Key Points of Fig Cultivation and Management Techniques

Figs like a sunny, warm and humid environment; they can tolerate drought but fear waterlogging; they like fertile, moist sandy soil. But they are also fairly adaptable to other soils and can grow normally in heavy calcareous soil, acidic red soil and alluvial clay. For potted figs, before buds break each year in early spring, the pot must be changed once. The potting soil can be mixed from 8 parts garden soil, 1 part sandy soil and 1 part dried manure, with hoof pieces and other materials added as base fertilizer. During the growing period, cake fertilizer water can be applied once every half month; decomposed sesame paste or cake residue can be applied once a month. Watering should preferably keep the potting soil moist, following the principle of drying before watering. After frost in winter, move them indoors for care; watering only 1-2 times during the whole winter is enough, and the room temperature should be kept at 3-5°C. For potted figs, the plant should not be too tall; 30 cm is suitable; this requires careful pruning. Pruning should be done in March in spring. When the seedlings grow to 40-50 cm tall, cut off the top at 30 cm; when the lower axillary buds grow to 3 cm, keep only 3-5 buds at the top as main branches and cut off all the rest. In July of that year, pinch the tips once to prevent the branches from growing excessively. In the second spring, shorten the main branches again at 12-15 cm. When new buds sprout to 3 cm, keep 2-3 buds on each main branch and remove the rest, then pinch the tips once again in July. After two such prunings, the tree shape becomes shorter, sturdier, more open and much more attractive.

Figs are mostly propagated by cuttings, usually in summer. Select vigorous one-year-old branches, cut them into 15-20 cm long sections as cuttings; after cutting, they can root in about one month, and then they are transplanted for growing on. Common fig diseases and pests include anthracnose, crown gall disease, and insect pests such as longhorn beetles and scale insects. For control, refer to the medicinal liquid spraying used for flowers harmed by the same diseases and pests.