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Traveling Gardeners
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 26 ก.พ. 2014
"Hi, I'm Chris." I took over the care of my grandfather's fig collection in 2014 and fell in love with growing figs. After retiring from the Coast Guard in 2020, my wife Jennifer and I began building our family nursery in NJ. We cultivate healthy, productive fig trees using old and new methods. We split our time between Ireland and NJ, open for business spring through fall, so plan your fig purchases accordingly! We look forward to sharing our passion for figs with you! Find us as TravelingGardeners on Figbid, the online auction site for rare and unique figs! Follow us on Facebook and TH-cam at Traveling Gardeners and subscribe for fig content, tutorials and community updates!
-Chris
-Chris
Pruning a Fig Tree
In this video we prune and shape our Figue de Sollies fig tree over the course of two seasons. Pruning techniques are explained and shown. We then return to the same tree after one year to observe the results and conduct a second pruning.
มุมมอง: 763
วีดีโอ
Evening Figs (360° video)
มุมมอง 1536 หลายเดือนก่อน
This is a 360° video version of Evening Figs. In this video we pick a few breba figs and take a quick walkthrough the Fighouse. Fig varieties tasted are Black Zadar, Mary Lane Seedless, Olympian and Peter's Honey. 360° videos are large files and sometimes TH-cam will lower the video's resolution. For the best viewing experience we recommend viewing on a mobile device and ensuring your resolutio...
Evening Figs
มุมมอง 3496 หลายเดือนก่อน
In this video we pick a few breba figs and take a quick walkthrough the Fighouse. Fig varieties tasted are Black Zadar, Mary Lane Seedless, Olympian and Peter's Honey. Filmed on 11 July 2024.
Shaping Young Fig Trees Part 3
มุมมอง 2.5Kปีที่แล้ว
This video covers pruning techniques we use to shape our young fig trees at the end of their second season. Both trees have established scaffolding branches with an open center. The trees are prepared for their 3rd season using thinning and heading cuts. We also discuss pre rooting cuttings and over-wintering air layers.
Planting Dormant Fig Trees
มุมมอง 737ปีที่แล้ว
It's November 20th here in NJ zone 7a. Temps are dropping and the nights frosty. However we're still waiting for some of our fig trees to enter dormancy before we can complete our winter pruning and harvest cuttings. In the mean time, we have been catching up on all sorts of fig related projects. In this video we remove a dormant 2 year old fig tree from its pot and plant it with 7 others. Esta...
Easy Technique for Larger Air Layers part 2
มุมมอง 1.9Kปีที่แล้ว
It's late November and our fig trees are finally entering dormancy here in NJ growing zone 7a. Today we took advantage of the beautiful weather and finished up the air layering process for our Coll De Dame Noir fig tree. In this video we cut the air layer away from its mother tree, examine root development and plant in a larger pot. After planting we finish up with some winter pruning and harve...
(360° video) Last Figs of 2023
มุมมอง 221ปีที่แล้ว
In this 360° video we take a walk through the Fig House and enjoy tasting some of the final figs of our 2023 season. All of our fig trees and entering dormancy and we're about to prepare them for the annual pruning and the harvesting of cuttings. But before we get to work there are a few varieties still hanging on to amazing fruit and we're not about to let them go to waste. Our fig trees have ...
Last Figs of 2023
มุมมอง 676ปีที่แล้ว
In this video we take a walk through the Fig House and enjoy tasting some of the final figs of our 2023 season. All of our fig trees and entering dormancy and we're about to prepare them for the annual pruning and the harvesting of cuttings. But before we get to work there are a few varieties still hanging on to amazing fruit and we're not about to let them go to waste. Our fig trees have exper...
Shaping Young Fig Trees Part 2
มุมมอง 11Kปีที่แล้ว
This video contains gardening tips. It covers pruning and training young fig trees from the whip stage to a 4 scaffold vase shape. We demonstrate a pinching technique to achieve the basic shape in the 1st growing season. Watch to the end to see the development of trees trained with this technique in their 2nd season.
Double up on large air layers
มุมมอง 2Kปีที่แล้ว
In this video we demonstrate a technique for air layering large branches from a fig tree. Multiple trees are created from one big branch. Larger air layers require more time but result in a significantly greater root mass and a thicker trunk. Your new tree will have the ability to extract and store more water and nutrients. I think of the roots like the engine of the tree and a bigger engine eq...
Choosing the right size pot for your fig tree
มุมมอง 891ปีที่แล้ว
Aside from choosing the varieties your choice of container will be one of the most important factors toward the overall success of your fig trees. From starting fig cuttings to maintaining mature trees. Proper container selection will influence your trees overall health and vigor. This is a short video about how pot size affects the growth pattern of fig trees. We highlight 2 varieties and show...
Shaping Young Fig Trees Part 1
มุมมอง 1.9Kปีที่แล้ว
This is a short video showing how we begin the training of young fig trees. If you stick around to the end we'll take a walk into the Fig House and pick a Green Michurinska. Plus we get a visit from one of our most notorious fig bandits!
Fig trees and the power of the microclimate.
มุมมอง 451ปีที่แล้ว
This beautiful NJ fig tree has been growing without winter protection for decades.
Time lapse growing fig cuttings.
มุมมอง 1.1Kปีที่แล้ว
Finally done with last winters fig cuts! This is a short time lapse wrapping up the process.
(360° video) Easy technique for larger air layers.
มุมมอง 1.7Kปีที่แล้ว
(360° video) Easy technique for larger air layers.
Easy Technique for Larger Air Layers part 1
มุมมอง 15Kปีที่แล้ว
Easy Technique for Larger Air Layers part 1
Sweet.....! looking for some smith cuttings im in long branch NJ ...! Ill check on your website
Another great video Chris. I've watched a lot of good videos over the years from many different experts. Yours are as good if not better than. Keep up the good work and keep the videos coming.
Thanks John! I wish we could have made more this season. Expanding the nursery has been our primary focus during 2024. Have a merry Christmas and happy new year buddy! I’ll see you in the spring!
hi Tg., Q: Are you not still on "FigBid' online auctions? just curious. thx, Etf.
We have been active and offering cuttings over the last month. However my final listing for 2024 was this past Sunday. I’ve finished winterizing the nursery and I’m preparing for my own winter break. We will be back in March 2025!
Nice. I've got 8 potted now and I want to plant 5 or 6 in the ground come Spring. I'm in 8a and a friend near me says his figs all died back to the ground. Ross has said 8 shouldn't have an issue with dieback, but they did. Now, I'm wondering if mine will die back or not. Yours gives me hope, but really, it'll be a trial I figure one way or another. Thanks for sharing.
These trees did not suffer any die back whatsoever last winter. I know the temperature went down as low as 8 F. I didn’t protect them at all. This winter is looking like it may get cold so we’ll see. 🤞
@@TravelingGardeners Let us know. I'll be watching.
I read you reuse these. Are the figs in them sold as bare root? Enjoying your vids and subbed.
I sell trees in these containers locally. All of the trees we ship are grown and sold in 4”x12” or 5”x12” tree pots. Thanks for supporting our channel!
How productive was it after last years pruning?
Most of the nodes on the new growth pushed out figs. The node spacing was wide since it grew so fast but definitely a lot of figs. Explains why it’s a commercial variety in France. I think next season is going to be amazing.
Very informative. Thank you for posting and your time..
Thanks! I love talking figs.
@TravelingGardeners Do you sell rooted Figs ? and do you have a nursery. I am in Northern NJ Sussex County zone 6b. Thanks again.
@@petarbubalo231 Yes we are a nursery located in Southampton NJ, specializing in fig trees. We're only offering cuttings this time of year. We will begin selling trees again in spring. You can find us on Figbid as Travelinggardeners .
Very interesting to see that before and after. Great videos. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!
I like your video style but I wish you would share more of your reasoning behind each cut. You do for some but not others and as I try to guess where you are going to cut, it turns out to be different. I keep asking myself what's behind that decision. Please share more of your thought process so I can learn from you ways.... thanks :) BTW- nice green house!
@@jessiep319 Thank you for the constructive feedback. I will definitely keep this in mind for future projects. When I shape my trees at this stage the primary focus is maintaining the open center and preventing crowding among the branches. I try to keep the branching at the end of each scaffold evenly spaced. This is to provide air flow and light penetration. When I’m making the cuts I’m choosing a bud that is positioned to grow out and away from the center of the tree while maintaining space from the nearest branches. The end goal is to evenly fill the circumference of the tree’s reach with branches. Keeping in mind not to over crowd it. I can normally do this when I allow the evenly spaced main scaffolds to split into 2-3 smaller branches. Try to keep the final height on a similar vertical plane. But not at the expense of keeping the proper bud. It ideally points towards the direction you want next season’s growth. I do have some other videos in our pruning playlist that break down establishing scaffold branches in the first 2 seasons. Thanks again Chris
A really nice before and after Chris, a rarity with YT videos.
Thanks I’m glad you liked it. If you have any requests for short or long term projects/videos let me know. When I have some time I’ll see what I can do. Chris
Thank you 🙏🏽!! That’s exactly how I’m going to prune because that’s the shape I’m after 👍🏽
Hello Cris- do you sell fig trees or cuttings? I tried to look you up and having no luck.
@@jeffatherton7151 yes we do. We are a licensed nursery and ship to most of the US. I will be offering some cuttings and bare root trees toward the end of this and next month. You can find us on our Facebook page Traveling Gardeners. We are also TravelingGardeners on figbid. We’re building toward a website in the future. Temps have still been pretty warm in NJ. I won’t prune until the trees are dormant. I expect that will be early December.
@ Thank you
Does the scratching with long overwinter air layering method work with dicots? Working with Callitropsis nootkatensis yellow Alaskan cedar. I'm going to try a very large air layer and want to go fall to spring.
I have only applied it to fruit trees. Also, I wouldn’t say this is an overwinter technique. Fig roots do not grow over winter when it’s cold. They can survive as long as they don’t get too cold. For figs temps below mid 20’s may damage the roots. I don’t want to discourage you but a fall to spring air layer is unlikely to work. Unless you live somewhere with a warm winter. You will probably need a few months of the summer growing season. Good luck!
Wow, I’ve never seen such a huge air layer! And made out of bucket to boot! That is clever!
I’d like to know if the Mutante is your favorite Col de Dame fig
@@PukaHeadMan In my opinion all of the CDD figs are exceptional. The flavors are great but it’s the extremely thick texture that really sets them apart. Plus they have really nice growth patterns. They are vigorous and don’t grow suckers too often. It’s pretty easy to achieve tree form. I’m trying to collect them all. I have most at this point. Now I just need to finish fruiting them. I would recommend if you are in zone 7 or less keep them in a large pot. You will get your fruit like a month or more earlier vs in ground.
Would you share what kind of pots you’re using for your figs?
@@hongbeaven4020 The trees in this video are planted in 55 gallon barrels. The bottoms of the barrels have been removed. Essentially they are individual raised beds and the trees are in ground.
I thought my trees who grew from cuttings to 4 feet and main scaffolds formed was impressive. Ur trees are massive. First time doing any cuttings and i had a 95% success rate even if it was going south at one point every tree got 30-40 figs each. The flavour on the one si tried so far are simply equal to my VDB or worst than my basic chicago hardy. These trees are on their second season however. But for trees like smith i was expecting better. My chicago hardy has a tasty skin so even underipe the figs are great. VDB also. LDA, eaubonne and smith Taste similar or inferior to my basic VDB. I have a second year yellow long neck who is the least productive tree i have, it set fruit only on half of the new growth while everything else did on every node, like to drop figs, ripenned one at 128 grams and it was the best dig. Better than VDB and CH, nice juiciness and hint of maple syrup. I can say its 100% another taste and not at all similar. Its rippening a few more again. Hope things change.
@@Batchat2352 That is a really high success rate. Well done! As your trees mature the quality will improve dramatically. In my opinion 1st season trees should only be allowed to fruit if you are trying to confirm the variety. I know we are all eager to eat as many figs as possible. However the trees benefit greatly if allowed to concentrate only on root and wood growth.
@@TravelingGardeners im trying to confirm what im keeping and putting in 10 gal pots. They have filled their 5 gal pot pretty well
Awesome!! What size pots? Does your Pastiliere drop fruit?
@@WheelchairFruitHunter These trees are inground. They are planted in 55 gallon barrels that have the bottoms removed. Basically individual raised beds. Pastiliere does drop main crop fruit the first couple seasons. It doesn’t drop the breba.
Do you put an air layer directly into a tree pot?
Yes. Sometimes I use tree pots as my air layer containers.
I must say your content is so helpful, I just rooted my first few cuttings this year. I'm just getting into fig trees. I have multiple citrus and a few other fruiting trees, but fig trees are my new obsession. Thank you for sharing your valuable time and expertise on my list of trees to add to my collection. I will be adding Col de Dame varieties this next year.
@@steveg572 glad I could help. You're gonna love those CDD's. They a little more challenging to ripen but worth the effort. They're some of my absolute favorites! Good luck!
I am almost ready ro start my staking again. With over 60 trees it takes awhile lol
I have been noticing just by watering more often i am getting so much branching I dont even HAVE to top my trees. I can let them do their thing and they naturally get great shapes
Do you trim your figs and when?
@@tlnelson7598 December after they are completely dormant.
So if you were to up pot to the bigger container would they grow to that size?
The trees will fill any size pot you choose. The amount of roots you have is the most important factor in determining the size of the tree. More roots equal more tree. It may take a whole season or two to fill out a pot. The tree will grow vigorously at first and then slow down as the pot fills or the end of the season approaches.
Just started air layering April. Your big tree layering has inspired me to a whole newly level!! Thanks so much.
@@KLewis-jg1fk Now is a great time to put on the last ones for the season. Roots grow fast in July and August. I'm working on my final batch.
would you consider sharing the fig cuttings / rooted plants? I'm im zone 9
We are a fig tree nursery. If your interested in purchasing any of our trees check out our Facebook business page. You can find us as Traveling Gardeners on Facebook.
Simply wow!
Chris, the second fig you cut had a gorgeous looking inside for a Breba. But I didn't catch the name of it. Was that the Olympian? Plus you said it had a different flavor from the first fig you cut (the Marylane Seedless which you both said was very sweet). Can you describe what this "different flavor" was? Can you compare it to a common flavor I might know of? Thanks!! These were all Breba, correct? Also, in your November 2023 360 you did 8 months ago, you picked one from Negra d'agde which you called outstanding. Will you have any air layered ones to sell by next year?
That was the Olympian. It was a sugar/brown sugar sweetness. The Mary lane was honey sweet. I know I'm not the best at describing all the flavors. I concentrate mostly on growing them. I have some Negra d'Agde available right now you can send a message to our facebook page. facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091500199454
Thanks. Helpful video. Just curious, you said it’s not LSU Gold but I don’t think you mentioned the variety of the tree.
@@bobmiller2281 Figue de Sollies
All your trees look amazing.
@@hilariobaeza6409 Thank you!
Wouldn't have been better to air layer it above the first bend on the straight part? Then you would not have to do any of this.
@@johnplatt4848 you absolutely could do that. However if you do not need additional trees that would be a waste of energy and your limited time during the growing season. An air layer will set this particular tree back about 8 weeks or more. But your correct, you could produce another tree. It really depends on your goals.
This is my first year growing figs. All from cuttings started in Dec/Jan. A couple of my trees are pushing close to five feet from the pot's surface. I had planned all along to grow them in 2 gallon pots this year, then up pot them to 10 gallon pots this winter during dormancy. That's when I would also do the pruning to promote scaffolding. But I worry they are so tall now that they are outgrowing the 2-gallon pots. I also worry about wind with trees that tall in such small pots. So far, I've been moving them into a garage when storms and high winds are forecast. That is getting old and I may not always be able to move them in time. I'd like to up pot now (It is July 7) to 10 gallon pots, do the pruning/"pinching" you discuss in this video, and stake down the 10 gallon pots so they can handle the winds. I just don't know if the trees will survive both the up potting and the severe pruning of cutting off more than half of the tree. Would you care to share your thoughts? Thanks for your videos. I've learned a lot from you.
Absolutely up pot them now. Try not to disturb too many roots in the process. If you have encircling roots try to loosen them with your hands but I wouldn't cut them. That is for dormancy. Even this small amount of activity with the roots will likely cause your tree to go into shock for a short time. Could be a day or two. Make sure it's moist and in full shade or darkness while the leaves are drooping. If the drooping leaves are in the sun they will likely burn up. After a little time the leaves will come back from the droop and then it's time to place in the shade for a week or so. After that partial sun for another week. If all looks good then back to full sun. As far as pinching the best results are achieved with proper timing. Your trees are way past the ideal time to establish scaffolds by pinching. I would consider placing an air layer. Do it just above the nodes you want to be your scaffolds. Once you remove the air layer those nodes will activate and push out those scaffold branches. There is still enough time in the season for all of this. Pinching the very tip of your central leader is also a good idea if you want to slow down that excessive vertical growth. It will help to thicken up the tree and encourage lateral branching. If you aren't interested in an air layer you can just top the tree. It will almost certainly survive. I would do that after it has acclimated to the larger pot. During the partial shade week. Good luck!
@@TravelingGardeners Thank you very much for the detailed advice. I've up potted about half of them. They are now in full shade (under the carport roof). I'm planning to do the rest this coming Friday after work if time permits. Otherwise, over the weekend. I top dressed with some amendments (a handful of bone meal and blood meal; a full cup of oyster shell, and a cup of lime). Hopefully, that will reduce the shock time and restore vigorous growth. I'm just a backyard hobbyist. I don't have room for many duplicate trees. However, I've watched your air layering videos and I may try to do a couple for the experience. Again, I think your videos are very helpful to new fig growers like me. Perhaps the best on TH-cam! I appreciate you taking the time to produce them and respond to my questions. Wishing you much success this growing season.
@@Scott-hl7om thank you! We have alot more information about growing figs on our Facebook page Traveling Gardeners. If your interested.
The section being air-layered appears to be fruiting, is the fruit affected at all? ie will it ripen as per usual? great video, very clear, and makes me want to give it a try come springtime in Australia. Thanks
The fruit will not be affected until you separate the air layer from the mother tree. If your root mass is substantial the figs may still ripen after separation. You can also separate after ripening. I ofter do it during dormancy.
I really like the greenhouse setup. May i ask what is the function of having the greenhouse trees in the large pots with the base cut out? Does this prevent the roots from growing fully into the native soil ? Thanks
Originally I planted in the barrels because we have a very high water table on our farm. I didn't want my figs to have wet feet.
Good job content.
Thank you!
Those figs looked incredible!
You got some nice looking trees. What do you use for fertilizer and how often?
I plant them in a mix of 50/50 local topsoil and homemade compost. They also give them compost tea.
You shoulda air layered that branch too lol!
Beautiful trees
Well done
I planted 250 persimmons and one of them shot up twice the height of the others with its own nice scaffold. I was wondering if I could air layer it as the bottom half als has a nice scaffold and this 2 part video makes me feel like it’s possible. Thanks for posting and going into detail.
I don't know if this technique will work on persimmon. I have successfully air layered pear and apple. You should do some Google searches and see if anyone does this with persimmon. But I guess if you have 250 of them who better to experiment. Let me know how it goes. Good luck!
How do you fertilize figs? They look so vigorous. In pots it’s very difficult to achieve that
Compost tea. About every 10 days throughout the first half of the season. Toward fall I slow it down and water less. My compost is home made and aged, very broken down. It's practically soil.
The sun-umbrella shape looks nice for fig trees. Do you grow "Madeleine de 2 saisons" biferous fig trees? If yes how would you recommend to grow & prune them? I planted one 6 years ago outside & never saw it bearing figs. I pruned it this winter to try to shape it with 3 to 4 branches & snapped off one of the ending buds some days ago to see what will happen. On my in-pot cuttings, I did mainly as you presented in your 2 first parts of the series you made.
I just started a cutting this spring.
@@TravelingGardeners OK, wish you all the best then. Cheers.
Hi, that's exactly what I was thinking about. Have you heard about the book by Vincent Alfred Gressent "l'Arboriculture fruitière" ; it's an old book from the XIXth century, but explaining how to shape trees then prune them to produce regular fruiting. It's easy to find on the net. Btw what do you call air layer tree? Thanks for sharing these results.
I've not heard of the book. I'll have to check it out. I started shaping this way a few years ago. It just seemed to make sense not to allow them to grow in placed you don't want. Conservation of energy.
@@TravelingGardeners It's in French, but there might be a translated version or translation tools to manage understanding the text. It's dealing with many fruit trees species allas not the fig tree ; but the overall information is thorough about growing fruit trees. Yes, keeping trees to an average size helps to maintain them easily allowing better fruiting & fruit pickings afterwards. I found out the meaning about air layering ; it's marcottage aérien. All the best.
Figs taste like candy
😆
Very informative 😊
My goal is to try and do better this year. I learned a lot from you thanks for sharing tips. Feels like I need to start all over. LOL
Thank you! I don't know about starting over. As long as your trees are productive. I just looked at some of you videos. Your figs look great! Seems you are on the right track.
Yum! I grafted a CdD Mutante last year; hoping I get to taste at least one fig off of it this year. My one large workhorse of a fig tree is (I believe) a Brown Turkey. But even here in Southern California, by October or November most of its figs are no longer ripening properly. Impressed that your CdD Mutante was producing such tasty figs so late in the season!
I attribute the high quality I get late in the season to my Fighouse. We use a significant amount of thermal mass and the Fighouse is designed to hold in the heat around the bases and roots. Our CDDM was at the end of it's second season when I filmed this video. We are really looking forward to what she'll do this year. You might consider growing your CDDM on it's own roots. I have found it to be a grower. It is on of my more vigorous varieties. Much more vigorous than brown turkey.
Thanks for the comparison 👍. Couldn’t get a more accurate representation
Thanks for watching!
Thanks... so informative. You are a great teacher. I like marking where you're later going to make cuts. It gives you time to really study the tree and make adjustments if you change your mind.
Glad it was helpful!