Many fig lovers wait impatiently in early spring for the figs they cultivated in pots or outdoors to sprout again and subsequently produce plenty of fruit. Sometimes all the fruit trees are already in full bloom and spring is almost over until the fig gently shows delicate green shoots.
How do you stimulate the budding of a fig tree?
The sprouting of a fig tree can be stimulated by proper pruning in spring, regular watering and repotting in fresh soil. For bucket figs, overwintering should take place in a cool, dark room before they are brought outside.
Planted figs sprout late
The first sign that the juices are rising and the fig tree is sprouting are the thickening buds. These are brightly colored and give slightly under gentle finger pressure. If there are no fresh shoots in the upper area of the fruit tree, you should be patient. Even a supposedly frozen fig often sprouts new growth from the rootstock.
Important: The right cut
Cut back anything that has frozen on outdoor figs in early spring. Since figs grow on the previous year's wood, it is possible that heavily pruned fruit trees will initially produce shoots but no fruit after a harsh winter. However, pruning stimulates shoot formation and there is the possibility that so-called winter fruits will form on the fresh shoots over the course of the warm summer months.
Unfortunately, these fruits do not fully ripen outdoors in our latitudes. Since the tree drops these figs in winter, you can remove the fruits in autumn.
Stimulating the budding of a bucket fig
If the figs overwintered in a dark and cool room during the cold season, you should move the potted plants to a bright, frost-free room in early spring. Daylight stimulates the budding of the fig tree. Keep the fig well moist. However, avoid waterlogging, to which the tree is very sensitive at this time.
Repotting stimulates shoot formation
To stimulate the formation of new shoots, you can cut the fig back in spring and repot it in fresh soil. When moving, trim the roots and completely remove the root felt. When cutting the roots, always use sharp secateurs (€14.00 on Amazon) or a well-cleaned saw so that no bacteria can penetrate the rootstock through the cuts. Slowly get the tree used to the changed site conditions. Sudden strong sunlight can burn the leaves and result in leaf drop.
Tips & Tricks
How well the fig survives the cold season depends on the right location. Frost-resistant plants survive short periods of cold with low temperatures down to -15 degrees.
