Violette de Bordeaux Fig

Nope, not with the figs :slight_smile:

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I’m thinking of cutting my VdB way back as well. Brebas usually form as small buds and then fall off shortly thereafter.

How far inland are you?

I’m not too far from where the 405 and the 101 come together.

That pruning should work well there.

Ha! No doubt. I thought you had something specific to add regarding VdB brebas. I have such a long season that I’m only really interested in the main crop. ‘Black Jack’ brebas that I’ve had were huge and not nearly as tasty as the main crop. I nicknamed this one ‘FigZilla’:

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I just got my first Violette De Bordeaux. I’m a newbie. I am going to grow it in a half wine barrel due to space considerations. Right now it is 4 1/2’ tall stick. Should I prune some of the height? If I do it will have no branches on it.

I am not a fig genius, but my gut says cut it to just a few inches to a foot. Unless you like bare wood for aesthetic reasons, it’s better to put the branches where you want them than to preserve branches just because they are already formed. I would think that is doubly true for a container.

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Surprised to see a VDB that is tall, most seem to take shrub form from the get go. I would cut it like BYOC and form scaffolds where I want them. I like tree form myself, and would want a couple feet of trunk. You can do anything, it will sprout from the ground if you cut it all off, so you can cut anywhere, or not cut anywhere.

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What is BYOC?

I’d cut it at 18". Branches will sprout in the spring.

Back Yard Orchard Culture.Check out the Dave Wilson Nursery website for more information. Brady

I like the idea of developing a scaffold system, with secondary branching remaining permanent. Each year you let the main crop develop on the new wood from the secondary branches. Cut that wood off each year. The tree shape would never change.

What is awesome about figs is you can have a redo, Just do what Richard says, cut at 18" and start over. Amazing plants.

I have to grow in pots, so the single trunk appeals to me. It would be easy to move with a dolly. Shrub types forms are going to lose branches when I move them. With a single trunk the branching is high enough for easy access with a dolly.

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New sprouts, including a couple of brebas :slight_smile:

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Richard, that VdB is a beauty! So exciting to watch it progress! It’s interesting that you can create scaffolds, etc. where you live. I have seen pics of old fig trees grown in such a manner, much like other trees… very interesting and nice looking. Here in the Mid-Atlantic area our figs often die to the ground in winter, so any attempt to influence their form would be an exercise in futility.

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I’m planning on trying to root a cutting of VdB this year; out of curiosity, did you root yours from a cutting, or buy as-is (or as-was :slight_smile: )?

It was purchased bareroot (DWN).

And this looks like pictures over less than a year, yes? Pretty amazing! Thanks for sharing! You Californians have it good! :smiley:

Gorgeous VdB tree. I planted mine, also from DWN but not bare root, last spring. It’s leafing out nicely now, but I do not see any brebas. Hopefully I will get some fruit a little later in the year.

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I didn’t know DWN sold bare root figs. I thought figs and pomegranates were always sold potted.