Potted Figs, Persimmon and Stone Fruit (Nectaplum, Plum, Peach)

[SoCalBackyard]

Hi All,

I’m planning on up-potting a persimmon and black mission fig, and adding a pot with Spice Zee Nectaplum.

I have 30 gal ceramic pots ready but had a few Qs for the potting experts:

1. I was going to use a 50/50 mixture of sand and Recipe 420 potting mix for the figs and the Persimmon.
   1.1 Does this make sense?
   1.2 If not, what mixture would you suggest?
   1.3 And finally, should I use the same for the Nectaplum?
2. Does the size of the pot make sense?
3. If I have a much smaller fig - say a VdB I just rooted, is it ok to keep it in a smaller pot (10-15 gal) for now? Or should I get a 20-25-30 gal for it from now?
4. Are folks growing peaches in pots too? If so, any advice on the size and mixture and varieties?

I’m in Southern California Zone 10.

Thanks!

MB

[SoCalBackyard]

Found these 2 forum links that have good discussions on potting soil topics:

Fig Potting Soil: Pine Fines and Compost OK?

There lots of good ideas on here for sure. This is the first year I’ve used a blend that’s completely organic and full of all kinds of beneficial things and also where I haven’t had racoons throw every tree out of the container. This blend I have has just about every organic product, possible… it’s ridiculous. It is also the best my nut tree (growing) has ever looked and all about everywhere very healthy leaves suffering very little sunburn while still being transplanted this late during the…

Planting potted figs and pomegranates

[image] Per Google… If your PH is in the 6.0-6.5 range… you may not need lime. Crushed lime would increase your PH, and add calcium, magnesium. Lime is not the only option for increasing calcium, magnesium (and other trace minerals)… and adjusting the PH. Bone Meal for example has a PH of around 14… and it will raise your PH too… The nutrients typically present in bonemeal include the minerals calcium , phosphorus, iron, magnesium and zinc , as well as traces of other elements. Gypsum — …

Seems like my mix suggestion might be fine…

[Drew51]

I don’t grow persimmons. Fig do fine in smaller pots. It doesn’t dwarf them or anything. If uppotted they will grow as large as possible. VDB is more bush like or can be but eventually it will grow tall if it can.
I do grow peaches in pots which do tend to dwarf them. I use 30 gallons too.
I plan to keep tree small.
Your mixture sounds ok I have my own.
You can always add nutrients so growing medium is not that important.
I myself would want a mixture that stays moist as long as possible in zone 10.
Even here in zone 6 I use soil with lots of organic matter and DE the size of perlite to keep moisture in.

[SoCalBackyard]

Thank you Drew! Will try with this and also talk to a local nursery owner to get his thoughts since he grows a bunch of things in pots too.

I saw your comments on the other posts I linked above and it seems like you have a lot of things in pots in general so I really appreciate your feedback and experience.

Thanks!

[ramv]

Persimmons will do fine in large pots for years. 30 gallon is a fine size. You might need to repot after 5 years or so and every 3 years thereafter.

Peaches should be fine too.

Figs do great in pots even as small as 5-15 gallon. Of course larger is better.

[Drew51]

This year will be the first year I work.with persimmons. My daughter bought property with about 40 fruit trees and yours truly gets to take care of them. I think the property has at least six persimmon trees, if not more. Only a year old so I can shape them. I grow peaches in containers and they do very well. Fruited like crazy!

[SoCalBackyard]

That’s very cool to hear. Thank you! Best of luck on your persimmon journey. I might just do a peach in a container. I’ve been eyeing the Saturn Peach and a few others and definitely don’t have the yard space for them right now. One day I hope to be able to buy a property like what your daughter has bought and plant an orchard.

[SoCalBackyard]

Thank you! Good to hear. I’ll be transferring my persimmon from a small pot to a much larger one (25 or 30 gal) in the coming weeks. Excited!

[SoCalBackyard]

Some quick updates here.

1. My persimmon finally went into the ground in Jan. Excited to see what it does.

2. I also have a Saturn peach in a pot - need to up-pot shortly. Long story but this is the only surviving branch from a multi-grafted tree that not only had the other grafts die, but also had a significant breakage in the Saturn peach branch (squirrel) to the point I was going to cut it down to the root stock and start again but I realized there were some growth buds right above the graft union so I’ve cut it down to there and will see if I get the tree to basically start again. It had some flowers but the damage was so bad I was worried it would rot the entire thing and when I cut into it, it was actually pretty bad. Fingers crossed.

3. I now have a Red Baron Peach, a Flavor King Pluot and a Flavor Grenade Pluot in their own 20gal pots - bought all 3 bare root. Let’s see how they do.

[Melon]

Hoping to join you next year with putting everything in ground.

I’m tired of the winter plant shuffle with 25 gallon pots and degenerative disc disease lol

[kinghat]

this is basically my feeling on mixes boiled down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIIJiqM6WsY

toss in whatever other mineral you’d like, for me, clay. for others it might be pumice or DE. if the plants are going to be transferred to someone else, id use more perlite. if they are permaplants(potted or going in ground) id use a sand with coarser particle because perlite is expensive.