Help Organizing Fig Trees In-ground

How would you arrange your trees?

  • Arrange by alphabetical order.

  • Arrange by earliness.

  • Arrange by flavor profile.

  • Other.


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Steven J.

Well-known member
I have decided to plant my trees in-ground again, but my personality doesn't allow me to just plant them randomly. I wish there were a way to account for newly aquired varieties. Right now, I have them in alphabetical order so I can identify them if the labels are rubbed off. I have considered organizing by earliness (left to right around fence), or by flavor profiles.

How would you organize them?

How would that work out with new additions to the collection?
 
If I knew the figs I’d end up with, I’d order them by ripening times (earliness) to make searching for them easier, but unfortunately that’s not how I acquire them! Also, your trees will behave specific to your yard/climate so you will have to learn this, except for a few standout early figs and late figs. Also you’ll cull some along the way, some will die for whatever reason. You’ll be sticking new ones in places that will mess up your order. And other things like vigor matter too. Plus there’s always different microclimates and different figs do better in different microclimates. I say let chaos reign and put/move the figs where they seem happiest. Some will need more shade. Rather than culling a fig try changing its environment if it has a great reputation. Some will need more sun and space or more or less continuous moisture. Amazingly, you’ll learn to recognize what they are and enjoy the search around your orchard.
 
If I knew the figs I’d end up with, I’d order them by ripening times (earliness) to make searching for them easier, but unfortunately that’s not how I acquire them! Also, your trees will behave specific to your yard/climate so you will have to learn this, except for a few standout early figs and late figs. Also you’ll cull some along the way, some will die for whatever reason. You’ll be sticking new ones in places that will mess up your order. And other things like vigor matter too. Plus there’s always different microclimates and different figs do better in different microclimates. I say let chaos reign and put/move the figs where they seem happiest. Some will need more shade. Rather than culling a fig try changing its environment if it has a great reputation. Some will need more sun and space or more or less continuous moisture. Amazingly, you’ll learn to recognize what they are and enjoy the search around your orchard.
This is great! Thank you for such a thorough response. This gave me a lot to think about.
 
If you have a designated area for figs you have now and future figs. I would either plant front to back or back to front. Depending on whether you want the newest or oldest closer to your home. Since you have an idea of how you want to do it. You can map them. By row and number in row. If you lose a label it won't matter. Breeding programs do this.
 
If you have a designated area for figs you have now and future figs. I would either plant front to back or back to front. Depending on whether you want the newest or oldest closer to your home. Since you have an idea of how you want to do it. You can map them. By row and number in row. If you lose a label it won't matter. Breeding programs do this.
Good point. I always map my figs just in case.
 
I have decided to plant my trees in-ground again, but my personality doesn't allow me to just plant them randomly. I wish there were a way to account for newly aquired varieties. Right now, I have them in alphabetical order so I can identify them if the labels are rubbed off. I have considered organizing by earliness (left to right around fence), or by flavor profiles.

How would you organize them?

How would that work out with new additions to the collection?
I have my trees in a tree inventory software. Seems like overkill but I have access through it at work so I mise well use it.
 
I have decided to plant my trees in-ground again, but my personality doesn't allow me to just plant them randomly. I wish there were a way to account for newly aquired varieties. Right now, I have them in alphabetical order so I can identify them if the labels are rubbed off. I have considered organizing by earliness (left to right around fence), or by flavor profiles.

How would you organize them?

How would that work out with new additions to the collection?
I planted mine based on height, trees that could get tallest went on the west side and shorter on the east, somehow i ended up planting like %90 yellow and green on one side and like 90% dark on the west.
 
I was quick to choose earliness but that might not be as much a factor for you. Here I want to latest producers to get as much sun and nutrients as possible and try to arrange to that.

Also, the trees I have at my house, I arrange to have the most attractive ones up front... at least the ones in front of the house that face the street.
 
If you have a designated area for figs you have now and future figs. I would either plant front to back or back to front. Depending on whether you want the newest or oldest closer to your home. Since you have an idea of how you want to do it. You can map them. By row and number in row. If you lose a label it won't matter. Breeding programs do this.
That is a great idea. I think I will incorporate some version of this. Thanks, Mike.
 
If space and spacing isn’t an issue, you can’t really go wrong any direction you take.

When I first planted my trees, I had no idea what I was doing. I wanted a yellow, black and green fig to pair with my Family Etna purple fig. On the side of the house, I was limited to 12’ to plant three trees (yellow, green and purple) 4’ on center with 2’ on each end. The purple fig on eastern side shades out the green fig in morning and the yellow fig on western side shades out the green fig in evening. My other fig trees are planted randomly and wherever I can clear an area to make room.
 
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