Marseille Fig Acting Funny

14 years ago

I am growing a Marseille fig in a pot on my sunny, south facing deck in zone 6. I store it in my unheated garage for the winter. I've had it about 4-5 years now. I am aware that it needs to be unpotted, root pruned, and repotted and I should probably also prune it as I haven't touched it since I had it and it's just about at the limit for size if we're going to be able to haul it in and out of the garage every year.

Two years ago I was having a problem with the leaves crisping and turning brown. From searching the internet I decided it was suffering from lack of potassium so I got some and scratched it into the soil and that seemed to fix the problem. Then last year, while the leaves weren't exactly crisping again, they were dropping like flies. I got a crop of figs, but the tree probably lost 2/3's if not more, of its leaves. This year it's leafed out ok, but now I notice some of the leaves are crisping and curling - they're not crisping brown like they did before - they're still green, but if you touch them, they're definitely crispy and dry and where that's happening they're misshaped and curling in on themselves.

First of all, is it too late to upot it, prune back the rootball and repot it with some fresh soil? And what could possibly be the problem with this crisping of the leaves? Could it all be the result of it being too potbound?

Also, when all the leaves fall off in the fall, there is a "bud" at the tip of each stem and that's what breaks and start's growing the following spring. So do I just prune each branch back to an outward facing "scar"? I don't know what else to call it - there are spots all along the branch where the old growth came from that are like little scars so I'm assuming there are dormant buds or something at each spot. Just cut back to an outward facing one and new growth will break? It just seems so wrong to snip off the tip of each branch with that lovely bud just waiting to open, but I obviously need to keep the tree to a certain size in order to manage it.

Thanks so much for any help you can give me!

Lisa

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Comments (7)

fignut
14 years ago
It seems very likely that the problem is that the tree is rootbound.
I'm probably going to be in a minority here, but I'd root prune and prune back the top and put it in new soil now.
You are correct in assuming you cut back to an outward facing leaf node scar. And I'd suggest that you cut back the top radically to make sure that the roots are able to support the top when it starts to grow. After surgery keep the patient in a cool, quiet place (I use the garage) for three days or so. Then put it in a protected place outside and don't let it get too wet. When new growth starts, put it where you want it to grow.
Good luck.
pitangadiego
14 years ago
Try putting a very slow drip of water on it for a day or two. If it is rootbound, it may be harder for the water top penetrate the rootball. Symptoms sound like lack of moisture. Ultimately, root pruning and to pruning will still need to be done.
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lisazone6_ma
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you. It is very rootbound as I can barely dig my finger into the soil to check for moisture. If I baby it thru this season, can I prune it back at the end of the season or should I top prune it in the spring and root prune it at the same time? Is it better to do one one year and the other the next? One in spring the other in fall? Doesn't matter at all?

As you can tell, I've never pruned anything before in my life! I only have experience with perennials that you hack back once in fall, or veggies that grow for one season and that's it! I'm really nervous about killing the tree out of my ignorance over what to do and when!

Lisa
dieseler
14 years ago
Hi Lisa,
you can root prune now as Fignut posted it wont kill tree.
you can give water slowly and it will perk up only to do the same again over and over thru the season.
Im with Fignut do it now tree will live.
Here are some pictures of a tree or 2 of mine that did similar before i root pruned, i used a rootfeeder to water them last season and the soil was hard as well. Every couple of years its wise to root prune fig trees growing in containers.
Here is link
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3346808

Best Health
Martin
lisazone6_ma
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you Martin - nice pics! My tree is in a very large pot, but it's also a good 5 feet tall and it's a tree form, with a single trunk. I can just imagine the mass of roots that's in that pot!

So if I prune the roots, do I also need to cut back the top to make up for the missing roots? I can't help but think it would be so shocking to the plant to cut back the roots AND cut back the branches, but as fignut pointed out it's going to be a lot of work to support all those leaves with a good chunk of your roots gone!

I just want to make sure that cutting back the branches - which will in effect cut off all the leaves - won't kill the tree. It will sprout new growth again even tho it's already leafed out now?

I don't care if I don't get any figs this year - my main goal is to have a healthy tree I can care for for many years.

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with me!

Lisa
dieseler
14 years ago
Yes you can cut back if you feel a little uncomfortable leave some branches full but do cut some back.
You may or may not get figs this year my guess is you will if you leave but a few branches untouched.
Lisa perhaps 1 day you can show us pictures many here enjoy seeing others plants.
Best Health
Martin
fignut
14 years ago
Lisa, The best time to prune (top and bottom) is just before your tree breaks dormancy in the spring. But other folks prune in the fall. It's pretty much what is necessary for your situation, and what you are comfortable doing. I'm Lizzie Borden when it comes to pruning, LOL. Doing it now wouldn't concern me; mature figs are tough. If you are not comfortable cutting your tree now, wait. The tree might sulk, but that's not fatal.
Liter soda bottles would make adequate drip waterers if leaving a hose running isn't an option. Punch a small hole in the bottle bottom, and regulate the water flow by opening or closing the screw top. Looks a little strange, but it's functional.
Sounds like a nice looking tree. I'm trying a few in tree form, too.
Good luck.

Marseille Fig Acting Funny

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