Smith Productivity Issues

SpiritFarmVa said:
So it’s the old saying a craftsman doesn’t blame his tools?


The question is what is that variable or variables.
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IME, up-potting figs early and frequently to end up in pots with enough soil to grow a large enough rootball and keep the moisture and nutrients adequate and consistent, and plenty of heat and light, does the trick.
 
Figgin' A said:
IME, up-potting figs early and frequently to end up in pots with enough soil to grow a large enough rootball and keep the moisture and nutrients adequate and consistent, and plenty of heat and light, does the trick.
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Excellent! We have plenty of plants to apply that to this year.
Do you have a set fertilizer regimen? ( you may have posted this elsewhere I apologize if this is redundant)
 
One more thing worth mentioning. The one that was less productive initially had some sort of nutrient deficiency as can be seen in this early picture.
figs-794.jpg

I think that's what played a role in the poor initial fruit set, but after I gave it some extra care, it got over it, the leaves cleared up, and it began to set fruit at every node.
 
Figgin' A said:
One more thing worth mentioning. The one that was less productive initially had some sort of nutrient deficiency as can be seen in this early picture.
figs-794.jpg

I think that's what played a role in the poor initial fruit set, but after I gave it some extra care, it got over it, the leaves cleared up, and it began to set fruit at every node.
Click to expand...

Have you tried growing CLBC?
 
Smith can be a finicky one. I suspect that it is sensitive to two specific conditions that not all fig varieties are. It seems to struggle to be vigorous in lower light conditions and grow like a weed in stronger lighting conditions. It also seems very prone to not fruit as much , or at all in years that it is heavily cut back. There are a few other varieties that do this, but smith is definitely one of them for me.
Oddly, it is why I like Cessac so much. It seems less sensitive to those two conditions for me
 
ChesapeakeFigs said:
Smith can be a finicky one. I suspect that it is sensitive to two specific conditions that not all fig varieties are. It seems to struggle to be vigorous in lower light conditions and grow like a weed in stronger lighting conditions. It also seems very prone to not fruit as much , or at all in years that it is heavily cut back. There are a few other varieties that do this, but smith is definitely one of them for me.
Oddly, it is why I like Cessac so much. It seems less sensitive to those two conditions for me
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I pruned my Smith pretty hard last fall, so I am curious to see how mine responds to that.
 
Figgin' A said:
Rooting one right now. I don't expect any ripe fruit this season as I just put it in soil a week ago.
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This one is my most stubborn fig, grows beautifully but shy on fruit, the fruit I had from it were exceptional and very delicious, but whatever I try is not enough to give me more fruits, sunlight, heat, fertilizer, up potting etc.
 
MJFIGS said:
This one is my most stubborn fig, grows beautifully but shy on fruit, the fruit I had from it were exceptional and very delicious, but whatever I try is not enough to give me more fruits, sunlight, heat, fertilizer, up potting etc.
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I heard that about it too and decided to give it a try out of curiosity. I like a good challenge.
 
Figgin' A said:
I rooted two Smith cuttings from two sources last season. One was productive from the start and fruited like it was on steroids. The other one set only a few figs at first; I thought it was a straggler, but a few weeks later, it was loaded, too. I am convinced that, in most cases, it's not what we grow but how we grow it. If your Smith isn't productive, there is something in the growing environment it doesn't like.

A picture of one of my Smith trees last season, about 7-8 months after I rooted it:
figs-793.jpg
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"Come on man?!'
Lol
 
Figgin' A said:
I rooted two Smith cuttings from two sources last season. One was productive from the start and fruited like it was on steroids. The other one set only a few figs at first; I thought it was a straggler, but a few weeks later, it was loaded, too. I am convinced that, in most cases, it's not what we grow but how we grow it. If your Smith isn't productive, there is something in the growing environment it doesn't like.

A picture of one of my Smith trees last season, about 7-8 months after I rooted it:
figs-793.jpg
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I dont think I read this in full. This is a 7 - 8 months old?
 
MJFIGS said:
Many people struggle with Smith not being productive. I experienced the same with different Smith varieties from different sources.

However, one particular tree I had was exceptionally productive and I believe it was pure luck, that I got a cutting off a branch that was a sport of some kind, could be or not, it is just so productive.

Below is a video I took of some of the cuttings Im rooting now, I rooted a few to sell and to keep as backup for myself because 8 Smith trees is not enough 😅

Oh I dont know if its legal, but Im calling it Smith MJS ( MJ Strain/Sport ) 🫣

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Do you have any cuttings available for Sale? that arent rooted.
 
LOL this is not the first time that
@Figgin' A, has done this. I have a VDB from @Figgin' A that is also likely a superior phenotype, this one looks to be the same thing. Lightning striking twice in the same spot. If one follows @Figgin' A he is a master pruner. He has written two Masterwork threads on pinching (Pinch# 1, and 2 as a big part of pruning. A two-part thread that dominates how I shape my trees. He does manage to get some great phenotypes, and then he improves them. He's been the subject of more than one thread on Superior phenotypes of varieties. Look at his picture, he's growing in Canada. This is not an accident of fate
 
Figless said:
LOL this is not the first time that
@Figgin' A, has done this. I have a VDB from @Figgin' A that is also likely a superior phenotype, this one looks to be the same thing. Lightning striking twice in the same spot. If one follows @Figgin' A he is a master pruner. He has written two Masterwork threads on pinching (Pinch# 1, and 2 as a big part of pruning. A two-part thread that dominates how I shape my trees. He does manage to get some great phenotypes, and then he improves them. He's been the subject of more than one thread on Superior phenotypes of varieties. Look at his picture, he's growing in Canada. This is not an accident of fate
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:)
 
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