Hello Everyone,
I hope your overwintering or propagating season has gone well. For me here in 9a all of my fig trees are out of hibernation and actively growing. All my nursery bought (read shipped) plants came with stakes. I thought they were mainly for shipping. As my young plants start their second year of growth I just wanted to know if staking is recommended. And if so, what is the safest way, esp. considering the potential winds in our area?

Thanks

I stake everything initially and then decide whether it needs the stake after it has rooted one growing season... Some folks suggest that having a tree swing in the breeze actually makes for a stronger root system and that is probably the case AFTER the newly planted tree has had a chance to anchor itself... I don't want a 3 ft or taller plant swinging in the breeze tearing tender new root growth for lack of staking...

It can't hurt.... Kind of depends on what style of tree you want as well. If yo want to prune to a central leader for instance, you will probably need to stake the leader branch.... If you want a bush it might not be as important depending on the size of tree you're trying to produce. In the end you'll probably want to control growth one way or another...

Great book on pruning: 

https://www.amazon.com/All-About-Pruning-Charles-Deaton/dp/0897211987/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491615338&sr=8-1&keywords=9780897211987

I stake all my trees. Some of the larger pots have two or three stakes. Mine are all in pots that I partially bury. I feel staking is a must precaution against the wind.

If you are wanting a bush form plant, then no, but if you want a tree form, then the answer is maybe.  You can control the shaping of your fig trees however you like.

I stake on an as needed basis. I grow in pots and have both bushes and trees. Some trees grow faster then they can manage and some produce enough figs they need support.

Thanks for the input. And esp. thanks for the book recommendation!

That book is dirt cheap on Amazon and IMO the most useful book on pruning. I pretty much only use the last chapter on fruit trees... Mostly because I can't be bothered to grow things that I can't eat :-)

Also really good if you want fig-specific pruning and care info is "How To Grow Figs Where You Think You Can't" by Steven Biggs. I bought this after getting my first fig tree and have found it a handy, no-nonsense reference for growing fig trees. (http://www.grow-figs.com)

No, but had a white marsielles that blew over in a storm...I had planted it by cutting out the bottom of its trade gallon pot. :^{~)>

So, I tied it to the stock pannel of the sheep pen...

Now, one benefit of Staking with rebar covered in PVC pipe, is that you can use that to better winter protect your figs; winter protection creates drag, and thus the need to reinforce the tree.

I usually train my figs into a central leader shape, and I will generally stake my figs the first growing season to keep things growing upright and not at an odd angle. After the first growing season I will remove the stake as leaving it on will weaken the tree.

Hi,
I do not often stake. When I do, it is more to mark the position of a small tree that I could walk upon and crush.
I stake some trees too when I buy them at nurseries as the trees tend to be top-heavy.

I grow most figs in a tree form. I have been staking the tree the first year, and then remove it after the roots get established.

I also use stakes around the tree to pull/train the main limbs into the spreading form that I want. Sometimes when doing this I will leave the trunk stake in a while longer, so that I can put more tension on the limbs without stressing the trunk.

CliffH