Speedster, I would wait to take cuttings. I dont’t know, however, if the timing is that important. I usually prune mine midwinter. I have taken a lot of cuttings and usually do it in late December through January. When they start growing, they have a head start on the season.
Tony, I’m wondering if you prune the tips, since yours will all be main crop and will all be on new growth. With your hotter summers, maybe you dont need to.
Clark, you make a good point about growing them in containers the first couple of years before planting outside. I imagine they should not be fertilized, too - rank growth seems more freeze-vulnerable. Variety selection would also be really importint. In my maritime climate? Here, Smith, Champagne, and Petite negri were killed in the last 2 extra cold winters, while Hardy Chicago, Sal’s, Lattarula, and King were unphased.
Well, I should have thanked you, if they technically aren’t spurs, I want to know. I love being factually contradicted even if I hate it too. I believe spurs can bear on last years wood with apples- it is the nature of some varieties. I’m sure no expert on figs.
No really not spurs like on fruit trees. They can bear figs but only breba. The spurs can be cut off and won’t affect the main crop unless it’s thru a change in vigor of new growth. Breba can also occur on older wood. The most breba I ever had was when I cut the tree way back because I was moving the tree.
All of my figs died to the ground each year without Winter protection. The 2 feet of bark mulch will keep about a 1/2 to 1 foot of the trunks alive for re-spout in late March. In addition, I also pinched the tip like crazy to speed fruiting at the 3rd leaf twice a week.
I’m going to bury mine that I put into the ground. i mean dig up and push the whole thing into the ground. It’s just been too cold here to chance anything. Although as of now all are too young.
If you’ll grow them in extra large containers for the first two years, they will develop tremendous root systems. Once you plant them, they will survive just about any freeze. The tops may die back, but the plant will regrow in the spring.
Rayrose,
I have a brown turkey doing good outside. It’s been growing outside fine the last few years. It’s getting there quickly though I have not encouraged it to produce figs yet. I want to get a row of them going to meet all of our needs. Thought about trying some Chicago hardy figs this year as I keep hearing very good things about them.
Tony I admire your determination to have figs in such a cold climate. They are delicious. There is nothing like a fresh fig.
I have some in very large containers that I wheel in to my attached garage for the winter. But I am getting too old to have a lot of big fruit trees in containers. So Im giving some away, and some went into the ground.
Fortunately, in my climate there are many fig varieties that grow very well, so I can be happy with those,
Clark, Hardy Chicago is a tough fig tree. If you can grow Brown Turkey, I’m pretty sure you can grow Chicago.
Clark, why are you discouraging your BT from producing figs? Figs are
not like other fruit trees, where the first several crops are substandard.
I know a person that has that philosophy, but I personally don’t and especially
with planted trees.
I understand. I usually let the roots get established in their containers, before
I plant them. I find that it helps them to better survive winter freezes.