Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
wood in winter will of course remove any
potential first crop. A compromise can be
reached where some of the previous season's
growth is removed to promote the new
growth for the main crop, and some left alone
to carry the breba crop. If you have a variety
that has no early crop, or you don't want to be
bothered with it, winter pruning will produce
more new growth to carry the main crop.
Pruningtime
Winter is the best time to prune so that new
growth is stimulated to carry the main crop;
however, leave some of the previous season's
growth if you are planning on a breba crop
(see above).
When pruning figs always shorten
stems back to a bud/node - do not leave a stub
that can rot the whole stem
(see Figure 3.20,
page 38). In frost-prone areas, summer
pruning will allow the subsequent new
growth time to harden off before winter. In
such areas don't prune in winter unless the
tree can be protected - the new spring
growth will be burnt off.
Figure 6.20
A fig's main crop is always more prolific and
of better quality than the breba crop.
they can grow into large trees.
Never root-prune
a fig in the ground to restrict its size; it will produce
a forest of suckers!
When planting your tree,
line the edges of the generous planting hole
with concrete slabs or bricks. This will restrict
the root system and therefore the size of the
tree. It will also make the tree more fruitful.
The milky sap from a figs stems or fruit can
cause severe skin irritation. Long sleeves and
gloves are the best solution.
In order to make the most of the early fruit or
breba crop, pinch back the new season's
growth in spring to help it develop. In
summer shorten back the new shoots as this
will speed the maturation of the main crop in
areas with shorter summers. Never remove
too much leaf as the bark is prone to
sunburn. Some white acrylic paint on the
major branches will serve as effective
sunscreen. In frosty climates any major
pruning is best done in summer.
Fruitingwood
Some figs produce two crops a year in
temperate and sub-tropical climates, while
others produce only one (see Table 6.1). The
breba or first crop is produced in summer,
and is carried on
the tips of the previous
season's growth (see Figure 6.20). The second
or main crop is borne at the base of the
current season's growth. This will of course
influence how you prune your tree.
Maintenance
Established open vase trees may only need
pruning once every three years or so. Always
The breba crop is often sparse, but the joy of
having figs around mid summer can make it
worthwhile. Any pruning into the last year's
