Good evening,

I'm a new member, recently ordered multiple fig varieties and have two; a Peter's Honey fig and a Panache Tiger fig.  On order are a few larger trees but mostly dwarf size trees.

Since fig trees are supposed to love the heat, I'm wondering about planting them on an espalier line we set up 16" away from our block fence.  We have talked about making some vine trellises to go on the block fence first, but being that figs are supposed to love the heat - would it matter?  This is a south facing block fence.

Thanks,

Jan

Figs: Lattarula Honey, Violette de Boardeaux, White Marseilles, Ischia, Panache Tiger, Peters Honey, Desert King and Black Mission (ordered by size, from smallest to largest).

   Jan, while your temps in Phoenix will surpass ours here in Northern California,  our six to eight weeks of summer temperatures, which hovered around 108*, brought my fig trees growth and production to a standstill last year.  The effect was dramatic enough that I will be covering hundreds of my trees with shade cloth and using fogging misters to reduce the temps this year.

  And more destructive still, was our mild winter days.  Temps that ranged from 50 to 62* during the day, brought the trees out of dormancy; only to be followed by several evening temps that dropped to 29*.  This brief sub-freezing dip was enough to kill fifty of my trees this winter.

  So, while I applaud the creative steps that growers take to increase their charge's production, very often more does not equate to better.  You may find that the added heat provided by the block wall will only exacerbate the problems that the heat gave me here.

Don't really think your figs will profit from added heat from the hardscape. Also do not think the espalier will be beneficial. Espalier will likely lead to more direct sun on the fruit, which will lead to sunburn on the fruit. The trees need sufficient sun and heat, but the fruit does not. Phoenix has more than enough of both, without trying to "maximize" them.

Almost every fruit bearing plant that I've planted along/against a south facing block wall here in southern California including grapes was severely stunted or died. If it's a shaded wall or gets indirect light, it might work, but the above comments are from very experienced growers. Good luck. 

It because of global warming :-((

Good Morning,

Thank you for the information about the figs.  Does anyone here whitewash the fig trunks and/or bare trees? Tropicamango.com recommends doing that for our climate to prevent sunburn of younger trees.  I did whitewash our citrus, avocado, black sapote and persimmon trunks this last weekend and skipped the figs, thinking they would like the heat.

Bluemalibu and pitangadiego, that is good information. I'm not really interested in adding heat to the plants for their benefit. I'm mostly interested in shading/blocking the block fence to reduce reflective heat back into our backyard.  Neither my husband or I eat figs and are no expert on fig production or flavor.  This will be the first year we will be able to try a fresh fig from Peter's Honey and Panache. We aren't certain we will like them.  I tried some store figs and they mostly tasted grassy.

So, I guess we will try a combo of ficus pumila and catsclaw for coverage/blockage of the block wall and reflective heat.  We'll be having some larger trees in the main yard areas for dappled sun and general cooling in other areas (pink peppercorn, Texas Ebony and one other we haven't decided on yet).

Here is a white washing/truck painting recipe that I think was linked on f4f previously.  http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1335121.htm

Hey Jan... I did exactly what you're asking about. I started this a couple years back and can tell you that it does cut down on the heat that collects and radiates from the block wall. It'll take 2-3 years to get yours trees full enough to get good coverage so I'd say get started. 

I have a total of 6 different fruit trees, including a Black Jack fig, and it has not affected it in any negative way, it fruits like crazy. I think by the end of the next growing season most of these trees will be in the shape that I'm looking for (my guamuchil has been in shape since last year).

Hopefully this link works...
https://picsart.com/i/230833575025202

Hi Elfarach,

Thanks for the positive input and the picture share. It looks like branching was encouraged low to the ground to help shade everything.  It looks great and healthy.

Aside from the fig, what other trees do you have going?  What are your average temperatures there?

Thanks much!

Jan

I have a Ruby Red grapefruit, Black Jack fig, navel orange, guamuchil, Eureka lemon and a golden nugget mandarin... 

Our average summer temps are in the mid to high 90's but we do get into the 100's a few days...

I have a thread on my fig espalier you can check out...