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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Weak, lanky growth on garage over-wintered fig trees
 
 


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leimbach

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Hi,
This is my first post to the Forum, but I use it as my resource for fig growing.  I live in OH and the potted figs were brought in for winter.  The outbuilding is kept above freezing.  My husband insisted on a grow light (I see that figs need to go dormant and be dark, but it's too late for that). 

We brought them out the other day and they have alot of weak, lanky growth going in all directions, with small leaves (see pics).  Do I cut back this green growth to the wood of last year's growth?  I think figs develop the main crop on 'new' growth, so I'm not sure if I can cut it and if this even counts as new growth.   I think getting the trees back into shape would be beneficial, as this wild growth probably can't support anything.
  fig.jpg  fig 2.jpg   
Any info is greatly appreciated.....

Thanks!
Linda
musillid

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
That's crazy-looking. Can I suggest cutting them back to one or two internodes above old growth? This time of year, they should recover, especially if they are hardened a bit. If they are going to fruit, they will do so on the new growth.

Where in Ohio are you? I suspect south of me by the looks of the growth.
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Dale
non compost mentis in Zone 6a
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
For next year try to keep the garage below 45 and above 35.  Lights will warm it up so they're not a good idea.  As soon as a fig's buds swell it should go into sunlight.  This year mine are budding very early.  I've put them outside in the hopes of no frost.   If it does frost They'll get covered in Christmas lights, a blanket then plastic.  The lights won't need to go on unless the temps get under 30.

Your growth isn't as bad as some.  I'd try to air layer off the lanky stuff and let your big plant regrow from lower nodes.  The lanky stuff will be fine as the rooted portion of a bigger plant.
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Zone 6, MO

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Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
leimbach

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Quote:
Originally Posted by musillid
That's crazy-looking. Can I suggest cutting them back to one or two internodes above old growth? This time of year, they should recover, especially if they are hardened a bit. If they are going to fruit, they will do so on the new growth.

Where in Ohio are you? I suspect south of me by the looks of the growth.


I'm very North... on the Lake, west of Cleveland.  The growth came out of the building they were over-wintered in.  Between the heat and the grow light, the figs never got any 'rest'.  Thanks for the tips, I'll trim after they are out a few days.
leimbach

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rcantor
For next year try to keep the garage below 45 and above 35.  Lights will warm it up so they're not a good idea.  As soon as a fig's buds swell it should go into sunlight.  This year mine are budding very early.  I've put them outside in the hopes of no frost.   If it does frost They'll get covered in Christmas lights, a blanket then plastic.  The lights won't need to go on unless the temps get under 30.

Your growth isn't as bad as some.  I'd try to air layer off the lanky stuff and let your big plant regrow from lower nodes.  The lanky stuff will be fine as the rooted portion of a bigger plant.


Thanks for the advice. Will go cool, dark next year.  As for propagating---I don't need any more of these guys---have a whole rack of various cuttings in the house that are leafed out and growing like mad.  They need potting this summer.  I don't have too many identified varieties (Strawberry and Chicago I know for sure).  Most of them I took as cuttings while in N. FL and are unknowns (probably Turkey's I'd guess).  

Linda
musillid

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Linda,

You must be due north of me. There are several members in Cleveland, some in or from Little Italy. Marius is a good source of information. You can learn a lot on this forum.
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Dale
non compost mentis in Zone 6a
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