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  • #1

    Pruning Fig

    I bought a half standard fig last spring to grow in a container next to a southish facing fence. I'm wondering how I should be pruning it in general.

    Last year I followed the general advice to pinch off the growing tips after 5 leaves had formed. I'm pretty much at that point again. The branches are quite long now, and I guess will continue to grow each year unless I prune it. There's also a branch growing backwards into the fence that will be problematic.

    Not sure whether I just prune the branches to maintain a nice shape? Should I be doing the major pruning while the tree is dormant?

    Cutting the growing tips off stalled the growth for a while last year, but by the summer it was growing again from the same points.

    Click image for larger version Name: fig.jpg Views: 1 Size: 99.5 KB ID: 2404577
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  • #2
    Just to add - As the figs tend to form at the end of the last years growth, at the extremities of the plant, I don't really understand how to keep this going year on year, if I'm having to prune it fairly regularly.

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    • #3
      Have a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB0D_tuKgtQ
      Riddlesdown (S Croydon)

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      • #4
        I keep cutting back the new growth (more ruthlessly than the recommended tip pruning) to keep the tree within bounds. I get figs in the leaf-axils of what is left.

        With your tree I would cut the whole thing back to near ground level so that it is more of a fan which will cover the fence and mean more of the tree benefits from having something behind it (figs are generally happy to be hacked back like that).

        Top tip - prune figs from the ground up, not top down, so you don't get covered in dripping sap.

        And good luck - I have never got figs to ripen in the open - you need long, hot summers.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by devonuk View Post

          And good luck - I have never got figs to ripen in the open - you need long, hot summers.
          Not wanting to sound too smug about the London microclimate, but there are about 9 mature fig trees on my half of the allotment site, and one at the local RDA where I volunteer. All bear lots of fruit very happily and all are outdoors. The second flush of figs IS very dependent on us getting a long hot summer, but the first ones are generally ready towards the end of June.
          http://mudandgluts.com - growing fruit and veg in suburbia

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          • #6
            Originally posted by sparrow100 View Post
            Not wanting to sound too smug about the London microclimate, but there are about 9 mature fig trees on my half of the allotment site, and one at the local RDA where I volunteer. All bear lots of fruit very happily and all are outdoors. The second flush of figs IS very dependent on us getting a long hot summer, but the first ones are generally ready towards the end of June.
            we manage the same just south of Glasgow with a fig that's been outside now for nearly 14yrs and it crops each year quite happily given a south facing wall and without London temperatures, they are a lot tougher than peeps realise..

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            • #7
              Ours is 3 years old now and it looks like it's going to be a bumper crop. It's in a large pot with the same soil for the past two years. We largely neglect it, it gets blown over in the wind, we vary rarely water it... and it's thriving. Go figure!

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              • #8
                Good to hear everyone's success! It's a shame you haven't had the same devonuk.

                I got lucky last year. The tree arrived with 3 or 4 overwintered figs and I think I managed two ripe ones. The other two fell off, never found out why as I don't think I over or under watered it. The later ones never ripened, as is common from what I understand.

                I'm hesitant to cut it right back and grow it as more of a bush, as I bought it as a standard as I thought the figs would be a bonus on top of something ornamental adding a bit of height to a small veg plot. You're right though, if it was fan trained that would probably have been a better use of the space.

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                • #9
                  My Brown Turkey has a dozen nice plump figs on it. Nothing on the Petit Nigra yet but forming the framework for next year.

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                  • #10
                    Perhaps I am too high up and/or too wet for outdoor figs. They work fine in a greenhouse though.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by devonuk View Post
                      Perhaps I am too high up and/or too wet for outdoor figs. They work fine in a greenhouse though.
                      I think you are looking after your plant too well as they do seem to thrive on neglect, I am assuming that you have it in a large,18ins across, container, and in john Innes No3 compost as mpc soon gives up the ghost, a handful of BFB in spring, breaking off all growing tips in Feb, a tomato feed each fortnight from mid June til the end of August , and that's all you do except pick your figs when ripe and make sure it is in a south facing position to get the best..

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by BUFFS View Post
                        I think you are looking after your plant too well as they do seem to thrive on neglect, I am assuming that you have it in a large,18ins across, container, and in john Innes No3 compost as mpc soon gives up the ghost, a handful of BFB in spring, breaking off all growing tips in Feb, a tomato feed each fortnight from mid June til the end of August , and that's all you do except pick your figs when ripe and make sure it is in a south facing position to get the best..
                        I do all that, and I get results, but only under glass (see photo)! 800 feet asl, 65 inches of rain a year, I shouldn't even be growing apples outside (I am, it works fine). When I have grown figs outside at lower altitudes I have never found they turn out quite as sweet as those grown under glass or imported - but then I've always lived in the wetter bits of the uk.
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                        • #13
                          we get all the rain we need ,and it seems more of other peoples ration of rain as well, we tell when summer arrives when the rain gets warmer, and we can go 4-5 weeks without seeing the sun some summers, like last year, I do think that the under glass ones are going to be sweeter as they get warmed by the sun so much better, but we like our open plant fruits so will carry on as we are quite happily, whatever you do, just enjoy the fruits of your labours..

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