Fig with most net production?

MFJFIGS said:
Oak,
Do you seal the wood where you cut?
My I-258 has a 4-1/2 foot high single trunk below the lowest branch, and a top parapet that is quite large. I plan on cutting the main trunk at 30ā€ above soil very early in March before I bring it out of dormancy. I know that will set it back but hope that a long enough season will allow it to grow and maybe ripen some fruitsā€¦ what do you think?
I usually seal the wound with waterproof Tilebondā€¦ hopefully it will branch out near the top and not send new growth from below or near the soil line.

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
I do. I noticed it makes a huge difference later, as the cuts don't turn black and deteriorate. I haven't sealed this year yet, but I will be doing it soon. Last year I used wood glue and it worked well.

Can you remind me, is your I-258 potted or in the ground? For potted, even 30" would be too high for me. Mine is 13" from the soil level to the lowest scaffold and 17"-18" to the highest, and I would love them to be 5-6 inches lower. I discovered that in the grow tent with a long head start, every inch counts. That's why I pruned my I-258 so hard this year, as its scaffolds were too long. I also don't like too much empty space at the bottom.

Heading the main trunk or hard-pruning scaffolds will likely set them back about the same, except the former will produce fewer fruiting branches and hence less fruit... I think your growing season is about 2-3 weeks longer, so March should be OK, but for me, February is more appropriate. If I didn't prune, I probably could get away with waking mine up in early March.
 
SpiritFarmVa said:
Has any one ever tried notching over a bud to force the ones they want to push?
Click to expand...
Absolutely! Iā€™ve tried many methods but this has been the most reliable way for me to induce branching. It isnā€™t prettyā€¦. And I seal the cut so as to not attract borersā€¦. But it works well. Iā€™ll find some pics to show
SpiritFarmVa said:
Has any one ever tried notching over a bud to force the ones they want to push?
Click to expand...

I've had some very stubborn trees that just didn't want to send out branches. I've tried hormones, bending.... It's not pretty... especially at first... but it works most of the time. To seal it I need to switch to something that matches the bark better

a.jpgb.jpgc.JPGd.jpg
 
TorontoJoe said:
Absolutely! Iā€™ve tried many methods but this has been the most reliable way for me to induce branching. It isnā€™t prettyā€¦. And I seal the cut so as to not attract borersā€¦. But it works well. Iā€™ll find some pics to show


I've had some very stubborn trees that just didn't want to send out branches. I've tried hormones, bending.... It's not pretty... especially at first... but it works most of the time. To seal it I need to switch to something that matches the bark better

View attachment 3034View attachment 3035View attachment 3036View attachment 3037
Click to expand...
I have some 7 gallon whips that I was going to do that to in the spring . Thanks now I can be more confident that Iā€™m not maturing something.

Bonsai wound pastes are wood colored by the way.
 
Just be careful if they're not too developed or top heavy. it can weaken the branch enough to snap it in the wind. It that's a concern you can tie a splint off on either side of the notch to stabilize it
 
TorontoJoe said:
Just be careful if they're not too developed or top heavy. it can weaken the branch enough to snap it in the wind. It that's a concern you can tie a splint off on either side of the notch to stabilize it
Click to expand...
I was going to start my scaffolds pretty low so itā€™s not too top heavy, but I might still need a stake.
 
SpiritFarmVa said:
I was going to start my scaffolds pretty low so itā€™s not too top heavy, but I might still need a stake.
Click to expand...
I had a main leader about the diameter of a dime. I probably went in a bit too far around the circumference... but I snapped it off. There was some choice language used when I discovered it.

I can't stress enough the importance of sealing it if doing it at a time when borers might be present. They can sniff the wound and it will become the entry point. I lost several trees down to the ground.
 
TorontoJoe said:
Absolutely! Iā€™ve tried many methods but this has been the most reliable way for me to induce branching. It isnā€™t prettyā€¦. And I seal the cut so as to not attract borersā€¦. But it works well. Iā€™ll find some pics to show


I've had some very stubborn trees that just didn't want to send out branches. I've tried hormones, bending.... It's not pretty... especially at first... but it works most of the time. To seal it I need to switch to something that matches the bark better

View attachment 3034View attachment 3035View attachment 3036View attachment 3037
Click to expand...
Off subject. But beautiful Iris's.
 
Figgin' A said:
I do. I noticed it makes a huge difference later, as the cuts don't turn black and deteriorate. I haven't sealed this year yet, but I will be doing it soon. Last year I used wood glue and it worked well.

Can you remind me, is your I-258 potted or in the ground? For potted, even 30" would be too high for me. Mine is 13" from the soil level to the lowest scaffold and 17"-18" to the highest, and I would love them to be 5-6 inches lower. I discovered that in the grow tent with a long head start, every inch counts. That's why I pruned my I-258 so hard this year, as its scaffolds were too long. I also don't like too much empty space at the bottom.

Heading the main trunk or hard-pruning scaffolds will likely set them back about the same, except the former will produce fewer fruiting branches and hence less fruit... I think your growing season is about 2-3 weeks longer, so March should be OK, but for me, February is more appropriate. If I didn't prune, I probably could get away with waking mine up in early March.
Click to expand...

My I-258 is in a 15-gallon pot. It grew over 8 ft tall in one season, and so did a few other first leaf trees. In January, I may bring the I-258, CDD Noire, Paratjal Rimada, and BMKK inside the house (four season room) to wake them up early, after a hard pruning. First week of March, I switch on the lights in the garage and will move them there with the other 25+ potted trees.
Not sure how much water these four trees will need during Jan & Feb when inside the glass room, or how much new growth they could put onā€¦ Hopefully they will not cause me any problems headache with the boss.
I welcome your thoughts friends (save me from myself!!!)
 
TorontoJoe said:
Absolutely! Iā€™ve tried many methods but this has been the most reliable way for me to induce branching. It isnā€™t prettyā€¦. And I seal the cut so as to not attract borersā€¦. But it works well. Iā€™ll find some pics to show


I've had some very stubborn trees that just didn't want to send out branches. I've tried hormones, bending.... It's not pretty... especially at first... but it works most of the time. To seal it I need to switch to something that matches the bark better

View attachment 3034View attachment 3035View attachment 3036View attachment 3037
Click to expand...

Joe,
Explain this to me as if I were 5 please.
Does that mean I could notch the main trunk on my I-258 instead of cutting it down? And does the part above the notch continue to grow and bare fruits?

I consulted with AI šŸ˜„ and found this info-

 

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Yes, notching you do not have to cut it down.

Anything above the notch will continue to grow normally. It affects the flow of natural hormones to that node in the same way it would had you cut it down. This is to create the same effect without cutting it off altogether.

The notch needs to be fairly severe with a good gap in the bark layer so it doesn't rejoin. Some use a hacksaw blade. I tried that and found it wasn't wide enough for me. I seem to recall there are actually notching tools made for this purpose that are used by orchards.

The notch in the image you posted does not work in my experience. I found that I need to go 180 degrees around and be (hold on, doing conversion from metric) around 1/8 to 3/16 wide so as not to seal.

I don't do it only on the main trunk... I will also notch scaffolds if they have stubborn notes that won't branch out.

I've done this a lot so please feel free to ask if you have any questions.
 
That is very helpful.
Can I do two or three notches at the same time along the main trunk? ( this is related to the I-258 tree in my other post)
 
MFJFIGS said:
Joe,
Explain this to me as if I were 5 please.
Does that mean I could notch the main trunk on my I-258 instead of cutting it down? And does the part above the notch continue to grow and bare fruits?

I consulted with AI šŸ˜„ and found this info-

Click to expand...
My second image is more severe than necessary. The gap does not need to be that wide.
 
SpiritFarmVa said:
I have some 7 gallon whips that I was going to do that to in the spring . Thanks now I can be more confident that Iā€™m not maturing something.

Bonsai wound pastes are wood colored by the way.
Click to expand...
I've never done bonsai.... What are these pastes you speak of?
 
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