How to Prune Fig Trees: Key Points for Transplanting Figs
In daily life, we often know that whether it is people or things, only by valuing and cherishing them will they develop better. Take figs for example! Figs are surely no stranger to everyone. We need to plant and cultivate, prune and fertilize them before mature figs can grow. So, if we want figs to have a beautiful appearance and rich substance, what should we do? What should we pay attention to in the process of growing figs? Let's take a closer look together with the editor!
How to Prune Figs
1. To enable new shoots that grow vigorously but are not very full to form fully developed flower buds, you can pinch the tips around mid-May, leaving about 30 cm, to promote secondary branches and the formation of flower buds. If the new shoots are not growing vigorously, and the secondary growth after pinching is weak, it is difficult to form full flower buds. Although the new shoots may grow strongly, if the pinching time is too late, although secondary branches can still sprout, it is still relatively difficult to form well-developed flower buds. Therefore, the timing of pinching new shoots must be appropriate.
2. New shoots of figs easily form flower buds, and even new shoots bearing fruit are no exception. To promote fruit enlargement and full maturity, new shoots that have reached the predetermined length need to be pinched in time so that they no longer continue to extend and bear fruit, thereby promoting the fruit already set on the lower part to fully enlarge and mature early. However, the timing and amount of pinching, as well as the number of fruits retained, all need to be moderate. It should not only help the current year's fruit mature in time and avoid losses caused by frost damage, but also benefit the growth and fruiting of the second year.
3. Vigorous water sprouts sprouting from the root zone or other parts can be used for renewal or to fill larger spaces. They can be pinched when they reach about 20 cm in length to promote their full development and the sprouting of branches. For vigorous water sprouts that are not planned to be used or cannot be used, they should be removed in time during the early sprouting stage to save nutrient consumption. There is no need to wait until winter pruning to remove them, so as to avoid leaving larger wounds.
Key Points for Transplanting Figs
1. Before transplanting into pots, we need to select healthy, robust seedlings in good growing condition, and the seedlings should already have more than 2 bud points. This is the prerequisite for the seedlings to survive after potting. After the seedlings are selected, what we need to pay attention to is how to dig them out without injuring them. After the seedlings to be transplanted are dug out, you will find some tender white roots at the base, and these roots are the key elements for successful transplanting. Therefore, when digging out seedlings, in addition to being careful to avoid injuring these tender white rootlets, what is more important is to master the technique of digging out seedlings. When digging out seedlings, you need to start at a place some distance from the plant, then gently dig in from all sides with a shovel. After gaps have been dug around all sides in the soil, gently take out the seedling together with the soil, and then pot it.
2. After fig seedlings are transplanted, attention should be paid to water management, because this is the primary task of seedling cultivation. If the seedling stops growing at the top, it indicates that the soil is already lacking water. Especially when the leaves below the plant become wilted, water should be replenished in time, otherwise leaf drop will occur and affect the survival of the plant. However, if the flower pot is placed outdoors for care, it will inevitably encounter unfavorable weather. If continuous rainy weather occurs, the drainage situation in the pot should be checked in time. On the one hand, check whether water has accumulated in the pot. If so, manual drainage should be carried out in time.
3. Fig seedlings have a relatively low demand for water and fertilizer during the growing period, but after entering the mature seedling stage, the demand for water and fertilizer becomes relatively greater. Especially in the full fruiting period, in order to ensure the nutrient supply for the plant and promote its growth and development, it needs to be fertilized appropriately. Because the nutrients in the potting soil are very limited, timely topdressing is the key to the success of potted figs.
How to Transplant Figs
1. Select seedlings
To do a good job of transplanting, we first need to select seedlings that have emerged and turned green, are growing robustly, have a beautiful plant shape, and have more than 2 bud points for planting.
2. Dig out the young plant
Use the shovel tool prepared in advance to gently dig out the young seedling. The whole process should be careful to avoid damaging the plant. After digging out the young plant, you will find that some white roots have sprouted at the base of the young plant. This is the key to successful transplanting in the next step.
3. Prepare the soil
Peat has the characteristics of being lightweight and highly water-absorbent, so it is very suitable for the growth of young fig plants. Of course, this is not enough. In order to make the culture soil more loose and breathable, perlite naturally comes to mind. Since figs also like slightly alkaline loam soil, some rice husk charcoal needs to be added to change the pH value of the culture soil. Then pour these three substances in proportion into a larger container and mix them evenly.
4. Prepare the flower pot
In terms of choosing a flower pot, from the perspective of material, a ceramic pot is still better. But for the principle of lightness, the editor casually found a plastic pot. However, it is necessary to ensure that the bottom of the plastic pot has enough drainage holes. As for the size of the pot, this needs to be chosen according to the growth of the young plant.
5. Plug the holes with sponge
In order to prevent the loss of the medium in the pot and causing water accumulation in the pot, we can find some sponge, then cut these sponges into blocks of moderate size. Then place these sponges over the drainage holes in the pot.
6. Plant the young plant
After covering the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot with sponge blocks, first spread a moderate depth of culture soil into the pot, then place the young plant in it, let its root system spread out, then cover it with a layer of culture soil, and then gently press the soil around the plant with your hands to stabilize the plant, while reducing the gaps in the soil in the pot as much as possible, and finally cover with soil until it is nearly full.
7. Water to retain moisture
After potting, we need to water thoroughly once, so that the peat in the pot can store enough water. Of course, when watering, do not pour heavily directly. It is recommended to use a shower head or spray bottle to spray water into the pot. After that, just manage it according to normal care and management methods.
How to Control Pests and Diseases on Figs
1. Mulberry longhorn beetle
Control method: manually capture and kill adults during the egg-laying period from June to July each year. For fig trees that had insect damage the previous year, in April to May and September to October, at the last larval frass hole on the trunk or branches, use 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate or 40% fenitrothion 50-times solution, and inject it into the insect hole with a liquid injector. Or dip medicinal cotton in the pesticide and plug it into the insect hole, which gives good results in killing larvae. It is also possible, before the newly hatched larvae have bored into the xylem, to choose highly systemic insecticides such as 40% omethoate 100-times solution or 10% miechongjing 100-times solution and spray the trunk, branches, and egg-laying sites.
2. Yellow slug moth
Control method: during the larval stage, spray 90% trichlorfon 1500-2000-times solution, or dichlorvos 800-1000-times solution, or qingchongjun 800-times solution, all with relatively good control effects. Tie a poison ring at the main branch fork to poison and kill mature larvae crawling down the trunk to the ground. Its phototaxis can be used by setting lights to trap and kill, and this can also be used to predict pest conditions.
3. Black velvet chafer
Control method: during the peak adult occurrence period, around 5 o'clock under windless conditions, use poplar (or willow) branches and leaves dipped in 80% trichlorfon 200-times solution, inserting one bundle every 10-15 m in the nursery or newly planted young tree area to trap and kill adults. You can also soak poplar (willow) branches in 50% monocrotophos 50-times solution for more than 10 hours, and insert 5 bundles per mu into the ground to trap and kill adults.
4. Gray leaf spot
Control method: about 15 days before onset, use 1:2:300 Bordeaux mixture, or 0.5-0.5:200 zinc-copper-lime solution, or 50% wettable folpet powder 0.5 kg plus 65% zineb wettable powder 1 kg diluted with 500 L of water, and spray the tree body. After autumn, sweep up diseased leaves and burn them to eliminate the source of infection.
The process of pruning figs is really long. To maintain a beautiful form, there are indeed many things to pay attention to. Be sure to understand them in detail. The process of planting and transplanting is very complicated. We should consider many aspects and plant according to the fruiting habits of figs.