Encanto Farms Nursery > Categories > Tips, tricks, or advice?

Author Comment
Jackster

Registered:
Posts: 125

If you have a variety that is growing nice, but has not put out any figs over 2 years, any tips or tricks to get it to fruit?  Pretty bushes are not what I was hoping for :)

BronxFigs

Registered:
Posts: 1,864

Hello Jackster....

How big, how old, what culture...in-ground/containerized...what variety...what climate zone???????????  Photos?

Give us some clues, we'll take it from there.  We can help.

Frank

Gina

Registered:
Posts: 2,260

Two themes I've seen in older posts here are 'pinching', and using lower nitrogen fertilizers.

bullet08

Registered:
Posts: 6,920

my Kathleen's Black didn't put on fig tilll this year. that's going into 3rd yr. i got fed up and ended pinching and giving it miracle-grow blooming fert. that has 15-30-15. it has figs now :)

 

then i'm wondering.. was i not patient enough to wait for it? or was it pinching/fert that did it?

 

pete

JoAnn749

Registered:
Posts: 1,184

Oh Pete - the philosophical questions we ponder!  

DesertDance

Registered:
Posts: 4,518

You see 5 leaves, pinch!  That is the trick and the tip!  The branch thinks, "Oh no!  I can't grow!  Better propagate myself.  Better make figs and new growth tips."  And that is how to make figs happen.

Suzi

BLB

Registered:
Posts: 2,936

Could also be be low light. Maybe the variety just has to mature a bit more? Give us some more info. We are all busting to help!! lol

Jackster

Registered:
Posts: 125

7a (new USDA) planting zone, I've got a Kadota, a Sal Corleones both are over 3 years old, I'll try and get some pictures.  Both are in containers, garage winterized, and get plenty of sun.  Never had crops on either...  Both were also bought from different but very respectable sellers.  Containers are about equiv to 5 gallon pots, maybe a little larger. 

This year, the weather has been extremely mild, we've had some warmer temperatures, and plenty of rain, up here in the North East...

BronxFigs

Registered:
Posts: 1,864

Jackster...
Random thoughts....root-bound....soil depleted  of nutrients...is drainage OK.  You know figs are very dynamic growers and will put on tremendous growth when everything is correct.  Something is not right, and I'll bet it's cultural.  Kadota and Sal's C. are good fig varieties, so it's not genetic.

Hope others can spot something that amiss.

Frank

hoosierbanana

Registered:
Posts: 2,186

They have not formed embryos even?

Maybe Martin can explain his pruning method again. I tried to give it a go on trees that have not been productive for me in the past because the undergo rampant growth and winter damage and never slow down to set figs. I see a few poking out now, but Martin, how do we get our trees loaded like yours?

I clipped at 7 nodes, removed interior branches and thin suckers. The trees are forming more shoots than figs though and I am dreading that the figs will not develop.

Pinching alone got JH Adriatic to set nicely, but Kathleen's Black has just grown new buds.

Dieseler

Registered:
Posts: 8,252

Maybe when Jackster gets time he can post some pictures of his plants . ; )

BLB

Registered:
Posts: 2,936

Sal's Corleone usually is late to produce when it is young. You may not see figs forming until July as it is only in it's 3rd year, as it matures they set earlier. Sounds like you may be close to me, I'm in Philly, same zone? I can never remember if they changed it to 7a or 7b. 

DesertDance

Registered:
Posts: 4,518

Jackster, here is how to post the photos we all would like to see.  Take your smart phone out to your tree, take a photo or 2 and send them to yourself.  Edit in your photo editor, if necessary, save to your computer, then click "Go Advanced" below.  There is a place on the bottom for you to browse and add an attachment.
Suzi

jgroxbury

Registered:
Posts: 23

Hi all,

I don't post often but am an avid follower. I have a similar situation with a golden celeste tree that was originally in a container but in the spring of 2010, I planted in the ground. Grew like crazy last year but produced few figs. I pinched everything after 5 leaves but few figs. Numerous breba in early spring which I broke off because never would ripen when it was a containe tree. Now this season the same thing seems to be happening. Lots of growth, no figs yet. Do you think it's adjusting to being in the ground? The tree looks great but I too want more than just a bush. I've posted a picture from last season (July), hope it comes through. I'm not the most computer savvy person. I'm located in Northwest NJ.


Like I stated, I don't post often, following the forum for years, the advice is fantastic.

John<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/80222188@N02/7354383814/" title="P7230833 by jgroxbury, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/7354383814_056d7196e3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P7230833"></a>

Jackster

Registered:
Posts: 125

Suzi,

Thanks for the picture tutorial, but its not needed.  I never said or implied there was any issue(s) with taking or uploading pictures.  Not sure where you got that idea? 


Figluvah

Registered:
Posts: 1,111

I was wondering the same thing Jack!


Good to hear from ya, don't stay away so long!

Jackster

Registered:
Posts: 125

Eh, too many irons in the fire.  I'm hoping I didnt sound too harsh on Suzi, I'm just not sure how that misunderstanding happened :)
Good to see you're still around, Texas weather treating your ficus well?

JG - Your picture links work fine, and that looks like a pretty healthy golden celeste.  With the warm winter/spring we had, I wonder if you should have left some of the brebas...

Figluvah

Registered:
Posts: 1,111

Hi Jack,


The damn grasshoppers have stripped all of my in-ground fig leafs off!

I guess that is "Texas living Huh"?

Regards

Jackster

Registered:
Posts: 125

Lol, yeah but the grass hoppers in Texas are the size of dinnerplates ;)
I've not caught anything bothering mine, and I'm tempted to put them in the ground after seeing JGs.

Figluvah

Registered:
Posts: 1,111

Yep they are TX Whoppers alright!

DesertDance

Registered:
Posts: 4,518

Not to worry Jackster.  Dieseler posted he'd like to see photos, and since you didn't post any I assumed you didn't know how.  You didn't hurt my feelings at all! 
Suzi

BLB

Registered:
Posts: 2,936

JG I have found with the few trees I put in ground that there is a period of adjustment for the tree where it seems to focus on just growing larger. I imagine lots of roots are being sent everywhich way which should mean lots of figs in the not too distant future, provided it's getting good light etc.

Jackster

Registered:
Posts: 125


Pictures of the Kadota, col de dame, and Sals
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/kadota3.jpg/][IMG]http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4408/kadota3.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/803/coldedame.jpg/][IMG]http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/7416/coldedame.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/542/salc3yrs.jpg/][IMG]http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/7594/salc3yrs.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

the col de dame is in a 10in pot (yellow) the sals is in a black container, 5 gallon, and the kadota is in a red container, maybe 7 gallons, its the biggest container in the bunch.  the kadota and the sals are both around 5-6 foot tall, including pots...