Author Topic: What is my Fig doing?  (Read 7749 times)

Triloba Tracker

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What is my Fig doing?
« on: June 06, 2015, 03:49:52 PM »
I have a Violet de Bordeaux fig in a pot....it's 2-3 years old and fruited for the first time last summer.

It started leafing out about 3 months ago, and immediately set 2 ping-pong ball sized figs. Once I put it outdoors, birds actually got the 2 figs just as they started to get a hint purple.

since then it has set 10-12 even smaller figs, and it has not put out hardly any new growth to speak of. (Last year it probably doubled in size).
The figs are now starting to turn purple. A couple weeks ago they had gone from rock-hard to soft, and now they are rock-hard again. The birds aren't bothering them.

So what in the world is going on? Is this going to be all I get out of the tree? I didn't get ripe figs last year until September/October. Is this just a breba crop and the tree will kick into high gear soon? Sorry - a novice with figs (well, with everything!). Thanks.






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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2015, 06:38:40 PM »
Welllll I guess i've answered my own question. These are not brebas...they are on the new growth.

I guess what threw me off is that they seemed to form earlier and grow faster than my main crop last year, and they have turned color WAY sooner than they did last year.

Now I am wondering what i've done to cause the tree to put on so little new growth.

I didn't pot it up this winter, I just pruned about 20% of the root mass and repotted it. Perhaps it needs a bigger pot.
Thinking of potting it up and doing a little root pruning here in the next couple days. Reasonable or no?

Pan Dulce

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2015, 12:47:35 PM »
I think that's their nature when grown in pots, to flush intermittently.  Your Brebas should grow quicker, due to their shorter window. Not familiar with growing figs where you are, but as I understand their growth habits, you will get another fruit set on any new wood produced this year. Most likely after the brebas drop, or just before. Gonna have to watch your fig for a few seasons, and learn its tendencies, and times....

bsbullie

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2015, 12:18:31 AM »
Since it is in a pot and i am guessing you cared for it/protected it over the winter so that it did not "freeze back"/"die back". If i am correct, you should have pruned it back prior to the "spring flush".  This is similar to the issue we have here.  If you continue its prorected winter growth, come the beginning of the spring next year, prior to any new buds breaking, prune back every branch by 25% - 33%.  Believe it or not,  this will cause t h e tree to branch and push new growth.  Every year you will notice t h at this pruning prodess will cause your fig tree to be shaped nicely and grow into a nice size tree.
- Rob

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2015, 11:46:59 AM »
Since it is in a pot and i am guessing you cared for it/protected it over the winter so that it did not "freeze back"/"die back". If i am correct, you should have pruned it back prior to the "spring flush".  This is similar to the issue we have here.  If you continue its prorected winter growth, come the beginning of the spring next year, prior to any new buds breaking, prune back every branch by 25% - 33%.  Believe it or not,  this will cause t h e tree to branch and push new growth.  Every year you will notice t h at this pruning prodess will cause your fig tree to be shaped nicely and grow into a nice size tree.

thanks, Rob! I did protect it over the winter BUT I did allow it to go dormant. Still need to prune it in the early spring?

Also - is there anything I can do NOW to get it to flush, like root pruning and up-potting?

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2015, 04:22:03 PM »
Since it is in a pot and i am guessing you cared for it/protected it over the winter so that it did not "freeze back"/"die back". If i am correct, you should have pruned it back prior to the "spring flush".  This is similar to the issue we have here.  If you continue its prorected winter growth, come the beginning of the spring next year, prior to any new buds breaking, prune back every branch by 25% - 33%.  Believe it or not,  this will cause t h e tree to branch and push new growth.  Every year you will notice t h at this pruning prodess will cause your fig tree to be shaped nicely and grow into a nice size tree.

thanks, Rob! I did protect it over the winter BUT I did allow it to go dormant. Still need to prune it in the early spring?

Also - is there anything I can do NOW to get it to flush, like root pruning and up-potting?

Any ideas out there?

Was prompted to bump this thread because I just got a plump, scrumptious fig off the tree. Super sweet - better than last year. Also at least a month if not 2 months earlier than the crop last year. Only one fig ripened, the rest are just sitting there. This one suddenly turned black and bulged over a period of maybe 4 days. mmmm
Gonna have to bird-net this sucker to the hilt since I have so few fruits this year...

Waiting

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2015, 01:45:05 AM »
Violet de Bordeaux are slow growers.

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2015, 10:04:18 AM »
Well, I know one thing my fig tree is doing.....fighting a good case of Fig Rust.
Leaves are dying and dropping and the fruit is maturing early (as mentioned before).

Anyone have any experience-based tips for this? My research so far basically says there's nothing that can be done. At this point I just plan to wait it out and hope for better luck next year (after some pruning and repotting in a different medium and possibly bigger pot).


barath

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2015, 01:16:33 AM »
Violet de Bordeaux are slow growers.

I'll second this.

I see almost the exact same growth pattern and fruiting issues with my Violet de Bordeaux as you're seeing -- rarely am I getting fruit worth eating off of it.

Triloba Tracker

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2015, 09:01:45 AM »
Violet de Bordeaux are slow growers.

I'll second this.

I see almost the exact same growth pattern and fruiting issues with my Violet de Bordeaux as you're seeing -- rarely am I getting fruit worth eating off of it.

Interesting. Doesn't bode well for me. I will give the guy another try next year and if it again fails to thrive, I may sacrifice him.

starch

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #10 on: November 28, 2015, 09:47:16 AM »
Hi Tribola,

I grow VdB and these figs are awesome for me. I get a couple of main crops over the summer. It is a small compact grower (mine is ~4 years old and it is only 4 ft tall). The figs are delicious. The are small figs with a fig and 'berry' flavor. The additional berry flavor that I pick out the most is raspberry. It is very fruity and wonderful!

However, I have noticed that this tree *LOVES* heat. Full all day (AZ) sun and it stays green gorgeous and beautiful. I have (a third!) crop of figs that set about a month ago. And they are just like yours. Full color (almost) but still too small and rock hard. I noticed the same thing last year, and it is because temperatures are cooling down and they just won't ripen without the heat.

Here is what I would recommend: Don't rip out the tree, but top work your current tree (which likely has a good root system now)

If you want to stay in the same flavor family, I would go with Ronde de Bordeaux. It is supposed to ripen earlier than Violette de Bordeaux (=> needs less heat to ripen).

If you want an all around great fig that has (reportedly, I am growing one but it isn't mature yet, so I can't confirm) great 'dark berry' flavor, I would grow Marseilles Black VS. It is grown and hailed all over the east and in TN/AL/LA because it is a good grower, early ripener, doesn't need lots of heat to produce good fruit, and has a tight eye to resist spoilage.

I am pretty sure GreenFin sells both a figcuttings.com and he will be sending out another order in Jan. Or you could trade for them. I have a small MBVS tree and I have a rooting RdB (and also grafted one onto my VdB). So I will have some budwood I could send you from either later next year.
- Mark

barath

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2015, 01:00:06 PM »
However, I have noticed that this tree *LOVES* heat. Full all day (AZ) sun and it stays green gorgeous and beautiful. I have (a third!) crop of figs that set about a month ago. And they are just like yours. Full color (almost) but still too small and rock hard. I noticed the same thing last year, and it is because temperatures are cooling down and they just won't ripen without the heat.

Wow...if Violette de Bordeaux loves full sun in Arizona, it's hopeless for me.  I probably get one third the growing degree days as you do in Arizona.  I guess I need to give it to someone further inland with a hotter climate.

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2015, 03:21:57 PM »
Starch -
thanks for the advice!  My VDB is in a pot, in Al's Gritty Mix. It does have a very healthy root system, but being in zone 7, I figured this was not cold hardy enough to plant in-ground.
I would love to plant it in the ground to avoid the hassle of protecting it in the winter, but not sure it could make it ?

I think I will definitely prune it back a good bit and may also move to a bigger pot with some more organic matter.

I am with you though- I love the taste of these figs. I have had several good figs from it over the past 2 summers. Oddly, the very small and early crop it had this year were the best it's produced.

As I mentioned, it got hit in late summer with Fig Rust and dropped all its leaves. It quickly rebounded and leafed-out completely.

As far as heat, what you say is interesting. I thought I'd read that it was actually not very heat tolerant. Summer of 2014 I had to water mine at least once a day (but again, that's in Gritty Mix)....

starch

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2015, 05:40:21 PM »
No problem!

Yeah, VdB handles the heat like a champ! Whoever said otherwise is definitely mistaken. But speaking of being in a pot - yes I think VdB will be marginal for you in the ground.

However MBVS definitely can take Middle Tennessee cold. The mother tree grows in Maryland and has been reported to take temps down to -18 F! So it will definitely be fine for zone 7 in the ground.
- Mark

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #14 on: June 04, 2016, 09:10:48 PM »
Well, my little VDB fig is back at it's odd problems.

After a near-total loss last year (weird issues above, plus an attack of Fig Rust after that), I took Rob's advice and pruned it back by about 25-30% and also did significant root pruning early this year.

It seemed to really appreciate the treatment and put on a decent amount of new growth. It has set 20+ figs on the new growth and they are maybe 1cm in diameter. They are starting to darken already.

My issue, though, is that something else seems to be attacking the tree again this year. It's not the Rust from last year.
Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed one or 2 leaves yellowing and falling off.
Today I noticed 2 of the bigger/older leaves are yellowing and this one fell off into my hand:



Any ideas?

starch

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #15 on: June 04, 2016, 10:09:59 PM »
That yellowing and how its kind of splotchy looks like FMV (fig mosaic virus). All my trees have it and display it with differing levels of severity. Bottom line is that I have found it to not be a big deal. The trees drop leaves during the season when they get too yellow. But they put out new leaves so fast that the trees don't seem to suffer for it.

I have already experienced a couple of dropped leaves so far this year, but the trees all look great, are putting out new leaves and the main crop is ripening!

My VdB produced breba figs for the first time this year. They were okay. They didn't have the intense flavor the main crop has because the brebas don't get enough heat to ripen like that. But it was still a nice surprise to have figs in May :)
- Mark

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #16 on: July 06, 2016, 08:15:43 PM »
Wow...if Violette de Bordeaux loves full sun in Arizona, it's hopeless for me.  I probably get one third the growing degree days as you do in Arizona.  I guess I need to give it to someone further inland with a hotter climate.

I see this is an old post, but I can assure you that Violette de Bordeaux does not NEED Arizona-style heat.  It may like it or tolerate it, but it does just fine in cool, coastal Ventura CA, in the fog belt, producing rich, very sweet fruits.  Mine made several dozen wonderful main crop fruit last year and is growing like crazy this year and has set perhaps a couple hundred main-crop fruit.  The first and only breba-crop fruit it set this year ripened a couple of days ago and was surprising sweet and rich tasting, too.  Seems like the roots of my tree are finally really well established and it is about 8' tall and equally wide.  It'll probably need heavy pruning this winter to keep it a nice, small size -- with everything reachable.

BTW, with a tree this size or smaller, I find it easier to skip the bird netting and use drawstring organza bags on individual fruit as they get close to ripe.  They are cheap and you avoid the problem of having to fish birds out of the netting.

starch

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #17 on: July 06, 2016, 08:59:35 PM »
BTW, with a tree this size or smaller, I find it easier to skip the bird netting and use drawstring organza bags on individual fruit as they get close to ripe.  They are cheap and you avoid the problem of having to fish birds out of the netting.

100% agreed. I have done both bird netting (which is a huge PITA) and organza bags for figs. I only do the latter now. And with a small tree like VdB, that is definitely the best/easiest way to go.
- Mark

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #18 on: July 06, 2016, 09:34:29 PM »
BTW, with a tree this size or smaller, I find it easier to skip the bird netting and use drawstring organza bags on individual fruit as they get close to ripe.  They are cheap and you avoid the problem of having to fish birds out of the netting.

100% agreed. I have done both bird netting (which is a huge PITA) and organza bags for figs. I only do the latter now. And with a small tree like VdB, that is definitely the best/easiest way to go.

Where can said bags be purchased? I've read of people making their own, but I am not up for that ...

Ventura- how much sun does your VDB get?

cmichael258

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #19 on: July 07, 2016, 02:36:43 PM »
BTW, with a tree this size or smaller, I find it easier to skip the bird netting and use drawstring organza bags on individual fruit as they get close to ripe.  They are cheap and you avoid the problem of having to fish birds out of the netting.

100% agreed. I have done both bird netting (which is a huge PITA) and organza bags for figs. I only do the latter now. And with a small tree like VdB, that is definitely the best/easiest way to go.

Where can said bags be purchased? I've read of people making their own, but I am not up for that ...    http://www.papermart.com/sheer-organza-fabric-bags/id=18971-INDEX#18971

Ventura- how much sun does your VDB get?
Michael

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Re: What is my Fig doing?
« Reply #20 on: July 30, 2016, 12:31:54 PM »
Where can said bags be purchased? I've read of people making their own, but I am not up for that ...

Ventura- how much sun does your VDB get?

I've bought mine on Amazon.  Just search for "organza bags".

My VdB gets limited direct sun because it is next to a massive Australian willow.  How much it gets depends on the season and the angle of the sun relative to the willow.  This time of year, it gets maybe 4-5 hours.  It gets virtually none during winter.  So, I guess it is getting enough sun to develop good sugars in the fruit when they are ripening.