Saturday 18 August 2012

Creating Fig Trees

In the past I've had a bit of a problem keeping fig trees alive. They've always been fairly small and in a pot, and they've rarely lasted more than a winter and certainly never given me any fruit, but I still want to be able to grow them! I just love the fruit.
My mothers fig tree - never given a fruit but it's huge (didn't restrict the roots enough I think!)
Long term I'm planning to build some pits against the south side of the house (when we extend) to grow them in. But that wont be for a few years and I can't bring myself to spend any more money on fig trees with death wishes. Instead I'll try taking some Summer cuttings and maybe some Autumn ones later in the year so I can have some free plants!
My mother has got a large fig tree with some branches I can steal so that seems like a good place to start. There's lots of conflicting information on the Internet about how to do it so I'm just trying a mix of the best I read and see what happens. If they don't take I'll let you know, so don't copy this method!

Cutting the leaves in half to reduce how much water the cuttings need
The cuttings I took were around 6" long of this years growth. I cut just below where a leave has grown out, then trim the leaves off leaving about three on eahc cutting. The larger leaves I cut in half as I hope this will reduce how much water they need but still let them photosynthesis and reduce die back.
 
Sandy, gritty compost for cuttings

I then dip the tips in rooting powder and place them in a pot full of compost mixed with grit and sand.
Lets see how long these last!
 I put four in the pot, round the edges, and I'll check in a few weeks to see if any roots have started to grow. I'm leaving these under a cold frame (or something similar - I've got to build/find one yet) out of direct sunshine.
At worst I've got some compost and at best I've gained a fig tree or two! Might try blueberries next! Anyone else got any tips for cuttings?



12 comments:

  1. I have the same problem here in Virginia, my tree dies to the roots and comes back every year with no fruit yet. A neighbor had a huge one that had fruit every year and they cut it almost to the ground, couldn't believe it. That one was on the North side of their house of all places.

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    1. When mine die they dont come back!
      I have a customer who has one in a pot outside her front door. They never bring it in under cover in the winter and still ahve loads of fruit from it. Maybe I'm trying too hard!

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  2. We want to take cuttings from the Fig tree on the side of this house and we've been advised to use the 'laying' method. Similar to making new strawberry plants, just lay a branch on the soil and pin it down, that way we've been told it will develop it's own root system the way strawberry runners do.

    We'll see if that way works. Otherwise I'll be copying you and hoping for the best.

    Sue xx

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    1. Yeah I've read about your method, maybe I could pin a few down as well in mums garden (trouble is she's a much tidier gardener than me and might not like it)! I'll propbaly try some Autumn cuttings as well. If all these work I'll be sick of figs!

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  3. We put in our last two figs this last spring! We said if they don't make it thats it for us, not buying any more. So far these are doing very well (knock on wood) I have been told boe several people they are stinkers to get rooted in but if you can just keep them alive long enough to get them rooted in you have it LOL. I sure hope ours don't decide to not make figs if we manage to keep them alive LOL. Thats a problem I was not aware of :O).....

    On the bees, I am sure someone woud love to keep some hives at your place! Its a win win for everyone, you get your veggies and fruits pollinated and the bees are happy, the bee keeper is happy as they get they honey. :O)

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    1. I've been told/read that they only produce fruit when their roots are restricted so to plant them in pots in the ground or with slabs round them.
      Once I get a bit more sorted here I'll get someone with bees down in the bottom of the orchard. I think it would be quite nice (and maybe a few jars so I could make some mead in payment!)

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  4. Kev please email me your address as I have a package I want to send to you :-) I will not publish it.

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    Replies
    1. Was lovely to see you and family :-) and I hope you enjoyed the "package" contents...!

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    2. Nice to meet you to! We haven't tried them yet, I'm waiting to get a rabbit to try them with first! Thanks again.

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  5. Thank you for visiting my blog. Yours is very interesting.
    My husband's family were all carpenters going back three generations. We have some of their old tools. Also inherited some beautiful furniture his Dad made.
    I always thought fresh figs would taste the same as the black, gritty stuff in the Fig Newton bars. It wasn't until about five years ago I had my first fresh fig. Delicious.

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    1. Thanks fro stopping by. Make sure you look after those old tools! I used to love fig rolls but they're nothing like a real fig!

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