Fig tree maintainance?

Tony Folkes

I split the roots of a very large old fig tree about 8 years ago giving me 14 plants.

I have kept five and they grow very healyhily every year. I have only had ripened figs twice. The trees do produce small fruit but do not grow to ripening size. I cut back the branches which are inclined to take over the pathway where they grow. I have tied back strong branches to the wall and fence to encourage some semblance of training and shape. I have to admit I have no idea how to prune these correctly. The original tree was planted from seed some 90 years ago. That never did have figs on it at all. I usuall cut the branches back when the leaves have fallen. Any advice that would help to have fruit next season would be appreciated. The trees have alot of very small figs at present. Pea size.

Kempston Bedford is the location.

Thanks in anticipation

Tony Folkes

chilli lover

Granted ours is a realtaively young tree but it does produce edible fruits! Pea sized ones should be kept and larger ones removed, The former will prodce the edible fruits.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=106

I'm sure some more experienced growers will gve you the advice you are seeking!

best, Janet

Tony Folkes

Janet

Thanks for directing me to this site.It looks very interesting and informative not only for my fig education but for other fruit trees which i am at present ignorant about.

Thanks

Tony

Tony Folkes

Thanks Chriopher2

I will take your advice also refering to the site Janet directed me to. I have alot of small pea size figs as you say but I must do a certain amount of cutting back as the the new growth of this year narrows my driveway quite considerably.

Thanks

Tony

Welshonion

Any figlet that is big enough to be recognisably a fig will fall off the tree next Spring, so you might as well take it off now.  

The figs that will fruit next year are to be found in the leaf axils at the top of the shoots. They are at this time of the year very small.

Fleece will not make any difference to whether the larger figlets fall off.  In warmer countries figs produce two crops, it is too cold here for that.  We only get one crop. 

Tony Folkes

Thanks for your replies and advice.

There is one thing I find very fraustrating is that I have a friend and his wife in St. Neots who have an oldish fig tree that they do absoutley nothing to it. They get a very good crop every year.

Thanks Tony