Caring for home figs. Growing a fruiting fig tree on a windowsill

Homeland figs N.I. Vavilov refers to the Western Asian focus, namely in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bmodern Yemen. Latin name indicates the cultivation of figs in ancient Caria, a province of Asia Minor. It grows wild in Asia Minor, the Caucasus and Central Asia, in the Near and Middle East, in the Mediterranean countries.

According to F.Kh. Bakhteev, figs were widely distributed in the area of ​​the evergreen tertiary flora. It is found in Meotic deposits, which indicates its growth six million years ago. Old Testament traditions, according to V. Dadykin (1985), call figs among those growing in the "paradise". According to Greek mythology, the lord of Olympus Zeus struck down the guilty sons of the goddess Gaia with a lightning strike, including her most beloved - Sikevs, whose remains the mother turned into a fig tree. In countries mediterranean sea figs have been cultivated since ancient times, their images are on the bas-reliefs of ancient Egypt.

Currently, figs are cultivated on an industrial scale in Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the USA. In the CIS - mainly in Georgia, Azerbaijan, the North Caucasus, Central Asia, southern Ukraine and Moldova. World production of fruits is about two million tons per year.

Meaning

A typical subtropical deciduous plant. It grows in many southern regions of the CIS, both in industrial and household plots. On the coast of the southern coast of Crimea, it is found everywhere in the form of wild bushes grown from seeds. An indispensable plant of all sanatoriums and rest houses on the southern coast of the Crimea and the Caucasus, where it grows in the form of large fruit-bearing trees with beautiful crown, green from May to November. In the area of ​​Sevastopol and Simferopol it occurs in the form individual trees on the household plots and about multi-storey buildings on the south side, protected from cold northern winds.

Fig fruits are a valuable food product and have high medicinal properties. Most of fig fruit is consumed in fresh, and part is processed into jam, jam, coffee and other products. Dried fruits are popular, being a good nutritious product due to their high content of sugar, pectin substances and the ability to be stored for several years.

Dense wood is suitable for the manufacture of turning products. Fig syrup is used as a mild laxative, especially for children (Muravieva, 1983). Figs are very useful in diseases of the cardiovascular system, as they are rich in potassium. The enzyme ficin contained in the fruit is useful for vascular thrombi. Infructescence is used for anemia, to improve digestion and urination, especially with stones in the bladder.

From the leaves, furolene was obtained, which stimulates the action of enzymes in the body and promotes the formation of melinin pigment. In folk medicine, decoctions or jam from figs are taken as an antipyretic and diaphoretic. For gargling with angina, a decoction of dry seedlings in milk is used. The same decoction (2 tablespoons of seedlings per 1 glass of milk) is advised to drink for gastritis, diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. There is a lot of fiber in figs, so it is not recommended to use it for inflammatory diseases. gastrointestinal tract, and due to the high sugar content - in diabetes mellitus.

The fruits are very nutritious - 100 g of seedlings can saturate a starving person.

Chemical composition

Ripe fruits are very tender and tasty and are consumed fresh immediately after picking. Fresh fruits contain (in%): carbohydrates 9-14, organic acids 0.5-1 (the main ones are citric, malic with a small amount of tartaric, acetic and boric), proteins 0.7-1.3; potassium salts - 1161 mg%, calcium - 227 mg%, magnesium - 117 mg%, phosphorus - 263 mg%, iron - 46 mg%.

Fresh fruits are poorly stored, and therefore they are dried and lightly pressed. In this case, the content of sugars (mainly fructose and glucose) rises to 55-70%, pectin substances - up to 5-6%, organic acids - up to 1%.

Biological features

The fig is a deciduous tree favorable conditions with one trunk, or multi-stem, with light gray bark and lactic in all organs. The life expectancy of trees, according to S. Penezhik (1973), is 150-200 years. This typical subtropical plant thrives in warm temperate areas bordering the subtropics. The tree is deciduous, freezing at minus 15-20 degrees. Plant height - up to 6 m, sometimes more. The root system of figs is powerful, highly branched (penetrates to a depth of more than 2.5 m). Skeletal roots are covered with overgrown roots. In 10-year-old fig plants, roots are found at a depth of several meters, and their bulk (up to 80%) is located in a soil layer of 0-40 cm.

Leaves on long petioles, entire or 3-7-lobed (finger-dissected), broadly ovate, large, fleshy, up to 20 cm long.

Figs have two types of buds: mixed and fruit. Kidneys can be single and double. Double ones consist of two fruit, two mixed, fruit and mixed buds. Most often, double buds predominate, containing one growth (conical shape) and one (or several) fruit (round shape). The laying and differentiation of fruit buds occurs in the process of growth of the shoots of the current year during the formation of the next leaf node and lasts almost the entire period of their growth.

The flowers are collected in peculiar inflorescences. Unlike others fruit crops figs have their own characteristics of pollination, flowering and fruiting.

Depending on the ratio of plants to pollination, varieties are divided into 4 groups:

1. Caprifigs are dioecious plants that serve as pollinators for varieties that need pollination. Their characteristic feature is the development of three generations of inflorescences: spring - profika, summer-autumn - mammon, wintering mamma. On female specimens, inflorescences are formed with long-petalled flowers that produce edible fruits;
2. Common or Adriatic figs produce only long-pistil flowers and produce edible figs of all generations without pollination;
3. Smyrna figs have only long-pistil (female) flowers and form edible figs of all generations with
   obligatory pollination;
4. Intermediate figs, in which inflorescences of the first generation of inflorescences are formed without pollination, and for the development of inflorescences of the second generation (in autumn) pollination is required.

The inflorescence of figs (syconium) can be compared to a basket of sunflowers, if it is rolled up with flowers inside. Inflorescences have fleshy walls, pear-shaped, bulb-like shape with a cavity inside and an opening (eye, window) going out. There are flowers on the walls of the inner cavity.

Figs have flowers inside male and female inflorescences (caprifig and fig), so flowers are never visible in figs. From the outside, the inflorescences look like a pear-shaped berry; female inflorescences are larger than male ones. On the inner wall of the inflorescences is located big number male and female flowers. The former have stamens with pollen, while the latter have ovaries with pistils. There is a small hole at the top of the inflorescence. Fig flowers are fertilized with the help of small insects living in male inflorescences, called blastophage wasps.

The female blastophage wasp, fertilized by the male inside the male inflorescence, crawls out in search of other male fig seedlings to lay eggs in them. Several hundred eggs are laid in one inflorescence. A month later, larvae appear that feed inside the ovary and turn into pupae, and then into adult insects 1.0-1.5 mm long.

While climbing through the hole in the top of the male inflorescence, the female receives pollen from the male flowers on her body. In search of male inflorescences, some insects get inside the female inflorescences. The pollen brought by them falls on the stigma of the pistils, due to which the pollination of flowers occurs. Blastophages from the winter generation of figs fly out in March. Thanks to their pollination, fruits ripen in June. Blastophages of the June generation cause the development of fruits that ripen in August. And insects from August caprifigs crawl inside the ovaries formed in autumn and spend the winter there. The best varieties figs grown on the plantations of Georgia and the Crimea require mandatory pollination, called caprification. On industrial plantations, for good fruit ripening, male trees that form caprices are laid among female trees in a ratio of 1:20. Some cultivars fruiting figs can develop without fertilization.

The best Smyrna fig in the world, without pollination, is not capable of producing a single fruit. Pollination is produced by blastophages that develop in caprifigs and carry pollen from them. That is why, where Smyrna figs are cultivated, caprifigs are certainly grown, which were known to Greek scientists, and even Aristotle very accurately described the process of pollination.

In the conditions of the Kuban, it is more expedient and easier to grow ordinary figs that form only female flowers and give edible seedlings without pollination (Chapla, Adriatic, Damiatsky, Sochi 4.7, Violet and others).

The fig fruit is an achene located in an overgrown compound fruit. Depending on the conditions of the year, the variety and age of the plants, the fruits ripen within 2-2.5 months before the first frost. Unripe fruits fall off. Part of the buds that are late laid in the axils of the upper leaves of the shoots do not develop into mature fruits in the current year and go underdeveloped in the winter. The fruits preserved after overwintering continue to develop and the first fig crop is formed from them, which ripens at the end of July. In the case of a long and hot summer, a small part of the fruits that have arisen on the growth of the current year (about 1/3 of all seedlings) has time to ripen. The rest, the larger ones, fall off. The smallest ones (the size of a pea) overwinter and develop next year.

The seeds are small and germinate only when pollinated.

Requirements for growing conditions

Temperature and lighting

Figs - photophilous plant. Figs do well in areas with a long warm period and plenty of sunny days. It is important that autumn is dry and warm, and the sum of active (above 10 °C) temperatures is 3500 °C. In the central part of the region, in the region of Krasnodar, the growing season is 214-220 days, and the sum of active temperatures is 3600 ° C and above, which fully ensures the ripening and fruiting of a number of fig varieties.

Figs begin vegetation in Krasnodar, when the soil warms up to temperatures above 10 ° C, in the second half of March - April, and the fruits of the first harvest ripen at the end of June, more often in July, and their collection continues until early November. The resistance of plants to autumn frosts is affected by the level of agricultural technology, conditions at the end of the growing season, when the shoots are lignified, and the age of the plantations. Young plants are more sensitive to low temperatures. Tweezing shoot tips, warm and dry weather improve the maturation of growths and contribute to their less damage by frost. Of great importance is the correct choice of site and exposure, the selection of local, Sochi varieties.

Figs can also grow in more northern regions when grown in a creeping form. The biological features of the fig are such that it is well preserved under digging the ground and bears fruit on current growths. This feature of figs has long been used in the cold regions of Central Asia. Grown in an inclined position, the trees are bent to the ground for the winter and covered with straw, brushwood and earth. The method of inclined planting of figs in a shallow trench was tested in the Donbass and gave positive results when the trench was covered for the winter with old clothes, rags, and on top with plastic wrap.

Moisture and soil

Undemanding to soils. Figs are quite drought-resistant, but, nevertheless, like citrus fruits, they prefer moderately moist soils and tolerate summer heat well in these conditions. From this point of view, it deserves attention for promotion to the areas Rostov region and eastern Ukraine.

Dry winds make seedlings rough and dry.

Examples of undemanding figs to the soil are widely known in the literature. Fig specimens are described that have grown between stones, on the roof of a house, on the tops of palm trees, poplars and sprawling willows - wherever birds and wind bring its small seeds. Moreover, even in such incredible conditions, the fig does not wither, but grows into a powerful tree that bears fruit. This becomes possible due to the powerful root system that penetrates deep into the soil.

Fig propagation

Figs are propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering, root shoots.

seeds

Propagation by seeds is used to obtain new varieties. From mature fruits, a jelly-like mass with seeds is selected and left for 3-5 days for fermentation. After fermentation, they are washed from the pulp. Seeds are dried in the shade and stored at a temperature of 5-7 ° C in a dry place until sowing. In February, seeds are sown to a depth of 0.5 cm in a mixture of sand, humus and soddy soil in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. With daily spraying with warm water and a temperature of 20-25 °, seedlings appear in 21-28 days. The picking of plants is carried out when four pairs of leaves appear in pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm and placed so that direct sunlight does not fall on them (for better survival).

Cuttings and layering

In central Russia and Ukraine, the most acceptable ways of propagating figs are cuttings and layering, and the first method has been well tested in Ukraine and in various regions of the CIS; it is recognized as the most affordable, fast and reliable. These methods guarantee the preservation of the varietal qualities of the mother plants.

Cuttings are harvested in autumn from bushes of 10-15 years of age. It is important that they are well developed, fruit abundantly, give without fertilization large fruits. The most suitable figs grown in the Crimea. Especially valuable are the trees growing in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, sanatoriums, rest houses of the Crimea and in household plots located individuals and fruiting without pollination.

The best for rooting, as experience shows, are annual shoots 15-20 cm long with short internodes and apical bud. These shoots are best not cut, but broken off from the branches and trunk. In the place of breaking off, roots form first of all during rooting. Then many lateral roots are formed along the entire length of the shoot in the soil. However, the thickest and most powerful roots are formed from the palus on the heel of the cutting, at the point of its breaking off from the mother plant.

Low rooting have cuttings harvested from the upper part of the shoots. Higher resistance (rooting) of cuttings from the middle and lower parts of the shoot is associated with their better maturation and increased content of soluble sugars. The diameter of the fig cuttings should be at least 12-15 mm, length - 25-30 cm. Even longer cuttings increase the yield of seedlings, although they increase the consumption of planting material.

After cutting the cuttings, a thin top with a diameter of up to 12 mm is immediately removed. In winter, they are stored in cellars in damp sand so that the cuttings do not dry out. Depending on the weather, cuttings are planted in March - April. The lower cut is made under the kidney, and the upper one is 2 cm above the kidney. Planted so that above the soil was 5-6 cm of the upper part, watered to tightly fit the ground around the cutting. In the book of Grekov S.P. it is indicated that the period of storage of cuttings is no more than 2-3 weeks after their separation from the mother plant and delivery to the place of rooting. During this time, they must be kept in a wet cloth, moistened as it dries. If, in addition, they are placed in a plastic bag, then its top should be open in order to avoid rotting of the buds of the cuttings. In this case, it all depends on the time of cutting the cuttings.

It is advisable to plant the cuttings immediately after they are delivered to the area where they will take root. Given the small number of rooted plants in amateur conditions, it is necessary to plant them in transparent containers from drinks and mineral water. The bottles are cut in half, only their lower part is used, in which 5-10 drainage holes are made with an awl.

Soil mixture for planting cuttings:

• sod and leaf ground, humus, sand in the ratio 2:2:2:1;
• deciduous land, humus and garden land - 1:1:1. If there is no deciduous land, you can use washed large river sand(but not the slag sand of metallurgical plants).

1-3 cuttings of figs are placed in each container, the lower end of which should be at a distance of 3-4 cm from the bottom of the container. Planting depth - 7-10 cm. After planting, the container with cuttings is poured with water and placed in a warm, bright place, preferably on a battery near a window facing south. The temperature of the earth in a pot should be no higher than 20-25 ° C.

After about 3-4 weeks, the cuttings begin to grow. By the end of April, bushes of 3-4 leaves are formed from each (survival rate 1-2 out of three in a pot), and sometimes with a developing fetus. Plants get used to the air within 1-2 weeks, and then to direct sunlight for the same period of time. After spring frosts fig seedlings are planted either in a tub or in a permanent place of growth. Watering is done regularly, 2-3 times a month, and more often. Soil care consists in loosening it to a depth of 5-10 cm and removing weeds. Fertilizing with mineral or organic fertilizers 2-3 times during the summer is also desirable. They are fed with nitrogen fertilizers (1 tablespoon of saltpeter per bucket of water).

In autumn, standard seedlings have at least 30 cm of mature shoots with a diameter at the base of at least 3 mm; the length of the main roots is at least 20 cm with the number of calcaneal roots of at least four. At the end of the growing season (approximately at the end of September), fig seedlings are either dug in with earth (if open field), or cover (if in a trench), or dig out with a large clod of earth and place for wintering in a cool (but with a positive temperature) place, best of all - in the basement. Before planting, seedlings are stored in cellars in wet sand at a temperature of 0-7 ° C. The following year (in April), seedlings are planted in a permanent place of growth: in the ground (with the intention to grow in the future with shelter with rags, leaves, waterproof film, earth), in a trench or pot (with further cultivation in room conditions).

Another option is possible. Figs for the second year of planting can be grown in open ground, then, at the end of the growing season (in September), transplant the seedlings into pots of sufficient capacity, keep them for 3-4 months in a cool place, and in February - March, place them in room conditions.

Landing

For planting figs, choose areas protected from cold winds, slopes of southern exposure with moisture-intensive fertile soils, with good drainage, not flooded. Swampy and salted saucers are unsuitable.

It is rational to place plants according to the scheme 5 x 4 m, which provides good lighting and facilitates shelter for the winter. On the site chosen for planting in autumn, the soil is dug up into two bayonets of a shovel, humus and mineral fats are introduced. Deep digging favors the accumulation of moisture, promotes better plant growth in the first three years. Rows of plants are placed from north to south. Digging holes measuring 40 x 50 cm a week before planting. Planted in the first decade of April. Before planting, after removing damaged roots, seedlings are dipped in a clay-dung mash. Do not allow drying of the roots. The roots in the landing hole are spread evenly over the cone of earth poured onto the bottom. Then they fall asleep with loose, moist soil without lumps, carefully compact it, water it (4 buckets of water per bush), again fall asleep flush with the surface with dry soil.

Forming and pruning the crown of figs

The formation of figs is carried out in a standard or bush form, depending on the areas of growth. When digging figs or growing them in a trench, fan and bush formations should be used.

When bush forming in the first year, the plants are cut at a height of 10-15 cm from the soil surface, leaving 3-4 strong branches that serve as the base of the skeleton. The following year, shoots of the following orders grow from each abandoned branch. Pruning of figs is carried out in autumn or spring before the start of sap flow. The cut points must be covered with garden pitch, as they do not overgrow well, and the entire branch may dry out.

In the case of growing figs by the digging method, pruning is not performed during the first 2-3 years. In the spring, only damaged shoots are removed. The creeping form of figs can be created in another way: an annual seedling is planted in a permanent place of growth, cut off by 25-30 cm. Of the shoots grown this year from the lateral buds, the lowest ones are left and bent to the ground in different directions. top the trunk is cut off and necessarily covered with garden pitch
or paint. The bush forms a spider-like form, which is covered with improvised material for the winter. Branches growing upwards are removed.

The formation of figs in the conditions of the Krasnodar Territory

In the conditions of Krasnodar, figs are formed in a bush form, which is beneficial in that it allows you to protect plants covered with soil from freezing.

Plants form with two or three trunks adjacent to the ground. The stems are removed in the second year after planting. The following year, the trunks are shortened by a third, leaving three to five shoots of the first order on them at a distance of a meter or more from the base of the bushes, which makes it easier to bend down and shelter.

Figs bear fruit on the shoots of the current year, 20-50 cm long. Pruning in the spring allows you to get large quantity such branches. Timely rejuvenating pruning for three to four years of wood is carried out in order to maintain the compactness of the bush.

During the growing season, root shoots arising from dormant buds of bushes in a covering culture are removed in a timely manner. Sections are carefully covered with garden pitch or paint based on natural drying oil.

As a result of damping-off and frost damage to poorly covered parts of the bush, seedlings of the current year in the Crimean 9 and 43, Kadota, Uzbek yellow varieties develop seedlings, which leads to annual fruiting even under adverse conditions.

Pinching, or pinching the tops of the shoots above the 7th-15th seed, improves the ripening and preservation of the shoots in the winter. Pinching also causes the formation of shoots of the next branching orders, which increases the yield. best term tweezing - with a shoot length of 50-60 cm. The delay in shortening the shoots awakens only the upper buds, from which weak shoots develop.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

Fertilizer

For fertilizer, it is better to use organic and mineral fertilizers. Humus is used at a rate of 30-40 kg per bush. At the same time they give phosphorus and potassium fertilizers - 300-500 g of superphosphate and 150-300 g of potassium salt for full-grown plants.

Nitrogen fertilizers cause a noticeable increase in growth and thereby enhance fruiting. Nitrogen is given in the spring (60% of the norm) simultaneously with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, the rest in June, before the mass laying of seedlings of the main crop. The general norm of nitrogen is 300 g of ammonium nitrate per bush. VF Ostashchenko for two-three-year-old plants introduced 70 g of nitrogen, 100 g of phosphorus and 40 g of potassium into the wells.

Watering

For successful cultivation of figs, timely irrigation of the soil is necessary. Watering, especially young, only planted plants, is carried out every ten days, 5-10 liters per plant. In subsequent years, with the development of the root system, the number of irrigations is reduced, but the norms are increased, ensuring the wetting of the entire root system. You can spend 6-10 waterings. Even a slight drying of figs during the ripening of the crop leads to a decrease in the mass of the seed. Gardener V.F. Ostashchenko in Krasnodar during the growing season carried out 15-25 irrigations of 40-50 liters of water at a time.

The last watering is carried out after harvesting, which facilitates the work of sheltering bushes and increases the resistance of figs to low temperatures.

During the growing season, the soil is kept loose and weed-free. It is watered in home gardens and summer cottages along the annular furrows, which are covered with soil after each irrigation. In autumn, the soil is dug up in the middle of the row spacing by 25 cm, and closer to the plants - by 10-12 cm.

Insofar as root system figs are largely located in upper layers soil. Its drying has a negative effect on figs: the leaves turn yellow and fall off, the fruits do not pour. Therefore, in dry years, irrigation of figs is mandatory and should be done at least 1-2 times a month. Since a sufficient amount of precipitation usually falls in the spring (March-April), irrigation is carried out starting from the second half of May. Watering stops in the first decade of August, when the crop begins to ripen on the shoots of the current year.

Shelter bushes for the winter

Shelter of figs (digging with earth, covering with rags and film, shelter in a trench) is carried out before or with the onset of the first autumn frosts. The best time for sheltering fig bushes in Krasnodar Territory- the second half of October - the beginning of November. To enhance protection against frost and improve the safety of plants under earthen cover, the bushes are first covered with plant material. Dry leaves are used garden plants. First, the bushes are pinned. With the help of a pole, the bushes are bent to the ground and squeezed from the sides, laying in a previously dug furrow 30-40 cm deep. Leaves are poured on top with a layer of 4-5 cm, covered with a film and covered with earth with a layer of 15-20 cm.

Some gardeners (V.F. Ostashchenko, 1996) put a roofing material, a waterproof film, on the ground. In order to protect against the wind, they press down with old boards, pipes, stones. This method of shelter during one of the most severe winters in the Donbass, when the temperature on some days reached -33°C, allowed a 3-year-old fig bush to be completely preserved without any visible damage.

When sheltering young plants whose branches are bent, give the lower part of the stems a bend to facilitate their shelter in subsequent years.

From winter shelter fig bushes are released after the cessation of frost - in April, at the same time as grapes. When opening the bushes, the ground is removed carefully so as not to damage the plants. The branches are untied, the dry leaves are removed and burned, and the fruits are left. After the bushes are freed from winter shelter, the soil surface is leveled.

Varieties

Varieties of figs come into fruition early, in the second or third year after planting. Earlier, according to O.P. Kulkov, Crimean 9, Chapla and others bear fruit, later - Dalmatian, White Adriatic and others. Full fruiting occurs in the sixth or seventh year.

• Universal varieties (White Adriatic, Nikitsky fragrant, etc.) are suitable both for preparing dried fruits and for making jam, and for fresh consumption.
• The purely dried fruit direction includes early and medium-term varieties and fruits of the second harvest - Dalmatsky, Krymsky 15, Sochi 4, Smirnsky 2, etc.
• For fresh use and canning, Kadota, Sochi 7, Violet, Apsheronsky, etc. are good varieties.

All varieties of figs have a long ripening period of seedlings. Their ripening is more friendly in early spring and long hot autumn. The seedlings at the base of the shoot are larger than in its upper part. Due to the need to shelter bushes for the winter, the assortment of figs for Krasnodar is limited to varieties in which seedlings develop without pollination.

White Adriatic. A tree with a wide spreading crown. Fruits weighing up to 60 g, light green on the outside, reddish flesh, contains about 15% sugars. Gives two crops a year: the first in June, the second (main) in August-September. The formation of ovaries is possible without pollination, although pollination improves quality and yield. When ripe, the fruits do not crack, good for drying.

Apsheronsky (Sary fig). Large trees with a wide crown and hanging branches. Fruits of medium size. Gives two crops a year: the first in July - the fruits are flat, yellow on the outside, creamy pink inside; the second harvest in August - September - the seed is larger than during the first fruiting, but the ribs are less pronounced, but there are more ripening fruits, good both fresh and canned. On the Absheron Peninsula of Azerbaijan, it is resistant to low temperatures.

Breeders from Sochi F.M. Zorin and Yu.S. Chernenko bred varieties that differ high yield and seed quality.

Sochi 4. The tree is small and compact. Fruits weighing up to 50 g with light red pulp, sugary, the fruits do not crack and do not turn sour. Fruits in Sochi conditions ripen from late August to November. Suitable for cultivation in a covering culture.

Sochi 7. The tree is vigorous, spreading. The fruits are large, weighing 65 g, yellow-green outside and dark red inside. Productivity is high, more than 100 kg from a 12-15-year-old tree. The fruits ripen at the end of August, their skin is tender, cracking on ripened fruits.

Sochi 15. Powerful trees with very large (75 g) fruits, yellow on the outside and pink inside, sweet, ripening in Sochi from September to November, productive.

Smirnsky 2 (Sary's forehead). The tree is vigorous and requires pollination. Fruits weighing about 40 g, greenish-cream, with pink flesh, crack, ripen in September - November. Gives one crop, which rots in rainy weather.

Borgesot purple. The tree is medium-sized, with a dense crown. Gives one harvest a year in August - September. It bears fruit without pollination, infructescences weighing about 35 g, spherical, purple, contain up to 23% sugars. Dried fruits good quality but darken. Suitable for canning and fresh consumption.

Buzoy-stormy. The tree is vigorous, with a compact crown. Gives two crops a year. Fruits of the first crop are large, reddish-green with white dots, and the second - smaller (50 g), purple-brown, with dark red flesh. Sugar (20%). The variety is more resistant to low temperatures than others, it is grown in the cold regions of Azerbaijan. The fruits are dried and used fresh.

Brunswick (Chapla). A tree with a spreading and dense crown, of medium size. Infructescence irregular, ovoid, weighing up to 60 g, greenish-yellow, almost purple at full maturity. The flesh is pink, brown when ripe, contains about 20% sugar. Fruits without pollination, gives two crops a year. Used fresh, for canning and drying. Grown in Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Crimea.

Crimean 9. Fruiting without pollination. Seedlings weighing about 30 g, ribbed, pear-shaped, light yellow, carmine inside, sugary. Good for drying. Can be grown in digging culture. Crimean 29 (Forehead Fig). It has small infructescence and bears fruit without pollination. The fruits are light yellow with spots that are clearly visible after drying. The pulp is red, sweet.

Kadota (Marokent). The tree is vigorous, spreading and dense. Fruits of the first harvest are formed without pollination, weighing about 50 g, green, with pink flesh, few seeds. Fruits of the second harvest, obtained by pollination, weighing about 100 g, greenish-yellow, with golden yellow or light pink flesh. The variety is used as a dried fruit, for canning and fresh.

For cultivation in a trench way or with digging, it is advisable, as mentioned above, to use parthenocarpic varieties of figs: Dalmatina, Kadota, White Adriatic, Purple Sukhumsky, Sary Apsheronsky,
Kusarchaysky, Sochi No. 7, Gift of October. For breeding in the Crimea, N. K. Arendt and A. A. Rzhevkin recommend varieties
Date, Nikitsky fragrant (915), Crimean black, Chapla, Syulsky. The latter is distinguished by the fact that it gives a large first harvest, and is interesting for attempts to move it to the northern regions of Ukraine.

Pest and disease control

Caterpillars of the fig moth, spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs cause the greatest damage. The spider mite settles in the summer on the underside of the leaves, causing them to discolor, brown and fall off.

The worms settle on branches, leaves, fruits in the form of white flaky colonies. On the sweet secretions of mealybugs, fungi settle, causing blackening of leaves and shoots.

Of the diseases on figs, bacterioses have been noticed. They lead to yellowing and spotting of leaves, shedding of fruits and drying of shoots.

In spring and summer, figs are affected by mealybugs, moths, and mites.

Harvest and processing

Figs do not have special fruit twigs. Figs have an extended period of fruit ripening, which reaches 30-60 days. This is due to the fact that the maturation of seedlings comes from the lower part of the growing shoot. On one shoot there can be overripe, ripe and unripe seedlings, as well as inflorescences and fruit buds (AN Nizharadze, 1971).

The yield depends on the variety and age. Full fruiting occurs at 9-12 years. A fig bush in a covering culture forms three zones of growth and fruiting. The shoots of the upper and lower zones of the bush have insignificant fruiting, and the main fruiting of the bush is concentrated in the middle part (O.P. Kulkov).

Seed fruit produce 10-12 times per season in dry weather. Fruits already 2-3 days after optimal maturity (size and typical color, taste) overripe, wilt and lose their economic value.

The yield of Sochi 4 figs from one bush in the Krasnodar region for the third year after planting seedlings in the summer cottage of V.F. Ostashchenko (1996) reached 60.2 kg, and then more.

The fruits are laid in a flat container, layering each layer with leaves. Within 2-3 days of storage at room temperature, they rot. Therefore, the fruits are preserved or dried. For canning, fruits with a dense skin and medium size are used. Strictly speaking, the fruits are not the seeds themselves, but those small seeds that are inside.

Fig compote (according to T.Yu. Lyubchenkova, 1997). For 1 liter of water - 300-400 g of sugar, 3-4 g of citric acid. Prepared fruits are blanched at 70 degrees for 4 minutes, cooled in cold water, placed in liter cans and topped with hot syrup. Pasteurized at 85 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Fig jam (according to T.Yu. Lyubchenkova). For 1 kg of fruit - 800 g of sugar and 2 cups of water. Figs are cleaned of stalks, washed and blanched at 85 degrees for 4-5 minutes, immediately cooled in water and boiled in two or three doses for several minutes at intervals of 8-10 hours. Before the end of cooking, another 200 g of sugar and 3 g of citric acid are added.

The second way. For 1 kg of fruit - 1 kg of sugar, 1.5 - 2 cups of water. Ripe and clean fruits are pierced with a wooden torch. In a bowl for jam, a syrup is prepared from sugar and water. Then dipped in syrup figs and boiled 2.5-3; hours until ready.

According to L.V. Ivanova (1995), for jam 60 - 70 pcs. figs are boiled by changing the water 4-5 times in 30 minutes until the water turns yellow. Then the seedlings are taken out and transferred to cold water, in which crystals of copper sulfate are dissolved (for 1.5 liters of water - a crystal the size of a pea). Here the fig is 10-15 minutes, it must be stirred frequently. Take out and rinse, changing the water 10 times. The water is decanted, and the seedlings are pricked with a needle. The figs are placed in the cooled syrup. Boil and leave to cool, and so on three times. Before the end of cooking, add the juice of one lemon and vanillin for smell.

Seedlings are dried in dryers different designs and in the sun. For sun drying, the stems are removed from the seedlings and laid in one layer with the eye up. To improve the color and against pests, they are fumigated in a sealed chamber with sulfur at the rate of 1.5-2 g of sulfur per 1 kg of seedlings. After fumigation, the seedlings are laid out in a sunny place and dried for 5-10 days, turning them over 2-3 times. Dry until the pulp acquires a marmalade-like thick consistency, then put the fruits in small boxes and place them in a ventilated room for sweating and acquiring humidity in the range of 20-25%. The yield of dried products is 22-33%. Dried seedlings are flattened by hand, sorted by size, pressed and packed in cellophane. Dried fruits are valuable not only for sugars, but also contain from 3 to 6% protein. They contain potassium and iron. And in terms of calcium content, figs are second only to nuts.

Growing figs indoors

At room culture The most reliable and affordable way to propagate figs is by cuttings. Planting cuttings can be carried out in ordinary flower pots, boxes. Dimensions of cuttings: length 10-15 cm with 3-4 buds. Planted to a depth of 3 cm, covered with foil or glass from above.

When the leaves unfold on the cuttings, the coating (glass, film) is removed. The optimum temperature (20-24°C) and sufficient humidity lead to rooting in 20-25 days. Cuttings are carried out in the spring, when there is still no growth, or from June to August. After 2-3 months, rooted plants are transplanted into flower pots 20-25 cm in diameter. Plants are fed 15 days after transplantation with mineral mixtures, and then twice a month. The composition of the mixture: ammonium nitrate 3 g, potassium salt 3 g per 1 liter of water; superphosphate 5 g per 1 liter is applied together with slurry (100 ml per 1 liter of water).
Fertilizer solutions are applied only to moist soil, gradually, in several steps, at intervals of 10 minutes. In summer, the leaves are sprayed with water, and the pots are shaded.

Figs after the appearance of the seventh leaf are pinched. Three or four of the side shoots are left. Left shoots are pinched over the fourth or fifth leaf.

The first fruiting may be in the second year. At the beginning of summer, the plants are sprayed with a 0.05% solution of potassium permanganate and 0.05% copper sulphate.

Due to the fact that the leaves fall off in winter, the plant is transferred to a room with a temperature of 3-5 ° C. It takes place in November. And in January it can be placed in a room with a normal temperature, and it starts to grow. Seed fruit appear in February and ripen in June-July. In autumn, new seedlings are tied, which will ripen only next year. The plant is again transferred to a room with a lower temperature. With the beginning of growth, the plant is gradually accustomed to open ground conditions, and in May they are taken out into the yard or onto the balcony, where it can be all summer.

In rooms, figs are harmed by mealybugs and soft false scales. It is best to remove them with a soft brush. Of the diseases, brown leaf spot occurs. When red-brown spots appear, at least a month (not later) before the fruit ripens, the leaves are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux liquid.

Fig fruits have good taste and a significant amount of useful properties. Therefore, many have a desire to grow this plant at home. To do this, you need to know about the special needs of the plant and how to care for it. Before considering how to grow figs at home, let's take a closer look at the characteristics of this crop.

Description and types of culture

Favorite delicacy can be grown in your garden

The fig, which is also called the fig tree, is a member of the ficus genus of the mulberry family. Despite the fact that it is a subtropical shrub, it also successfully grows in cold latitudes - in the eastern, middle and Western Europe. Figs are resistant to low temperatures, some of its species can withstand frosts down to -20 ° C. This crop is grown not only in open ground, but also at home.

Flowers develop in generative shoots located in the axils of the leaves. This only applies to female plants. After a certain period of time, the flowers are replaced by seedlings. As they develop, their size increases, and the shape takes on the shape of a pear. Seeds are located inside the seedlings. Many varieties of figs can be harvested twice a year. Breba (first harvest) ripens by early summer. The second fruiting begins in the first half of autumn.

Varieties of figs

Not all varieties of figs are suitable for growing in cold regions. To make the right choice, you need to familiarize yourself with their varieties in detail. So, the most popular types are the following:

1. Brunswick - early variety. The fruits of this fig have an elongated shape and a burgundy-greenish color.
2. Brown Turkey is a variety recently created specifically for growing in cold areas. Has a dark brown color.
3. Dalmatika is a late variety with good frost resistance. Its fruits can be recognized by their green color and pink flesh.
4. The tiger fig is an old variety. Its feature is appearance fruits - they are distinguished by a yellow-green striped color. The pulp has a rich red color, and tastes vaguely reminiscent of strawberries.
5. Chicago Hardy - has high frost resistance.
6. Madeleine de Deux, purple Bordeaux, Violette de Bordeaux - French vintage varieties. Differ in early fructification, successfully grow in zones with cold climatic conditions.
7. Kadota is a green fig with excellent taste properties.

Varieties in the photo

Variety Madeleine de Deux - a wonderful healthy delicacy

Brown turkey is suitable for growing in cold regions

Brunswick is a popular fig variety with juicy fruits.

Dalmatian figs are used by many cooks

Tiger fig - a rare variety, for which it is more valued by gardeners

Chicago hardy is not only tasty, but also very healthy.

Kadota figs have a rich aroma

Planting seeds

To plant a plant, you do not need special knowledge and skills

The process of planting fig seeds has the following features:

1. To get quality planting material, it is necessary to cut the fruit into two parts and remove the seeds.
2. Then they are placed in a sieve with small cells and washed under running water.
3. Next, the seeds need to be dried. To do this, they are laid out on a paper napkin and left for a day.
4. After this time, the planting material is ready for use.
5. For planting, you need a container. First, drainage is poured onto the bottom, then a nutrient substrate. The composition of the soil mixture includes rotted manure, soddy soil and sand (it can be replaced with peat) in a ratio of 2:2:1. For greater efficiency, add wood ash at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. per 1 liter of mixture.
6. The soil must be well moistened, then put a napkin on the surface and sprinkle a small amount soil.
7. The pot is covered with polyethylene and placed in a place where the temperature level reaches 25°C.
8. Seeds need abundant moisture. Carry out the procedure daily using soft, settled water at room temperature. Try to water in such a way that the liquid level of 1-2 mm is always kept in the pot pan. This is an important rule, non-compliance with which increases the risk of death of the entire crop.
9. Crops should be aired daily. To do this, remove the bag from the pot and remove the resulting condensate. You also need to monitor the level of soil moisture, if necessary, moisten it with a spray gun.
10. After 15-20 days shoots will appear. If they are too dense, they should be thinned out. Otherwise, the seedlings will not be able to fully develop.
11. After the appearance of the first 2-3 leaves, the seedlings can be planted in separate pots and looked after as an adult tree.

Care and optimal growing conditions

Frequent watering, an abundance of light and heat - important conditions for fruit ripening

Figs are a moisture-loving crop. Its growing season starts from January and lasts until October. At this time, the plant needs abundant watering. With a lack of moisture, the leaves curl, and the seeds fall off. Therefore, settled water is used for irrigation. The procedure is carried out as the soil dries.

Important! The level of air humidity does not affect the development of culture.

From October, figs begin to lose their leaves. Then comes a period of rest. It lasts from mid-November to the end of December. During the winter, the crop should be at a lower temperature than the rest of the time. Therefore, it must be moved to the windowsill and moved as close as possible to the window. During this period, the soil is rarely moistened, only to prevent the soil from drying out.

Important! During dormancy, figs should not be watered abundantly.

Another condition for growing crops is good lighting. Although figs can tolerate shade, they must receive sufficient light during fruiting. It also needs to be fed, especially the plant needs it during active growth. Fertilizers are applied in the first half of January (10-15th), when the buds begin to swell. Further feeding is carried out every two weeks, while the composition nutrients should alternate:

1. Initially, a manure composition is applied, which is prepared at the rate of 5 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of water.
2. Then phosphorus top dressing is used: 7 g of superphosphate is diluted in a similar amount of liquid. Its granules dissolve well under the influence high temperature, so the composition should be boiled.
3. Figs also need potassium trace elements. Top dressing is done like this: 1 tsp is diluted for 1 liter of water. ash extract. Before use, the solution is defended for a day. Ash can be scattered on the ground and mixed with the soil.
4. During the growing season, microfertilizers are applied twice.
5. For a dormant period, a break is made in top dressing.

To form the correct crown, figs must be cut

To form a crown, figs are pruned. This process has the following features:

1. Pruning is usually started in early spring. Damaged and crossing branches are subject to removal. As well as those that grow inside.
2. Excessively long branches should be shortened. In the summer, new shoots are pruned. Shortening is performed after the fifth sheet.
3. Unripe fruits are harvested in autumn.

Culture transplant

Transplanting will allow the tree to become stronger

Until the fig reaches the age of three, it is transplanted once a year. This process is carried out before the beginning of the growing season, that is, in the last days of December.

Important! Adult culture is transplanted every two years.

A humus mixture is usually used as a soil. You can buy it at the store or make your own. The composition of the mixture includes sand, turf, leaf earth and humus. All components are added in equal amounts.

In the first few years, flower pots can be used. Their size should be increased with each subsequent transplant. The capacity is selected, focusing on the desired dimensions of the plant. The size of a fig depends on the development of its root system. For home cultivation, containers with a volume of 6-8 liters are used, as they are placed on a standard windowsill.

Transplantation occurs in the following sequence of actions:

1. Initially, a layer of sand or expanded clay 2 cm thick is poured into the pot.
2. Then the fourth part of the tank is filled with manure.
3. After pouring the soil mixture.
4. Figs are placed in the central part of the pot and the roots are covered with soil.
5. It is necessary to ensure that they do not come into contact with manure. A small layer of soil should separate the root system from the fertilizer.

The transplanted plant should be well watered. Voids form in the soil, as a result of which too much air appears around the roots. This negatively affects the development of culture. In the process of watering, the voids are filled with water, after it is absorbed, the soil moves there. Every 14 days, the soil should be enriched with mineral nutrients.

Reproduction at home

cuttings - best way fig breeding

There are several ways to propagate figs:

• seminal;
• vegetative;
• with the help of roots.

The first method of propagating a crop is rarely used, since in this case the culture begins to bear fruit later than when using other options. Also seed propagation does not always ensure the preservation of the characteristics of the mother culture. The vegetative method, which is also called cuttings, gives better results. Moreover, it does not require special efforts. So, the breeding process is performed in this order:

1. Before the growing season, before the start of bud growth and the formation of leaves, cuttings up to 15 cm long are cut. Using a napkin, remove the juice in the cut area.
2. After the cuttings are placed in a cool dry place for 10 hours. Juice can not be removed. But then the planting material needs to be kept in a heteroauxin solution for a day - 1 tablet is used per liter of water.
3. River sand is poured into a container with a diameter of 9 to 15 cm and 3 cuttings are buried into it by 2 cm.
4. Then the planting material is watered with warm water, the temperature of which should not exceed 25 ° C, and covered with an ordinary jar.
5. After one month, roots will appear. To speed up the process, it is necessary to create special conditions for the cuttings - to maintain the soil temperature at 25 ° C.

It is not always possible to timely detect the formation of the root system. To facilitate this task, it is recommended to plant cuttings in transparent containers - for example, in plastic glasses. When the roots begin to form, they penetrate to the walls. As soon as they become noticeable, the cuttings need to be transplanted into the soil mixture. For its manufacture, sand, peat, sod land and humus will be required.

Important! The formation of the root system indicates the need to transplant the cuttings.

Consider another breeding method, which is considered the easiest:

1. Fig branches are tilted to the ground and fixed in this position.
2. Then sprinkle with soil and water regularly. After two months, these branches form their own root system.
3. In the second year, the new fig will begin to bear fruit. The shoots are separated with a shovel from the main tree and transplanted.

Possible problems and solutions

With proper care, figs will delight with a plentiful tasty harvest.

Figs with proper care are rarely exposed to pests. But you need to pay attention to the formation of the crown. With the intensive development of culture, it grows at a rapid pace. Long shoots must be removed in a timely manner. This will strengthen the lower branches.

The root system of figs can suffer from a lack of air. Regular loosening of the soil will help to avoid this. With insufficient moisture, the culture loses leaves, so the soil should not be allowed to dry out.

Video: planting a garden master class

Figs can be called unpretentious plant. It is able to grow successfully in both subtropical climates and in cold areas, as it is resistant to low temperatures. And also practically not subject to the harmful effects of pests. Caring for figs does not require much effort. Creating optimal conditions for its cultivation will allow you to get a quality crop.

Since childhood, I have loved figs, but I never thought that I would ever try its fruits grown on the windowsill with my own hands.

The fall before last, a friend brought a small twig to her home from the clinic, put it in a glass of water and, as it turned out, forgot.

Once I came to visit her, and she, as usual, immediately took me to her windowsill to show off her floral novelties.

She has more flowers than me!

Looking at the plants, I saw a glass with green walls standing lonely in a corner. There was almost no water left in it. There were no leaves on the branch, but the buds were large. The roots were also strong.

“Here, I cut it off from a palm tree in the clinic. I even took scissors with me on purpose so as not to spoil the tree, but I forget to plant everything, ”the hostess said somewhat guiltily.

I felt sorry for the unfortunate palm tree, and I asked her to give it back. A friend did not resist for a long time - she solemnly handed it along with a glass.

I came home and immediately planted a twig in ordinary flower soil.

INTRODUCING FIGS

The results did not have to wait long. Leaflets appeared from the buds - hard and elastic. The unsightly crooked stick turned into a beautiful small tree.

As it turned out later, I saved the figs. To be honest, I have never seen him in any house before.

But he is a close relative of the ficus, which grows in almost every self-respecting grower.

By the way, a fig, or, as it is also called, a fig tree, even at room conditions is able to grow into a two-meter tree and bear fruit.

Fig varieties

When I became interested in my new "guest" in detail, I learned that there are many varieties of figs that feel great at home.

Among them: Violet Sukhumi, Oglobsha, Sunny, Kedotta.

I also found out that figs are a heat-loving, but undemanding plant that adapts well to the dry air of city apartments.

Figs need a lot of light - its lack can affect fruiting.

Therefore, in the summer he lives with me on the east window, and winters on the south. Fruits are tied almost the whole year, except for a short dormant period, when the plant sheds its leaves for a short time.

FIRST HARVEST OF FIGS

And then the day came when I found in the axils of the leaves of my figs small ovaries that looked like tiny peas. "Buds are gaining!" I rejoiced. I've been looking forward to seeing them open up.

I wondered what color they would turn out to be, what they looked like, were they as fragrant as those of a lemon? Much to my surprise, the peas grew to the size walnut! And no flowers!

The fruits grew green at first, a little later they began to become covered with purple spots, and then they completely became a dark plum color. In the end, I got a crop of three real figs.

Then the plant shed its leaves and rested for three months. And after that, small fruits appeared again - already eight.

To celebrate, she began to master the propagation of figs. I do this with 3-4 kidneys. Before rooting lower part I dip the branches in wood ash and plant them in moistened sand or leave them in a glass of water.

When the cutting takes root or grows strong roots, I plant it in a permanent pot. The fruits appear within six months.

I recently learned that figs are also well propagated by seeds, but in this case, you will have to wait almost five years before the plant matures and can please you with juicy and fragrant fruits.

L.SHATSKAYA, Zaporozhye region

Figs are an exotic fruit that has high taste qualities. It is called the fig tree, the fig tree, and the fig tree. The unusual taste of its fruits and the beauty of the tree itself attracts many gardeners who dream of having it on their site.

However, in order to grow a fig tree, the tree must be provided with all the conditions for growth and development. The key to success lies in proper fit, choosing the appropriate one for climate zone varieties, and, of course, in proper care for wine berries.

Types and varieties of figs

- This variety is characterized by increased frost resistance and productivity. The fig tree bears fruit twice a year and does not need pollination. The first fruiting falls on June. The fruits are large and few. During autumn fruiting, they are much larger, but they are small.

Figs of this variety have an irregular pear-shaped shape and a yellow-green color when immature. When ripe, the fruits turn purple with delicious golden brown flesh.

- is an early table variety that produces a harvest in summer and autumn. The summer harvest is represented by large pear-shaped fruits, weighing up to 200 grams, and the autumn harvest is smaller, weighing up to 130 grams. Ripe figs are yellow with red, sweet and sour flesh.

- This variety is common in many states. He is self-fertile. It does not require pollination. It bears fruit in early summer and mid-autumn. The fruits are oval and slightly flattened. Figs have pink, sweet flesh and green-yellow skin.

- the variety received its wide distribution due to the fact that it was cultivated and sold by the Nikitsky Garden from the thirties to the sixties. This fig is also called Sochi. It bears fruit twice a season and has oval, flattened yellow-green fruits with a pleasant honey taste.

The variety is self-fertile and frost-resistant. The fruits are light green in color and pear-shaped. In the first harvest, they reach a mass of 100 grams, and in the second, which ripens in September, the fruits weigh 50 grams. They have pink flesh, and when fully ripe, it turns golden brown with a sweet and sour taste.

- a self-fertile variety, fruiting twice a season. In the first harvest, the fruits are large, but there are few of them. In the second they are small, but there are many more of them. The fruits are pear-shaped, with a yellow-green hue of the peel and sweet and sour golden flesh with small seeds.

- is an self-fertile variety fruiting twice a season. It has round, sweet fruits with a black-purple skin.

- the variety was bred not so long ago, especially for the northern regions. It differs in productivity and frost resistance. The fruits are pear-shaped, large, rounded with a dark brown color and a sweet, honey taste.

- is a self-fertile high-yielding variety that bears fruit twice per season. The fruits are large, pear-shaped with a dark green skin and red sweet and sour pulp.

self fertile high yielding variety, fruiting in early summer and mid-autumn. The fruits are pear-shaped with a color ranging from light yellow to dark blue. The flesh of the fruit has a red or golden hue with a pleasant sweet and sour taste.

- is a self-pollinating, self-fertile, early-growing variety, bred in California. The fruits have a pear-shaped round shape and a light green tint. The pulp has pink tint and differs in juiciness and pleasant sweet taste.

- the variety is distinguished by two yields and frost resistance. The fruits are pear-shaped. They are large, greenish-purple in color with sweet and juicy flesh.

- the variety has a high yield and drought resistance. Fruits twice a season. The fruits are large, pear-shaped with dark purple skin and red, juicy and sweet flesh.

- the variety is distinguished by repairability, resistance to diseases and frost resistance. Fruits twice a season. The fruits have an elongated oval shape with a pinkish-brown skin and golden flesh with a pleasant sweet taste.

Fig planting and care in the open field

It is very important to choose the right place for planting a fig tree. It should be sunny, and without drafts. It is advisable to plant a tree on the south side of the site, on a plain or gently sloping hill. Landing should be carried out at the end of March, when the ground has completely thawed.

The best way is to plant deep in trenches, the depth of which should be at least 1.5 meters and a width of about a meter. At the bottom of the trench, it is necessary to make drainage, on top of which soil is poured in the form of mounds. Seedlings should be laid out on the mounds, having previously straightened the roots, then cover them with earth, lightly tamp and water.

Grapes are also grown for planting and care in the open field. The grape berry has vitamins and excellent taste qualities, it is used both for table purposes and for the preparation of various dishes and wines. To grow given plant in the garden and get a rich harvest, you must adhere to the rules of agricultural technology, you can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.

Watering figs

Watering will depend on the age of the tree. Young growth should be watered weekly, bringing from 5 to 10 liters of water under the tree.

For the next season, when the root system is formed, it is necessary to water the tree every two weeks, bringing about 10 liters of water under it. When the fruits ripen, it is impossible to water the fig tree.

The last watering is carried out after harvesting to increase the wear resistance of the crop. After moistening the soil, it must be loosened and weeds removed.

soil for figs

If the site has loamy soil, a drainage layer must be formed. It is made from fine gravel and sand.

To prepare the soil for planting a tree, mix garden soil with compost, humus and manure, then pour it into the planting hole. It is this substrate that will be ideal for figs, allowing it to grow and develop properly.

Fig transplant

The success of the transplant will depend on how correctly it is performed. For transplanting, you will need to dig a hole the same size in which the fig was originally planted. It should be dug very carefully so as not to damage the roots. The tree must be transferred to a new hole with an earthen clod.

Transplantation should be carried out in the spring. If it is performed in the fall, then future cold will lead to damage to the kidneys, which is highly undesirable. The tree should be moved to a sunny location, protected from wind and drafts. It is best to plant a fig tree between other trees or houses.

Top dressing figs

Fertilize the tree should be at least twice a month. At the beginning of the growing season it is necessary to use nitrogen fertilizers. Closer to the middle of summer, phosphates will be required, as they contribute to fruit set. At the end of the growing season, potash fertilizers should be applied. They will allow the figs to ripen better and faster.

Every month, the tree must be fed with microelements, fertilizers that help it develop normally. Twice a month should be carried out root dressing by spraying the figs with a nutrient solution.

For a fig tree, it is important and organic nutrition, in the form of humic acid, microorganisms and ground. Top dressing should be carried out only after watering, so that there are no root burns.

Fig processing

Wood processing is carried out in order to avoid the development of diseases and pest attacks. It is performed in the spring at the time of leaf blooming, and also in May, when the ovary begins to form.

Gardeners use Fufanon Nova or Senpai as an insecticide.

fig blossom

When the fig tree blooms, both male and female flowers are formed on the same tree.

The fruits are tied at the end of February, and they ripen after six months. After the first harvest, the plant blooms again.

fig pruning

To create a compact plant shape, you should make a trellis of wood slats or wire to which the young bush will be tied.

In the first year of growth, when pruning, it is necessary to leave the top three shoots, which should have a height of 20 centimeters. One of them should be launched vertically, and the side ones should be tied to the trellis. The result should be a trident.

When the branches reach a meter height, they need to be bent parallel to the ground. In the future, the growth of branches should be started up vertically, tying for the accuracy of the angle.

For the next spring, the trunk, located in the middle of the bush, must be cut 20 centimeters above the place where the branches appear. After that, you should repeat the same procedure as last year.

The tree should be grown to the fourth tier of branches. At the last stage, only two shoots should be left, which must be spread in different directions parallel to the ground, and when they grow by about 10 centimeters, they should be launched vertically.

At the end of the shaping and pruning stage, a compact bush should be obtained, which will become a decoration of the garden and a remarkable element of the landscape.

Preparing figs for winter

After the growing season is over, you can begin to prepare the plant for winter. For this purpose, remove the trellis and bend the shoots to the ground. On top of the bush, it is necessary to lay wood or a sheet of plywood, and put a film on top.

Then the resulting structure is covered with earth by 10 centimeters. Thus, the root system will not suffer from frost. If the frosts in the region where figs grow are severe, then an additional warming layer of straw, leaves or spruce branches should be placed. If the oilcloth is too dense, then holes should be made in it for aeration.

Opening figs after winter

So that the stems of the plant do not begin to rot, the figs must be opened in mid-April. If the soil under the shelter has not yet thawed, it can be watered with hot water.

When the plant is freed from shelter, a greenhouse should be erected above it and the branches spread out. Then clean the stem from dry foliage, but the fruits that have formed during the winter must be left on the branches.

Fig propagation by cuttings

Both summer and winter shoots are used to create cuttings. Winter branches should be taken only from those plants that are already a year old. Planted cuttings with the onset of spring in light soil until the buds appear.

Summer cuttings are planted in late May or early June in the sand. Shoots should be taken from plants that have already fruited. Until the roots appear, they must be kept in a container with water. When long roots appear, they can be planted in garden soil.

Figs growing from seeds at home

You can also propagate the fig tree using seeds. Seeds are taken from ripe, juicy fruits. To get them, you need pulp. It must be removed and put in a warm place for five days. When the mass ferments, the seeds should be separated from the pulp, washed and dried. The finished material must be stored until February, and then planted in the soil.

Seeds should be planted in a substrate based on sand, humus and turf, in holes 0.5 cm deep. The first shoots will appear in a month if the soil is sprayed with warm water every day. After the appearance of the first 6 petals, the seedlings must be transferred to separate pots with a diameter of 10 centimeters or more.

For landing at garden soil, the plants will be ready after two years. Throughout this time, the seedlings need to be fed and, with the onset of heat, taken out into the street, where they should be until the onset of autumn.

Diseases and pests of figs

Of the diseases, figs are susceptible precisely to those caused by fungal etiology. These include:

• branch cancer - the disease looks like cracks on the trunk, which lead to peeling of the bark, exposure of wood and death of the tree. It is necessary to fight the disease with the help of any antifungal drugs.
• Gray rot - manifests itself in the form of a grayish-white coating that appears on the fruit. You can get rid of rot by spraying figs with Fundazol and Bayleton preparations.
• Fusarium - this disease leads to the fact that the fig begins to rot from the inside with peeling of the pulp from the peel. To combat the disease, drugs such as Previcura and Arilina-B are used.
• Anthracnose - affects the fruits, manifesting itself in the form dark spots on the peel, leading to rotting of the fig during the ripening process. You can eliminate the disease by treating the plant with Fitosporin.
• Fruit souring - manifested in the appearance of brown spots on the fruits, which lead to their decay. To eliminate the disease, the tree should be treated with Previkur.

The shrub is also susceptible to attack by pests represented by:

• moth butterfly - to prevent the appearance of this insect, figs should be sprayed with Fatrin insecticide before and after flowering.
• leaf roller - damages leaves, fruits and stem, leading to the destruction of the plant. To remove the pest, spray the figs with the Fufanon insecticide.
• Ploshad - the insect sucks the juice from the leaves and stems of the fig tree, leading to its drying out. Insects should be fought with the insecticide "Aktara"
• beetle - this pest damages the bark, leading to the death of figs. It should be fought with the help of the Bifenthrin fungicide.

Why don't figs bear fruit?

Figs may not bear fruit if the tree has little light, it grows in infertile soil, the fig tree is too young, or the variety is incorrectly selected (for example, varieties suitable for the southern regions of the country will not bear fruit in the northern regions due to an uncomfortable climate for them).

If all the above reasons are eliminated, the plant will certainly begin to produce tasty and large fruits.

Why do figs smell like iodine?

The smell of iodine will be present in the fruits, in order to transport them over long distances, they are treated with various preservative preparations consisting of substances that, when reacted with figs, give a taste of iodine.

Why do fig leaves dry?

Leaves can dry due to a lack of moisture or its excess, fertilizers, or infection of the plant with a mite.

This problem can be eliminated only after the cause that led to the drying of the leaf plates is discovered and eradicated.

Figs useful properties and contraindications

Figs contain a lot of substances necessary for the body, so its health benefits are simply invaluable.

The fruit is rich in glucose and fructose, sodium, folic acid, potassium, vitamins of groups B, C, A, calcium, iron and phosphorus.

Since it contains a lot of potassium, it is useful for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. The fruit is useful for both the male and female body.

Figs useful properties for men

The systematic use of this fruit will prevent heart attacks, strokes and problems with erectile function. A drink made from figs, saffron and milk in ancient times helped oriental sheikhs to please their concubines tirelessly all night long.

In addition to eliminating problems with potency, the fruits of the fig tree allow you to restore physical and mental strength after hard work.

Figs useful properties for women

Women, just like men, are prone to vascular diseases. One of these diseases is varicose veins. Lovers of stiletto heels know firsthand about him and about the swelling of the ankle.

Eliminate all these unpleasant symptoms will help the daily use of fig tree fruits. They will make up for the lack of trace elements, improve the outflow of fluid and strengthen blood vessels.

In addition, figs improve the regeneration of epidermal cells, reduce excess weight and removes toxins from the body, contributing to the maintenance of youth and beauty, which is very important for all women without exception.

Figs benefits for pregnant women

Daily consumption of figs allows you to supply the body of a pregnant woman with those substances that are necessary for the formation of the body of a future baby.

The folic acid contained in the fruit will help to avoid anemia during gestation, and fiber normalizes the digestive tract, with which expectant mothers often have problems.

Fig contraindications for consumption

Not everyone benefits from the fig tree. Its use should be abandoned when:

• Gastritis and ulcer;
• Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract;
• diabetes;
• pancreatitis;
• Gout.

Allergy sufferers should also be careful about eating this fruit, so it should be eaten in minimal quantities.

Medicinal properties of figs

Fig fruits and leaves have been used in folk medicine since ancient times. Means made on their basis allow you to fight the following ailments:

• Bronchitis and pneumonia;
• Thrombosis and thrombophlebitis;
• Angina and laryngitis;
• constipation;
• depression;
• Inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
• Hypertension and anemia.

Effective wound-healing ointments are prepared from dried fig fruits. Leaf decoctions are used for eczema and furunculosis. Phytotherapeutic drug "Psoberan" is prescribed for the treatment of vitiligo and psoriasis.

Figs with cough milk recipe

As mentioned above, figs can cope with many diseases, including cough, for which there is one effective remedy based on this sweet fruit.

To prepare a medicinal drink, boil half a liter of milk over low heat. When it boils, it is necessary to put 5 fruits of dry figs into it, after which the resulting mixture should be boiled for about half an hour. Then you need to remove the pan from the heat, wrap it in a towel and leave to infuse for 4 hours.

Milk and figs should be consumed separately. Fruits should be eaten three times a day before meals, and milk should be warmed up and drunk before going to bed. Milk-fig therapy is carried out throughout the week.

Culinary recipes based on figs

Apart from medicinal properties, figs have an unusual honey taste, thanks to which they are used to prepare many culinary delights. Below you can find out how to prepare the most delicious meals and drinks based on it.

Fig tree jam is not only tasty, but also healthy, and you can cook it in just 40 minutes.

Jam Ingredients:

• Sugar - 0.5 kilograms.
• Fresh figs - 700 grams.

Cooking method:

We take a ripe fig, wash it and cut off the ends. We put the fruits in a saucepan and cover them with sugar. Leave the mixture for three hours until the juice appears.

We put the pan with the fruits on a slow fire, bring to a boil and remove the foam. Boil the figs for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. After that, the jam should be removed from the stove and left to infuse for 10 hours.

After the time has elapsed, you need to boil the jam again on minimal heat, collect the foam and boil for 5 minutes. Then the pan must again be removed from the heat and the jam left for 10 hours. This procedure should be repeated again, after which the jam should be poured into sterilized jars and rolled up.

This easy-to-make fig and mascarpone cake will be a great decoration for any holiday.

Filling ingredients:

• Yogurt - 600 grams.
• Sugar - 100 grams.
• Mascarpone - 300 grams.
• Gelatin - 20 grams.

Cake ingredients:

• Muesli baked with nuts - 400 grams.
• Butter - 120 grams.

Decoration:

• Lemon juice - 0.5 lemon.
• Fresh figs - 20 pieces.
• Sugar - 50 grams.
• Raspberries - 120 grams.

Cake preparation:

We take a detachable form with a diameter of 24 centimeters, put cling film on the bottom, and cover the sides with parchment. Cooking cake. For this we drown butter and grind the muesli in a blender. Then we combine these two ingredients and put them in a mold and level them, tamping them with a spoon in parallel. We remove the finished cake in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Take gelatin and soak it in water for 10 minutes. Place the finished mixture in a saucepan and heat it over low heat until dissolved. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl of yogurt. Add cottage cheese and mascarpone, and then beat. Pour the resulting filling onto the cake, level it and put it in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

We take raspberries and sugar, mix and put in a saucepan. We put on the stove and bring to a boil, then boil for 3 minutes and cool. When the mixture has cooled, mix it with lemon juice and grind with a blender. The resulting sauce is wiped through a sieve.

After 4 hours, we take the cake out of the refrigerator, take it out of the mold and decorate with chopped fig slices and raspberry sauce.

Fig compote

This refreshing and delicious drink can be prepared from both dry and fresh figs.

Drink Ingredients:

• Dry or fresh figs - 200 grams.
• Water - 1 liter.
• Sugar - 50 grams.

Compote preparation:

We take a fig, sort it out and wash it. Pour water into a saucepan, bring to a boil, throw in sugar and figs. Cook compote over low heat for 15 minutes. When it is ready, remove the pan from the stove and cool. The cooled drink is served on the table. Bon Appetit.

Not everyone is lucky enough to live in the Mediterranean. The fig tree is also called the fig tree or fig tree - growing at home has been practiced in Europe since the 16th century. The benefits of fruits, the healing composition of the leaves does not depend on the place of cultivation. As a houseplant, with proper care, figs look decorative and bear fruit twice a year.

Conditions for the cultivation of figs on the windowsill

When grown at home, adult figs require abundant watering and spraying in the summer. If the plant lacks moisture, it can shed its foliage at any time of the year. When creating a humid microclimate around a tree, there is no reason for the spider mite to start up - one of the main pests of flowers on the windowsill.

A plant native to their subtropics needs to provide wintering. From November to January, a dormant period is created for the fig tree. He is arranged in a bright, cool place with a temperature below +15 degrees. In additional illumination, top dressing at this time, not a tree does not need.

If the tree does not fall asleep, watering is reduced for it so that the leaves fall off. Water the earth with slightly cool water at a temperature of 18 degrees.

Water the plant moderately so that the clod of earth does not dry out. As the buds began to swell, light, watering, and top dressing are required. It is necessary to create conditions for rapid vegetation. Two harvests per season can be harvested with good care for figs at home. The first time the fig tree blooms in March, bears fruit in June. The following berries ripen from the beginning of August to the end of September. In summer, trees can be transferred to the ground, they will be comfortable there, but in the fall they will need a larger pot.

A sign of fruit maturity is their softening and the release of nectar from the eyes. Ripening lasts 2-4 weeks.

Growing a fruiting fig tree on a windowsill

How to grow figs at home? Several methods are used:

• they harvest cuttings by asking for a twig from good friends;
• buy a seedling in a specialized store;
• seed material is used.

In any case, the first thing that is required is to pick up dishes and an earthen substrate. The soil is prepared from equal proportions of steamed, calcined ingredients:

• leaf humus;
• sod land;
• river sand, wood ash.

Processed expanded clay is laid at the bottom of the bowl. A layer of sand is poured on top. It is a good idea to use sphagnum moss on the surface to control humidity.

Dishes for figs are selected at first small, but for 5 years, young plants are transplanted annually. You need to know that while the roots in the pot feel at ease, flowering is delayed. An adult tree needs 8 liters of substrate. A fig tree lives up to 30 years.

Growing figs at home from cuttings is the most effective method, while maintaining parental properties. The stalk is taken only from a fruitful plant. The most adapted to indoor growing conditions are considered varieties:

• Shuisky;
• Dalmatic;
• White Adriatic;
• Sochi -7;
• Black Pearl;
• Kadata;
• Seedling of Ogloblin.

The stalk is chosen with 3-4 buds, with the lower cut 2 cm below the eye, and the upper cut 1 cm higher. On the rooted part, the bark must be scratched in longitudinal strips to the cambium, this will accelerate root formation. Pour the finished substrate mixed with sphagnum into a glass, moisten and immerse the cutting in the second kidney. Pre-treat the cutting with root or heteroauxin.

To form roots, we cover the planting from above with a cap made of PET bottles, put it on diffused light, use additional lighting for up to 12 hours. Watching the figs grow. After 2-3 weeks, the first leaves will appear, it is necessary to ventilate, accustom the leaves to the air of the apartment, and spray with warm settled water.

When the plant gets used to the surrounding air, it is carefully transferred to a liter pot with a substrate. Two weeks after transplanting, the fig tree is fed with nitrogen fertilizers or a composition for indoor plants.

The seeds of figs are small, the properties of the mother plant are not always inherited, not all germinate. But it happens, except from seeds, at home, there is nothing to breed figs from. The seeds are deepened into the soil by 2-3 cm, the soil is regularly moistened, the pots are covered from evaporation of moisture, and after 2-4 weeks sprouts appear, which are allowed to grow, and rooted in separate cups. Gradually changing pots, seedlings are grown for 4-5 years, until flowering. By this time, the young tree should already have large dishes, preferably a wooden box with a bucket of fertile soil. Whether indoor figs will be fruitful, time will tell. But even without fruits, the tree is very impressive and will live up to 30 years.

Feed for figs

During the growing season, both a growing and an adult plant needs to be fed with organic and. Once every 2 weeks, the compositions alternate. The fig tree gratefully accepts the mullein and the fermented infusion of herbs - nettle, dandelion, midge. Once a season, you need to give the plant iron sulfate and a complex composition with trace elements. Figs require potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. They can be made independently from bags, in packaging for feeding seedlings of outdoor plants.

Pest and disease control

From insect pests, you need to protect the tree from spider mites, or do 2 treatments in a week with Actellik insecticide. It is difficult to cope with a pest without chemistry.

A common fungal-type disease in figs is one - coral spotting. A sign of infection is the appearance of a reddish rash on the stem. All areas with affected shoots must be removed. Sections are treated with copper-containing preparations, and watering is carried out with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Growing indoor figs - video