Potted Fig crop this year?

9 years ago

I was just wondering how your fig crop are doing this year. I have 12 three year old trees and 2 six year trees. Although they are thriving well the fruits are nothing like last year's. They are not even half the size they were last year. The foliage is also slightly not as robust.

The only thing different I did this year is "fertilize" them with magnesium sulfate (epsom salt). I read that its suppose to make them greener, grow bigger and be more productive. But the opposite seems to be happening.

Also, I wonder of being somewhat root bound contributes to this condition.

Zone 6A

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tobybul2 - Zone 6 SW MI
Original Author

9 years ago

I went ahead and pruned the roots yesterday and plants are doing fine. I'll find out next spring how they survived.

As to storage I don't have a real good place to put them besides my garage and basement. Can't put too many in the garage due to space. I might place some in my tool shed but that will see outdoor temps. Am stuck with the majority in the bsmt.

The pics show the plants a day later after root pruning.

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Comments (9)

sunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
9 years ago
Being rootbound is the issue, in my opinion.
Bob
9 years ago
Pull a tree out of the pot and see, most likely it is what you already suspect.
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Jason (Zone 10b, San Diego)
9 years ago
Every couple or three years you will need to up-pot the trees or root prune them when they get to your target-size pot - basically whatever is not too big for you to haul them inside during the winter. Prune branches to control how big they get and this will help with root growth - the tree will grow enough roots in proportion to it's canopy. This will also encourage fruit production.
tobybul2 - Zone 6 SW MI
Original Author
9 years ago
that's actually what I did last fall. pruned the trees although did not trim roots. it did have a lot of new Buds/ growth which I removed bc they came out too early.
dieseler
9 years ago
Rootbound fig tree steadily decrease and suffer as fertilizer and water cannot be properly processed by the tree.

During dormant season after 2 seasons in 10g container it should be rootpruned along with the canopy.

Our 30g get the process after 3 seasons, here i show using a electric saw with a pruning blade which is much easier on my body nowadays, wedges are cut out and then the wedges sides are trimmed as well.

Martin
tobybul2 - Zone 6 SW MI
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Ok. Thanks for the saws-all idea. Why didn't I think of that. I was using a small axe and it was time consuming. But I guess I have to wait until after the leaves drop this fall. Probably not a good idea to do it now.

I'll also need to get more soil. Not sure if I can up-pot all of them but I think it should be ok to put them back in their old pots if the roots are cut down.

How about the new growth (buds) that come up too early during the dormant season? should I leave them alone?
tobybul2 - Zone 6 SW MI
Original Author
9 years ago
dieseler, thanks for the tip. I did all of them yesterday just like your pic. But I also sawed of the about 2" all around. THey were all definitely root-bound. Shoulda taken pics of my work but didn't have my phone with me. I'll attach a pic of the after. Didn't stress them out at all. The filler soil I used is a mixture of peat moss and Black Kow manure.

Since you're not too far from me I'm curious how you overwinter them. I put mine in the basement after all the leaves fall. They do go dormant but am wondering if the new growth come out too soon bc of the basement does not get that cold (60 deg). And should I leave the new growth alone. I've been cutting them off.

Also I have some that have FMV. This summer I sprayed them regularly with diatomaceous earth. I think its working bc I notice symptoms are going away. I plan to spray them again when the go dormant and again in the spring. Just experimenting.
dieseler
9 years ago
First its best to root prune when plant is dormant as you risk shocking and in worst case killing plant.

Yours stored at 60 degree lowest temp does not let the plant go fully dormant and with a little increase in temp they wake up right away as that is why they are leafing out too early.

Mine are kept on cement floor in attached garage during winter where in a normal winter according to thermometer it goes to about 15 or so during coldest month of January but each winter is different.

During some very cold winters here i have seen the thermometer go as far as 6 below zero with some limb damage on a few .

Many years ago i killed a few first season plants in garage and quickly learned to put those up in cold attic but no need anymore.

Waking up early in our attached garage has never been a problem because of the cold temps and they being fully dormant .

I do have to bring them onto driveway on sunny day when temps are near 50 to slowly wake them up to get a jump start on season here and at night back in garage.

Martin