fig tree distances ?

[chuckell]

planning on sinking a lot of mt etna types in the ground out in the field in a straight line.probably two rows @90' in length.trying to find out the closest distance i can possibly have between each tree ?any suggestions ??

[figgrower]

I have seen full grown trees, @4ft apart, w/soil raised up 3ft tall. A significant part of the roots is probably under the building behind the trees.

[Fygmalion]

As posted already on the other forum, I have no experience or specific knowledge related to spacing requirement for healthy plants to minimize root crowding and nutrient competition but think that every plant should have available to it in free space the equivalent of whatever max height and max width you are planning on it attaining. Thus a 6ft plant that is 6 ft wide all around should have 6ft of free space all around its outside perimeter. This would result in a 12ft space between outside perimeters of adjoining plants.... Smaller or larger height figs should have adjustments made based on both planned height and plant width... I think that is workable to maintain health although it may not suit your desire to maximize your plants at the highest workable density ... JMHO...

[chuckell]

As posted already on the other forum, I have no experience or specific knowledge related to spacing requirement for healthy plants to minimize root crowding and nutrient competition but think that every plant should have available to it in free space the equivalent of whatever max height and max width you are planning on it attaining. Thus a 6ft plant that is 6 ft wide all around should have 6ft of free space all around its outside perimeter. This would result in a 12ft space between outside perimeters of adjoining plants.... Smaller or larger height figs should have adjustments made based on both planned height and plant width... I think that is workable to maintain health although it may not suit your desire to maximize your plants at the highest workable density ... JMHO...

~thanks~

[chuckell]

I have seen full grown trees, @4ft apart, w/soil raised up 3ft tall. A significant part of the roots is probably under the building behind the trees.

~thanks~

[Tonycm]

You'll need to space them at the very least 10 feet apart, but 12 feet would be better. I had planted a few at 6 feet apart and the branches grow into each other. I can still get to the figs but it makes it a little bit of a pain. I'm going to be planting a few more this summer and you can be sure they will be more than my original mistake of 6 foot spacing.

[figgrower]

It's no fun to harvest when you have twelve feet of interwoven branches!

[MrC]

Tonycm How much are your trees starting the season with when they grow into each other at 6 foot spacing? Is that protected or from the soil line... tree form or bush? About to plant some of mine and I'd love to hear from your experience. Thank you!

[chuckell]

You'll need to space them at the very least 10 feet apart, but 12 feet would be better. I had planted a few at 6 feet apart and the branches grow into each other. I can still get to the figs but it makes it a little bit of a pain. I'm going to be planting a few more this summer and you can be sure they will be more than my original mistake of 6 foot spacing.

thanks tony i will use the 12' distance,i can get 9 trees into 90' run and a double row so 18 that's a good start ,and are you talking 12 feet from outside dia to outside dia? or from trunk to trunk ?

[Tonycm]

Chuck I'm talking trunk to trunk. With all the dieback we get, wether from trimming or from freezing temps I think 12 feet apart is the perfect distance. I'm going to remove one of my three trees planted 6 feet apart. From the way they've been growing every summer I noticed that 12 feet will give enough room between trees while getting the most out of the space.

[jrdewhirst]

Repeating an observation made elsewhere -- if the plants are too close, then it is difficult to control the spread of diseases and pests. Neither of these seem as bad for figs as for other tree fruit, at least not in the north. But it can still be a consideration. You might, for example, want to be able to easily remove fallen fruit to limit the spread of SWD.

[AscPete]

Frank FMD has planted his fig hedge at 3ft - 4ft apart and he's in a much warmer zone!!!

The spacing also depends on how much the trees grow each season and how much survives the winter. Good Luck.

[Fygmalion]

Good point, Pete.... His hedges which look great and appear to be very productive are only 3-4ft apart on 2 sides and have a wider separation on the remaining two sides; not sure the space between his rows. All in all an excellent model to emulate space permitting...

[Taverna78]

Depends on how good your back will be in few years. Plant them close you will be digging up and re locating some. Or just spread them out. Min 15 ft apart

[DonCentralTexas]

I wanted as many varieties as possible in my spaces, I went with 7 feet. As the others have noted the branches grew together first year on most.

But I would probably do it again in my circumstances, now if I had an open field, you bet I wouldn't plant any closer than 12' and still plan on pruning to control growth.

I'm going to also throw in the caveat in that it matters what variety your planting. A field of Preto can easily be kept in 10' centers, but with trees like LdA, RdB these tend to be monsters, and I would advise more than 12' . But IMHO really with pruning you can attempt just about anything, realize you will be pruning lots.

[Selkirk]

I just put in 25 figs this past week, 20' between trees and 25' between rows on my spacing.

[Fygmalion]

was that really 25" between rows or a typo?

[Selkirk]

25" HaHa-I sure would have a heck of time driving my tractor between those rows. Typo-Thanks for the catch. 25'

[eboone]

There is a big difference in location though - in Houston your trees have permanent trunks and scaffolds but here in PA everything will die back to ground level or a short main trunk without protection

[chuckell]

i just put in 25 figs this past week, 20' between trees and 25' between rows on my spacing.

ed what do you recommend in distance between trees ,you are right there will likely be a lot of trimming and die back?

[chuckell]

thanks tony i will use the 12' distance,i can get 9 trees into 90' run and a double row so 18 that's a good start ,and are you talking 12 feet from outside dia to outside dia? or from trunk to trunk ?

thanks tony i appreciate the advice

[Rewton]

At my new place in MD I have quite a bit of space so I am using anywhere from 8 feet to 12 ft between trees within a row and 10-15 ft between rows. At my old place I had a fig area with trees randomly situated in 6 ft diameter circles. The latter situation requires extensive pruning every year whether mother nature does it during the winter or you do it in the early Spring (or both).

[jrdewhirst]

Chuckell -- I think it depends on how you intend to shape the trees, which may depend on how (if) you intend to protect them during winter. FWIW, my inground trees are pruned low and long. I have them on 16' centers. The horizontal cordons fill that space (8' on each side of the trunk) in 2-4 years. But if I were growing small trees with a central leader here in RI, I'd probably go with 10-12' centers. And if I lived in CA where I could let the trees get bigger, I'd probably try 20' centers.

[eboone]

Chuck - I don't have enough experience to say yet. I have one tree that has been in the ground 2 years and 6 for one year. Three of those are against the wall of my brick garage for protection against the elements and are only 4 ft apart. I will be pruning them back and covering each winter. My Sal's that has 2 years in the ground, as you saw, grew over 9 ft tall last summer, but is about 5 feet wide. Again, pruned back and covered each winter. That tree, if I continue to do the same each year, may never get much wider, I don't know. Minimal shaping could keep it that way.

Also as you saw, I have 2 shaped to a low cordon as Joe mentions above, and am doing another 2 that way in the spring.

I am thinking of doing a 'fig hedge' or row like FMD's in that video above as a trial, but maybe 6 or 8 feet apart, of hardier types.

Lots of experimentation to find out what works well. My guess is that figs are pretty 'plastic' and you can make it work in a lot of ways.

[chuckell]

I have seen full grown trees, @4ft apart, w/soil raised up 3ft tall. A significant part of the roots is probably under the building behind the trees.

thanks

[chuckell]

Chuck - I don't have enough experience to say yet. I have one tree that has been in the ground 2 years and 6 for one year. Three of those are against the wall of my brick garage for protection against the elements and are only 4 ft apart. I will be pruning them back and covering each winter. My Sal's that has 2 years in the ground, as you saw, grew over 9 ft tall last summer, but is about 5 feet wide. Again, pruned back and covered each winter. That tree, if I continue to do the same each year, may never get much wider, I don't know. Minimal shaping could keep it that way.

Also as you saw, I have 2 shaped to a low cordon as Joe mentions above, and am doing another 2 that way in the spring.

I am thinking of doing a 'fig hedge' or row like FMD's in that video above as a trial, but maybe 6 or 8 feet apart, of hardier types.

Lots of experimentation to find out what works well. My guess is that figs are pretty 'plastic' and you can make it work in a lot of ways.

thanks ed

[chuckell]

Chuckell -- I think it depends on how you intend to shape the trees, which may depend on how (if) you intend to protect them during winter. FWIW, my inground trees are pruned low and long. I have them on 16' centers. The horizontal cordons fill that space (8' on each side of the trunk) in 2-4 years. But if I were growing small trees with a central leader here in RI, I'd probably go with 10-12' centers. And if I lived in CA where I could let the trees get bigger, I'd probably try 20' centers.

thanks

[chuckell]

At my new place in MD I have quite a bit of space so I am using anywhere from 8 feet to 12 ft between trees within a row and 10-15 ft between rows. At my old place I had a fig area with trees randomly situated in 6 ft diameter circles. The latter situation requires extensive pruning every year whether mother nature does it during the winter or you do it in the early Spring (or both).

thanks

[chuckell]

I just put in 25 figs this past week, 20' between trees and 25' between rows on my spacing.

thanks

[chuckell]

I wanted as many varieties as possible in my spaces, I went with 7 feet. As the others have noted the branches grew together first year on most.

But I would probably do it again in my circumstances, now if I had an open field, you bet I wouldn't plant any closer than 12' and still plan on pruning to control growth.

I'm going to also throw in the caveat in that it matters what variety your planting. A field of Preto can easily be kept in 10' centers, but with trees like LdA, RdB these tend to be monsters, and I would advise more than 12' . But IMHO really with pruning you can attempt just about anything, realize you will be pruning lots.

thanks

[MrC]

Two growing seasons have past and we’re into the third... any reflection or new insight on in ground fencing?

I am readying to plant 12 or so trees. I’m in zone 6a, plan to protect about 1-3 feet of tree over the winter.

Second question somewhat pertaining to the first (spacing). Does anyone notice productivity and timing difference with regards to how much of the fig tree gets protected (say 1 foot..3 foot.. 5 feet).

[Michael]

I've been battling with the spacing issue myself. For you guys who have acres to play with, you can do whatever you want. I'm growing about a hundred pots now, and my property is only about a quarter of an acre. There's no way I can put most of them in the ground, so I have to prioritize and figure out how to maximize what I can do. I just set up a terrace across the back yard that is about 50 feet wide, so if I use 8 foot spacing I'm only going to get a half dozen in. Most of mine will have to live in pots.