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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1803555
I was planning a gentle prune/shaping this winter of the fig tree and also of our olive tree which has gone crazy .

I had a look online for advice which was universally of the opinion that pruning of both should be done in the spring .

This struck me as a bit odd : I hope I haven’t killed our specimen Acers which I did earlier this week ...,,
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By Propwash
#1803564
I think the general view is that pruning at this time of the year renders a tree vulnerable to frost before the pruned branches have had a chance to form a protective layer over the cuts. The same is true of roses.

PW
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By OCB
#1803693
Cool - I hadn’t thought about growing my own figs!

It’s the most expensive part of my kefir routine - the semi dried bio figs cost a bliddy fortune.

If I find a spot that works, I’ll also be trying kiwi fruit- something a friend of a friend does amazingly well, on trellis.
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1803727
’Brown Turkey’ is the one to go for : crops early and heavy and can tolerate winter frosts . As above : planted out of wind against S or SW facing wall
#1803801
Going back to the fig tree photo - I thought the chain with bottle screw was a bit extreme. Now, is it holding up the tree, or the wall ?
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By PeteSpencer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1803806
Bill McCarthy wrote:Going back to the fig tree photo - I thought the chain with bottle screw was a bit extreme. Now, is it holding up the tree, or the wall ?


@Bill McCarthy :lol:

The tree blew over to a 45 degree tilt during a howling gale a few weeks ago: My wife spotted it flailing around in the wind and in danger of either snapping off or pulling the roots out of the soil: (it's only been in 4 years)

We both shoved it upright as the wind and the rain lashed down and I propped it up with a plank while I disconnected the chains, turnbuckle and S-hooks I was using to 'espalier' an apple tree at the back of the house and hastily wrapped it round the fig and round a substantial 6 " square fence post behind the fig which was conveniently at the correct angle to support the tree.

Like I said, an emergency temp measure in the dark and in the pis sing rain till all the figs and leaves are off when I will do a permanent job by ramming in a (coupla ) stake(s) behind it for support. I'll then prune it in the spring to regularise its shape which at the moment is a bit lop-sided and means most of the crop is weighted on one side.
So far it's held well through a couple more winter gales. :thumleft: