How to prune figs in spring - shaping a plant for a good harvest
Figs in our area are still a new culture and not all gardeners undertake to plant it. Some are afraid that the tree will not survive the winter, while others wait in vain for fruiting due to improper care. The main problem most often is how to prune the figs in the spring. This procedure is different from pruning “our” hearth trees. First of all, the peculiarity of the fruiting of figs, its active growth, and also because of the climatic conditions of cultivation.
When to trim
You can harvest figs twice a season: in late spring - early summer and late summer - early fall. At the same time, figs at different stages of development are simultaneously on the same branch. The first, in the spring, to ripen the fruits from the overwintered inflorescences in the axils of the leaves laid in the last season. At the end of summer, figs, formed in the spring of the current season, ripen, but only on condition that the summer is long and warm. At the same time, new inflorescences are laid on a young growth. They will harvest next spring.
Thus, the main crop of large fruits is obtained from overwintered buds. Spring inflorescences in a temperate climate with cool summers simply do not have time to fully ripen until autumn. Therefore, the purpose of pruning should be to stimulate the formation of new flower buds. For this, nutrients must be redirected to future productive shoots.
How to prune figs in spring
In the southern zone with warm summers, figs can be formed in the form of a half-stemmed tree. In temperate climates, it is more advisable to grow the plant using the fan method. It will also make it easier to cover.
In addition to shaping pruning, it is necessary to remove frozen and intersecting shoots every spring. You also need to thin out the crown by cutting out the thickening branches. And before wintering - remove large green fruits, because they still freeze.
Tree shaping
For figs, you should not make too high a stem. Its maximum height is 100 cm, or even better 60 cm. To do this, choose the strongest branch from the seedling, and remove the rest completely. For the next season, shorten the remaining shoot by a bud so that it forms skeletal branches. Enough 3 pieces, while they should be at a height of 45 cm. In the future, you need to cut the branchy branches and keep the center of the crown. It is better to tie the shoots to the support.
Fan formation of figs
Formation should begin from the first year of life, leaving only 3 shoots on the annual shoot. In this case, one will grow upward, two - horizontally. Further pruning consists in the following procedures:
- In the second year of life, shorten the horizontal branches to 3 buds and tie them up. The conductor (vertical shoot) also needs to be pruned so that it begins to branch.
- A three-year-old bush will already have 2 tiers of a fan. All branches should be cut to 3 buds and the center conductor should be shortened (as in the previous season).
In subsequent years, the crown density should be maintained. More than 5 tiers are usually not laid, and the fan is created on 2 or 4 sleeves (of the second order). In spring, it is necessary to remove overripe twigs and shorten new ones to 1 bud so that they do not grow on the sides.