Trying to figure out whats a good spacing for hardy fig varieties in zone 7. There’s a chance for die back every couple of years and I plan to prune them back to 4’ tall anyway. Looking to plant 3-5 trees in a row and was thinking of using 3 or 4’ spacing.
Going to plant Florea, LSU Improved Celeste and Chicago Hardy if that matters.
4’ tall? Are you trying to keep it short to be able winter protect? Or any other reason?
@scottfsmith is in MD and same zone 7a as yours. He has experience growing figs in ground. Hopefully, he will chimes in.
I think you will probably end up wanting to dig out the trees in between for more space after a few years. Pruning to 3 ft. or even down to the ground will result in some pretty serious growth in rich soil.
Decided to go with 4’ spacing. Well see how it goes, but you might be right.
I have Marseilles Black VS, St. Rita, Celeste, another Marseilles Black, and a JH Adriatic along a part of back of my yard spaced at about 4 feet or so. Pruned back to single trunks each year, zone 8a. I’m on year 3. Works well.
How does this work?
Pruned back to just one trunk with a few branches. They like to come up around the trunk and try to make a bush, but I just cut those back as they pop up.
I would think you would have problems with hardiness in 7. My Celeste died to the ground in the 16-17 winter, and took some fair damage in the 17-18 winter even after I wrapped it in burlap and then a plastic tarp.
You need to look specifically for hardy figs, and even then you are going to have some damage or losses.
I started off with good intentions spacing my figs 15 feet apart in the only area I have dedicated to figs. I have been diving deep into fig varieties recently and I now realize I NEED more figs. Thinking about staggering between and behind the current row for 7.5 feet spacing and trying to stay on top of pruning. Where will it end? 3.75 foot spacing?!