Hollier
Florea
Tacoma Violet
Brown Turkey
Salem Dark
and a few others....

thanks dennis. impressive list of trees. um, maybe you could answer the other question i just posted? it's a different watering question.

Sure Susie.....done!

Dennis what is your preferred organic fertilizer? How often do you have to feed?

Nicole I use Foxfarm Big Boom, Foxfarm Grow Big and Fish Emulsion. Now, we're getting 85+ degree weather, partly cloudy skies. Great weather! I've been picking 3, 6, 5 and 2lbs of figs the past 3 days, TWICE A DAY! The sweetest figs were:

Peter's Honey
Beall
Kadota
Pasterilere RT
Negronne
Kathleen Black
Celestial
Mega Celeste
Improved Celeste
Gino's Black
Hardy Chicago
Pananas Purple
Celeste
LSU Purple
LSu Gold
LSu Hollier
MDS
White Marseilles
Willow Street
Atreano
Paradiso
LSu Tiger
Smith
Tacoma Violet
Stella
Hunt

Amazingly, this is the first year that LSU Gold and Purple were sweet this year. I was shocked! Beall was very sweet...with its white flesh. That scare tape does work. But, you have to make sure the tape is visible in the tree and arounfd the tree where the birds can see it. Early in the morning before the wind picks up, the birds do get one or 2 figs but that's it. Next year, I plan on placing this stuff in all of my trees. I took pictures of these figs. One day, I'll post some pics.

I can't wait until I have some pounds to pick off my trees!  I have some here and there and two mondo huge Stella fruits.  It's just enough to keep me stringing along in hope and anticipation.  Thank you for the info on fertilizing and freeze time. 

Dennis, old thread that I resurrected but have you stopped fertilizing for this year if not when?