A Detailed Explanation of Fig Planting Methods and Technical Key Points

SummaryFigs can be planted by methods such as cuttings, division, and layering. At present, growers mostly use cuttings. In mid-March each year, select excellent un-sprouted branches and cut them into branches about 30-50cm long, insert them diagonally into the soil, and let them grow and develop. During the planting process, prune and shape the plants in time and carry out routine management.

I. Fig Propagation Methods

At present, when planting figs, propagation methods such as cuttings, division, and layering are mainly chosen, and cutting propagation is used the most.

1. Cutting propagation

In mid-to-late March each year, select from excellent mother plants vigorous 1-3-year-old un-sprouted branches with shorter internodes and a branch thickness of about 1-1.5cm, cut them into cuttings about 30-50cm long, open furrows at a row spacing of 50cm, insert the cuttings diagonally into 2/3 of the soil with the remaining part exposed above the soil, then compact the soil, and afterward water to keep the soil moist.

When taking cuttings in summer, semi-lignified green branches can be chosen for cuttings. After about one month, they will take root, and after 1 year of cultivation they can be transplanted. The cuttings can also be stored in wet sand for about 30 days, and cuttings can be taken after the cuttings form callus tissue.

2. Division propagation

Carry out division planting in February-March each year, dig holes and plant at a row and plant spacing of 3-4m×3-4m. Prune before planting, remove dense branches or dead branches on the plant, and it is best to plant before the sap begins to flow.

II. Field Planting

Figs can be grown in pots, or cultivated in fields, barren slopes, or courtyards. If planted in courtyards, fields, or barren slopes, the density is best increased appropriately. A spacing of 1×2m can be used. The depth of a single planting pit should be controlled at about 50-70cm, and the diameter should be controlled at 40-60cm. Fill the pit with human and livestock manure, poultry manure, green manure, cake fertilizer, or chemical compound fertilizer as base fertilizer.

In North China, it is best to plant around Qingming, in Northeast China around Guyu, and in the south it can be planted after leaf fall in autumn, but the flowering and fruiting period should be avoided.

III. Training and Pruning

During the planting process, the natural open-center form of main branches is generally adopted for pruning and shaping the plant. The whole plant should retain 3-5 main branches, with no side branches, so that the branch groups grow directly on the main branches.

During the young tree stage, focus on cultivating the main branches, raise the angle of the main branches, make them produce more branches, and promote rapid expansion of the canopy; after the plant enters the initial fruiting stage, cultivate more branch groups to increase yield to a certain extent; during the full fruiting stage, cultivate scaffold branches, renew medium and large branch groups, and shorten weak branch groups; if the plant is aging or pests and diseases are severe, new main branches and branch groups can be cultivated again from suckers or latent buds produced at the base of the plant or on the branches.

July-November is the fruiting period of figs. Generally, picking should be chosen on sunny mornings or evenings. When the top of a ripe fruit has a small opening slightly open and the peel shows the color of its inherent variety, it can be picked. Overripe fig fruits are not tolerant of transport and storage after picking.

IV. Routine Management

After the planted plants survive, loosen the soil and weed in time. In June and July, apply one topdressing each of human excrement and urine or ammonium sulfate. After planting, train the canopy into a non-layered tree form or a multi-main-branch natural open-center tree form. Generally, the trunk can be headed at a height of 50cm, retain 5-7 main branches on the plant, and appropriately select side branches to fill gaps.

After the trunk shape is set, prune regularly every day, remove dense branches, diseased and insect-damaged branches, and dead branches on the plant, and pay attention to light pruning when pruning. If the main harvest is autumn fruit, short-cut the fruiting branches leaving 2-3 buds; if the main harvest is summer fruit, it is best not to short-cut.

During the growth period of young fig trees, fertilize regularly. Generally, apply about 5 kilograms of decomposed miscellaneous fertilizer per plant at a place about 40cm from the main root; if figs are potted, at least 1 kilogram of fertilizer should be applied. For mature plants, apply about 15 kilograms of decomposed farmyard manure as base fertilizer before and after leaf fall, and topdressing is best chosen during the vigorous new shoot growth period and the rapid fruit enlargement period.

Figs are relatively tolerant of fertilizer. When fertilizing, emphasis should be placed on applying phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Generally, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is best controlled at 0.5:1:1.

Figs are drought-tolerant but not waterlogging-tolerant. The demand for water is relatively large during new shoot growth and fruit enlargement. However, if planted in areas with long-term waterlogging or severe standing water, flower drop, fruit drop, leaf drop, and even death are likely to occur. Drainage and water discharge facilities should be well established in the orchard, and potted figs should also be drained. Especially in rainy seasons, rain sheltering and pot turning for water control should be carried out for potted figs to ensure that figs can grow normally.

V. Pest and Disease Control

The unique odor released by fig fruits during the growth period will attract damage from mulberry longhorn beetles. When the fruits mature, they are prone to bird damage. In addition to manually catching and driving away mulberry longhorn beetles and birds, artificial or chemical methods can also be used to eliminate insect eggs. Use scarecrows tied with plastic colored ribbons and insert them in the field to drive away birds.