How to notch a fig tree - Detailed explanation with examples
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ส.ค. 2024
- Notching a fig tree is not a term you don't often hear, however it is an incredibly handy technique to have in your gardening handbook. This video gives you a detailed overview of how to notch a fig tree and then shows you real-world results of what these notches look like and how effective they are.
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Video timeline:
00:00 - Introduction
00:28 - How notching works
01:50 - How do you notch a fig tree
07:18 - Taking a look at notched bud growth
09:20 - Summary on notching
What is notching?
Notching is a pruning technique that allows you to control where you get new growth on your fig tree. Generally, when you prune or do an aggressive cut, like a trunk chop, then growth can be unpredictable with a lot of growth shooting out all over the stem. Notching allows you to control sap flow to concentrate hormones and sap around dormant buds and gets them to wake up and start growing where you want it to.
Why should you use notching as a pruning technique on fig trees?
Both fig trees in pots and fig trees grown in the ground benefit from a good structure that has an open centre that is kept within reaching distance. Figs have a reputation for getting wild and out of control and but regular pruning and setting the branches where you want them to can develop a very well structured fig tree. When you notch your fig tree you are pruning for structural improvement by creating primary scaffold branches where you want them to then build upon year by year. Notching can be done on all branches, not only the trunk and you have multiple nothing on a fig tee at the same time.
How does notching work?
When the weather warms up the sap in fig trees starts to flow strongly. This sap delivers nutrients, hormones and sugars the plant needs to put on new growth and produce the amazing fig fruits that fig trees are so famous for. When you notch a fig tree you create a disturbance in the flow of sap up and down the trunk or branch. The sap hits the notch and needs to find a way around it causing a traffic jam of nutrients, hormones and sugars, which stimulates the bud or node to wake up and start growing. Without notching the sap will just flow freely and normally and there would be no reason for any given, or specific, bud to wake up and start growing.
How do you notch a fig tree?
The process of notching a fig tree is quite simple, but there are some rules to adhere to.
Step 1: Find a bud that you want to get to grow out into a branch and make sure you have a sharp, clean knife on hand.
Step 2: Start cutting at a 45-degree angle about 1.5cm above the bud and roughly 1/3 of the way into the trunk or branch. Then, make a diagonal cut to create the notch.
Step 3: Leave the notch as is. Do not seal or cover it. Part of the healing is stimulating the bud.
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Music credit: bensound.com
Notching a fig tree can be a slightly daunting task, so if you have any questions then please let me know so I can give you as much guidance as possible.
What a great explanation! Thanks!
Amazing, thanks so much and I'm so glad you found value in watching this video 🌻
This is so awesome ... thank you for doing this video. And also thank you for doing the followup and showing this actually works. Why don't people do that??? Great video +1.
Ah thanks so much for all the love with this video 🌻 I agree, people show lots of ideas and techniques but seldom show the effects. My goal is to show people what works, what doesn't and how to do things that really work so lots more follow ups to come.
I am actually planning another follow up on this tree in the winter to show how well it has done and then graft on a new branch so be on the lookout for that one 🌱
@@MySustainabilityJourneyпривет, мы так делаем кербовку на черешне, когда формируем дерево в форме мультилидер. Хороший метод
What an incredible video with a wealth of information that is so clearly explained!,,
What a beautiful comment, thank you so much 💚💚💚
Great video! You explained it very clearly. I hope to try this.
Thanks so much and I'm so glad you got value out of watching this video 🌻
Thankyou Craig, this is just what I’ve been looking for…
It is only a pleasure and glad to have been able to share my experience and knowledge with you 🌱
Very well explained ! Thank you for sharing
Thank you so very much 🙏 I'm thrilled to hear you got value from watching this video and I hope you are all the wiser in caring for your fig tree(s) now 🌻
Thank you for such a good demo and explanation WHY! 👌🏻
Thanks for the great comment and I am so glad to hear that you found value in watching this video 🌻
Thanks, I'm going to try this!
It is only a pleasure and please let me know how it worked out for you!
What happens if you notched every dormant node? Would each one of them grow a branch?
I am not sure what the real world use case would be to do that but you would more than likely get random buds becoming active. The technique of notching is meant to be very selective and to build on the current structure.
If you want lots of new branches down the trunk a better option would be to cut the leader lower to send hormones down the buds and get new growth. The following years you can then notch where you still need branches 🌻
Does the time of year that you notch matter?
Yes, it's super important! You want to do this while the tree is dormant or as the buds start to well in spring. You want all the new season growth hormones to get to that bud to maximise the chances of that bud waking up 🌻
l bought a fig "plant" last year. Brought it inside last fall Because I live in Michigan. The trunk is only a couple inches tall with the 4 branches coming out on the compass points. Total height is only about 18". Is a short trunk a problem?
Good question and sorry for the delayed reply! In fig orchards the trees are actually cut VERY low to the ground to get them to start branching out as low as possibly for easy picking. The height you mentioned will be fine and will create a glorious vase shape and create a really good number of fruit by head height 🌻
Hi, I purchased a Brown Turkey fig tree last summer and it was in full leaf. It is one stem about 3ft tall and I would like it to branch out to enable me to trail it across a wall. None of the nodes are dormant and are showing buds. will these turn out to be leaves or could they branch? I am reluctant to try notching because each node is showing growth. Any advice would be most welcome.
Hey Gordon, really good question and really good observation!
I have very seldom found that all, or even most, of those dormant buds will develop on their own because of their tenancy for apical dominance.
That's being said, what you can do before heading down the notching route ia to snip all the growing tips. This will send the auxins (growing hormones) from the tips down the branches and stems to wake up dormant buds. If this also doesn't work them you can notch your fig tree as you can still notch them pretty late into spring/early summer.
I hope this helped and shout if you have any more questions 🌱
Great fig series! Very informative and useful, I grow figs in pots too, have 14 varieties and do also think more varieties is better than 2-3 massive trees.
I do have a question:
I bought some figs at 2-3 years old already and about 3-4 cm trunk. Some of them are about 120 cm tall with branches just on top. They do fruit along the trunk, but o was wondering if I can still notch those and eventually trunk chop them to bring it down and stimulate lower scaffolding growth. Is it too late?
Thank you!
Thank you so much and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Yes, you can 100% do a trunk chop just as the buds start to swell to create a new branching structure for the tree. As figs grow on new growth you should also still get a harvest in the same year of trunk chopping.
I am not sure if you have done air layering before, but that would be a great option to get more plants from your existing one. Just air layer a few 30cm sections and once they have rooted cut the lowest one to get your new tree structure and you will have a bunch of extra trees. That is, if you want more of them 😂🌻
@@MySustainabilityJourney excellent! Thank you so much!
What season is best to do this? Can I do it in the winter or should i wait until the fig is actively growing in the spring to do the notching? Do I de-bud the top of the plant after I notch? Thank you for your time.
These are really good questions and thank you for asking them! So yes, the best time to notch a fig tree is spring time just as the buds on the tree start to swell. You don't need to worry about the buds above as the disruption of sap flow is what stimulates the bud to grow. I hope this works out for you and you get the branches where you need them 🌻
@@MySustainabilityJourney thanks so much for this information, as you don't hear about it much in the fruit growing world.