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Fertilizing Container Grown Fig Trees

16 years ago

Hello all,

I am hoping to get some opinions on fertilizing potted fig trees.

I have 3 trees in their final pot and have been using miracle grow 2 times a month until August.

The trees are doing well fruit production is good but I feel it could be better.

I am wondering what other folks here in the forum are using and what provides the best results or better than MG. I have read Osmocote is used by some, but I believe that is a long lasting fertilizer given once per season?

Then I read about micronutrients, are there any benefits to using them?

Thanks in advance for any info or advice.

Joe

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Comments (4)

thisisme
16 years ago
Well my container grown fig trees that were left out all winter started leafing out toward the end of Feb which is when I hit them with a two inch top dressing of composted manure. They are putting on some nice new growth and they are all covered with little figlets which are popping out all over.
pjb3811
16 years ago
Hi Joe,
The problem with Miracle Gro is that it is very high in Nitrogen and relatively low in Phosphorous and Potassium (24-8-16). Nitrogen encourages vigorous foliage but not necessarily blossom and fruit production. Osmocote is better, although slow-timed release, it is more balanced (14-14-14). I like MG too because it's immediately water-solluble, but I think if you also use some Osmocote,or something similar, you should be OK. Good luck.
Pasquale
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I haven't grown in soil less mix. Fertilizer hasn't been an issue and the trees have grown well. Fruit trees especially in pots just need enough fertilizer to grow adequate leaves. I've had Zn deficiency on pluot trees grown in the ground but none on any kind of trees in pots. This year I do have some Fe deficiency on a few potted trees mostly apricot. But I think that's from cold wet soil and pH. You don't want a potted tree growing too big and they won't just because of the small root volume. But I don't see any need to fertilize every other watering, once a month at most. If the tree doesn't develop adequate leaves, fertilize more. Perhaps in a mix without soil more fertilizer would be needed. But the trees growth is your best guide.
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Sm - container soils provide VERY little in the way of nutrition, as ALL elements are locked tightly in hydrocarbon chains and only become available as soil organisms cleave the chains so nutrients end up in elemental forms that plants can utilize. You need to shoulder the responsibility of making sure nutrients are available in a favorable ratio and at favorable levels. The easiest way to do this is to furnish regular applications of a soluble fertilizer that furnishes nutrients in as close to the ratio plants use as possible. The commonly formulated ratio that achieves this is 3:1:2. A 'RATIO' is different than the NPK %s, so don't look for the numbers 3:1:2 on the box or jug. Look instead for NPK %s like 24-8-16, 12-4-8, or (one of the best) Foliage-Pro 9-3-6; all are 3:1:2 ratios. For more about fertilizing plants in containers, see the link below that discusses it in greater dept. Al Here is a link that might be useful: More if you click me.
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Hi, No, it's not balanced. It has far more K in it than N & P. It was a liquid fertilizer, so I don't imagine it will hang around in the pots very long. I can flush the pots, can't I? The way I understand it is I should water the pots and a short while later, really run water through the soil a couple of times to get rid of built up P & K. Thanks for your kind reply, noss
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Comments (2)
ledgewood6: Check-out all the previous postings re: "how to overwinter figs". Just use the search feature on this forum, and you'll read tons of suggestions on how this can be done. Last winter, I sucessfully overwintered three, 5ft.-6ft. containerized, "ATREANO" fig trees. They originally were potted-up individually in 5-gallon plastic containers. After dormancy, because of limited storage space, I repotted them into one, large 20-gallon container. So now, all three trees are in one large pot. I watered the trees well before the hard freezes hit, and then I just stuck the trees in my unheated, storage shed, and maybe only once, or twice, over the winter, I gave the trees just enough water to keep the soil slightly moist. That's it. No wrapping, no special precautions, etc. Keep your trees very cool, and keep them dark, NO LIGHT, for as long as possible. When your trees break dormancy, they must be able to grow without being cut back by harsh, cold weather. My trees go into storage sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and come out around mid-to- late, April, or, slightly later. You live in central Mass. and I live less than 1 mile from Long Island Sound, so, my winter temps. may not be as extreme, or cold, as your temps., but keeping your trees in too warm an area, like your basement, is not good for the trees. They will start to grow too early, and if they do not get enough sunlight, and warm temps. the new growth will be weak, and you'll very likely, not get many figs, if, you get any at all. Like I said earlier, search this forum for the answers to all your fig-questions. Good luck, and happy growing! Frank DV
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memexikon
16 years ago
I've been using organic kelp meal which can be purchased at a good farm supply. The main thing I've noticed is that new growth is a lot healthier that some of the other fertilizers I've used in the past.
loslunasfarms
16 years ago
I have found that Dynamite I think works better than Osmocote. Osmocote does not include micronutrients while Dynamite does. I have found that with using Dynamite, FMV effects are lessened, and just in general you get a better fruiting and looking tree.

I use the 13-13-13 formulation. You can tell when the timed release stuff hits the roots because the leafts and growth are noticeable right away.

I do however, use Schutz liguid Plant food with micros instead of MG because it also contains micronutrients. It seems that my trees just look better when feeding with fertilizers with the micros. Schultz will also not burn when used in the daily feeding dosage. I also use it with my newly rooted baby fig trees and it seems to really help them take off. I get better roots and mature leaves faster.

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