Expert: nick mccann - 5/15/2012

Question
QUESTION: Nick,
You helped me out in July 2011.   My fig tree is now about 1 foot tall with several healthy big leaves.
It is in an 8" container (it will always be in a container).   I have a new questions and hope you can help me.    I am determined to take a very good care of my little fig.

I am in northern California (Silicon Valley).   My tree leaves are turning yellow and are falling off one by one.   I know that is normal.   My questions are:  should I bring it home for the winter or leave it on my balcony ?  should I keep on watering when all leave are down or not ?   how will I know when it is coming back alive in spring and how to care for it in that transition ?
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Julia

ANSWER: Hi Julia, leave it on the balcony, after all the leaves have been shed, wrap the container with a heavy blanket,(before first frost or freeze) so the soil doesn't freeze, and block the crown with some kind of wind break; in the Spring, when all chance of frosts or freeze has past, unwrap it and begin its normal watering schedule (and fertilizing.) ..you can bring it inside sooner if you want, to coax it out of dormancy earlier, but it is better to let it come out in a normal fashion. Nick  

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QUESTION: so I should stop watering now until spring ?  or should I water until all leave are gone ?  sorry to bother you with tidies questions but I love my little tree and yet I am clueless what to do with my plants now that season is changing.
thank you

ANSWER: Julia, I am going to change my advice slightly here, for I just realized that we are dealing with a much smaller fig, I would build a wire enclosure around it,  (wire hangers will do..)wrap it with black plastic, tie it into place and then fill it with mulch or even shredded newspaper, this will give it the needed insulation to protect it through the Winter..then put the wind break up ...begin tapering off watering now, once it goes completely dormant (all leaves have been shed)then cease watering,  the soil begins to cool considerably at this point, and the last thing you want, is for that soil to become soggy, for root rot will follow, which is assuredly fatal. Once you cease watering, and the leaves have been shed, then bundle it as I said and in the Spring, once all fear of frost/freeze has past, you can open it up , give it a light watering and watch for new growth, then commence your normal Spring/Summer care. In the Spring, when it does emerge, it may need to be trimmed back slightly, you will see the dead wood along the tips, this is normal. good luck and keep me apprised throughout the Winter. Nick  

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QUESTION: Nick,
Thank you very much for your 'how to care for my little Chicago fig tree' in winter and how to get it growing after winter.   I follow your instructions and surly enough in spring it started to grow beautifully leave after leave.

Suddenly about 10 to 14 days ago,  the next leave buds stopped growing (I have two branches on my little fig tree - about 14" tall so far)   both next new leave are a bud for about two weeks now.  They do not die or dry up but just are there.   One seemed to crack it's 'shell' but not really.   I added food about 10 days ago and still nothing.

I did spey it about 2 weeks ago as I saw some bugs that should have not been there.   I use sprayed form Bayer Rose and Flower spray, which I is good quality ???   The tree is still in 8 inches container.   I was thinking that maybe the roots got too crowded and I should put it in a bigger pot?   

Do you have any suggestions?   the tree has two branches -  4 leaves on main branch and the 5th is not growing it is a bud for a long time - the side branch has 6 leaves and the seventh is a none growing bud.

Appreciate your help very much.

Julia

Answer
It may need to be  moved into a larger container, pop it out and check to see if the roots are cramped,,,if so , repot it; don't fertilize it anymore for now,,,you may be stressing the roots with too much of a PH spike from the nutrients in such a small container...when you repot, repot with a new mixture of a good grade potting mix.