How to plant figs
Main text introduction: This article shares experience on how to plant figs and the key points of fig cultivation techniques in green plant maintenance. Next, the editor of the website will introduce the information to netizens.
Figs are a unique type of fruit tree, belonging to the Mulberry family, deciduous shrubs or small trees, rich in nutrients. Their fruits contain benzaldehyde, psoralen, bergamot lactone, and abundant trace elements such as magnesium, zinc, and selenium. Magnesium, selenium, and zinc are essential trace elements for maintaining normal vitality of the body, and they have anti-cancer and anti-cardiovascular disease effects. Figs can enhance stomach function, aid digestion, reduce swelling and detoxify, improve eyesight, generate saliva, and relieve diarrhea. Regular consumption of figs can purify the intestines, promote the excretion of toxic substances, and have a good preventive effect on diseases such as stomach cancer, liver cancer, and esophageal cancer. Figs are one of the main raw materials for the production of anti-cancer drugs. In addition to having high medicinal value, figs can also be eaten as fruit. In recent years, cultivation has received widespread attention and is known as the "third-generation fruit." Below is a summary of some characteristics of figs and a brief introduction to their cultivation techniques.
1 Characteristics of figs
The fig tree has a moderate to strong growth habit, with upright new shoots, numerous fine branches, robust small branches, and a compact plant shape. The leaves are obovate or nearly round, 10-12 cm long, with 3-5 deep lobes, a rounded apex, irregularly serrated margins, a rough upper surface, and pubescent undersides. The flowers are unisexual, with male and female flowers on the same plant, and the fruit is composed of the flower receptacle and other floral organs. The fruit is oblate or ovate, varying in size depending on the variety; the maturity period also varies, with early varieties maturing in July and late varieties in October; mature fruits split at the top; different varieties have various skin and flesh colors, with green or purple skin and flesh ranging from pink to deep red.
The fig tree grows rapidly and forms early, bearing fruit in the first year of planting and entering the full fruiting stage in the third year after planting. The yield can reach 1500 kilograms per mu, and over 2000 kilograms per mu for trees older than 5 years.
Figs have summer fruit varieties and autumn fruit varieties, and can bear fruit twice a year. Summer fruits often grow at the base of 1-5 leaf axils. The fruit development period is 60-80 days, the tree has a long lifespan, is resistant to diseases and pests, and is easy to cultivate.
Figs are adaptable to various environments, requiring sunlight, warmth, cold resistance, tolerance to barren and saline-alkali soils, and are not strict about soil requirements, with a wide range of adaptability. They can be cultivated in many parts of the country, with the main producing areas in the south of the Yangtze River. In areas north of the Yangtze River, young trees need to be protected from the cold.
2 Key points of cultivation techniques
2.1 Selection of orchard site
A good orchard and cultivation environment is particularly important for the growth and development of figs. Figs are deciduous fruit trees, preferring warm and high-temperature conditions but also somewhat cold-resistant. They are adaptable to a wide range of soils, including sandy, loamy, clayey, acidic, neutral, and alkaline soils, with deep, fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil being the most suitable. Figs have a wide range of suitable habitats and can be grown in plains, hills, dry fields, saline-alkali soils, and coastal beaches that can be watered in case of drought and drained in case of flooding. Since figs are soft and juicy and have poor storability, it is inconvenient to transport them. Therefore, when developing orchards, it is best to choose locations with convenient transportation and close to cities or processing plants for processing and sales.
2.2 Seedling propagation
There are many methods of fig seedling propagation, including cutting propagation, layering propagation, and division propagation, with cutting propagation being the main method.
(1) Cutting propagation. It can be done in spring and autumn, with spring propagation around Qingming (April 4th) and autumn propagation in September-October after the leaves fall. The principle of "later in spring and earlier in autumn" should be followed when propagating. The soil temperature should be above 15°C for cutting, as low soil temperature is not conducive to root formation and affects the survival rate of cuttings. Choose a neutral soil with good drainage, flat terrain, deep soil layer, and a sunny aspect for the seedbed. Before propagation, the soil should be tilled to a depth of about 30 cm, with well-rotted farm manure applied at a rate of over 4000 kg per mu. After tilling, level the soil and form ridges 1.5-2.0 meters wide. Collect 1-year-old healthy branches for cuttings during autumn pruning, with autumn cuttings planted immediately and spring cuttings stored in sand. Cuttings are usually about 20 cm long, with a flat top and a slanted bottom, ensuring each cutting has 3-4 buds. Before planting, soak the cuttings in a 10 mg/kg rooting powder solution for 2-3 hours, then plant them at a spacing of 30 cm between plants and 40 cm between rows, with one bud exposed above the ground. Water after planting if conditions allow, then cover with black plastic film. After the cuttings have survived, pinch the tips when the seedlings are 15-20 cm tall and fertilize appropriately to ensure healthy growth of the seedlings.
(2) Layering propagation. Use the branches at the base of the mother tree for layering. Select branches about 1 meter long and growing robustly, dig a trench about 15 cm deep 5-10 cm from the base of the mother plant, press the branch into the trench, water thoroughly, and usually within about 1 month, it can be separated from the mother plant.
(3) Division propagation. Just before germination in spring, separate the suckers from the base of the plant with roots and transplant them.
2.3 Transplanting
It should be done before sprouting in spring or after defoliation in autumn until the soil freezes. The minimum height of the transplanted seedlings should be 60 cm, and they can generally be planted with a row spacing of 3 meters and a plant spacing of 2 meters. When planting, make sure to dig a large hole, about 60 cm3 in size. After planting, firm the soil, water immediately, and after the water has渗透, cover the hole with dry soil from between the rows and then cover the tree basin with plastic film to retain moisture and improve survival rates.
2.4 Post-transplanting management
(1) Moisture retention. Although figs are adaptable, poor soil moisture can affect plant growth and is not conducive to yield improvement. In the north of China, moisture retention should be done to promote healthy plant growth and improve fruiting ability. For 1-3-year-old trees, moisture retention can be achieved by covering the tree basin, while for trees older than 4 years, moisture retention can be achieved by covering the planting rows with film. The larger the covered area, the better the moisture retention effect. It is best to use black plastic film, which can retain moisture and also suppress weeds, reducing labor.
(2) Inter cropping. In the first two years after planting figs, due to the small size of the trees and the large space between rows, inter cropping can be done to increase income. At the same time, fertilizing, loosening the soil, and weeding for the intercropped plants can strengthen soil management and benefit the growth of fig trees. When intercropping in a fig orchard, it is important to choose low-stalked, short-crowned, shallow-rooted crops such as melons, beans, and potatoes, and avoid planting tall-stalked crops such as corn, sorghum, and deep-rooted crops like flax and alfalfa.
(3) Fertilization. Although figs are tolerant to barren soils, the formation of yield is closely related to material supply. To increase yield, it is necessary to supply fertilizer in a timely manner to ensure material supply. Fertilization should be done once after harvesting, before spring sprouting, and during fruit expansion each year to meet nutritional needs. After harvesting, organic fertilizers and slow-release phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be used, with organic fertilizers applied at 0.5-5.0 kg per tree and phosphate diammonium and potassium sulfate at 0.1-0.5 kg per tree. Before spring sprouting, high-nitrogen compound fertilizers should be used, with 0.2-2.5 kg per tree depending on tree size. During fruit expansion, low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus, medium-potassium compound fertilizers should be used, with 0.2-2.5 kg per tree depending on tree size. Fertilize after digging a trench at the edge of the tree canopy after harvesting, and use a dot梅花 digging method for flowering and fruit expansion fertilizers.
(4) Weeding. For fig orchards without intercropping, weeds should be removed in a timely manner to reduce the consumption of soil nutrients and ensure the smooth growth and fruiting of the plants.
(5) Pruning. Figs have many fine branches and are prone to poor lighting, affecting growth and fruiting. Pruning should be done to ensure good ventilation and light penetration in the orchard, improving fruiting ability. When pruning figs, attention should be paid to the following aspects: ① The tree shape of figs is mainly multi-trunk natural open, with a trunk height of 30-80 cm, and 3-5 main branches can be selected based on the actual growth of the tree. ② Different varieties require different pruning techniques, and these should be distinguished during pruning. Generally, summer fruit varieties should focus on thinning, while autumn fruit varieties should focus on shortening and reducing. ③ After the fig tree is injured, a large amount of sap will flow out, weakening the tree, so light pruning should be practiced to avoid causing too many injuries to the tree and prevent weakening. ④ Figs prefer sunlight, so dry branches, suckering branches, diseased branches, intersecting branches, overlapping branches, and root suckers that affect lighting should be thinned to maintain good ventilation and light penetration in the tree. ⑤ Control the tree's growth and improve fruiting ability. Young fig trees grow vigorously with weak flowering ability, and upright branches can be pulled flat in summer to inhibit excessive growth, moderate the growth, promote flowering, and improve fruiting ability. ⑥ Strengthen the renewal of fruiting branches. Although figs have a strong continuous fruiting ability, the fruiting ability decreases when the fruiting branches are too old, leading to reduced yield and smaller fruit size. Therefore, fruiting branches that have borne fruit for 3-4 years should be thinned or reduced to accelerate the renewal of fruiting branches and maintain vigorous fruiting ability.
(6) Frost protection. Figs have poor cold resistance and are prone to frost damage in colder areas. It is important to protect the tree and prevent frost damage. For 1-2-year-old young trees, winter mulching with soil can be used for protection, while for trees older than 3 years, methods such as wrapping the trunk with straw or paper can be used to reduce the occurrence of frost damage.
The above information provides a specific introduction to how to plant figs and the key points of fig cultivation techniques for your reference.