Mike737 Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I'm after some advice please. I brought our fig into the conservatory late last year, to overwinter, but it is already starting to break. Is this too early, and if so what can I do to slow it if anything? I don't want to put it back outside as we are bound to have more frosts... We bought it as a young tree/bush/plant, and this will be its 3rd year. We got two figs off it last year, and I was hoping for many more this year. It's in a large pot, roots confined, and has been watered very sparingly through the winter so far. Thanks, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 I have a brown turkey fig plant thats a few years old in a half barrel, I didn't know any different so it stays outside all year round, no adverse effects and always produces a fair few over the summer.Any that don't fully develop just stop over the winter then carry on when it warms up. It's never been brought inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Ah, but you're on the lovely warm south coast! Oop 'ere in't frozen north it's a bit cooler! I may just see what it does this year, as I think if I popped it back outside now the shock would kill it. Next year I may try wrapping it in fleece and leave it outside. It is a Brown Turkey same as yours. How are you keeping G? Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted February 21, 2015 Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Hi mate, all good this end thanks!Ahh I forgot about the fact I was in the tropical south, though you'd never have noticed!! I wonder if doing what you say could acclimatize it to being outside all year?Hope you're keeping well and not too cold up north ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted June 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Just a follow-up, dozens of little figlets appearing! I did have one large fig earlier in the year, but that just disappeared - strange... It was still in the conservatory at the time, so unlikely to have been eaten by anything Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Ours has exploded again! I'm glad it's contained in the barrel. Took these a couple of minutes ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 That seems a lot further on than ours, also more of a bush, whereas ours is more of a tree in form. Should I prune ours back later in the year? The figlets are a bit smaller too. But I'm happy! Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Be careful pruning figs. Prune for a mix of ages of stems and promote young growth. From my experience figs are rarely edible in the year they first appear - in this country that is. If they stay on the shrub over winter they will become more edible at the end of the following summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Yep Im on the south coast too, generally you get two crops its the main crop that doesn't ripen and they come late in the year, its worth taking them off so the plant does not hate valuable energy on it. the first crop usually has rime to ripen and my kids love em when they just start to get soft before the birds have em. If you are worried about your cold winters then you are right to suggest horticultural fleece, I had 20 large specimen bays that came from a specialist nursery in Belgium where they are grown undercover, the first winter here I fleeced them and ever since they have been fine. I would recommend the fleece. To be honest I think you may have pampered it a little if you go abroad and see where they grow in the mountains, then trust me they can withstand some pretty cold seasonal temperatures. Even at work up the road where I look after 11 acres of gardens we can have frozen ground for weeks at a time in a bad year and the figs always produce great crops. hope that helps a bit or eases your worries!! There must be a good recipe for pigeons and figs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 I've personally never pruned this one, in fact I've not done much with it at all.It arrived mail order a few years back and I just put it in the barrel with this as the result. Gets fed with that shropshire seaweed stuff every few weeks. It's like steroids for plants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Shropshire seaweed? Where does the coast meet Shropshire? My dad and grandparents were from Bucknell in Shropshire, but I don't remember being near the seaside when we went to visit??? Mine is in a container, about 18 inches square, and just gets watered at the moment. I was thinking of tomato food, as it's to produce fruit, not foliage... Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 This stuff. Rocket fuel for plants.http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Liquid-Seaweed-Plant-Fertilizer/dp/B0064N1GH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434875058&sr=8-1&keywords=shropshire+seaweed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 We've two figs - roughly 5/6 yrs old - and this is the first year we've had viable fruit. Previous years they have fruited late and not developed. This year a good crop but does this mean the timings are right for the first time? We did remove small fruits last year which may have helped. Noticed on one bush random die of of branches - a single branch or maybe a bigger one with side shoots. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted June 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 This stuff. Rocket fuel for plants. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Liquid-Seaweed-Plant-Fertilizer/dp/B0064N1GH8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434875058&sr=8-1&keywords=shropshire+seaweed Thanks Graham, I'll get some - never heard of it before... Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 We've two figs - roughly 5/6 yrs old - and this is the first year we've had viable fruit. Previous years they have fruited late and not developed. This year a good crop but does this mean the timings are right for the first time? We did remove small fruits last year which may have helped. Noticed on one bush random die of of branches - a single branch or maybe a bigger one with side shoots. Why? I get a little die back on mine usually after a prune, probably I go a bit hard but it never seems to really affect the tree too much, although this year contrary to others I am not going to get a great crop, but i did prune rally hard to get a better open shape last year, and a bit late I thinks. Unless you start gettng lots of die back I shouldn't worry to much. Obviously if they are in containers they will still need some water and I think the roots can be baked which can cause stress. In tSouthern Europe they are in baked soil and rock but the roots will still be cooler where they are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Be cautious when pruning as the sap can have an effect on the skin if touched. I found this being the Good Samaritan in Greece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Be cautious when pruning as the sap can have an effect on the skin if touched. I found this being the Good Samaritan in Greece. It contains latex, and can cause blistering on some people, particularly nasty if you ingest it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 Ira - yep dieback seems to be on bits I've tidied up so will leave dead bits a little longer. My trees are in the ground albeit restricted with slabs so moisture ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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