The soils that ensure best growth and vitality will be durable and well-aerated. It's not very importasnt what container soils are made FROM, as long as the ingredients are not toxic and they provide aeration for the intended interval between repots. You can grow perfectly healthy trees in crushed glass if you are willing to keep up with the watering and fertilizing, but we normally try to build a little more convenience into the soil by making them from ingredients that hold water and nutrients a little longer than crushed glass. ;o)

You may find understanding the physical properties that delineates a good soil from an 'eh' soil valuable. You can read read something about it by clicking on this embedded link.

All plants grow best when you supply them with nutrients in the ratio they are using. If you ran a facility that made cereal, and were using 300 lbs of wheat, 100 lbs of rice, and 200 lbs of sugar each day, would you want those commodities to be shipped to you in bags that each contained 30 lbs of wheat, 10 lbs of rice, and 20 lbs of sugar - or in bags that contained 20 lbs of each?

Almost all plants, including figs, use about 6X more N than P, and about 1.5x more N than K. After factoring to arrive at the actual P and K content, you'll find that fertilizers in the 3:1:2 RATIO supply nutrients at nearly exactly the same ratio that plants use. It's not an accident that fertilizer manufacturers choose %s for their fertilizers like 24-8-16, 18-6-12, 12-4-8, and 9-3-6, and label them their all purpose blends. They do this for the reason I mentioned.

In container culture, we need to view our responsibility as having to supply all the essential elements the plant needs. This is less important for trees planted out, because most of the elements plants need to grow normally are already there. The proper way to fertilize trees in the landscape is to provide only the deficient nutrients AFTER a soil test has ascertained what those nutrients are. If we don't utilize a sol test and only take the 'shotgun approach', one fertilizer is as likely as another to be 'best', but it still makes more sense to supply nutrients in the ratio plants are using them because it reduces the probability that any one nutrient would be over-supplied (like the wheat/rice/sugar illustration - soon the facility would be grossly overstocked with rice and sugar). In the case of plants, the excess can either create toxicities, or make it unnecessarily difficult for the plant to absorb water and the nutrients dissolved in water.

I use 3:1:2 RATIO fertilizers on all my containerized trees at all times. In particular, I use Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 because it supplies NPK in a 3:1:2 ratio, but more importantly, it supplies ALL the other nutrients that the plant takes from the soil in a favorable ratio to each other. It is also one of the few soluble fertilizers that supply Ca and Mg. This fertilizer allows you to keep o/a fertility levels at the lowest level possible w/o nutrient deficiencies. This is a decided advantage.

When you grow your trees to the size where you might wish to try to manage (reduce) the vegetative growth in the hope that you might get more fruit, it's done by reducing the N supplied in relation to the other nutrients. A 2:1:2 NPK ratio would be a reasonable approach to this type of manipulation.

If there is anything you're not clear on, please ask.

Al

BTW - I forgot to mention that WC tea is actually very low in nutrition. It's probably best used in the garden where its ability to improve mineral soil structure can shine. Your trees will need something capable of suppling more of the primary elements than you'll get from the tea.

Al

What you do with the soil kinda depends on if you are growing in a pot or in the ground. Most of the soil in the valley drains fast enough. Adding compost and mulch seam to do the best for trees planted in the ground and for trees planted in pots here in the valley.

There is no need to amend the soil the tree is planted in when planting in the ground. Just dig the hole wider than the tree but not deeper than the roots are planted. Then compost and mulch as directed. Some people have added 1/3 compost mixed in with the soil and have claimed good results but its not generally recommended.

Pots are a different matter altogether.

You need a well draining mix that holds plenty of water. Al's standard gritty mix does not work well here in the desert unless its in a protected environment. I have seen him adjust the mix for people who live under our conditions before. Al knows what he's doing when it comes to soil for sure. You just need to let him know that you really live in an extreme environment. You will have to up the pine bark ratio a lot so that it will hold more water. If the pot will be exposed to full sun you will need to cover it. I use burlap which I get at Home Depot but even a layer of shade cloth or row cover will help. Just cut it to the right size and wrap it around the pot and staple it in place with a heavy duty stapler. At least thats what I do.

Around Jan 15th I add some coffee grounds my wife picks up for me from Star Bucks. Over that I add 2-3" of de-smelled composted steer manure. On top of that I add a 2-3" layer of pathway bark. This seams to do the trick pretty well. It helps to keep the soil cool too which is good for root development. Repeat again after the breba crop has been harvested.

I added some timed release fertilizer before anything else this year and was not happy with the results. Well happy and at the same time not happy. It released too fast either because it had gotten wet before or do to the extreme heat. The trees went into a state of hyper accelerated vegetative growth. All the little figlets turned light brown and died and the trees grow like crazy. I lost almost all of the breba crop. For the small trees it was well worth the rapid growth. Losing the fruit from the larger trees was not welcome though. The only variety that handled the addition of timed release fertilizer well was Violet de Bordeaux. All the others lots their breba figs.

The afternoon sun is a killer here during the summer months. Young trees should not be left in the afternoon sun without providing some kind of shade. All of my young trees in 5 gallon pots are in a part of my yard that is in the shade during the afternoon.

If you think you are going to live where you are for a long time I recommend planting in the ground. Trees are much easier to take care of in the ground in the desert. To me pots are for people who have to take their tree in for the winter or who may move in the next few years. I may move so I grow in pots. My mature trees are in 15-25 gallon tree pots. This year I will be covering the bottom holes in my tree pots and planting the pots 6-8" in the ground. I did this with three trees during the height of summer and two plus months later I can skip watering for a day and they still are healthy with perky leaves. My bet is I will be able to cut my watering schedule to once every 3-4 days next summer.

The trees that have pots partially planted in the ground also have a 6" ring of mulch the depth of the planting around the pot. I cover the bottom holes with some sticky back vinyl to keep roots from growing out the bottom. The holes in the sides are widened a little to make room for roots. I mark the sides of the pots where the holes are so I know where to cut the roots when I move. A china marker or grease pencil is good for this.

I'm sure there are lots of other ways to do it but thats how I do it and it works for me.

Al:
Thank you for your info and advice.
Regarding the Foliage-Pro 9-3-6, how do you recommend mixing it and how often should you apply it to your potted fig trees?
In doing so, do you recommend drenching the entire pot medium or is applying a given amount to each container(like 8oz, for example to a 5 gal. pot)sufficient? The other question is when do you first start applying it (spring) and when do you recommend stopping it (in the fall).
Regards, l_e

FP is low in urea and ammoniacal N, so you can use it at temps you shouldn't be using urea-based fertilizers. You should stop using fertilizers that get their N from more than a 40% urea content at soil temperatures below 55* and above about 80*. You can use FP almost any time, but generally I just don't fertilize when soil temps are between 50*-80*. FWIW, actual container soil temps vary considerably from ambient temps because of the effect of evaporative cooling and solar heat gain. Also, as temperatures fall, soil temps can be several degrees warmer than ambient temperatures because on heat generated as soil ingredients break down (like a hot compost pile). You guys struggling with high soil temps should be extra careful about what you add to your soils,. Whatever it is - it should break down very slowly, which is only one of the reasons why pine bark is such a good base for a container medium. (OK - that was a plug for bark-based soils - I admit it) ;o)

There are directions on the bottle, but to be honest, I don't follow them. I don't even really measure closely. I have a squirt bottle filled with FP 9-3-6. I use a tablespoon held over a 2-1/2 gallon watering can. I squirt the FP into the spoon until it overflows by about a teaspoon when plants are growing well, and I don't quite fill the spoon if it's cool or too hot and plants stalled. I try to fertilize weekly while plants are growing well, but early & late in the growth season, or when its really hot, I might either cut back on the dose or the interval - usually its the interval because I have around 300 plantings in containers & it's a pain to fertilize. It takes about 2-3 hours.

You can have a considerable impact on how your tree grows by how you time fertilizer applications. If you want your trees to grow fast, fertilize at regular rates when the tree starts pushing buds. If you want it to stay more compact and bushy, minimize fertilizer as much as possible until the spring flush has hardened off. This will produce a tree with smaller (but more) leaves and shorter internodes, and it will have an insignificant affect on fruiting.

Fertilizing early promotes larger leaves and faster branch extension. If you wait, the tree transitions from concentrating on growing foliage and extending branches to storing energy around Father's day (summer solstice). Fruit is a stronger energy sink than foliage, so the tree will still allocate its energy to fruit production. It's sort of like getting the effects of pinching through fertilizer manipulation, and getting a more compact tree as a bonus for your efforts.

Al

I'm sorry - I made a significant misstatement above. In the first paragraph, I should have said ".... generally, I just don't fertilize when soil temps are below 50* or above 80*. If anyone read the reply, I hope they were able to see from my previous reference to temps it was indeed a misstatement - I hope it didn't cause too much confusion.

Al

Hi Al!

I haven't read this information about the temperatures in your posts before and it's interesting.

I have a question about hot climates like this one here. What would you consider early fertilzation down here? Also, with the heat we have down here, when would we get to fertilize the fig trees? I think it got into the 80s in June? Can't remember. It's been so hot it seems like it was always this hot.

My fig trees burst into growth before I even fertilized them and were reaching for the sky all by themselves, but those were the inground tree in the back and the one in front that was so rootbound in its pot was growing even more vigorously without fertilizer. It had one large root it had put out of the drain hole at the bottom/side of the pot and that was all that was in the ground. After having read information on the forums, I don't know how the front yard Celeste did that without fertilizer and barely only the one root in the ground.

Thanks,

Viv

Al:
Thanks for your advice on the FP application. This really helps. You mentioned something about "minimize fertilizer as much as possible until the spring flush has hardened off." Could you explain alittle about what you mean by this? It is all very interesting and important to know about the timing of FP application for increasing fruit nodes. What should I be looking for with regard to this spring flush? Is this when buds start to open in the spring and the first leaves appear? I'm somewhat confused about the term. Thanks much.

A lot of people think it's best to fertilize your containerized trees when growth first appears - period. Sometimes it's a good idea - sometimes it's not, and whether or not it IS a good idea revolves around how you want the tree to respond. First, whether you do or don't fertilize at the onset of growth has little to do with fruit yields and more to do with vegetative growth.

The first thing you want to ask is "Do I want my tree to grow bigger - how fast?" If you want it to grow like mad - then fertilize early. If you have a tree you've already been pruning back, you might wish to wait to fertilize..

Your tree will have lots of stored energy to push the spring flush of growth. The spring 'flush' is simply the tree putting it's first leaves on. It will use it's energy to push that growth rapidly, then slow down and take a breather. After the new growth has begun to mature, the foliage will start returning energy to the tree (young leaves are net users of energy until they are about 75% mature). The primary use of that energy, until around the summer solstice, will be to extend branches and grow new leaves. If you fertilize just enough to keep foliage green during that period, the tree will extend minimally, and leaves will be smaller/more numerous (a function of shorter internodes). Maximum doses of fertilizer during this period will promote rank, coarse growth.

After the summer solstice, as night length starts increasing, chemical messengers tell the tree to start STORING photosynthate in prep for the upcoming dormancy, so the tree 'shifts focus' from shoots and leaves to fattening up (literally - the tree lays down layers of cells in the cambium that are rich in carbohydrates, which causes thickening of woody parts) for the winter. So AFTER the summer solstice, you can max out the fertilizer applications w/o all the rank growth that heavy spring fertilizing brings.

It's just another way to help you manage your tree's energy. The concept of energy management is particularly important in bonsai, but much of the advice I offer across the board, and particularly the timing of certain things (like repotting and pruning), is based on the energy flow/growth cycle of the plant & how best to manage it.

Viv - Containerized trees have optimum growing temperatures usually from 70-85F). Tolerable upper limits depend on factors like heat duration, highest temperature exposed to, water content of tissues/tissue age, and the ability of the tree to cope.

Not only do we need to deal with the fact that root function/metabolism diminishes rapidly as temperatures rise through the 90* mark, we need to consider that N is physiologically demanding, and can damage trees under large heat loads. The way trees normally process N requires the use of stored reserves. If the tree isn't making food (photosynthate) due to high temperatures and rapid transpiration, fertilizers with N should be withheld to avoid depletion of reserves. High fertility also makes it more difficult for the plant to remain hydrated.

Al

Thanks Al,

I don't know how to put all this info into action. Not too swift about some things, but I'll keep reading it until it sinks in. :)

Viv

Same here Al. Appreciate the education on this stuff. It makes sense once you read into it a few times. I'm going to try the FP next year and see what happens! It sounds like a good product. If I recall correctly the recommended production application is either 1 teaspoon per gallon once a week or 2 teaspoons per gallon once a month. Maybe starting off at a longer interval then increasing it might be the way to go. There is also a mainenance dose of 1/4 teaspoon per gallon at every water.

iv - You've earned the right to have more confidence in your abilities - youda Plant Whisperer, remember?

Leon - I'm sure you'll quickly find a concentration/interval rhythm, but I can say you would have to ignore your instincts and work pretty hard at it to see symptoms of over-fertilizing. It's the best all-purpose fertilizer product I've found. I understand nutrition and fertilizers very well, and I have a LOT of specialty fertilizers & nutrient combos available to me, but I use the FP for almost everything. You can add a great deal of versatility by ordering some Pro-TeKt 0-0-3 with it, which contains soluble silicon. Silicon hardens cells and helps protect against heat/cold stress.

Al

LOL! Al! I have a bit of a learning disability and sometimes have trouble "getting" something into this poor brain of mine. Gimme a break, will ya? ;)

Thanks for the kindly reminder, Guy.

Viv, a.k.a. noss, a.k.a. Da Plant Whisperer.

To the Forum--I told Al that I was talking to my little cutting, trying to help it grow and got dubbed, The Plant Whisperer! I really did breathe on it's tiny leaves because we give off carbon dioxide and plants take that in. Who knows if it really works, but it couldn't hurt, so I did it. :)

Al: my potted figs really get stressed from the heat here in NM. You may have a point there using the Pro-Tekt. How much and often would you recommend applying this? Thanks.

Vivian is just modest. She's a much better grower than she lets on to be. (Is that right Inglesh?) ;o)

I use a tsp in 2-1/2 gallons when I use it. Don't mix it with the fertilizer - it will cause the CaNO3 to precipitate out of solution. Actually, it does that even when you mix them together in a big water can, but it's not such a big deal in a weak solution. If you let the solution set, stir it before the next app.

I use it whenever I have an application that requires a reduced N supply. 3:1:2 fertilizers have more P than they need, so you can reduce the dose level and add a little Pro-TeKt 0-0-3 and still have a favorable amount of P and K. Even if you DO want to try to limit vegetative growth, there's no good reason to go to anything other than a 3:1:2 ratio, given the versatility added by the added K boost.

I really haven't done any side by side comparisons using Pro-TeKt, but I think I'm a pretty astute observer when it comes to plants. I don't have issues with cold because I overwinter most temperate plants in the unheated garage, but I really do feel that the Pro-Tekt has improved my plants' resistance to insects, disease, and heat stress.

Al

Pro-Tek sounds like something I may want to try.
It gets a little warm here and my new fig did not get off to a very good start. :(

There's some great help here. I need my house VERY quiet when I read Al's psots for them to sink in. lol..

"Da Plant Whisperer"
I love it! :)
I talk to them too.. and once in a blue moon it's a threat. ;)

Thanks Al..
Save's me sending you a S.O.S. lol..
JJ

Hi Al:
So what you're saying is that you don't use it at everywatering but on the same frequency as the FP?
The other question is, do you soak the entire pot with the FP and PT? Does it have to make contact with as much of the roots as possible? Do you presoak your pots first with water then apply the fertilizer?
Thanks

Yes - I treat it as I would fertilizer.

As long as my plants aren't wilted, or in the case of those plants that don't wilt - if I'm sure they are not completely dry, I simply fertigate - water/fertilize at the same time. I use a smaller (than 2-1/2 gallons) watering can with a fine nozzle to apply the solution until the entire soil mass is saturated and water drips from the bottom. That is also how I generally water. I apply water slowly until the first few drips appear at the drain hole, then stop. This way I can be sure that 10-20% of the water I applied moves through the soil & out the bottom. This helps keep nutrients balanced and flushes accumulating salts from the soil.

I don't have time to water like this, but this is the best way to water:
Wet the soil until it is damp/wet but no water drains from the pot. Wait 10 minutes & water again so 10-15% of the total volume of water applied in both apps exits the drain. Of course this requires some guesswork on your part, but you get the picture. Watering technique hardly EVER gets the attention it deserves. It's very important to maximizing vitality in container culture. As a bonsai apprentice, you might be required to only water the master's trees for several months before you are allowed to work on trees. The first thing you learn is how to water.

The soil solution will automatically work toward a state of isotonicity (like equilibrium), which is a condition where the fertilizer ions are equally dispersed throughout the entire soil solution. This is why it's important not to allow your tree to sit IN a collection saucer when you water. It should be above the saucer so the effluent can drain from the soil. If there is any continuity between the effluent and the soil solution, the salt levels will quickly move toward the state I described, reducing the effectiveness of flushing the soil.

If you can't water so the soil is flushed each time you water (worried about root rot), I can say with great certainty that (the collective) your plant is not all that it could be - that some degree of vitality is being sacrificed. The only reason you need to worry about root rot is because of a heavy soil that remains wet/soggy/saturated for extended periods, which does kill roots the tree has to then replace, which is expensive in terms of energy outlay - energy that would have gone to increasing plant mass & number/size inflorescences (figs).

Lol, JJ. You know where to find me if it doesn't sink in the first time, but I'm sure it always does. ;o)

Al

Your information is phenomenal and well appreciated. Makes me think about all those conditions you talk about and why my potted trees have done poorly at times.

lol, Al,
I appreciate the vote of confidence. ;) But it doesn't always sink in on the first time through. I'll blame it on the crazy hours I keep. ;) lol.

So It's a good thing I know where to find you. ;)

JJ

A true compliment, coming from you, Leon. Thank you.

Don't worry JJ - you're like Viv - your confidence just hasn't caught up with your abilities yet. ;o)

Al

:) Thank you Al~
I'm getting 2 more figs.. so I will have plenty of practice. lol.

I'm going to order the FP and PT this week. The only source to get it local according to their website, seems to have gone out of business. A bonsai shop. :( bummer.

You do realize that once my confidence does catch up, I will have to find somthing really exotic to keep you on your toes. LOL!

JJ

What figs are FP and PT. My brain won't come up with anything and it's probably something simple.

noss

Hi noss..
There not figs, it's the fertelizers that are being talked about up thread. :)

FP- Foliage Pro
PT- Pro TeKt

JoJo

Oy Vey!

See, Al? No brain!!! LOLOLOL!!!

Thanks,

noss

Good Morning Noss!
You don't say that! You blame it on lack of sleep! lol... I see you posted that late.. ;)

I get up at 3 am. so I blame alot on no sleep. LOL!

Have a great day!
JoJo

Hokay JoJo, that sounds good to me. :)

noss