@@thearmy88ify I'd reserve those to the absolute top varieties like Craven's Craving (BM), Angelito, I258, etc. You'll get dozens of figs and you can baby it to give head start if needed. But it's just more work, so make it worth it with a stellar variety.
I agree 100% about putting your trees into bigger pots. I’ve learned that this year. I put many trees in 3 gallon pots and they really don’t take off. 5 gallon minimum. The bigger the better.
Have I mentioned how informative your videos are. Lol. I’m hooked on these trees. Only started collecting back in May. I’ve got a few really nice trees following your advice.
Thank you for making those videos. My go to methode was going single trunk first year, and then top it at 50 to 60 cm height when the tree was dormant but i sort of went for 4 to 5 scaffolds high on the trunk and the spread them for a open center, and this works but now on my new trees i will see if i can get my scaffolds also lower on the trunk, i can see how this would let more light in.
Great video with some good tips. Wish I had done some of this last year which was my first growing figs. I'm on the right track though and will prune them down to 30" this winter when they go dormant. I really like those branch spreaders. Thanks for sharing link to those as well as this video.
Nice video, appreciate the valuable information especially that we have the same USDA zone. Question: why use spreaders? The scaffolding branches look spread enough, are you trying to make them more horizontal for a more wide open canopy?
When I prune my leader I cut it one node longer than I want the finished product to be. When the side shoots grow out the next year the top one generally grows almost straight up and the three or four next lower will grow more outward which is what you want them to do. At the end of that year when the tree is dormant you just cut off that top branch (the one going straight upwards) to leave three or four scaffold branches spaced around the tree and angled outward. That is your final tree shape. It is what you wanted without the work of tying down a branch. This method works on pretty much any type of fruit tree.
I get 6 hours of full sun on my lot here in Louisiana. I`m gonna try to supercharge my 2 year old Brown Turkey tree with a 36 watt LED full spectrum light. It only grew a few 2 to 3 ft branches last year. But we had an extreme drought and it was in poor soil until I added a ton of homemade mulch all around it.
great video...i move my cuttings from a 1G to 7G as soon as they really start leafing out..debating whether to go larger?the idea of having to lug them around though...very curious on that Parajal Rimada..i have on my list of possible "to get"..wondering your impression of taste on it?..thank's
@@thenotoriousfig question, do you sell cuttings? if so, where? how?..i can't seem too find any of these local to me, some similar?. would greatly appreciate any input..thanks
Any difference in pruning in ground trees? Zone 8a, Upstate, SC. I'm not interested in dealing with varieties that can't handle our weather without much protection. I don't mind protecting them the first few years. Currently have a few potted, but a majority will be going in ground in the spring.
Thanks for these two great pruning videos! How would the pruning change for in-ground fig trees? And for a tree that will be in-ground, would you plant the newly rooted cutting in a large pot for the first year, or straight into the ground?
Safest bet is first year in a pot then put that 5gal+ rootball tree in ground the following spring. I’ve put 4x9 tree pots in ground though. A lot could depend on how much protection you give them.
Thanks so much for the video! I've watched a few videos on 1st year pruning and beyond, but I am a new fig owner having rooted 10 trees. 9 survived. I've decided to use your recommendation for training. Could I get some clarification please? What month do I cut back to 30". I live in central Arkansas and my first frost is beginning of November. From another video you speak of a later cut after potential dieback. About when would that be? In the Spring, I'll choose 4 branches and keep watching your channel for updates. Thanks so much.
It may be best to wait until late winter to see if there`s any freeze damage if they`re in the ground and then decide how to trim it. I use tarps to cover my trees if we get a very hard freeze and put 5 to 10 watt LED light bulbs under the tarp and monitor the temp with a cheap wireless thermometer. You can get the indoor display and multiple outdoor sensors. Hot water in jugs wrapped with a towel under tarps can be used to keep your in ground trees from freezing if it gets down to single digits. I will stay up all night monitoring everything to save my trees from Arctic blasts. I also use tarps for late frosts after the trees wake up in early spring. I covered one tree with a big plastic barrel, blankets and pine straw last year when it got down to 7 degrees in Louisiana. This year it`s already 12 feet in diameter and almost 8 feet tall. When I prune it before spring I`m gonna root the cuttings to give away at a church food pantry and a small country store.
Your videos are amazing for this total noob. I planted my CHF last year, and it’s in my second year with it. I cut down to two leads last fall when I overwintered. This year it’s sent out loads of branches from the base. We are in the middle of summer and I’m wondering if I need to wait until late winter to cut back to a single lead, or am I SOL and I should just start fresh from a cutting to play with the single lead pruning? (I watched your video about it.) With all the pencil-width branches has this year, of course no fruit is in sight and we are at the end of June. What I’m saying is that I understand your pruning methods your sharing, but being on year two with a bush and in the middle of summer, I wonder if there is hope for me or if I should just keep a fig shrub with this and start anew with a cutting.
Thanks for all your videos. I planted 1 st year cuttings into 5 and 17 gallon SIP pots. I got nice thick single leader trunks, especially on the 17 gal. Planters. My question is what do I do with them to store for winter. Do I empty all the water out and just give them a cup every month? Or leave some water in the bottom?
Thanks for the videos. I have a big collection myself and I’m looking to repot and reshape most of my trees. I want to make most of them single leader form. Could you do a video of repotting and reshaping if you do that any time soon? Thank you!
I’ve got a lot that have the two or three branching. I want to make all my trees single leader with branching up top and keep them all under 7 ft tall. What I’m asking is if you have ever cut the other branches off after taking them out of their pots and shaped them straight with one leader? I would think doing this in dormancy or closest to dormant is best.
When there is a possibility of scale, fig mites and spotted lantern fly eggs or other nasties on any fig cuttings i order, what method should i use to ensure i don't introduce these pathogens into my collection? Is scrubbing them with antibacterial soap and then soaking them in peroxide for 15 minutes enough? Are there any other precautions i should be taking? I love watching your informative videos.
Okay, I’m going to ask questions as I go through this video. You commented that the buds have fig mites and you’re pinching them. Should we spray something on our trees when we put them away?
I’m assuming that when you speak of cutting branches, pinching and so forth, you’re talking about what you will do after the trees go into dormancy. You’re not meaning you are going to make these cuts while they are green as in the video. Correct? And when you are growing the first year whip, and you mention taking off any side branching that occurs during the first year, do you just leave the leaves up the length of the tree/whip? Or do you take them off along with branches during the growing season? Do you leave any branches other than the main leader? Thanks! Good videos.
My fig is a mess ! It doesn’t have a trunk it has all these canes coming up ! What do I do first ??? It’s at least 11 years growth but all gone the found each year . Advice ?
I've never trimmed any of my fig trees and I get more fruit than I can pick every year. My largest tree is about 28 feet wide, and 11 feet tall in the center, and is about 60 or so years old. At the moment it has about 25, or 30 gallons of fig's on it, maybe a little less.
Lots of discussion on the thought process. Go to the chapters to skip around!
Is there a law of diminishing returns when it comes to pot size? I have access to 30 and 50 gallon containers with a way to move them around.
@@thearmy88ify I'd reserve those to the absolute top varieties like Craven's Craving (BM), Angelito, I258, etc. You'll get dozens of figs and you can baby it to give head start if needed. But it's just more work, so make it worth it with a stellar variety.
I agree 100% about putting your trees into bigger pots. I’ve learned that this year. I put many trees in 3 gallon pots and they really don’t take off. 5 gallon minimum. The bigger the better.
Glad I found your channel. Just getting g into growing figs and have no idea what I am doing with regards to shaping the tree
Great Video! I really enjoy your methodical nature as pruning/shaping is very new to me being both an Art and Science. Cheers from Texas
Have I mentioned how informative your videos are. Lol. I’m hooked on these trees. Only started collecting back in May. I’ve got a few really nice trees following your advice.
That is awesome!
Thank you for making those videos. My go to methode was going single trunk first year, and then top it at 50 to 60 cm height when the tree was dormant but i sort of went for 4 to 5 scaffolds high on the trunk and the spread them for a open center, and this works but now on my new trees i will see if i can get my scaffolds also lower on the trunk, i can see how this would let more light in.
Great video with some good tips. Wish I had done some of this last year which was my first growing figs. I'm on the right track though and will prune them down to 30" this winter when they go dormant. I really like those branch spreaders. Thanks for sharing link to those as well as this video.
Excellent videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I'm very glad I found your Channel great videos much appreciated. 😊 forta
Great information , Thank you.
Nice video, appreciate the valuable information especially that we have the same USDA zone. Question: why use spreaders? The scaffolding branches look spread enough, are you trying to make them more horizontal for a more wide open canopy?
yep, to open up the canopy. Old adage: An apple tree wasn’t pruned enough until you could throw a cat through it. Something like that!
Excellent video. Thank you!!!
Enjoyed your lesson👍
Thank you 😊
When I prune my leader I cut it one node longer than I want the finished product to be. When the side shoots grow out the next year the top one generally grows almost straight up and the three or four next lower will grow more outward which is what you want them to do. At the end of that year when the tree is dormant you just cut off that top branch (the one going straight upwards) to leave three or four scaffold branches spaced around the tree and angled outward. That is your final tree shape. It is what you wanted without the work of tying down a branch. This method works on pretty much any type of fruit tree.
Do you store your pots outside or in some type of shelter for winter? Did you do a video on winter storage?
I get 6 hours of full sun on my lot here in Louisiana. I`m gonna try to supercharge my 2 year old Brown Turkey tree with a 36 watt LED full spectrum light. It only grew a few 2 to 3 ft branches last year. But we had an extreme drought and it was in poor soil until I added a ton of homemade mulch all around it.
What size pots are you planting your figs in this video?
5gallon minimum. Once you like the variety and want to keep it, get it into a 10gallon. Or more.
Variety selection and pot size at the end was a good topic 🤙🏼
Violette de sollies ❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉. Looks like I’m getting a good one. Thanks!
great video...i move my cuttings from a 1G to 7G as soon as they really start leafing out..debating whether to go larger?the idea of having to lug them around though...very curious on that Parajal Rimada..i have on my list of possible "to get"..wondering your impression of taste on it?..thank's
Paratjal Rimada is great flavor. Maybe top 10.
@@thenotoriousfig very cool..i guess the hunt is on then!..thanks
@@thenotoriousfig question, do you sell cuttings? if so, where? how?..i can't seem too find any of these local to me, some similar?. would greatly appreciate any input..thanks
Any difference in pruning in ground trees? Zone 8a, Upstate, SC.
I'm not interested in dealing with varieties that can't handle our weather without much protection. I don't mind protecting them the first few years. Currently have a few potted, but a majority will be going in ground in the spring.
Prune to shape and limit your main trunks from the ground to something manageable, which might be 3-4 for your spot.
Is there a fig tree shaping 101 for dummies you can point me to? LOL. I have no idea what I am doing and don’t know where to start
Here's the epic guide: th-cam.com/video/RyGoSleB8RM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zGCTY6xWY70Ao3V7
Thanks for these two great pruning videos!
How would the pruning change for in-ground fig trees? And for a tree that will be in-ground, would you plant the newly rooted cutting in a large pot for the first year, or straight into the ground?
Safest bet is first year in a pot then put that 5gal+ rootball tree in ground the following spring. I’ve put 4x9 tree pots in ground though. A lot could depend on how much protection you give them.
so i didnt know about the leader trunk should I still cut the big branches at bottom
Thanks so much for the video! I've watched a few videos on 1st year pruning and beyond, but I am a new fig owner having rooted 10 trees. 9 survived. I've decided to use your recommendation for training. Could I get some clarification please? What month do I cut back to 30". I live in central Arkansas and my first frost is beginning of November. From another video you speak of a later cut after potential dieback. About when would that be? In the Spring, I'll choose 4 branches and keep watching your channel for updates. Thanks so much.
Anytime in the winter. Once dormant.
It may be best to wait until late winter to see if there`s any freeze damage if they`re in the ground and then decide how to trim it. I use tarps to cover my trees if we get a very hard freeze and put 5 to 10 watt LED light bulbs under the tarp and monitor the temp with a cheap wireless thermometer. You can get the indoor display and multiple outdoor sensors. Hot water in jugs wrapped with a towel under tarps can be used to keep your in ground trees from freezing if it gets down to single digits. I will stay up all night monitoring everything to save my trees from Arctic blasts.
I also use tarps for late frosts after the trees wake up in early spring. I covered one tree with a big plastic barrel, blankets and pine straw last year when it got down to 7 degrees in Louisiana. This year it`s already 12 feet in diameter and almost 8 feet tall. When I prune it before spring I`m gonna root the cuttings to give away at a church food pantry and a small country store.
Your videos are amazing for this total noob. I planted my CHF last year, and it’s in my second year with it. I cut down to two leads last fall when I overwintered. This year it’s sent out loads of branches from the base. We are in the middle of summer and I’m wondering if I need to wait until late winter to cut back to a single lead, or am I SOL and I should just start fresh from a cutting to play with the single lead pruning? (I watched your video about it.) With all the pencil-width branches has this year, of course no fruit is in sight and we are at the end of June.
What I’m saying is that I understand your pruning methods your sharing, but being on year two with a bush and in the middle of summer, I wonder if there is hope for me or if I should just keep a fig shrub with this and start anew with a cutting.
I add that it’s in a 20 gallon faux whiskey barrel pot.
Thanks for all your videos. I planted 1 st year cuttings into 5 and 17 gallon SIP pots. I got nice thick single leader trunks, especially on the 17 gal. Planters. My question is what do I do with them to store for winter. Do I empty all the water out and just give them a cup every month? Or leave some water in the bottom?
I’d empty it if you can and manually control it.
The hole in the trunk of tree will that not hurt the tree eventually?
probably not. we'll see.
Where is the Year 1 tree training video, please?
I believe this is it - th-cam.com/video/RyGoSleB8RM/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/RyGoSleB8RM/w-d-xo.html
hey what camera Are you using for you videos
Just iPhone 14 Pro Max
Thanks for the videos. I have a big collection myself and I’m looking to repot and reshape most of my trees. I want to make most of them single leader form. Could you do a video of repotting and reshaping if you do that any time soon? Thank you!
When you say reshape, what do they look like now that you need/want to reshape?
I’ve got a lot that have the two or three branching. I want to make all my trees single leader with branching up top and keep them all under 7 ft tall. What I’m asking is if you have ever cut the other branches off after taking them out of their pots and shaped them straight with one leader? I would think doing this in dormancy or closest to dormant is best.
Can u show us how it is on the 5th year or more… i mean what is the plan for the tree to grow
When there is a possibility of scale, fig mites and spotted lantern fly eggs or other nasties on any fig cuttings i order, what method should i use to ensure i don't introduce these pathogens into my collection? Is scrubbing them with antibacterial soap and then soaking them in peroxide for 15 minutes enough? Are there any other precautions i should be taking? I love watching your informative videos.
You can use horticultural oil which smothers them. Just don’t use it in conjunction w sulfur bc it burns leaves.
if I cut the trunk of a 2-3 yr tree (during dormancy) to start new branching for shape, do I lose a year for fruiting?
Where is the cut? Are you talking about cutting down to a 2" stub? Did you see my "Do Over" video?
yep watched both. I’m thinking I would cut each branch off the single trunk down to about 12-16”. i’m using 7 and 10 gal grow bags
my trees range around 4-6 ft tall
Okay, I’m going to ask questions as I go through this video. You commented that the buds have fig mites and you’re pinching them. Should we spray something on our trees when we put them away?
Lots of people spray horticultural oil on the trees to smother any bugs living on them. Or sulfur.
I’m assuming that when you speak of cutting branches, pinching and so forth, you’re talking about what you will do after the trees go into dormancy. You’re not meaning you are going to make these cuts while they are green as in the video. Correct?
And when you are growing the first year whip, and you mention taking off any side branching that occurs during the first year, do you just leave the leaves up the length of the tree/whip? Or do you take them off along with branches during the growing season? Do you leave any branches other than the main leader?
Thanks! Good videos.
pruning is in dormancy. If single leader, keep the leaves, that's how the tree gets energy.
My fig is a mess ! It doesn’t have a trunk it has all these canes coming up ! What do I do first ??? It’s at least 11 years growth but all gone the found each year . Advice ?
Grows from ground each year .
Prune it to just 3-4 trunks. Fertilize, compost and mulch it. In winter, use protection methods in my videos.
grow my little tree in 10 gallons you can expect good fruit production and a thick trunk?
I would say so! Go for it. Just be sure to shape it according to the year of growth like I describe in my videos.
I've never trimmed any of my fig trees and I get more fruit than I can pick every year. My largest tree is about 28 feet wide, and 11 feet tall in the center, and is about 60 or so years old. At the moment it has about 25, or 30 gallons of fig's on it, maybe a little less.
That's awesome!
Japanese pruning style is quite different from your method. Could you compare Japanese way of traning figs?
I like nasty bushes