Descripción
This marks the start of a new video series on growing and caring for fig trees, where I take you around the trees and share great nuggets of information. Unedited and filmed in one shot, podcast vlog style.
In this video, Ross (the "Fig Boss") shares his streamlined approach to managing young fig trees, focusing heavily on hormone manipulation and strategic pruning to maximize second-year fruit quality. To bypass the slow process of growing single-stem whips, he advocates for "pinching" or topping the growth tips of young potted figs as soon as their leaves grow larger than a human hand—a physical cue that the plant is receiving sufficient sunlight. This pruning method disrupts auxin hormones that normally suppress lower growth, forcing the tree to immediately establish three to four strong scaffold branches in its very first season. Furthermore, Ross emphasizes the importance of stripping all fruit during a tree's first year because young figs drain vital energy and typically yield poor-tasting fruit anyway; removing them allows the tree to focus its resources entirely on building a robust structural framework.
Beyond pruning, Ross outlines a low-maintenance but highly disciplined routine for irrigation, soil health, and winter survival in his Zone 7A Philadelphia climate. He relies on automated daily irrigation to keep potted trees consistently moist during intense summer heat, warning that while figs are resilient enough to survive drought, underwatering causes them to drop their leaves and fruit. To keep his chores manageable, he plants his figs in a nutrient-dense, fungal-dominated mushroom compost and applies a single annual top-dressing of slow-release fertilizer beads (Osmocote). Finally, Ross addresses the reality of severe winter dieback, explaining that while rare varieties like Ronde de Bordeaux can successfully fruit from the ground up, providing reliable winter protection for the base and crown is essential for establishing an older, mature root system that guarantees high-quality, consistent yields.
Looking for fig trees or cuttings? Check out the Fig Boss storefront: https://www.figboss.com/category/all-products
For more fig growing tips, check out the Fig Boss blog: https://www.figboss.com/
The Fig Tree Timeline: https://shorturl.at/p5u6q
Need help with your fig tree? Contact me: https://www.figboss.com/contact
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Zone 7A - Greater Philadelphia
00:00 Introduction & Orchard Update
05:00 The Pinching Technique & Scaffold Training
12:00 Automated Irrigation & Drought Tolerance
15:50 Identifying Common vs. Smyrna Figs (Anatomy Hack)
22:37 Best Soil, Compost & Fertilizers
28:00 Why You Must Remove First-Year Fruit
35:50 Understanding Fig Tree Hormones
51:44 Winter Protection & Fruiting from Dieback