Figs have major apical dominance so what you can do is pinch the apex buds on any suckers you want to terminate and they will stop growing vertically. I'd suggest selecting 3 or 4 main shoots (main crop figs are on new wood so pick green shoots), then either pinch or prune any other suckers. The new growth is super flexible so you can also pin your main branches down to the ground and form a low cordon or espalier as others have mentioned. If you do that, you'd maintain them like grape vines where you prune back to your scaffold branches each fall and allow only new growth off your scaffolds in the spring.
Your large spider is a "Yellow Garden Spider". As a kid we called them "steel wire spiders" since a good web brace web would feel like one if you walked into it.
@@rochrich1223 we call them zipper spiders in my neck of the woods. It’s pretty cool how people have different common names for critters depending on their location. Just something I noticed. Have a good day.
I grow a lot of figs in pots (Zone 4 Ontario). I start pinching the apical buds of the branches starting with the tallest branches sometime in July. This way you can shape your tree as well. Since your trees are in high tunnels and you're in a warmer zone, you have a bit more time to ripen your fruit. Depending on the variety, figs take between 3 to 5 months to ripen. Good luck growing. Also you can sell your cuttings.
Proactively, I would put some red tuck tape on the tunnel holes to stop further damage. Everything is so vibrant and lush. Thanks for sharing your garden tour 🙂
Apparently you can really de-leaf the bottom foot or so of the tomato plant since they get most of their sun energy from the top leaves. That also helps with circulating air and preventing mold.
My high tunnel is an absolute jungle; near inpossible to walk without crushing plant parts, cause I can't bring myself to remove anything. I love my jungle! And the tomatoes, my gosh, I been picking red fruit for a month or more. And I need to pick again tomorrow. lOVE my jungle
Fig tree roots generally are very invasive. Fig trees have a "relatively" shallow and fibrous root system that can grow two times the width of their canopy.They are well-suited to grow in containers or poor soils and although less likely to damage underground utilities or foundations they are Not very good company to other trees or plants. I can confirm this information because 50 years ago my grandfather bought a piece of property and I remember the only thing living there, very, very well, was a big fig-tree, but to plant other trees the problem was to take out the Big fig-tree, the roots were all over that piece of land. Shallow roots but they will go far to catch everything as water or whatever they need to grow, that's why they do so well in poor soils, they send their roots everywhere.
You could train the figs to the ground next year if you want them to stay lower off the poly tunnel. You also should prune them harder in the winter and use that bud wood to make more figs.
I envy you on the rains, we've had none, not a drop, in two months, it's a disaster, so many young trees and bushes have died. And we're not in a desert we're in a temperate climate but it looks like I need to radically rethink what kind of food forest we can have in a climate like that. A real challenge for the permaculture philosophy.
The ol zipper spider! One of my favorite gardening friends in the tomato tunnels. I’ve definitely heard topping figs will help ripen the fruit that’s on, but have no real experience. Great work Sean. Thanks for the update.
It might not be a bad idea to remove the lower leaves of the tomatoes and cucumbers. Creates some nice air flow and unburdens the plants of their old solar panels that are hard for the plant to maintain without a lot of return since it's lower light down there. Helps prevent late summer disease and the plants can focus on growing and ripening the fruit instead. Come mid Sept. in your area, if you cut the tops off the tomatoes, it will trigger the plants to ripen the fruits that are already there instead of using it on new blooms that won't give you fruit anyway. Way less green tomatoes that way. ☺
I've never considered figs in a tunnel.. BUT they are the easiest to prune and propagate that I know of. Figs are a dream in my context (Central Texas) and will hopefully enjoy a long-lasting pattern with mulberries, almonds, apricots and peaches. Prune to keep quite small (4-5' cube) and, as a bonus, with each 7-12 inch cutting, shave the bottom inch to cambiun and stick in a pot of decent mix (they seem to like some clay) - send to someplace beaten with sun with short winters where they will thrive. My 2 cents. ;)
I grow many fig varieties and have always wanted to try to basically grow one in a low espalier. You could establish some low main branches along the middle of the row and then let the new branch grow out from the main trunk..cutting the new growth back every season. You can search for pictures of japanese fig pruning to find pictures of what I am thinking and trying to explain. They look good..always like your videos!
Yes, the figs will take over the whole tunnel if you let them. Good news is that you can prune them massively and the will come back stronger and with more fruit... Here in Spain we say "Figs and olives love the axe." They get scale sometimes, but are very hardy in general.
I've found that stuff a bit finicky for patching holes, you need to get it perfectly smooth with no wrinkles, or the wrinkles become channels for leakage. It's kind of obvious, but getting a good flat adhesion is more difficult than it sounds ;) On the other hand, as a reinforcing layer under the paracord to reduce wear on the primary plastic? That perfect flat adhesion isn't so important. Putting some of the repair tape under the paracord at the friction points would increase durability significantly.
Sheathng tape is a big help to seal small slits and not very nooticeable if done before the wind tears it and you habe big holes. There is even a new clear thicker one.
Honestly, those fresh growth fig stems look pretty malleable, could you possibly guide them up a string the same way you'd do the tomatoes or cucumbers? Keep them from flopping over at least...
Neat, I'll check that video out. Feel free to link videos in the comments in the future, but take a second to add a note to what it is about. This one is about fig propagation and looks promising, from a nice channel we enjoy
@@edibleacresIn This video he also goes into ways of training the tree trunks low to the ground to help insulate them in the winter, so they don't have complete die back in the winter. ill leave better notes next time my apologies.
Figs have major apical dominance so what you can do is pinch the apex buds on any suckers you want to terminate and they will stop growing vertically. I'd suggest selecting 3 or 4 main shoots (main crop figs are on new wood so pick green shoots), then either pinch or prune any other suckers. The new growth is super flexible so you can also pin your main branches down to the ground and form a low cordon or espalier as others have mentioned. If you do that, you'd maintain them like grape vines where you prune back to your scaffold branches each fall and allow only new growth off your scaffolds in the spring.
Your large spider is a "Yellow Garden Spider". As a kid we called them "steel wire spiders" since a good web brace web would feel like one if you walked into it.
Also called an Orb Weaver Spider 😊
@@rochrich1223 we call them zipper spiders in my neck of the woods. It’s pretty cool how people have different common names for critters depending on their location. Just something I noticed. Have a good day.
I grow a lot of figs in pots (Zone 4 Ontario). I start pinching the apical buds of the branches starting with the tallest branches sometime in July. This way you can shape your tree as well. Since your trees are in high tunnels and you're in a warmer zone, you have a bit more time to ripen your fruit. Depending on the variety, figs take between 3 to 5 months to ripen. Good luck growing. Also you can sell your cuttings.
Proactively, I would put some red tuck tape on the tunnel holes to stop further damage. Everything is so vibrant and lush. Thanks for sharing your garden tour 🙂
Apparently you can really de-leaf the bottom foot or so of the tomato plant since they get most of their sun energy from the top leaves. That also helps with circulating air and preventing mold.
People, don't forget: like, subscribe, comment. That way more people will get to know this wonderful channel.
Figtastic!
My high tunnel is an absolute jungle; near inpossible to walk without crushing plant parts, cause I can't bring myself to remove anything. I love my jungle! And the tomatoes, my gosh, I been picking red fruit for a month or more. And I need to pick again tomorrow. lOVE my jungle
What a beautiful djungle😊
"But it turns out, that chair there does the job..."
Love it.
:)
Interesting video ! Love the “jungle”! 😊🌱💚🌻🐝🐓
Fig tree roots generally are very invasive. Fig trees have a "relatively" shallow and fibrous root system that can grow two times the width of their canopy.They are well-suited to grow in containers or poor soils and although less likely to damage underground utilities or foundations they are Not very good company to other trees or plants.
I can confirm this information because 50 years ago my grandfather bought a piece of property and I remember the only thing living there, very, very well, was a big fig-tree, but to plant other trees the problem was to take out the Big fig-tree, the roots were all over that piece of land. Shallow roots but they will go far to catch everything as water or whatever they need to grow, that's why they do so well in poor soils, they send their roots everywhere.
You could train the figs to the ground next year if you want them to stay lower off the poly tunnel. You also should prune them harder in the winter and use that bud wood to make more figs.
Turmeric flowers are beautiful just to look at
I envy you on the rains, we've had none, not a drop, in two months, it's a disaster, so many young trees and bushes have died. And we're not in a desert we're in a temperate climate but it looks like I need to radically rethink what kind of food forest we can have in a climate like that. A real challenge for the permaculture philosophy.
Look up Japanese fig training for cold hardy figs. It should be a perfect fit for your context.
Always inspiring...
The ol zipper spider! One of my favorite gardening friends in the tomato tunnels. I’ve definitely heard topping figs will help ripen the fruit that’s on, but have no real experience. Great work Sean. Thanks for the update.
Thank you for these notes and observations!
Inspirational! And relaxing. Thank you.
Nice update. Theres a certain tape you can repair plastic with. Maybe a person has a bit left over on a roll they could gift you. 😊
It might not be a bad idea to remove the lower leaves of the tomatoes and cucumbers. Creates some nice air flow and unburdens the plants of their old solar panels that are hard for the plant to maintain without a lot of return since it's lower light down there. Helps prevent late summer disease and the plants can focus on growing and ripening the fruit instead. Come mid Sept. in your area, if you cut the tops off the tomatoes, it will trigger the plants to ripen the fruits that are already there instead of using it on new blooms that won't give you fruit anyway. Way less green tomatoes that way. ☺
I've never considered figs in a tunnel.. BUT they are the easiest to prune and propagate that I know of. Figs are a dream in my context (Central Texas) and will hopefully enjoy a long-lasting pattern with mulberries, almonds, apricots and peaches. Prune to keep quite small (4-5' cube) and, as a bonus, with each 7-12 inch cutting, shave the bottom inch to cambiun and stick in a pot of decent mix (they seem to like some clay) - send to someplace beaten with sun with short winters where they will thrive. My 2 cents. ;)
I grow many fig varieties and have always wanted to try to basically grow one in a low espalier. You could establish some low main branches along the middle of the row and then let the new branch grow out from the main trunk..cutting the new growth back every season.
You can search for pictures of japanese fig pruning to find pictures of what I am thinking and trying to explain.
They look good..always like your videos!
Citrus in the snow, check out ways the heat and cool green house
Yes, the figs will take over the whole tunnel if you let them. Good news is that you can prune them massively and the will come back stronger and with more fruit... Here in Spain we say "Figs and olives love the axe." They get scale sometimes, but are very hardy in general.
amazing..and very little insect pressure.
wonderful
That mullein also has some great medicinal uses
Turmeric leaves are delicious.
Maybe incorporate some old bike tire tunes to go around the paracord to buffer the rubbing and cracking of the plastic?
That could be reasonable for sure!
Good stuff, thanks.
Remove smaller figs.you can pinch, but then the tree(s) will also branch out more.
Companies that carry greenhouse plastic carry 6" and wider clear repair tape......once it's stuck ...it's really stuck
I've found that stuff a bit finicky for patching holes, you need to get it perfectly smooth with no wrinkles, or the wrinkles become channels for leakage. It's kind of obvious, but getting a good flat adhesion is more difficult than it sounds ;) On the other hand, as a reinforcing layer under the paracord to reduce wear on the primary plastic? That perfect flat adhesion isn't so important. Putting some of the repair tape under the paracord at the friction points would increase durability significantly.
What is Sasha's recipe for sweet potato greens? I don't think of them as delicious but I would like to be convinced otherwise!
Sheathng tape is a big help to seal small slits and not very nooticeable if done before the wind tears it and you habe big holes. There is even a new clear thicker one.
Try putting the fig in a large pot
The two fig guys I reference are Mike Kincaid (Canada I think) and the Millennial Gardener (North Carolina) TH-cam channels. I hope that helps.
Also Ross The Fig Boss.
"Gapey's Grub" in Washington state zone 8 grows over a dozen different varieties of fig trees both in-ground and potted has regular fig tree updates.
I have wondered what a hot compost pile each side of both doors would do for its longevity into winter ?
Honestly, those fresh growth fig stems look pretty malleable, could you possibly guide them up a string the same way you'd do the tomatoes or cucumbers? Keep them from flopping over at least...
Oh and I'm pretty sure that spider is some sort of Orb-weaver, looks like a Yellow Garden Spider!
It's a jungle in there.
#figtastrophe2024 😂
th-cam.com/video/Q5qv_CyGJvE/w-d-xo.html
Neat, I'll check that video out. Feel free to link videos in the comments in the future, but take a second to add a note to what it is about. This one is about fig propagation and looks promising, from a nice channel we enjoy
@@edibleacresIn This video he also goes into ways of training the tree trunks low to the ground to help insulate them in the winter, so they don't have complete die back in the winter. ill leave better notes next time my apologies.