Fig Tree won't bear fruit

Discussion in 'Fruit and Nut Trees' started by islandweaver, Jun 16, 2007.

  1. islandweaver

    islandweaver Active Member

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    Location:
    Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada
    I have a four or five year old brown turkey fig planted in ground. It is about 10 feet tall and well branched. It seems to grow well, no pests or diseases but the darn thing refuses to fruit. My neighbour has one growing in (or out of) a nursery pot. She subconsciously wants it to die I'm sure. However, her spindly little fig probably has 10 ripening figs on it. I have, nor have I had, as many as a single one from my tree.

    Can someone suggest how I can convince mine to fruit short of hacking off the roots and shoving it into a little pot so it looks like my neighbours? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

    Diane
     
  2. mikeyinfla

    mikeyinfla Active Member

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    you may have to hold back on the nitrogen. if the nitrogen is too high in the fertilizer you use than it will put all its energy into growing. and also if you're soil is acidic than you may need to sweeten the soil a bit with lime or dolomite. hope this helps
     
  3. islandweaver

    islandweaver Active Member

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    Thank you Mikeyinfla for the advice. You may have found my solution. We live in a westcoast environment of giant firs and cedars - which also surround my garden. I forget that it isn't only my roses that appreciate a less acidic environment. I use epsom salts on my roses. Will that work to lessen the acidity around the fig or is there something else that works better?

    Diane
     
  4. mikeyinfla

    mikeyinfla Active Member

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    i found this in a search

    You can make your soil more alkaline (increase its pH value) by adding a form of lime. Lime is a compound of calcium or calcium and magnesium. It is usually applied in the form of ground agricultural limestone, burnt lime or hydrated lime (slaked lime). The smaller the limestone particles then the quicker your soil will become more alkaline. For this reason hydrated lime will offer the quickest performance because it is slightly soluble in water so it can permeate the soil quicker and reduce acidity faster.

    Increasing the pH of your soil is not an overnight process and it is best to allow 2-3 months to allow the lime to neutralize the acidity of the soil acidity.
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Location:
    WA USA (Z8)
    Confining the roots in a tub is said to encourage fruiting, the observation being made that wild trees in habitat grow out of cracks in rocks. However, most specimens I see growing in ground around here fruit.
     

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