Protecting with a new plan!

 This year we protect the fig trunks using the wrapping technique from last year. However, to spare the neighbors from the sight of ugly cloth wrapped around fig trunks we chose more subtlely-colored cloth to match the color of the trunks. One is more successful than the other choice but overall this year will be successful and discreet!

Success on the Branches!

Since the rabbits were not nibbling on the main branch trunks, the growth began with the start of the season and now there are MANY figs growing. All the branches look like the image above - so excited! If we can only keep them safe from squirrels!

New Data about the Rabbit Issue!

 For several seasons we have been working against winter rabbits who gnaw the bark off the fig trunks, essentially killing parts of the plants. The result is having to start over every season. A couple years ago, we wrapped the trunks with a cloth which seemed to benefit the whole situation but not completely. Last fall, we repeated the wrapping technique after pruning the extra branches so in the end the biggest, healthiest trunks were left and wrapped - about 5-6 per plant.  The trimmings were tossed onto a pile for later.

Lo and behold, when meeting the delivery of the new shed this spring, what do we notice - very keenly - is the pile of discarded branches have been nibbled in patches all along the lengths. NO nibbles on the wrapped trunks or any of the branches of the one fig plant that never got trimmed in the end. 

Clearly, leaving a pile of branches for rabbit nibbling diverted the little rascals from the actual plants. YeeHa!!  We may have a plan.

Season Ending

 It seems the 5 to 6 stems per plant was a success!  The figs prospered, had lots of growth, produced fruit, and appeared to be doing well. However, the strange weather pattern messed with somehow. The fruit did not set until mid-August so they never really ripened, and suddenly were all gone. We think squirrels got to them because it does seem like in the course of only a few days the plants went from a promising harvest (although later in the season than expected) to nothing on the plants at all.

Of course, there's no evidence of the deed so we can only guess but it does make me look suspiciously at squirrels I see in the neighborhood and as the leaves fall off trees, I am keenly aware of how many nest there are high up in the trees. 

Drat!

A New Perspective!

OH MY!  A whole new way of looking at this fig gig!  Upon reading up on pruning techniques, it's become clear what has been wrong all along - the pruning technique!  Every year the crazy weather kills off the previous years' growth and we start over. Because there is so much root system, and a healthy one at that, lots of new growth happens and the plants spend the whole summer pushing out lush green stems and leaves but then has nothing left for producing fruit until late in the season.

Well, well, now there's a new plan. By pruning back to 5-6 stems and deleting all the others, the growth is supposed to be better, fruit-production-wise. It's snowing right now, but you can see how 2 of the plants have been done with this new 'recipe of gardening skill'.

The front and middle fig plants have been done.
The plant on the far end has not. You can see what
was allowed to happen every year, but now limits
have been set!

Crazy Weather, Crazy Results

The winter was bitter, but the die-back was survivable. However, the spring was wet and cool with fits and starts of summer weather throughout July and August. Now, here we are October 1 and it's a week of 90-degree temps - most unusual for this time of year when the figs would normally be eaten straight off the plants.

Here is what we have - a whole bunch of immature figs that are destined for death from the frosts that are sure to come....unless, it stays uncharacteristically warm through November!

OH, the sad irony of it all!

Another winter of yuck?

Now we're heading into another winter of questionable weather.  These fig plants have been through a LOT over recent years. They rebounded mightily from last year's frozen torture but did not produce fruit....so no figgy pudding this Christmas!