Wow....a tad bit ambitious aren't you?

While your idea seems novel and I cannot say that it is impossible, I would recommend you might be better off planting each one into a large container and let them grow into larger diameter trees all on their own.

While what you are considering may have been accomplished by someone before (as you described at Belleclaire) be aware that the person who accomplished what you saw most likely had years of experience with fig trees and probably had enough free time (as in daily care) to deal with problems (like rot and insects) that might arise. Also, they likey had a 4 season's greenhouse so that the healing required wouldn't have to happen in just a couple months.

Please don't let me dissuade you, what you are considering would probably be quite interesting. I just fear that accomplishing it would be something even many of the more experienced posters (in much more accomodating climates than you or I) here would be hesitant to contemplate.

~Chills

That being said, if you do decide to make the attempt, please take pictures and share them. I would love to see what can be accomplished. I've wanted to make a wire form (which could be removed once the groth had stiffened) to train new growth into spirals or heart-like shapes.

Yes, I agree ... this is quite an ambitious project for an amateur fig grower, and it is a labor-intensive training method. I've grown bonsai and tended to other plants in past years. I'm just new to growing figs. However, I have used this fuse-grafting technique to create a "composite-trunk" with Winterberry-Holly -(Ilex verticillata). A year ago I planted a number of individual shrubs so that the 1" thick main-stems were packed together with as little space between stems as possible.The main stems were trimmed of all lower branches. the lower 3 to 4 feet was left bare. This was done while the shrubs were dormant, and a little root-pruning allowed me to arrange the mainstems so they could be tightly bound together with some hemp rope. All the shrubs were planted in one hole. After binding the mainstems together, the shrub looked like a bundle of cornstalks, and from a distance, had the shape of an Elm tree. the bundle of stems measured about 4-1/2" across the base above the root-flare, and the tree was about 5-1/2 feet high. Then, I took #6 flathead stainless-steel screws, 2-1/2" long, (these screws can be purchased in stores that specialize in marine hardware. Do not be tempted to use brass screws...the heads sheer-off, and the screws are too weak for this application...use only stainless screws), and using a screwgun, drove the screws through the tightly bound mainstems so that the screws went through one stem and then into another stem. You want to make sure that the stems are as close together as possible. Go slow when driving screws or you'll split the stems. The screwheads should be driven only to the point where they just start entering the wood. I placed screws all around this still-tied bundle of stems, so that all the individual stems were tightly screwed together, The screws were placed at various heights. The top branches were not bundled together, and they spread out like an inverted broom. Top branches will be trained in subsequent growing seasons. The shrubs were allowed to grow wild, and I didn't prune away any of the new growth that sprouted all along the mainstems. This extra growth will be pruned away later. All the rampant vegetative growth forced the stems to increase in diameter so much, that mostly all the screwheads are now hidden under a new layer of bark, and the thickening stems are starting to fill in all the empty spaces. Some of the stems are already starting to fuse. I'm hoping that in three or four years the tree will have a completely fused "trunk". This is the training method that I'll use with the fig mainstems, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for equal sucess.

I wish I had enough growing space to allow indivual trees to grow-on until the trunks thickened. I have to grow all my plants and trees on a back sundeck that measures about 10 feet square, so growing space is a big issue. I also have a very small storage shed, so overwintering space is also an issue. Anyway, I'm going to try this training method with my fig trees. I'll lose nothing if this experiment fails.

Not having the luxury of a greenhouse, will no doubt, slow down the whole fusion process ... but, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll keep you posted.

Which nursery in Westbury did you find the Atreano? What size container are they in? How much?

Thanks
~james

For your information I purchased my "ATREANO" trees from Zaino's Nursery, on Brush Hollow Road, in Westbury, NY. (phone: 516-333-7097). Very nice selection of 5 Ft. trees @ $49.99 each. Can't beat that price...plus now there's a 15% discount. I think they're, in 5 gallon containers and the trees looked healthy and clean ... so I took a chance and bought two trees that were loaded with figs. They also had some "BROWN TURKEY", "NEGRONNE", and I think "CELESTE" or "MISSION". Check them out.

I have seen that 'braided' tree (or 2) during my last fall
visit to (now retired) Belleclare Nursery. Though
interesting, I have no intention of doing such a thing.
I remember Chris telling me that they had gotten the idea
from seeing this procedure done on another ficus species
(F. Benjamina ?sp?), the one often seen at HD, etc.

You do bring two important points:
(a) negative: There may be some competing problems when
fusing very different F. Carica cultivars.
(b) positive: A quicker way to get a fat main trunk for
same fig cultivar (wonder about the rush though).

So maybe, this can be considered as one other method of
grafting (with all it's possible winterizing problems)
of multiple compatible figs on an existing main fat trunk...

BTW,
Do you know which nursery in LI took over of all the fig
remnants from Belleclare?

Regards,
George (NJ).

I've seen many Crape Myrtles with braided trunks. As they grow, the braided trunks fuse together. Perhaps the braiding gives the thicker, single trunk more integrity. I would think that where the fusing occurs would remain weak and be subject to splitting. Perhaps someone with more grafting experience could give some insight into the strength of various graft.

Thanks for the nursery info.

~james

On second thoughts, fusing may be different from grafting
(at least for us fig-people up-cold-north).

The main problem with grafting, is that if the main
trunk gets winter-killed, one looses everything,
except maybe the original rootstock cultivar.

Technically, one should expect different results from
fusing, since the different fig cultivars will still have
their own roots. At best one will end up with a multiple
fig bush (how would one initially know which is which?),
and then (maybe) re-start the fusing process again,
again and again...

I have no experience with neither...

George (NJ).

Thanks for your interest in the fuse-grafting of fig tree trunks, and, for all the advise.

I just this morning went out to Zaino"s Nursery in Westbury, NY. to purchase another "ATREANO" fig tree. This is my third and final tree. Now, I'll wait for the figs to ripen, I'll eat the figs, and then, I'll start screwing when the trees go dormant.

bjs 496: I will not try to braid the three trunks. That would probably crack the stems where they crossed over one another.

After the trees enter dormancy in the Fall, I will replant the trees in a large container so that the three original trunks are as close together as possible. Then, using soft, hemp rope, I'll tie the trees at various levels so that the tree trunks can't move around while I drive the stainless-steel screws, which will be used to bind all tree trunks together permanently. The first screw will go through trunk-A and into trunk-B. Then I'll drive another screw through trunk-B and into trunk-C. Another screw will be driven through trunk-C and into trunk-A. It's important that the three screws must be driven at differing heights and NOT to drive all the screws at the same level ... or you'll probably split the trunks. This fastening will be done at various points along the whole lower 2/3rds of the trunk(s). Prune away branches that get in your way, or prevent the trunks from getting close. Don't trap any branches in between the mainstems. Maybe you'll need 5 or 6 screws to complete the task. The upper branches will not be touched at this time. They'll be either pruned-back, or, trained later. When this process is finished, all three trunks will be screwed to each other, and they will not be able to bend or move. The "composite-trunk" will now be much stronger than just one single trunk.

Care of the screw-joined fig trees will follow the usual routine. When Spring '08 rolls around, I'll probably try to air-layer some of the original top branches, and try to root them. If successful, I'll plant these cuttings right next to the "composite-trunk", and I'll train them until they too, are thick enough to be screwed to the main grouping. I'll continue adding new rooted cuttings until the trunk gets as large in diameter as I want. Each rooted cutting, as it grows, will be trained into a new top branch. Eventually these add-ons will also fuse into the main trunk(s).

I'd like to clarify some of the confusion regarding the "fuse-grafting techniques, and training methods that I have used on some trees. I will employ this same method on the fig trees that I have just purchased. I realize that this technique is not for everyone. I just wanted to share this information with you guys. Use it as you wish.

"Fuse-grafting" techniques DO NOT involve cutting into the healthy bark so that the cambium layers can be aligned. No wounds are created by this technique so no insects or diseases will enter or infect the trunks being joined. No special follow-up treatments are needed. It is not labor-intensive. Once the stems are joined together, just follow your regular fig growing routines. The mainstems are simply screwed together to create a fatter, and stronger "trunk". The "composite-trunk" will not be weak, nor will they pull apart. The screwheads will quickly be covered over with new bark, and in time, you will not be able to tell that the heavy, fat trunk was at one time, made up of individual stems. This "grafting" will take a few years, and the spaces between the individual trunks will fill in and smooth over with new bark. Your trees will look like a bundle of tied-up cornstalks for a while so be patient.

In addition, this method consolidates plant material which would normally be grown in separate containers. I do not have the space to grow individual trees, so I needed to find a way to grow my fig trees in one container. Fuse-grafting to the rescue. Now I'll have three times the plant material growing in one place ... and maybe three times the figs too.

I also like seeing trees with short, fat, trunks with lots of taper supporting a nice rack of ramified branchlets. More branches, more nodes, more nodes, more figs. This preference is a hold-over from my bonsai days. Large diameter trunks convey age and endurance. Exposed rootage does too.

I like thinking outside the box. I know that this training method might be too unconventional for some, but I'm going to try it out to see how well it works...or, fails.

Wintering-over will still be a problem for me. I have an unheated shed where I stored some fig trees over the winter '06. The trees did OK. I'm hoping for the same results with my new trees.

I've also read that fig trees can be brought into a heated room to break dormancy about a month before they are ready to be grown outside. For my zone, this would probably be around mid, to late April. I'll try bringing my trees in on Tax Day and I'll put them outside around Mother's Day. I read that it takes about two weeks for dormancy to break and for buds to swell, and, at least another two weeks before the new leaves start suffer from low light. Any thoughts...pro or con?

Yeeeoowww!!! Good luck. Take pics. FF

Figfarmer....Yeeeeoowwww!!!! I'm gettin' figgy with it in the Da-Bronx!!! As soon as I learn how to include pictures in my postings, I will share either my success or failure with the rest of the "fig-heads" out there.

I'll fasten my seat-belt, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!!

By the way, if you google dugzbonsai.com and click on the trident maples ... you'll see just what "fuse-grafting" can produce in time. This of course is a bonsai site, but trees are trees, and the very same methods can be used/adapted for growing figs, and probably, other trees. I know, 'cause I've done it with holly, and, with great results. The holly stems that I screwed together this past Spring has already started fusing into a composite-trunk, and most of the screwheads have been covered over by new bark. The stems are continuing to increase in diameter, and in a few growing seasons I'll have me a holly tree. Winterberry-holly does not grow into "trees", but by nature, produces a clumping shrub with many suckers. So, I've trained this plant material to grow the way I wanted it to grow. Figs are probably no different ...(I hope).

Some have questioned why I was in a hurry to grow big, fat, tree trunks ... I will soon be 58 yrs. old, and, I have an attention span that's measured in seconds. I can't wait for fat trunks to develop natrually. Living in NYC all my life has made me very impatient when it comes to certain things ... which is not good. Waiting for trees to grow thick and fat is one of the things that strips my gears. I want to see the results of my plant-growing efforts yesterday. I've stopped to smell very few roses in my life, and no fig trees are going to slow me down either!

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Effdeevee: Some photo examples illustrating the approach grafting you described with some small F. benjamina. You can also accomplish the same end by other means that include allowing the tree to grow unchecked all grow-season and then pruning hard & judiciously before onset of the next growth cycle.


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Al

REPEAT, REPEAT AND REPEAT:
DOES ANYBODY IN THIS FF KNOW OF
"which nursery in LI (NY) took over of all the fig
remnants from Belleclare? figs"........!?!?!?!?!?!?