Growing figs: two ways to propagate the fig tree
Despite the fact that figs come from the subtropics, they can often be found among fruit trees in the southern regions of the country with a warm climate. However, at home, the fig tree feels very comfortable and even bears fruit, while exotic fruits ripen twice a year and are no worse than garden or wild ones in their taste.
Nothing complicated about how to grow figs, not. This bright representative of deciduous ficuses reproduces in two ways:
- cuttings;
- seeds.
Growing figs from cuttings
If the main goal is to get fruit, cuttings are the best option. In this case, the first crop can be harvested one to two years after the shoots have taken root.
It is necessary to cut the cuttings in mid to late winter from a fruiting adult fig using the lower ripe branches.
With a sharp knife, small (up to 15 cm long) branches should be cut from the tree, each branch should have at least 3 live buds. If necessary, you can divide the long shoot into several parts, leaving the upper cut straight. Cut the lower part of the cutting at an angle and make a couple of longitudinal cuts (to stimulate root formation).
Put the blanks on a cool windowsill for 6 hours so that the milky juice released from the slices hardens and they dry.
The prepared cuttings are rooted in one of the ways to choose from:
- In a container with water.
- In a container with sand (wet).
- In a container with soil, sprinkle with a small amount of sand on top.
Regardless of which option was chosen, it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions for the handle by placing it under a hood that is periodically opened for ventilation.
After the stalk has formed the roots, it can be transplanted to a permanent place in a pot with a nutrient substrate (garden soil, sand, leaf humus, ash, peat, etc. eggshell).
Seed reproduction
If you get green cuttings - a problem, you can use ripe fresh fruits, from which you need to remove the seeds, rinse and dry them, leaving them on a sheet of paper for a day.
Sowing fig seeds should be started no earlier than March.
Lay expanded clay at the bottom of a wide and not very deep container and fill in a nutritious and light substrate. Moisten it well and lay out the seeds, sprinkling with earth on top. Cover the container with a bag and put it in a bright and warm place with a temperature of at least 25 degrees Celsius. Open the greenhouse from time to time and spray the soil.
After the emergence of shoots, the shelter can be removed and, if necessary, thin out the shoots. When the seedlings have a pair of true leaves, dive them into separate pots.