4 key fig growing techniques to help your branches hang heavy with fruit

Figs have a high sugar content, so they are also called “honey fruit”. Compared with other fruits, figs are still fairly easy to care for, so what are the fig growing techniques? Below, I will share with you the 4 key fig growing techniques.

1. Planting out figs

They can be grown in pots or in sloping wasteland, fields, and courtyards. When grown in sloping wasteland, fields, courtyards, and the like, the planting density is generally increased appropriately, and a density of 1×2 m can be used. Each planting hole should be 50—70 cm deep and 40—60 cm in diameter, with a mixed fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium (such as human and livestock manure, poultry manure, green manure, cake fertilizer, chemical compound fertilizer) used as base fertilizer. The suitable planting time is around Qingming in North China, around Guyu in Northeast China, and in the South it can be transplanted and planted after leaf fall in autumn, but the flowering and fruiting period should be avoided.

2. Training and pruning figs

The training and pruning of figs is relatively simple, and the technical requirements for pruning and training are not high. Generally, the multi-main-branch natural open-center form is used, but 3—5 main branches should be retained for the whole plant, with no side branches, and the branch groups grow directly on the main branches. During the young tree stage, focus on cultivating the main branches, and pay attention to raising the angle of the main branches to promote more branch growth, so as to rapidly expand the canopy.

After entering the initial fruiting stage, focus on cultivating more branch groups in order to promote the formation of a certain yield. During the full fruiting stage, pay attention to cultivating scaffold branches, renewing large and medium branch groups, and pruning and reducing weak branch groups. For trees that are aging or severely affected by pests and diseases, the sprouting branches or latent buds emerging from the base or branches can be used to retrain main branches and branch groups. Figs begin in mid-July and mature successively through November. Fig picking is generally best done on sunny mornings or evenings, when the top of the ripe fruit has a small opening slightly open and the skin shows the color of the variety (mostly red and yellow varieties). Overripe fruit does not store or transport well after picking.

3. Fertilizer and water management for figs

During the growing period of young fig trees, fertilizer should be applied if the base fertilizer is insufficient.

The method is to apply about 5 kg of decomposed mixed manure per plant about 40 cm from the main root; for potted plants, apply at least 1 kg. For mature trees, apply about 15 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per plant. Apply base fertilizer before and after leaf fall, and topdress preferably during the rapid shoot growth stage and the rapid fruit swelling stage. The fig is a fruit tree that is relatively tolerant of fertilizer, but phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be emphasized, and the general ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is 0.5:1:1. Because it is relatively drought-tolerant and not waterlogging-tolerant, it needs a relatively large amount of water during new shoot growth and fruit swelling, but long-term waterlogging or a heavily waterlogged environment can easily cause flower drop, fruit drop, leaf drop, and even death, so attention should also be paid to drainage and water removal.

Potted plants should also be watched for drainage, especially during continuous rainy seasons after heavy rain or torrential rain; pay attention to rain protection or tipping the pot to control water.

4. Pest and disease control for figs

Figs relatively rarely suffer from pests and diseases. During the fruit growing period, the special odor released around them can easily attract damage from the mulberry longhorn beetle; when the fruit is ripe, it is easily damaged by birds. In addition to manually catching the mulberry longhorn beetle and driving away birds, insect eggs can be eliminated manually or with chemicals. A scarecrow with plastic colored strips tied to it can also be inserted in the field to drive away birds.