I have a mature fig in a container. I'm happy enough with the size and I'm not too bothered about fruit. It's in the container to restrict its growth. Does this mean I shouldn't add fertiliser?
I feed mine with FB&B in the spring and because I wang fruit I also feed with tomato fertilizer every couple of weeks from the beginning of April until August (ish).
I take it out of the container every couple of years and remove and as much old compost (a mix of JI3 + grit) and replace with fresh.
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
I put it in a bigger container last year but that's as big as it's getting because I need to be able move it to a sheltered spot for the winter. I will just give it some fertiliser this year. Thanks Dove.
57cm diameter. We did a bit of damage getting it out of the old container and into the new. Almost damaged ourselves into the bargain! I put a little too much JI in the bottom of the container so it's standing a bit high but we couldn't face getting it out again. I'm hoping that by next year it will have got over the trauma.
If it looks healthy, it is healthy. If you don't want fruit, judge by the colour of the leaves: dark green. Prune a bit for shape. If it was JI No3 it should last for years without any extra fertiliser.
Between Doves' molly-coddling and my treat it hard, there should be a compromise. Difficult to judge at a distance.
In SE London you should be able to leave it outside all winter. My son-ln-law has a completely neglected fig in a container that stays outside in a windy spot at the top of the Chilterns but close to the house. It thrives and gave a massive crop this year.
Brown Turkey, a rooted cutting I gave him.
location: Surrey Hills, England, cretaceous acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I don’t agree that JI3 will last for years without additional fertiliser. I would add fertiliser every year, plus I would scrape away the top 1 to 2 inches of compost and replace with new, every year.
There are ashtrays of emulsion, for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
I've had it for several years. Original post was before I decided to give it one last pot on. Might have been a mistake. It has been attacked by all sorts this year and suffered severe mangling to cut it out of the original pot and manhandled to lever it into the new one.. We could have done with one of those transaction use to get an engine out of a car. There's another thread somewhere showing the process. I'm hoping it'll fight back . If not, I've got a fine big container for something else.
Mine is 25 years old. In a large pot in the greenhouse. The roots went through the bottom of the pot. Apart from the first two years , it is not watered. It has never been fed. It produces figs every year. If you feed it to much you get too many leaves. Treat it hard.
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I take it out of the container every couple of years and remove and as much old compost (a mix of JI3 + grit) and replace with fresh.
I will just give it some fertiliser this year.
Thanks Dove.
What final size container did you end up using? I understand it was 2 or 3 years ago, but am interested in this thread.
I'm hoping that by next year it will have got over the trauma.
Between Doves' molly-coddling and my treat it hard, there should be a compromise. Difficult to judge at a distance.
In SE London you should be able to leave it outside all winter. My son-ln-law has a completely neglected fig in a container that stays outside in a windy spot at the top of the Chilterns but close to the house. It thrives and gave a massive crop this year.
Brown Turkey, a rooted cutting I gave him.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I'm hoping it'll fight back . If not, I've got a fine big container for something else.
It never settled . Ho Hum.
I'm inclined not to feed it as I don't want it getting any bigger and and I only grow it as a foliage plant.
yes. Plants in pots need something to eat.