In what season and where is it suitable to plant figs
Many people think that figs do not bloom, but that is not the case. They do bloom, and that is why they bear fruit. Figs have a fresh, sweet taste and are very popular with people. In recent years, fig sales on the market have been getting better and better, so many people want to grow them. However, when planting, site selection and planting time are both very important.
In what season is it good to plant figs
To avoid drying out in winter and freezing damage from low temperatures in early spring, figs are best planted in spring, and the period from mid-March to early April is the most suitable for planting. In addition, figs can also be planted in autumn. After leaf fall in autumn, lift the seedlings and plant them immediately, but in winter you should mound soil around them to protect against the cold.
Where is it suitable to plant figs
Figs are suitable for planting in soil free of salt and alkali. Although they are resistant to salt and alkali, when the salt and alkali content is slightly high, they are easily damaged during the cutting period and may die, so soil that is fertile sandy loam and high in organic matter is best.
How to plant figs
1. Propagation methods. Figs mainly have three propagation methods: cuttings, layering, and division. Fig branches root very easily, so cutting propagation is mainly used in production. This method is fast, easier to carry out, and has a relatively high survival rate. Cutting propagation is done in spring, when the temperature and climate are both favorable for branch rooting. Select branches from strong-growing, disease-free plants as cuttings. The best cutting branches are current-year hardwood branches with short internodes. Insert them directly into the seedbed, water them, and keep the soil moist. At a temperature between 20-25 degrees, they can root in about 3-4 days.
2. Planting. When the new plant's root system has also developed fully and it begins to sprout and grow new leaves, it can be planted. The planting distance is generally 3-4 m, with a plant spacing of about 2 m. If it is planted in a warm climate and soil of good quality, the row and plant spacing can be appropriately expanded by 1-2 m. Planting can be done in spring or winter. Spring planting is in early spring in March, while winter planting is done in November-December before the wind and freezing.
3. Training and pruning. Fig training and pruning is relatively simple. It is suitable for pruning into a natural open-center shape with multiple main branches. Keep 3—5 main branches for the whole plant, without keeping any side branches, and the whole tree crown is formed by multiple main branches. Therefore, cultivation during the seedling stage is extremely important. Pinching and pruning should be done in time to promote more branching and achieve the goal of rapidly expanding the tree crown.
Common pests and diseases of figs and their control
1. Figs have strong disease resistance and very few pests and diseases, and are rarely sprayed, so figs are often said to be a natural, pollution-free green food. The common pests and diseases are mainly rust, anthracnose, and longhorn beetles whose larvae bore into the trunk and large branches.
2. For the control of longhorn beetle pests, in addition to manual capture during the adult egg-laying period, you can also brush the trunk and large branches with whitewash (10 parts quicklime, 1 part sulfur powder, 0.5 part salt, 30 parts water) to prevent adults from laying eggs.
3. For larvae that have already bored into the branches and trunk, you can dig out the tunnel and stab them with wire, inject 5-10 ml of a 50-times dilution of dichlorvos or fenitrothion into the bore hole with a syringe, or use a cotton ball dipped in the pesticide and stuff it into the bore hole, and seal the bore hole opening with yellow mud.
4. Rust can be controlled with a 500-800 times dilution of 50% triadimefon.
5. Anthracnose can be controlled with a 600-1000 times dilution of 80% anthracnose thiram or a 500 times dilution of 50% carbendazim.
When planting figs, it is best to choose spring, as this will reduce the occurrence of some pests. When choosing a site for figs, it is best to choose a place without salt and alkali for planting. Figs are also very susceptible to pests and diseases, so this aspect of control work also needs to be done properly.