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Should I clip this side sprout on young brown turkey fig tree?

10 years ago

About 2 weeks ago, I transplanted this baby from an air layering I did. It's been steadily growing, and I noticed that at the bottom, there is a sprout that will branch out eventually. So I'm wondering if I should trim off this piece to allow more energy in the main leader branch (2nd picture). What do you all think? Thanks for any advice!

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Comments (5)

Rigo76443
10 years ago
depends on if you want to make it a Tree or a Bush, i personally like fig tree as bush because they produce more and more likely to come back with cold weather hits.

So i would leave the bottom sprouts alone.
Tony3
10 years ago
General rules for pruning:
1. If it is diseased - cut it
2. If it opens the center of the tree - cut it
3. If two branches cross - cut one
4. Every thing else is a matter of personal taste.
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Jean, I've had a number of figs, in-ground, here in western KY for 15 years. These are planted in exposed sites, out in my orchard. I don't provide any protection, and they freeze to the ground every winter, but re-grow, and sometimes ripen fruit before frost in the fall. But, if planted in a 'protected' spot, or provided a modicum of protection, they probably wouldn't have to 'start over' every year. I have a friend in Lexington who builds straw-bale 'houses' around his figs each winter, and they come through unscathed - that's just more trouble and expense than I'm willing to go to. I've since rooted cuttings from most of mine, and just keep 'em in pots and stick them under the house in the unheated crawlspace from Thanksgiving until spring. Brown Turkey should do OK - and if it's at a big box store, no one knows if it's really BT or not. Celeste/TN Mountain Fig, and Hardy Chicago *might* be better selections, but I wouldn't worry too much about selection 'til you see how a generic fig is gonna work for you.
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Hi, lkutz: Looks like you have to find ways to deter that pesty deer or deers as it likes to chew on your fig tree no matter what time of the year! Since there are growths at the base of your tree, your tree is OK! I wonder if the burlap was not sufficient to prevent coldness to your tree. Maybe the harsh, cold wind during winter blown through the burlap and dried the fig tree's branches?! I would add a big cardboard box to cover the fig tree and covered the whole thing with a large plastic sheet to keep it dry. Of course, there must be lots of dried leaves inside to keep the tree warm. My mistake was that I did not cover my fig tree with a plastic sheet to shield away from the outside element and melted snow got into my tree and caused the mold! All of my fig tree's top branches have died because of the molds, so my fig tree has reduced to about 1 foot from the ground. It was upsetting to see that, but I can comfort myself that at least my now shortened fig tree survived the winter. Now there are a lot of growths at the low branches of it.
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You could possibly be having the problem of youthfullness (I should have such a problem!). The first two fig trees I purchased didn't give me an edible fig until their fourth year with me. Also, if you got caught in that heat wave with triple digit temperatures, this could be the cause of fruit drop. Full sun should not be a problem. Figs do like an alkaline soil, and I personally believe an extra shot of phosphates often helps production.....Elder (Lou)
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I know of a few fig trees that do well in Salt Lake. Two of the larger ones dont fruit for various reasons. I have 5 trees from 2 - 5 years that are in the ground. The brown Turkey's struggle the most with the cold (despite being said to be the best for SLC) but covered ... wrapped in cloth and covered with garbage bags of leaves when small ... worked for me. Cover as much as possible. Cover as much of the trees from the ground up .... it will sprout and give some figs within the Salt Lake season if there is just a foot or two of unkilled wood. My oldest BT was uncovered and died down to about 2 feet. I covered a new Hardy Celeste form Paradise last winter and it gave figs. A Kentucky Wonder (celeste) died to the ground, but grew like crazy this summer. We will see this winter. A supposed Black mission gives great figs and surives uncovered. It is 10 feet plus tall and 5 years old. A 4 year old Alma honey fig (from paradise) survives uncovered with no winter damage and gives great figs .... seems to be my hardiest. I have a fig of 3 years that I have not identified, but that I got from a cutting in Springdale, UT that seems very cold hardy, but grows very slowly? All the trees are sheltered and on the south of the house, or south of a wood fence. I also stop watering them as soon as they fruit so they are as dry as possible ... although this year things are wet. I dont plan on covering anything except my few new small transplants.
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foolishpleasure
10 years ago
How long did it take your air-layer to produce sufficient roote. Is it 8 weeks. Mine has 4 weeks and I DON'T WANT TO OPEN IT TO LOOK because I don't want to disturb things.
frankcbd
Original Author
10 years ago
It was about 5 weeks when I noticed a LOT of roots. We had some good humid weather, which may have sped up the growth. You won't hurt anything by looking at it. Just be very careful once you are ready to remove the plastic, as the roots are extremely brittle. I actually snapped a lot of roots off when i put too much pressure adding soil to the pot, but it's been 3 weeks and the tree never showed signs of fatigue and actually has flourished more than the other branch I transferred more carefully.
bronxfigs: New York City/7b
10 years ago
You have included no information re: your climate zone, nor how you plan to overwinter this small, young tree. This size plant needs lots of TLC for the cool winter weather.

If you allow the sprouts to grow from the bottom portion of the stem, you will eventually have a bushy plant. Allowing only the main stem to grow, and removing bottom shoots will give you a standard, tree-form with a single stem. It depends on what you want. Multi-stemmed bushes will give you more figs, and more insurance in case some stems are killed back in cold weather.

In any event, you can let that small tree grow for a number of years before deciding which way to go. You can always air-layer all the extra stems, and start new trees. You have many options. Good luck, good growing.

Frank

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