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Followup To
Question -
I was given 2 semi mature Japanese Fig Trees this morning. How can I transplant them to assure their survival? I live in central Florida in Zone 8. Temps this weekend will go down to the low 20's with highs in the 40's on Monday.
I was hoping to plant them on the West side of my house to help shade from the afternoon summer sun.
Thanks for any help you can give. I would hate to lose them to ignorance ;-)
Answer -
The reason we plant people use Latin isn't to be 搒nooty?but that a lot of common names can throw us onto the wrong path. So it is with the 揓apanese Fig? The Japanese call their figs Ichijiku. There are maybe 15 different types of figs (Ficus) ?The common fig is grown all over Europe, and native to East Asia. There is one kind called the Smyrna fig that is only pollinated by wasps!
The fig family is generally considered a tropical plant and NOT cold hardy, and should be planted in a protected area, or indoors.
However, the common fig (Ficus carica) is hardy from zones 7A to 11 (0 F), and is actually the deciduous fig tree. It needs temperatures below 40 F to go dormant. Some folks are allergic to the milky sap (full of stuff called Ficin). Some other benefits and cautions can be found at the University of Georgia's web site http://www.uga.edu/fruit/fig.htm.
If there is a label on the plant, check to see what kind you have. Then check to make sure you don't have one of the other various tropical varieties at http://www.bonsaiweb.com/care/faq/ficus.html. If there is no label, I'd assume it is a common fig, Ficus carica ?it should have big floppy leaves, like a Mulberry tree -sort of looks like a fat maple leaf. You said they were miniatures, that's why I went and looked on a Bonsai website. Its good to make sure, rather than plant the wrong tree and get it flash-frozen.
Once you've figured out which type, then planting it shouldn't be a problem. The fig needs sun, but will grow in part-sun. Don't be surprised if it drops all its leaves after planting. Figs don't like being kicked around, so if you have dogs or kids, find a spot that isn't too prone to stray balls or lost bones. Your idea of putting in on a west-facing wall is the right thinking.
Fertilize them every two weeks during growth, every 4-6 weeks in winter, using a half-strength plant food. If you're putting them in a container, the commercial planting mixes are great. If you are putting them in the native ground, mix in potting soil to 搒weeten?the back-filled hole.
Growth-wise, it's a pretty tough plant, and in fact you can get extra plants by just by sticking a cutting into a pot in the spring after the first season of growth. Soon you'll be overrun with baby Ficus! I think I know how you ended up with your plants?
Marc, I think you may have misread the message. These two trees are about 8-10 feet tall. Their leaves more resemble a magnolia only not as thick & waxy. They are oblong and the tree has produced fruit.
They are currently planted at my place of employment and have been pruned on a regular basis. The powers that be have decided to replace all the trees with palms and has given some of the employees the trees that are being pulled up. I really need to know in zone 8, when should I put these in the ground? Since the hurricains this past summer I will not be putting them colse to the house ;-) They will go out from the house about 75 feet. They will be in full exposure to all weather.
Can I put them in the ground now or should I put them in containers, cover the top of the container with burlap and keep moist till spring?
AnswerYEP - hazards of reading fast....mature, miniature. Big difference! Have had a "hard" freeze" yet? If not, get them in ASAP. We, here in zone 7b had ours at Thanksgiving. If they are not dormant (if they are that variety), then putting them in now won't hurt, and "heeling" them in with burlap or temporary dirt invites root diseases and forgetful watering. The burlap may be jut a convenience to move the tree and root-ball around, and left on during planting. You'll probably want to prune them a bit, too. Staking would'nt hurt either, if their trunks at the root base are bigger than about 2"-3" in diameter.
Before moving a large tree, keep in mind that smaller trees of a particular species typically transplant better and catch up in growth to larger trees of the same species. A general rule is for each inch in caliper, a year is required for transplant recovery; therefore, a 4 inch caliper tree may require four years to recover from the transplant procedure before normal, active growth resumes.
Hope it helps.
