If a fig keeps its shoots under wraps, there is a good reason for this growth stop. Read here about the most common reason why a fig tree doesn't sprout. Comprehensible tips explain how to activate the growth of a fig.
What can I do if a fig doesn't bud?
If a fig doesn't bud, apruning will get the shoots going. Young shoots can freeze back in severe frosts. By cutting back frozen, brown-colored wood down to the green branches from June onwards, you activate the sprouting of the intact buds.
Why doesn't my fig bud?
Theshoots are often frozen if a fig (Ficus carica) does not sprout. Thin, young wood in particular can freeze back in severe frost. From a diameter of 5 cm, the branches are spared from frost damage and will sprout in early summer.
Fig tree is conditionally hardy
North of the Alps, a fig tree has to gradually acquire its winter hardiness. Extensive winter protection is recommended for a planted fig, at least in the first five years. Figs grown in pots should overwinter frost-free every year.
How can I activate the shoots on the fig tree?
If a fig tree with frost damage does not bud, apruning will get the shoots going. By cutting back frostbitten wood, you activate the sleeping eyes and buds in the he althy wood body. How to do it right:
- Best time is from June.
- Cut back frozen, brown-colored wood to he althy, juicy green wood.
- If in doubt, cut dead branches in stages until green cambium appears under the bark.
- Place the scissor blades a few millimeters above a swelling bud or leaf shoot.
- Fertilize the fig tree after pruning.
Tip
Early fig varieties
Early fig varieties keep their word and don't make you wait long for budding. A prime example is the noble variety 'Perretta'. In a pot or planted on a sunny house wall, the fig sprouts from the end of April/beginning of May. Other early fig varieties emulate this model, such as 'Morena' and the 'Early Dalmatian Fig'. All of the fig varieties mentioned are self-pollinating and hardy at the same time.
