When I realized that my cutting wasn't screaming in pain, the others were a piece of cake. So far so good. And if doing this now makes a more productive and still healthy fig, then I think it's worth some fig cosmetic surgery. I like it Pete. Well done. Hopefully, I will have some pictures to share later this year, of what I've started along these lines.
Zone 6b. West KY. My eBay username is fruitnut. Fig Well and Prosper! AscPete commented. Bill, Thanks and Welcome Glad to see you here, even with a new name Looking forward to your pictures and info.
Thanks for posting this, I'd like to try the 'espalier with winterization' once some of my plants size up a bit. It'd be great to hear if anyone else is trying it in zone 5.
You're Welcome, I will be uncovering the in ground espaliers in a few weeks, once the temperatures warm up and the snow melts. Although my Zone is listed as a 6 its closer to a 5B due to elevation Catskills foothills. Thanks for sharing those videos. Those normal espalier shapes do not work well with Figs if fruit production is the goal. Thanks Pete, great info! You're welcome OK, since this will be my first time pruning my last year's fig starts, I am going to ask for some expert opinions.
These are cuttings started last year, planning to be in 5g bucket SIPs indefinitely. I want to prune to a bush form, as AscPete describes above, need to keep these to a size that I can move up and down my basement stairs.
First example - I have a number of plants that grew a pretty straight trunk like this one: Ignoring the sucker for now, the main trunk is 18 inches tall, with buds emerging at the top for the past week. This one has already been placed into the SIP. The directions for bush pruning above state that I should cut it at 6 inches when the trunk is an inch thick, but I think that is going to be a fairly long wait for the trunk to make that diameter.
Should I prune it now at about 6 inches or wait till later in the season? I would think that it would be better to prune now rather than let it put a lot of energy into a trunk that is going to be pruned shorter. I think I should prune at the third node above the plastic band near the base?
Secondary question on this example - if you would prune this shorter now, how small a plant would you do this on? I have a number that were smaller - only inches with a single straight trunk. Tertiary question on this example - I will be removing the sucker at the base.
It still has green wood at the tip these plants were stored and never got below 33 degrees, so the green wood was not damaged. How would you best root this kind of cutting, same way as any other? Would you, as above, wait for thicker trunks before pruning? Would you eliminate one trunk and prune the other to 6 inches, then train it more upright or plant it at an angle when moved to the SIP this weekend?
Or tip each of the two trunks and select 2 scaffold branches on each? I have a large number of others that I think I can figure out what to do with given some helpful advice on these 2 examples. Thanks for any and all suggestions. There may be, I realize, a number of ways that will eventually work out OK. I want to make an espalier where each tree will have a single 18" tall trunk that will split into two lateral cordons.
I have seen people use vineyard trellis systems with stakes and tension wires. I have also seen people set 4" x 4" wood posts in the ground and then fasten electrical conduit or re-bar between them to support the cordon. In Pete's post above where it shows the espalier illustration, it looks like the support is made entirely of wood I was considering simply placing a cinder block on end into a few shovels full of wet cement.
The blocks are 16" long, so with an inch or two of cement under it, that is about the right height. I don't know if I would need a cross bar as long as I place them close enough together. Would that work, or do I need some sort of horizontal support like a beam, pipe, or wire? I would like to hear from anyone who has first hand experience with this. What kind of espalier support structure did you build?
Pictures please? Ed, First Example; IMO, "suckers" or branches that grow low on cuttings will grow faster than the main trunk and should be encouraged and trained as the "main" trunk if possible. The idea is to get the node spacing as far apart as possible on the main trunk for less restriction of vascular flow from roots to leaves.
It should only take one 1 season to gain enough caliper size to start the training as a Bush. The attached picture is last seasons growth from a purchased 1 gallon plant. Although the cutting is in its 2nd leaf, they are still small and should still be grown as a single stem for at least another season.
They should be fertilized regularly to encourage "excessive" vegetative growth. The smaller single stem plants can be pruned to remove apical dominance and the resulting "apical" bud can be selected and trained, as a single stem.
The removed sucker can be rooted like any dormant fig cutting. Second example; Same as the first. IMO, the goal is to establish a common main trunk as the base for the scaffold branches.
After the main and scaffold branches are established the yearly growth will be better "balanced". Choose a medium , heavy , or even massive trellis. If the fig tree is kept small, an easy style trellis is enough. Fig trees may also simply be planted as small bushes in front of the house.
Fig trees have an upright and bushy growth; it's difficult to train them into symmetrical shapes -- that's why they are grown in a free "fan shape" on an espalier. The are generally regarded as shaped trees when grown on an espalier The meshes of the cable trellis should be rectangular rather than square; modifiy the shape of the trellis as needed.
Here you will find all the information needed from one provider. Fig Fig trees can be grown in pots or containers in fact, in Germany and cooler regions, they almost always are.
For an easy way to follow the L. All Sections. About Us. B2B Publishing. Business Visionaries. Hot Property. Times Events. Times Store. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options. Train your tree: Why figs are a good choice to espalier. The technique for growing fruit trees on a flat surface works well with figs because the branches are flexible.
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