The fig is also known as the milk-sap fruit. Its fruit is soft and sweet, with a distinctive flavor, rich in fructose and glucose that are easily absorbed by the human body. Its carotene and vitamin C content is also relatively high, and it contains a variety of digestive enzymes that aid digestion, making it a very good health fruit. At the same time, traditional Chinese medicine holds that the fig fruit is sweet and neutral in nature, with various effects such as stimulating the appetite, moistening the intestines, reducing inflammation, detoxifying, promoting lactation, stopping dysentery and treating hemorrhoids. There are many folk remedies, often using the branches, leaves, roots and fruit as medicine. In recent years, experiments on mice have shown that the fig also has a certain anti-cancer effect. Ripe figs do not keep well for storage and transport, but they can be processed into various products such as candied fruit, jam, dried fruit and canned fruit in syrup.

Figs are easy to propagate, simple to manage, bear fruit early and have few pests and diseases. Their branches and leaves are smooth and clean, and they have a strong ability to absorb and resist toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide, which can eliminate pollution and purify the air. Their root system is tolerant of relatively heavy saline-alkali conditions (generally up to 0.3%-0.4%). Therefore, developing fig production in front of and behind homes, around factories and mines, and especially in the vast coastal tidal flat areas, has great prospects.

Main Types and Varieties

The fig belongs to the genus Ficus in the mulberry family (Moraceae), and only the fig itself is cultivated as a fruit tree. According to whether normal fruiting requires pollination and according to flower type, it can be divided into 4 groups or varieties. Most cultivated varieties belong to the common fig group, in which the syconium contains only female flowers and can set fruit parthenocarpically without pollination. According to the fruit ripening and harvest period, it can also be divided into three types: autumn-fruit-only type, summer-fruit-only type, and summer-autumn dual-purpose type.

The varieties currently planted in our country are basically introduced from Europe, America and Japan; some original names have been lost, and different names have been given. Cultivated varieties in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River include Brunswick, Brown Turkey, California Black, Penglai Persimmon, Masui Dauphine, Albania No. 1, Xinyang 88 and Lukang No. 1, among others. In North China, winter temperatures are relatively low and figs are prone to freezing, so adaptability of varieties should be considered when introducing them.

Growth and Fruiting Habits

The fig is a subtropical deciduous shrub or small tree, and under suitable conditions a long-lived one can also grow into a large tree. The fig has a well-developed root system, is drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant, and likes aeration but dislikes waterlogging. Branches grow quickly and branch little, with only a few buds at the branch tips extending upward and outward each year. On new shoots, apart from the few basal nodes, most leaf axils can form 2-3 buds, one of which is round and large and is a flower bud. After entering the fruiting stage, apart from water sprouts, almost all new shoots in the canopy can become fruiting shoots. Therefore, fruiting can begin 2-3 years after planting, and full fruit-bearing age can be reached in 7-10 years.

The flower buds further differentiate and develop, becoming the distinctive syconium fruit. The syconium fruit is fleshy and sac-like, with a small opening at the top that is concealed by surrounding scales. On the inner wall of the syconium, thousands of tiny flowers are arranged, forming a hidden inflorescence, so from the outside only the fruit is seen and not the flowers. The tiny flowers can set fruit parthenocarpically without pollination. The edible part is actually a multiple fruit formed by the syconium together with the many tiny fruits enclosed within it, all enlarging together.

The fruit development period is 50-60 days. Fruits in the middle and lower parts of new shoots mature in autumn of the same year in the Yangtze River basin and are called autumn fruits. Fruits developing later on the upper parts of new shoots mostly fail to mature and shrink and drop when cold weather arrives. Flower buds on the few nodes at the tips of new shoots differentiate in late autumn, are covered by scales, and can overwinter safely in warm winter areas; after warmth returns the following spring they continue to differentiate and develop into summer fruits. Normally ripened summer fruits generally have better quality. Varieties belong to different types according to their ability to form summer fruits and autumn fruits.

Characteristics of Cultivation Techniques

1. Propagation and planting. Fig branches root very easily and also readily produce root suckers, so methods such as cuttings, layering and division can all be used when propagating nursery stock. In production, cuttings are used for large-scale propagation of nursery stock, with an extremely high survival rate. In the Yangtze River basin, hardwood cuttings are taken in mid-to-late March. Branches with short internodes and a thickness of 1 cm-1.5 cm can all be used as cuttings, each with 2-3 buds. For specific operating techniques, refer to grapes. Cutting beds should not be continuously cropped, to avoid the spread and damage of nematodes. If plastic greenhouses are used in winter to raise seedlings in nutrient bags, seedling formation can be advanced.

When establishing an orchard, suitable varieties should be selected according to different requirements and site conditions. For example, yellow varieties should be chosen for canning and processing; cold-resistant varieties should be chosen in places with low winter temperatures (around minus 15 degrees); salt-resistant varieties should be chosen for tidal flat land; and large-fruited varieties should be chosen for fresh fruit markets. Orchard land should not be continuously cropped.

Planting spacing is generally 3 m-4 m. In areas with good soil or a warm climate, where the canopy is large, the spacing between plants and rows can be expanded to 5 m-7 m. In the Yangtze River basin, planting can be done in either autumn or spring. Autumn planting should be earlier, and spring planting is suitable in mid-to-late March. Coastal tidal flat land is suitable for autumn planting, while the Huaibei area is suitable for spring planting.

2. Training, pruning and fertilizer-water management. Under normal conditions, the branches within a fig canopy are not dense, so it is suitable to train a delayed-open central-leader form with no distinct tiers or a natural open-center form with multiple main branches; a shrub-like canopy branching directly from the ground can also be formed. When training, head the nursery stock at a height of 40 cm-50 cm, and thereafter retain 4-6 main branches on the whole tree, with or without a central leader. A certain spacing should be maintained between the main branches; each main branch is cut back each year to leave 40 cm-60 cm, and 2-3 secondary main branches are arranged on it at appropriate intervals to expand the fruiting surface.

After the tree form is completed, each year only remove useless water sprouts, crowded branches, drooping branches and dead branches, and retain as many strong branches as possible for fruiting. For varieties mainly producing autumn fruit, since the fruiting sites are mostly in the middle and lower parts of the current year's new shoots, the branches can be moderately shortened. For summer-fruit varieties, the flower buds are mostly borne at the tips of the branches, so in winter vigorous branches should not be shortened, to avoid affecting yield. For fig trees that branch little or whose fruiting sites shift outward year by year, heavier renewal pruning can be done in winter to promote new branches. Some branches can be cut back to leave 2-3 leaf buds at the base.

Fig branches have loose tissue and cut surfaces heal slowly. After winter pruning, a section of branch below the cut often dries up, affecting the growth of the bud at the cut. Therefore, all large pruning and saw cuts should be coated with grafting wax or other protective agents, while for small branches the cutting point can be raised appropriately.

Base fertilizer for figs is applied around leaf fall in combination with winter plowing. Topdressing is best applied in stages before rapid new shoot growth and during the rapid swelling period of the syconium fruit. Figs are not strict about water requirements; in the rainy season attention should be paid to drainage, and in coastal areas during typhoon season it is best to set up supports at the plants for protection.

3. Overwintering protection. The fig prefers a warm, slightly dry climate and has low cold resistance. When cultivated in temperate regions, its branches and trunk are often prone to freezing, especially young trees under 5 years old, which are at risk of freezing to death entirely when winter temperatures reach minus 16 degrees to minus 18 degrees. In the Huaibei area, during overwintering, soil should be banked up around the base of the trunk to prevent freezing, to a height of about 35 cm, and the banked soil should be removed after the spring thaw. Large branches and trunks can be wrapped in straw for winter protection. As the tree ages, its overwintering ability gradually increases. Once a plant is frozen, frozen branches should be pruned away promptly, and after sprouting attention should be paid to selecting new branches to replace them. Sometimes even if the aboveground part is completely frozen to death, strong branches can still sprout the following spring from the root crown area covered with banked soil, forming a new canopy.

Main Pests and Diseases and Their Control

Figs have relatively few pests and diseases. The common ones causing relatively great damage include the mulberry longhorn beetle, root-knot nematode and fruit anthracnose. For control of the mulberry longhorn beetle, refer to the apple section and use poison plugs. At present, control of root-knot nematode mainly involves avoiding continuous cropping in old orchards and carrying out quarantine and disinfection of nursery stock; when conditions permit, soil can also be disinfected. For fruit anthracnose, spray 200 times lime excess Bordeaux mixture or 75% chlorothalonil 600-800 times solution early in summer and autumn before the fruit becomes diseased. The safe interval period for the latter (the number of days from the last application to harvest) is 7-14 days.

Harvesting, Storage and Processing

The fig has a relatively long ripening period, and the fruit ripens gradually in summer and autumn, so it should be harvested in batches. Fully ripe fruit has a slightly open small opening at the top and obvious net-like markings on the skin, and has the best flavor, but it does not keep well for storage and transport. Fruit for fresh market sale should be harvested early. Fig fruit is very juicy, and long-term contact can easily cause skin inflammation, so silicone gloves should be worn when harvesting frequently.

Ripe figs rot and change flavor extremely easily, and red varieties also discolor easily. Even short-term storage requires a low temperature of around 0 degrees and a relative humidity of 85%-90%. Generally it is best to process them as soon as they are harvested, rather than storing them for long.

If short-term storage and transport are needed, the fruit can first be dipped in SM freshness-retaining agent, removed and air-dried, and then placed in fruit boxes for transport. If sealed fruit turnover boxes with silicone windows and lids are used, the freshness-retaining effect is even better.

After peeling fully ripe figs and soaking them in concentrated sugar solution for 1-2 days, they are removed and dried to make candied dried figs with a distinctive flavor. In addition, fig jam can also be made.

How are fig trees planted and cultivated? How many years until fig trees bear fruit

The fig tree (scientific name: Ficus carica Linn.) belongs to the mulberry family (Moraceae) and is a deciduous shrub in the genus Ficus, a subtropical deciduous small tree. It is also known as Tianxian fruit, Mingmu fruit, Yingri fruit, etc. Several hundred varieties of figs are known, the vast majority of which are evergreen varieties, and only those growing in temperate zones are deciduous varieties. It has long grown in tropical and temperate zones. Figs have strong growth vigor and a habit of multiple growth flushes; the current-year growth of young tree new shoots and water sprouts can reach more than 2 m; both sprouting ability and branching ability are relatively weak, the scaffold branches grow conspicuously, and there are many latent buds on them, with a very long lifespan that can reach several decades. So how are fig trees planted and cultivated? How many years until fig trees bear fruit?

Fig Tree Pictures

The fig tree (Ficus caarica Linn.) belongs to the plant kingdom, angiosperms, Magnoliopsida, Hamamelididae, Urticales, Moraceae, Artocarpoideae, Ficeae, Ficus. It is widely distributed in our country. For example, in southwestern China, Zhejiang, Taiwan, China, Hunan and other regions, it likes to grow in warm and humid land. At the same time, it is not cold-resistant, so in the cold winter we must take protective measures.

Before we enjoy the pictures, the editor also wants to explain its value to everyone. Its main value lies in landscape value and ornamental value. Its leaves are relatively large, and the fruit also has a certain ornamental value, especially in summer when the fruit hangs in abundance. It is also one of the pollution-resistant plants; it can absorb harmful gases and is one of the first choices for planting in large cities and industrial areas. Secondly, it also has high dietary therapy value. Its fruit, that is, the fig, besides having a certain degree of medicinal value, can also be made into dried fruit, juice drinks and so on. It belongs to purely natural drinks and is therefore very popular.

Fig Tree Planting

Cuttings: Cutting is the most common propagation method. Seedlings propagated by cuttings have the highest survival rate, and there are many seasons in a year when cuttings can be taken. When taking cuttings in spring, the cuttings should use young branches before sprouting, soak them in water for three days, and then insert them into fine sand. In autumn, cuttings should be selected after leaf fall; at this time the sap has stopped flowing and more energy can be preserved.

Cutting insertion: After the step of selecting cuttings, the cuttings can be used for insertion. Cutting insertion has relatively high soil requirements. Usually a plant bed 33 cm high and 50 cm wide is used, which is prepared and fertilized, and after inserting the cuttings a small ridge of 35 cm is made. The insertion depth of the cuttings is about 17-18 cm.

Cultivation of Fig Trees

Training and Pruning

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 training method is used, but 3-5 main branches should be retained on the whole plant, with no side branches, and branch groups are borne directly on the main branches. During the young tree period, the key point is to cultivate the main branches well, and attention should be paid to raising the angle of the main branches to promote more branch growth, so as to rapidly expand the canopy.

After entering the early fruiting stage, focus on cultivating more branch groups so as to promote the formation of a certain yield. In the full fruit-bearing stage, pay attention to cultivating scaffold branches, renewing medium and large branch groups, and pruning and reducing weak branch groups. For trees with declining vigor or severe 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 harvesting is generally best done on sunny mornings or evenings. When the top of a ripe fruit is seen to have a slightly open small opening and the skin shows the color of the inherent variety (mostly divided into red and yellow varieties), it is harvested. Overripe fruit does not keep well for storage and transport after harvest.

How Many Years Until Fig Trees Bear Fruit

The reason we usually cannot see fig flowers is that its flowers do not want to show their beauty. Fig flowers bloom inside the skin. It has a fleshy and hollow structure called a "syconium", and the shy little fig flowers grow inside it

So people call it the fig

Fig trees mostly can set fruit parthenocarpically and bear fruit multiple times a year. After planting, the tree begins to bear fruit in 2-3 years, enters the full fruit-bearing stage in 6-7 years, and yield increases year by year.

How Much Do Fig Trees Cost

If you are planting a few in the yard for ornamental enjoyment, and if you have a friend who grows figs, you can directly cut branches, about 20-30 cm long, and insert them into the soil upright and they can survive. If planting on a large scale, then you need to go to the market to look at varieties and compare prices; generally 5-10 yuan per tree.

Fig Tree Feng Shui

It is not good to have a fig tree in front of the door or in the courtyard.

Planting a fig tree in front of the door (in the courtyard) is inauspicious in feng shui for two reasons:

First, the fig tree belongs to the category of inauspicious trees. In feng shui principles, willow, banana, fig, cherry tree, magnolia, yucca, fish-tail bamboo, zelkova, white poplar and so on are inauspicious trees; planting them in front of or behind the house or in the courtyard will reverse the fortunes of the family. That is to say, women will take the role of men and dominate everything, while men cannot exert the functions that men should have, and especially children will become weak and frail.

Another point is that if the tree is too tall or the branches too long, it will commit "tree collision sha" (a type of "top-heart sha", which is as inauspicious as utility poles, signal towers and transformers clashing with doors and windows), thereby adversely affecting the fortunes of the household owner.

If a courtyard has these trees, they must be transplanted elsewhere.

Fig Tree Pictures, Fig Tree Planting, Fig Tree Cultivation, How Many Years Until Fig Trees Bear Fruit

Fig Tree

Fig Tree Pictures

The fig tree (Ficus  caarica  Linn.) belongs to the plant kingdom, angiosperms, Magnoliopsida, Hamamelididae, Urticales, Moraceae, Artocarpoideae, Ficeae, Ficus. It is widely distributed in our country. For example, in southwestern China, Zhejiang, Taiwan, China, Hunan and other regions, it likes to grow in warm and humid land. At the same time, it is not cold-resistant, so in the cold winter we must take protective measures.
Before we enjoy the pictures, the editor also wants to explain its value to everyone. Its main value lies in landscape value and ornamental value. Its leaves are relatively large, and the fruit also has a certain ornamental value, especially in summer when the fruit hangs in abundance. It is also one of the pollution-resistant plants; it can absorb harmful gases and is one of the first choices for planting in large cities and industrial areas. Secondly, it also has high dietary therapy value. Its fruit, that is, the fig, besides having a certain degree of medicinal value, can also be made into dried fruit, juice drinks and so on. It belongs to purely natural drinks and is therefore very popular.

Fig Tree Planting

Cuttings: Cutting is the most common propagation method. Seedlings propagated by cuttings have the highest survival rate, and there are many seasons in a year when cuttings can be taken. When taking cuttings in spring, the cuttings should use young branches before sprouting, soak them in water for three days, and then insert them into fine sand. In autumn, cuttings should be selected after leaf fall; at this time the sap has stopped flowing and more energy can be preserved.
Cutting insertion: After the step of selecting cuttings, the cuttings can be used for insertion. Cutting insertion has relatively high soil requirements. Usually a plant bed 33 cm high and 50 cm wide is used, which is prepared and fertilized, and after inserting the cuttings a small ridge of 35 cm is made. The insertion depth of the cuttings is about 17-18 cm.

Cultivation of Fig Trees

Training and Pruning
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 training method is used, but 3-5 main branches should be retained on the whole plant, with no side branches, and branch groups are borne directly on the main branches. During the young tree period, the key point is to cultivate the main branches well, and attention should be paid to raising the angle of the main branches to promote more branch growth, so as to rapidly expand the canopy.
After entering the early fruiting stage, focus on cultivating more branch groups so as to promote the formation of a certain yield. In the full fruit-bearing stage, pay attention to cultivating scaffold branches, renewing medium and large branch groups, and pruning and reducing weak branch groups. For trees with declining vigor or severe 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 harvesting is generally best done on sunny mornings or evenings. When the top of a ripe fruit is seen to have a slightly open small opening and the skin shows the color of the inherent variety (mostly divided into red and yellow varieties), it is harvested. Overripe fruit does not keep well for storage and transport after harvest.

How Many Years Until Fig Trees Bear Fruit

The reason we usually cannot see fig flowers is that its flowers do not want to show their beauty. Fig flowers bloom inside the skin. It has a fleshy and hollow structure called a "syconium", and the shy little fig flowers grow inside it
So people call it the fig
Fig trees mostly can set fruit parthenocarpically and bear fruit multiple times a year. After planting, the tree begins to bear fruit in 2-3 years, enters the full fruit-bearing stage in 6-7 years, and yield increases year by year.

How Much Do Fig Trees Cost

If you are planting a few in the yard for ornamental enjoyment, and if you have a friend who grows figs, you can directly cut branches, about 20-30 cm long, and insert them into the soil upright and they can survive. If planting on a large scale, then you need to go to the market to look at varieties and compare prices; generally 5-10 yuan per tree.

Fig Tree Feng Shui

It is not good to have a fig tree in front of the door or in the courtyard.
Planting a fig tree in front of the door (in the courtyard) is inauspicious in feng shui for two reasons:
First, the fig tree belongs to the category of inauspicious trees. In feng shui principles, willow, banana, fig, cherry tree, magnolia, yucca, fish-tail bamboo, zelkova, white poplar and so on are inauspicious trees; planting them in front of or behind the house or in the courtyard will reverse the fortunes of the family. That is to say, women will take the role of men and dominate everything, while men cannot exert the functions that men should have, and especially children will become weak and frail.
Another point is that if the tree is too tall or the branches too long, it will commit "tree collision sha" (a type of "top-heart sha", which is as inauspicious as utility poles, signal towers and transformers clashing with doors and windows), thereby adversely affecting the fortunes of the household owner.
If a courtyard has these trees, they must be transplanted elsewhere.

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