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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Age of fig tree affect hardiness?
 
 


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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
When growing in ground, does the age of the tree affect hardiness?
I say yes, here's why.
I will show you my rows of fig trees, each a addition over 5 plus years.

The first picture shows the 5 year old trees

IMG_20161212_134443 by Doug B, on Flickr

this second row is 4 years old

IMG_20161212_134620 by Doug B, on Flickr

Then 3 years old

IMG_20161212_134652 by Doug B, on Flickr

these are 2 years old

IMG_20161212_134806 by Doug B, on Flickr


When they die back the most is before they are 3 years old.
The ones that are 5 plus years old have not died to the ground the last 2 winters.
So, I think they definitely get more hardy with age.
I think just the size difference between the years of age speak for themselves.
Just my findings, by watching them grow year by year.


Doug

I should add that all the older trees were cut way back for cuttings.
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DevIsgro

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Hey Doug thanks for sharing. What was your row shaping on those? Do you cut back to about 3 feet every year regardless of age? Does hard pruning reduce fruit set significantly? Thanks,
Devin
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ADelmanto

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
In my zone 6 (and colder) I recommend keeping figs in pots for 2 full winters. By the time the tree goes in the ground it is 2 years old. It is nearly 3 years old before it hits its first in ground winter. When I think of old fig trees I picture trees with trunks as thick as my leg. I see them fairy often. However, I mostly see this size trunk dead and rotting surrounded by a mass of 3-4 year old branches. The large trunked figs around me all died in the polar vortex of 2013-2014. I would still call these figs Hardy because they will regrow. However it is not ideal. Bottom line...wrap your figs if your winter temps typically go down to 20 f.
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Devisgrow, I planted the rows 10-12 feet apart. The figs are at 6-8 feet apart.
Heavy pruning will kill hopes of breba on those branches.
I left enough to let some produce, if the wood survives through winter.

Adeimanto, yes the zone has everything to do with it.
As you can see by age difference the "hardiness of a variety"
did not play out for me. One seems as hardy as the other, depending on age.
Doug
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
My orchard has been a 5 year project. From sticks to trees mostly.
Beings my frost line is only 6" I know that once roots are established
below 6" they can not freeze. As the trees establish better root
systems each year, they grow faster and larger.
The 2 year olds started at ground level, but so did most all of them except the 3+
year old trees. They re grow at different levels according to age.

I find it interesting that all the different varieties all grow similar in size, according to age.

Doug
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Tad_Einloth1

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Doug,

I probably live about 150 miles north of you in Cary, NC.  Five years ago I planted my first Black Mission and Brown Turkey fig bushes.  The first winter killed them to the ground.  That summer I met an old man here in Cary, NC at a Senior Citizen  Community Garden and he said he grows figs and was from (I believe - he had a thick accent) Albania.  He said, Post (tie) one of the thicker fig shoots to a wood pole and train it to grow as a tree.  He said once the shoot obtains the thickness of a shovel handle (which is thicker than a broom handle he pointed out) it will survive most North Carolina winters.

I did as he recommended and now have five fig trees (Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Celeste, Unknown from Israel, and LSU Purple) that survive our winters and produce good yields of figs that I share with the squirrels, birds and occasionally some deer.  The thickness of the five fig tree trunks range from a shovel handle to a mason jar.

I still keep two fig bushes along our dried out creek (they spread out nicely along the bank) - some years they die back to the ground and some winters they stay alive.  This year I am covering the fig bushes with a tarp and two feet of leaves on top of the tarp for any night that is below 30 degrees.

Tad
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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
This is from another post, but may be helpful for this post.

http://www.planetfig.com/articles/fareng2589.html
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DevIsgro

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Okay Doug, thanks for letting me know your spacing. If I ever planted in a greenhouse it's good to know what other people do. I wonder of there is a method of training where you could prune and not lose all your Brebas.
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Tad, 150 miles north puts you in the mountains?
I trim in early spring leaving the older trunks that survive and cut back suckers until
I have 3 main trunks. They are still there, but I let it grow in bush form
so I can maintain height of tree, and it provides extra cuttings for others.
They have made it through last 2 winters without much problem.
If they continue to survive the trunk sizes grow more each year.
I could wrap and cover my trees for winter and get better faster results.
I chose the route of letting it grow and die back naturally.
After they have been in ground 3 years I start the trunk pruning to start out in spring with 3 leaders.
thanks
Doug

edit
those first 2 rows yielded 50+ pounds of ripe figs last year.
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
ADelmanto, potted figs vs in ground figs are apples and oranges apart.
Trees in ground quickly form a 5 foot diameter root system.
Trees confined in a bucket will still have to spread it roots
and go through the same conflict of making through the first few winters
if put in ground.

Doug
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snaglpus

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Doug, you are correct my friend!  Age does affect hardiness.  Me?  I'm in Charlotte and have many varieties in the ground and many variteites in 22g SWps.  About 7 years ago, I planted 60+ trees in the ground.  They were around 2 years old and grew fine.  That same year, I wrapped each tree with burlap and stuffed them with leaves.  It was a mild winter and when Spring came I had one amazing crop of figs from Atreano, Improved Celeste, Papa Jon, LSU Everbearing, Celeste, Hardy Chicago, Black Mission, Strawberry, I258, Texas Everbearing, VdB, RdB, LSU Tiger, Alma, Pananas Purple, Katheleen Black, Hunt, Italian Honey, Petite Negra, Smith, Black Celeste, GM-9, Emerald Strawberry, Black Maderia, Black Ischia, etc!  The trees grew taller than 6 feet.  Five years later, the 5 degree winters came and it took a toll on my trees.  I had stopped wrapping them and that winter most of my trees died but came back slowly.  The next winter, the same thing happened.

Today, all trees came back execpt, Tacoma Violet, Desert King, Deanna, Alma, LSU Tiger, Black Mission, Hunt, and Emerald Strawberry.  Come Spring I will be placing a different variety in these positions in my yard but age of a tree does make a difference.  My RdB was one of my oldest trees.  It took a big hit and was almost dead.  This year I need to wrap it and keep my fingers crossed but this tree is thicker than my knee at the base!  A heavy dose of fertilizer brought it back though.

cheers! 
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Dennis
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Hi Snaglpus.
I'm sure my trees would benefit with a wrap.
But, they grow back anyway so far. (my excuse)
I started this orchard with a vdb my wife gave me for a present.
I planted it in ground and kinda forgot about it until it's 3rd year
where the branches were loaded with big purple figs.
I tasted my first fresh fig.
Hooked.
Knowing my physical condition would affect how much time I could be
out with my trees, I decided heck with babying figs.
So, I plant my winter cuttings in early march then water them
every other day for a couple weeks.
After that, the orchard is care free.
As shown, I don't even mow it at end of season.
A small natural barrier between the soil surface
and deeper growing roots.
 
Take care Dennis

Doug
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
This is the beginning of last season.

2972017 by Doug B, on Flickr

2972016 by Doug B, on Flickr


Doug
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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Dennis would you share pictures of your orchard?
I would find it interesting.

Doug
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figgi11

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Interesting post. My two big Celeste Figs had no dieback last winter albeit mild, we had one week of arctic blasts single digit temps here in Feb (NJ). When it gets frigid too quickly or for longer than three days straight I have a heat lamp staked in the ground pointed toward each tree on the shady side that is set to on / off intervals with a timer (to prevent overheating). Has to be consistently in the lower 20s and colder or I don't bother. Both are protected and covered in tarp. Don't know if that helped, but I've had them cycling since last night because of the sudden cold today through tomorrow night. Will switch off after.

My potted Kadota stays in the garage over the winter and only needs a little bit of water every few weeks.


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SCfigFanatic

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Do  you have pictures with thicker branches alan? Do you have a orchard too?
Each of the older trees have at least 3 trunks growing off
a fat base on the trees.
Those are 2-2 1/2 inch diameter and are at full height..
When I prune all this years extra growth in the spring
hopefully the same 3 trunks will survive winter again
and will grow bigger each year.
It does not happen in 1 year. It takes many years of surviving winter
to get big trunks formed.
Its just what I am learning as I go.

Doug
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