Shoots and Suckers

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MaryMary

Registered:1400763659
Posts: 25

Posted 1405198944	Reply with quote #1

I cut my fig trees down to the ground this Spring. There is plenty of new growth, multiple 3' shoots or suckers? off the main trunks but they are growing lateral instead of upright. I stalked them. They are green and pliable. All advice and suggestions are welcome to help me to get them to look like trees again instead of ground cover. Attached Images image.jpg (45.74 KB, 91 views) __________________ Varieties I own in ground: Adriatic, Blue Celeste, Brown Turkey, Celeste. My Avi is from a mixed media painting by me of one of my Blue Celeste Figs as seen in better days. I live 17 miles from the White House, just outside the beltway Zone 7

thearabicstudent

Registered:1366758767
Posts: 118

Posted 1405203742	Reply with quote #2

Why'd you cut them back to the ground? Wanted to make bushes instead of trees? __________________ http://www.thearabicstudent.com Maryland, Zone 7a (half a mile from 6b)

pitangadiego

Moderator
Registered:1188871011
Posts: 5,447

Posted 1405211415	Reply with quote #3

The buds that that they are sprouting from probably in the side of the stump/trunk, so they naturally grow horizontal. Yo9u will need to stake and train them. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com http://figs4fun.com http://webebananas.com "pitangadiego" everywhere

MaryMary

Registered:1400763659
Posts: 25

Posted 1405212144	Reply with quote #4

Thanks! I guess I will pick the strongest shoots and train it with a stake. The reason I cut them to the ground was due to the harsh winter here in Maryland, the fig trees were very damaged and susceptible to disease, they became infested with wood boring beetles and they did not leaf out. My neighbors' trees experienced the same problems. Everyone in our area ended up cutting their trees to the ground. __________________ Varieties I own in ground: Adriatic, Blue Celeste, Brown Turkey, Celeste. My Avi is from a mixed media painting by me of one of my Blue Celeste Figs as seen in better days. I live 17 miles from the White House, just outside the beltway Zone 7

TahomaGuy2

Registered:1365215474
Posts: 101

Posted 1405225788	Reply with quote #5

Here's a suggestion: Place cider blocks around the base of the tree and fill with soil. The covered branches will set roots. Dig out in before the ground freezes and place in pots. Keep inside until spring. __________________ -Charles Cool Pacific NW Zone 8b

Aaron4USA

Registered:1375832059
Posts: 2,969

MaryMary

Registered:1400763659
Posts: 25

Posted 1405255869	Reply with quote #7

Thanks TahomaGuy2... I like your idea! I also read on another thread to put cups with soil around the shoots to have them root. I may try that idea and see what happens. Last year at this time I had so many figs..sadly now there are none. Hopefully next year! So hard to wait an entire year for the bounty! __________________ Varieties I own in ground: Adriatic, Blue Celeste, Brown Turkey, Celeste. My Avi is from a mixed media painting by me of one of my Blue Celeste Figs as seen in better days. I live 17 miles from the White House, just outside the beltway Zone 7

MaryMary

Registered:1400763659
Posts: 25

Posted 1406288542	Reply with quote #8

I am happy to announce that the Celeste, following a brutal cutting down to the ground in late Spring, has rebounded beautifully and is producing figs! Shown here, I am experimenting with the cup propagation method I saw someone post in forum. I am sorry I don't remember who posted this idea, so I can't give you credit. But it looks interesting so I am giving it a go. I also have a shooter layering at ground level and I will post results if I get anything worth telling about! In any case I am really happy I didn't have to wait 3 years for a crop, like some of my zone 7 friends were predicting. Attached Images image.jpg (40.20 KB, 29 views) image.jpg (44.74 KB, 29 views) image.jpg (37.52 KB, 26 views) __________________ Varieties I own in ground: Adriatic, Blue Celeste, Brown Turkey, Celeste. My Avi is from a mixed media painting by me of one of my Blue Celeste Figs as seen in better days. I live 17 miles from the White House, just outside the beltway Zone 7

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