I cannot explain it with that being said in past iv'e had first year fig plants do the same and others not as aggressive.

Yours appear to have apical dominance and do this until topped and kept topped at a desirable height then some dormant nodes will awaken and plant will branch outwards more over time.

Martin

This post was edited by dieseler on Fri, Aug 29, 14 at 19:49

Rafed,

I think you just have the magic touch.
Here is an Italian 258 that was a cutting this winter.

Dang Rafed, is because of that high flying fertilizer you started using? I have a Petite Negri that did that from an air layer this year. Just straight up.

Art
That looks nice. I just got home a couple hours ago. I have a few more I want to post. But not as tall.
Btw, I need to look for my I-258.

Mike
That's called pumping them up;).

Martin
Certainly nice to see you again bro.

Plant steroids?

I've been having my cuttings go sucker crazy, but I pinched to keep the height down.

Good to see you posting here Rafed, you too Martin.

-Kelby

That's an incredible growth rate Rafed and nice big healthy leaves. Must be optimum fertilzer/sun/moisture.

Scott

There you are Rafed.....and Dieseler.....WOW. So is this where you guys have been hiding? Nice to see you fellas posting! On ward march;)

Do you guys let your figs grow that tall with out pinching? Once mine get to about 3ft I usually tip them to force branching. With an aggressive cultivar I would think it benefits the plant to slow it down. I know with blues it helps to shorten and strengthen canes and branches as we'll as promote branching. Do you not approach figs in the same manner?

blueboy,

For the most part I do what you said you do.
But sometimes (like pictured) I let it ride.

I will chop them down a bit when they go dormant.

But,
It has also been my observation that it is sometimes useless to pinch because new growth emerges right at the cut part and continues its' upward growth.

Hello Rafed, Martin, and all the rest of the gang.

I had a "Bryant Dark" (Unidentified) sucker put on over 6 ft. of growth starting in May. I had to pinch it back at least three times, and up-potted it twice. It finally is growing in a 20 gallon container. It also would have produced figs, but I nipped them all off.

Pete (ascpete) is doing some experiments with the growth rate of figs, suckers, etc....and he's had some very interesting results from his controlled methods, and observations.

Good to see you back....somewhere.

Frank

I took of a cutting of my col de dama noir and it started off slow then it took off and when I pinched it slowed down for about a month but now I have 4 branches almost 3 feet tall each. I think some trees are late bloomers so to speak, it seems when they get their roots settled in they take off so the faster you get the roots moving the faster they seem to grow, although you will not likely see figs that same year or very many.

That is great growth, Rafed

I think that with such a strong grower, you can't get rid of the upright growing apical dominance with just pinching. You have to prune it back a few nodes to get it to branch out. I think this is true with other plants as well.

So if you want it to branch at 3 ft, let it grow to 4 ft and prunt it back more than just a 'pinch'.

Wow! that is amazing growth.
Good to see you Rafed, and the rest of you folks too!