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kmuncaster

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I'm hoping for advice on how to create a root constraint in the ground. This seems like common advice because "Figs grow naturally in semi-desert conditions were there’s very little top soil and actually prefer a constricted root ball. If not constrained they’ll produce vigorous growth and less fruit. " This seems especially prevalent in UK instructions. I live in Victoria in the Pacific Northwest which is a similar climate. 

I've also got other plants nearby that I don't want taken over by greedy fig tree roots.

For my last fig tree I used an old clotheswasher basin, which is a fig tree tip I got from a Bob Flowerdew book--the holes allow free exchange of water/nutrients/small roots while preventing large roots from spreading. I just excavated that and gave it away because the variety I picked wasn't right for my climate. I don't have another clotheswasher basin so am considering other options. The excavation hole is about 5'x6' by 3', which is also about the space I plan to dedicate to the tree.

The most common advice  online seems to be to "dig a hole 60cm by 60cm (2ft by 2ft) and 60cm (2ft) deep. Line the three open sides of the hole with bricks or concrete slabs and add 15cm (6in) of broken bricks or clean stone to the base of the hole for drainage."  (http://allotmentheaven.blogspot.ca/2011/01/fig-ficus.html?m=1) . The prospect of buying, hauling, and laying a bunch of bricks sounds expensive and time consuming.

Another is to "Or use an old, large pot or tub trug with its bottom cut out, or buy a root control bag." It looks like root control bags (eg http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=461 ) have a special copper lining that discourages roots from circling. However I can only find UK sites selling these. And I don't have an old large pot, and new ones are really expensive.

One thing I can buy cheaply is 2' aluminum flashing. I used this to keep my raspberry roots from invading neighbouring beds. I could sink it into the ground as an overlapping circle (or bend it into a square to reduce root circling?),  with the bottom open but adding drainage. If I wanted to imitate the clotheswasher basin I could drill small holes in it to allow water/nutrients/small roots to pass (especially in the lower two feet where I care less if the roots escape). However I wonder if the roots would be strong enough to enlarged the holes over time (or would the sharp edges cut into them and cause damage?). I am also concerned that aluminum would would cause the roots to circle too much and strangle? My hole is quite big already to I could make is as large as 5' in diameter to avoid this but then would it have the same effect of forcing fruit vs growth?

Another option is to use a circle of landscape fabric, which allows some small roots to penetrate. But that would eventually degrade. I could do some combo of aluminum (for longevity) and landscape fabric lining (to encourage small roots and decrease root circling).

Thoughts, advice? Any other ideas on readily-available, cheap, low-labour methods?

Katherine
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OttawanZ5

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
It is hard to visualize this process for people with 30, 50 or more trees.
This concept is recommended by some UK nurseries for backyard orchardists with fewer trees but it is not common practice here in north America though some try it.
If you keep the fig tree size to small accessible small size by pruning, the roots may not need to go far away for grazing anyway.
I hope someone with experience in doing it will chime in.
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DesertDance

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
"Figs grow naturally in semi-desert conditions were there’s very little top soil and actually prefer a constricted root ball. If not constrained they’ll produce vigorous growth and less fruit." 

I'm not sure in your climate if this root constricting thing will work.  It's too cold and your season is not optimal.  "Semi-desert" is the key word here.

But I've been busy updating my fig list today and I stumbled across a couple varieties that may work for you:

Osborne Prolific (Neveralla)

 Great pacific Northwest and coastal variety. Trees ripen fruit even in cool weather. Medium sized fruit with dark reddish brown skin and very sweet pink tinged amber flesh. One of the best! Naturally dwarf tree, good for container growing. Early ripening.  Hardiness zones 7-9.

Atreano
Good for cool and short season climates, but also does well with our hot northern California climate.  Very heavy bearing tree with large tender sweet bright green figs and strawberry colored flesh.  Vigorous but compact tree bears both an early breba and an extended late crop. Hardy zones 7-9

Hope that helps.  I know you were disappointed with your other tree that was contained and you gifted it to someone.  I think variety is your problem, not containment.

Suzi
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pino

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
In Victoria BC do you get a lot of rain? 
Is there a danger that if you constraint the roots they may stay too wet and split the ripening figs.  Also in winter for your occasional bouts of artic temps can the constrained roots freeze and kill the tree?

In northern climates I think the biggest worry is tree survival during winter.  I let my fig tree roots roam free and they seem to like it.  They are 20 years old and they even survived last year's record cold.  
The trees are loaded with figs every year.  How many ripe figs I get seems to depend on how much pinching and fruit thinning I do and of course the summer we end up with. 
If space is at a premium container growing may be a simpler option.
Good luck with your fig growing you sure are getting nice weather out there 2 years in a row now.  The west is starting to look very nice from the cold N.E...LOL
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kmuncaster

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
FYI, I will be getting a Desert King, which is known locally as the best fig for our cool summers. It has a large breba crop. It can get really big, and I do plan to prune it aggressively, according to these instructions (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB0D_tuKgtQ ). I need to keep it to about 5' x 6' for my space. 

pino, the soil here is clayish and winter is quite wet and mild, we only get a few days of snow a year so I'm not very worried about freezing. 
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jdsfrance

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Hi kmuncaster,
It is my belief that if you trim a fig tree, you won't get that many fruits ... Especially since you are targeting the breba crop on the "Desert King".
I'd wait 5 years before trimming anything. Trimming every year is just for selling cuttings IMO .
As for constraining the roots, you could use a big barrel or an 80 liters trashcan - 8 bucks for the trashcan .
Or you could use what people use for constraining bamboos - generally a special thick plactic sheet -it is more expensive but you can shape it as wanted .
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figpig_66

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Use a plastic milk crate they are cheap have nice holes and spacing.
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GeneDaniels

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
find a very large plastic nursery pot and cut the bottom out, or use a plastic trashcan like jdfrance said. The smaller feeder roots will be constrained while the deeper roots will go where ever they want. That should keep it from suffocating near-by plants while giving it access to deeper water resources when needed.

That said, I don't know if it is worth the effort unless you have a very small yard and plants are very close. Proper pruning is probably the better want to manage the plant.
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Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow.  Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
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