I am retired and I enjoy gardening. My new project is trying to propagate fig trees. I have some cuttings given to me by a friend, and I would like to try to do something with them. I would appreciate any help you can give me.
Frank Scaturro, Stewart Manor
Fig trees are indigenous to the tropics, and so can be rather difficult to grow successfully here in zone 7. I know my father always tried, but I don't recall his Flushing garden ever yielding an abundant fig harvest. Long Island aficionados go to great lengths to protect their trees from harsh winter temperatures - wrapping and even bending and burying them in the hopes of a sweet, juicy reward come summer. Sometimes, they get lucky.
The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County offers the following advice on propagation:
Plant your 5- to 10-inch cuttings (severed at the nodes) so that the tips are almost even with the soil. Hormone materials can be added to aid the process, which should be done in the late spring or early summer. By November, the cutting should have developed a good root system.
Fig trees need to be protected over the winter. This is best done just before Thanksgiving. When the tree is young, for the first few years, it's a good idea to prune it heavily to encourage it to grow into a bush instead of a tree. Bush-like trees are easier to wrap and protect over the winter.
If you choose to bury your tree, you must first remove any leaves, fruit or dead wood. Next, bend the tree and secure it by pegging it into position. Cover it with 3 to 4 inches of soil, leaves or compost.
If you decide to wrap, never use any plastic materials for any part of the process. The Cornell Cooperative Extension recommends pulling all branches inward and tying them together with soft but strong rope. Leave it that way until the beginning of December. Be sure the rope and branches are completely dry before wrapping. Wait a few days after rainfall, if necessary.
Wrap the tree completely from top to bottom with burlap, securing the burlap to itself with pins or staples to keep it from falling off. Be careful not to pin or staple the burlap to the tree.
Next, wrap some heavy brown paper around the burlap and tie it into place. Remove some soil from around the base of the tree and surround the bottom half of the tree with cardboard. Tie it into place, too.
You're not done yet, but keep your eye on the prize: Just remember how sweet and juicy those figs will be. And how expensive they are to buy at the specialty market.
Tar paper is next. Surround the tree with it in such a way so that rainwater will roll off of it and away from the tree. "It is extremely important that water does not seep into the cracks," a Cornell fact sheet on the subject warns. "The tar paper must be tied securely."
Once you've completely wrapped your tree, mound soil around its base to keep it warm and cozy. Some people top their new garden ornament with a pail to further protect it from water.
Unwrap your precious ficus carica on a cloudy day in early spring, just after the last frost.
Comments (2)
This information that you gave to Frank Scaturro is the exact same way that my uncle took care of his fig tree in South Philadelphia, PA.
I remember seeing it for many years when we visited their row home type house. The back yard was nothing more than a small area of dirt, an the rest was concrete with a big solid wooden fence. I can't imagine that there was much sun, maybe there was. My uncle wrapped the fig tree exactly the same way that you described. They moved from that house many years ago to South Jersey near Atlantic City. My aunt and uncle are both deceased now. My mom lives in their South Jersey house. There is a fig tree/bush-type planted in the back yard that seems to keep spreading out by the roots beneath. I am sure it is from the one in South Philadelphia. As far as all of the summer and winter preperation goes, none of it has been done for some time. It keeps growing back each year and putting out a good amount of figs. I picked about 20 of them yesterday. there seem to be maybe 100 more that will ripen. It is about 5 feet tall in the center. I am not sure what kind of fig plant it is. The figs, when ripe, are brown on the outside, they taste great. I would like to take pieces of the plant to my property and see if I can get it to grow. would it be best to cut from the expanding root system at the outer portions of the plant? When should I do this and how? Whatever information you can give would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Ray Nunzi
Hi, Ray.
I can understand why you'd want to take a piece of that tree home with you. It's actually quite easy to do.
February is the best time to propagate fig trees. Take a 10-inch-long stem cutting from one-year-old wood (not new growth from the last summer.)
Cut the top of the stem just below the first node. A node is the part of the stem where the leaf is attached.
Remove all the leaves from the stem so you're left with what looks like a stick. Dip the bottom end in rooting hormone, which is widely available at garden centers. Rooting hormone isn't absolutely necessary, but it helps.
Plant it in a pot filled with potting soil. Don't use soil from your yard, as it contains organisms that might counter the process.
Plant all but the top two nodes below soil level. You'll recognize the nodes as the bumps on the stem where the leaves used to be.
You can plant two "sticks" in each pot.
Water well and cover the whole pot with a plastic grocery bag. Leave it undisturbed indoors and out of direct sunlight for 10 days. It shouldn't need any additional water during this time, but if you find it starts to dry out, add some. You're trying to create a humid greenhouse atmosphere in the plastic bag.
After 10 days, remove the bag and water. Replace the bag -- loosely this time, in a tented fashion -- and place the pot where it will receive indirect sunlight.
Keep it moderately moist for six weeks. They'll be ready to plant outdoors by the end of April.
Have fun -- and good luck!