How to grow figs in winter
The editor answers the topic of how to grow figs in winter and the precautions for fig cultivation in winter for netizens. Below, the editor will provide you with detailed answers.
Figs, also known as "celestial fruit," have delicious and nutritious fruits, suitable for consumption by people of all ages. As a rare fruit, figs are relatively expensive in the market, so many people like to plant fig trees in their courtyards or on their balconies. This not only allows them to enjoy the delicious fruits but also beautifies the environment.
The original habitat of figs is in regions such as Turkey and Afghanistan around the Mediterranean Sea, and they were introduced to China from Persia during the Tang Dynasty. Figs are typical southern fruit trees and are not very cold-resistant, easily getting frostbitten. To ensure that figs can safely survive the winter, we can take the following four measures:
1. Apply winter fertilizer to ground-planted trees, do not fertilize potted plants
Apply winter fertilizer to ground-planted trees
As winter temperatures continue to drop, the leaves of fig trees will turn yellow and fall off. For ground-planted fig trees, after the leaves have fallen and before the ground freezes, we need to bury some winter fertilizer in the soil around the tree. Usually, decomposed organic fertilizers are used, such as decomposed cow and sheep manure, fruit peel fertilizer, and soybean cake fertilizer. The fertilizer buried in winter will slowly dissolve into the soil, providing ample nutrients for the trees in the spring, leading to rapid sprouting and growth of branches and leaves. When fertilizing, make sure it is not too close to the roots, at least 15 centimeters away from the main trunk.
Do not fertilize potted plants
For potted fig trees, there is no need to fertilize in winter. The limited space in potted planters can cause the concentration of fertilizer in the soil to become too high, easily burning the roots.
How to grow figs in winter
2. Take good insulation measures
Insulating potted fig trees
Figs are southern fruit trees and are not very cold-resistant, capable of tolerating temperatures as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius. Most southern regions and a few northern regions can overwinter outdoors, but in some northern regions where the lowest winter temperatures drop below 15 degrees, fig trees can only be grown in pots and need to be moved indoors or onto the balcony for care during winter. Potted fig trees, because of their shallow roots, should maintain temperatures no lower than minus 10 degrees Celsius in winter, otherwise, the roots may get frostbitten.
Insulating outdoor fig trees
(Figs trees painted white in the ground)
For outdoor-grown fig trees, after the leaves have fallen in winter, it is recommended to paint the branches white. This means applying lime water to the main trunk of the fig tree. This not only helps retain heat but also kills pests in the branches, making the tree less likely to get sick the following year.
(Figs trees wrapped in woven bags in the courtyard)
If the wind is strong during the local winter, it can easily draw moisture from the fig branches, causing them to dry out and affecting growth the following year. We can also prepare some woven bags or straw and tie the woven bags around the branches with strings to provide good insulation and moisture retention.