Fig Tree Care

How far away from a house do you need to plant a fig tree? What kind of sun does it need?

As there are several species of fig (Ficus spp.) trees, and they vary in size, I cannot give you an exact answer as to how far it should be planted from the home without my knowing the name of the fig tree (preferably in Latin). Common names for plants vary from region to region and are unreliable.

I must also assume you live in a very mild zone as fig trees are certainly not hardy in our zone 2.

In any case, the "rule of thumb" when planting any type of plant near a building is to know the total width of that plant at maturity. The next step is to divide that width by 2. The resulting number is the distance the plant should be located from the building. Some figs, for example, have a spread of 34 feet at maturity. They should be planted 17 feet away from the home.

If the above mentioned fig tree were to be planted closer to the home, branches would certainly require pruning on the home side of the tree as it matured. This would lead to a very unbalanced looking specimen. Furthermore, roots from larger trees can cause basement or foundation damage if planted to close to the building. Finally, feeder roots of a tree are located near the drip line (the widest branches of the tree), not near the tree trunk. This would lead to cramming of the important feeder roots in their search for moisture and nutrients.

When grown as houseplants or indoors, the larger roots of fig trees are pruned when they are repotted. This enables them to remain in rather small containers in comparison to their size. We naturally do not root prune trees that are growing outside as these large roots are required to anchor the tree. So, when planting a large tree near a home, their permanent location should be chosen carefully.

As for sunlight, on the assumption that your Fig tree is the edible-fruited Fig (Ficus carica), it should be placed where it can receive full sunshine. Edible Fig trees are grown in large orchards. As well as being fruitful, the Fig tree makes a very beautiful ornamental in any yard. If the area in which you live has fairly cool winters, it would be wise to plant it where it is sheltered from the winter winds.

Orchid After Blooming

After an orchid is done blooming, what do you do? My neighbor said to leave it, but it looks like the stem is dying. Thanks Brian.

Without knowing the correct botanical name of your orchid, it is difficult to give you a specific answer. The orchids consist of a group of plants consisting of at least 30,000 different species, with new hybrids being introduced yearly. Many of them require somewhat different cultural practices. Some are epiphytal (they grow naturally on trees) while others are terrestrial (they grow in soil). Potting media is therefore a very important factor in itself when growing these beautiful flowering plants. The following comments on Orchids applies to most of the species.

Depending on how long your orchid has been growing in the same pot, it may require repotting. It may be outgrowing its container, or the type of compost it is growing in may have rotted and is becoming sour, or it may be the wrong type of media to suit its needs. Orchids may remain in their potting soil for 2 years, rarely 3 years, before they require repotting. Some types resent root disturbance and must be transplanted very carefully, or delay repotting by picking out the old rotted compost in the center of the pot and replacing it with fresh. Osmunda fiber (Orchid peat), shredded bark, soil and peat moss are the main ingredients used for orchids, depending on the species. Prepared orchid media is available for growers at garden centers.

Be sure not to overwater your orchid. Overwatering results in rotting of the roots, rapid decay of the potting compost and other kinds of problems. Overwatering usually occurs during winter or when the plant is dormant. Here is an example of having to know your particular species. Cattleyas spp. should only be watered when the soil is very dry, whereas Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis spp), should not dry out completely while at no time should the soil remain soggy. When watering, use water that is the same temperature as the atmosphere in your home. The water should be neutral or slightly acidic, never alkaline. The first signs of overwatering or underwatering (this may take months before symptoms appear) are yellowing of the leaves and lack of new growth. The leaves then turn crinkly and begin to fall or drop off. Check the roots of your orchid for signs of rot (black or dark brown mushy roots). These must be removed and the plant repotted.

High relative humidity of the air is necessary for almost all species of orchids. 50 - 70 % is preferable for most. Humidity levels can be increased around your plant by setting it on a tray of moistened pebbles, but be sure the pot is not sitting in the water. Many growers place their orchids in terrariums to increase humidity levels. Mist the plants with warm water in the morning each day. Afternoon or night misting should be avoided as water sitting on the plant at night may rot them.

Daytime temperatures should be between 65 - 80 degrees F for most species, with night temperatures 10 - 15 degrees cooler to initiate blooming.

Bright light is required in order for the plant to bloom. Direct summer sun must be avoided or the plant will burn. A south window with sheer curtains or an east window are preferable. The plants require 8 - 10 hours of good light each day with 13 - 14 hours even better. The use of florescent lighting placed one foot above the plants is ideal. 3 or 4 broad spectrum , 40 watt fluorescent tubes is a good choice. With optimum (perfect) lighting, the foliage should be just slightly yellowish. If grown in too much shade, the foliage will be rich green in color, but the plant will not flower freely. If the plant is receiving too much sunlight, the leaves will become yellow or brown as a result of burning of the foliage. A good way to describe proper lighting is semi-sunny.

Stagnant air is an orchid killer. Placing a small fan and moving the same air as your orchid is surrounded by is important.

Depending on your type of media, orchids will require fertilizing. If fiber from tree ferns is used, a half strength solution of 10-10-10 fertilizer every two weeks is generally sufficient. Tree bark contains no nutrients, so while the plant is actively growing, use a half-strength solution of 30-10-10 fertilizer every 2 weeks. Tree bark from fir trees is often used as a media because it is difficult to overwater the plant. Osmunda fiber is expensive, but it does not require fertilizing as it breaks down and supplies food for the plant. Never fertilize your orchids while they are in the dormant stage.

Different species of Orchids require somewhat different treatment after blooming. Without knowing your exact species, I can only give you general information on this matter. On some, you can cut the flower stem and the sheath around it just above the place where it grows out of the leaf and bulb. On others, if you notice black lines or black nodes on the lower part of the stem, cut it off just above one of these. Your orchid may start blooming again at one of these nodes. Continue watering and fertilizing as usual. Other species do not require cutting back at all. They must be watered and fertilized as they are building up energy for the nest blooming period.

If your orchid has been in the same pot for 2 years, immediately after blooming, before new growth starts is a good time to repot it. Some species such as Cattleya's go into a short dormant period for 2 to 6 weeks after the blooming period. Repotting them at this time is less stressful on the plant.

One final precaution is during the flowering stage of some orchids. If you notice the leaves are wilting, stunted or just not growing, remove the flowers and place them in a vase where you can enjoy them a while longer.

Check your plant over carefully for signs of mealybugs, scale insects or spidermites. Sunken brown spots on the leaves may indicate the presence of fungi, bacteria or virus infections.

I sincerely hope this information will be of help to you in getting your orchid back to a speedy recovery.

Tomatoes Without Blossom

I have a few tomato plants which are growing tall but no blossoms. What's wrong?

Generally, if tomatoes fail to bloom, the main two reasons are too low or too high night temperatures, and the tomato cultivar itself.

Using a lot of nitrogen fertilizer will cause the plant to produce a lot of foliage, but nitrogen does not have anything to do with the plant changing from the vegetative stage to the fruiting stage. It is the night temperature along with the variety (cultivar) of tomato that determines whether the plant will develop flowers or whether the blossoms will set fruit. If night temperatures are constantly below 55degrees F or above 75 degrees F, most tomato plants will not produce flowers, or will not set fruit. In our area which is zone 2, we have a short growing season (75 days without frost on average) with some very cool nights. I have grown many different tomato cultivars over the years and have had the same results as you are describing - a lot of plant, but no blossoms. Other tomato cultivars grew along side of those fruitless plants and produced many fruits. The same cultivar can vary in fruit production from year to year, depending on weather conditions.

It could be possible that the night temperatures in your area have not been favorable for blossom set on that particular cultivar of tomato, or perhaps you are growing a very late season cultivar. One suggestion may be to try other cultivars in your garden. New ones are being developed that set blossom at lower and higher night temperatures.

One other possibility could be a sulphur deficiency in your soil which results in delayed flowering of plants. Phosphorous also promotes flowering and fruit development and should be readily available for your plants. A soil test will determine if these nutrients are low or adequate in your soil.

You may want to ask neighbours how their tomatoes are doing, and if they are flowering freely, ask them for the name(s) of their tomato cultivars (varieties).

One final suggestion is to sprinkle one tablespoonful each of Epsom salt around a few of your plants and work it into the top inch of soil. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) promotes heavy fruit production on my tomatoes.

I hope this will answer your question.

Tomatoes

Like all fresh home grown vegetables, I'm sure everyone agrees there is no comparison between the taste and flavor of a home grown tomato and a store purchased tomato. Canning the fruit each fall ensures us that superior flavor all year round.

The botanical name for this popular fruit is Lycopersicum esculentum. The name is derived from the Greek words 'Lykos' meaning wolf and 'persicon' meaning peach - "wolf peach". The "wolf" part is due to the fact that the tomato is related to the deadly poisonous nightshade plant, and the "peach" part due to the soft looking fruit of the tomato. The word esculentum means edible. The tomato had been grown in gardens as an ornamental for hundreds of years before it was discovered it could be eaten.

In our gardens, the tomato is treated as a frost tender annual and must be started indoors 4 -6 weeks prior to our last late spring frost. This is a necessity due to our short growing season. In it's native habitat, the tomato is a perennial and may live for many years. Before setting the tender tomato plants outside in the garden, they must be "hardened off" or acclimatized to the harsh outdoor weather conditions. The wind and hot sun can damage these tender plants that have been used to sheltered greenhouse conditions. Stunted growth or even death of the plant can occur if this "hardening off" process is not administered. If you do not have a cold frame, harden off your tomato plants by setting them outside for ½ hour the first day and then increase the time each day by ½ hour for 7 - 10 days. Do not let your tomato plants wilt, but give them a little less water than they are used to during the "hardening off" process to condition them to the more natural outside environment. In our area, tomato plants can be transplanted in the garden by June 10th, or shortly afterwards. They should be placed in a well sheltered area of the garden.

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum)

Tomatoes may be set in the garden at an earlier date, but they will not do well if the soil is cold. To help warm the soil, a sheet of black plastic mulch is placed over the soil a week prior to setting out the plants. If you have a well drained sandy type of soil, this mulch may be left on the soil all summer. It will suppress weeds, retain soil heat and moisture, and help keep the fruit clean, thus decreasing disease. Cut a hole or X in the plastic and plant the tomato. Rain or irrigation water will reach the roots through the hole in the plastic. On heavy clay soils, using plastic much may result in the soil remaining too wet during long periods of heavy rain.

The soil may also be warmed by placing hot caps or water filled containers such as "Kosy-Coats" around each plant. These warm the soil by decreasing the wind, thus increasing the air temperature. The hot cap then prevents heat from the soil from escaping at night, thus keeping the air temperature around the tomato plant warmer. Be sure to remove them in hot weather so the plants do not suffer from heat damage.

If your tomato plants have been grown individually in 4" pots and "hardened off" properly, they can be set in the garden without using any type of protection from the wind and sun, as there is little root disturbance. If they have been grown in pac's or flats, they should be planted in the evening and given protection from the wind and hot sun until re-established. Water the plants well after transplanting. Milk cartons (with tops and bottoms removed) or wooden shingles placed around each plant provide shade and wind protection for the plant while re-establishing.

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum)

Long stemmed plants should be set in the soil more or less horizontally. Do not dig a deep hole as this places the roots in cold soil. Lay the plant on it's side and cover the stem up to it's first set of true leaves. This portion of stem will root and help feed the plant.

The soil should contain ample amounts of organic matter like manure or compost. Use bone meal or a fertilizer with a higher percentage of phosphorus for good root and fruit development. In addition, tomatoes will benefit greatly by sprinkling one tablespoon of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) around each plant and working it into the top 1 inch of soil immediately after transplanting them into the garden.

The soil must not be allowed to dry out. During periods of drought, the soil should be mulched to keep it constantly moist. Dry soil followed by rain or irrigation can lead to Blossom end rot which is caused by a calcium deficiency. Light brown patches on the blossom end of the fruit which eventually turn black and become sunken are the results of blossom end rot. The tomato plant must have steady plant growth and even moisture to prevent this physiological disorder.

Choosing Tomatoes

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum)

Tomatoes are either classified as 'determinate' or 'indeterminate' as indicated by their growth habit. The former fruits at nearly every node, but eventually terminates in a final flower cluster. This one is commonly known as a bush type tomato. Wire cages may be used to hold the plant from sprawling on the ground. 'Indeterminate' tomatoes are known as staking tomatoes and produce flower clusters at approximately every third node. They will grow and produce fruit indefinitely. This tomato should be tied loosely to a stake as it grows. All side shoots originating from the main stem should be removed once they are 1 inch long, except for the ones immediately below the flower cluster. These side shoots originate at every leaf on the main stem. After four or five fruit clusters have formed, the top of the plant should be broken off to prevent any further growing. Our short growing season will not permit any more fruit than these 4 or 5 clusters to reach maturity, so we do not want the plant to waste nutrients on unnecessary growth. The end result is fewer but much larger, even sized fruit. Another advantage to staking varieties is that the fruit never touches the ground, so fruit rot is almost nil.

Tomatoes are also categorized as paste, cherry and beef types. Greenhouse tomatoes are meant for greenhouse growing and will not do well out of doors.

The plum shaped paste tomato has a more meaty texture and is better suited for freezing, cooking and canning. A few cultivars that do well in our area include 'Roma', 'Sele', 'Enchantment' and 'charm'.

Cherry tomatoes are generally early in maturity, small in size and produce a large amount of fruits. Good cultivars for our area include 'Sweet 100', 'Tiny Tim' and 'Red Cherry'. 'Tiny Tim' is a good one for pot culture.

There are many beef type cultivars available for the gardener. These are the most regularly grown type of tomato used for fresh eating. It is best to choose early or mid-season cultivars for our area. Disease resistant varieties may also be chosen. My favorite cultivar is 'Swift'. This cultivar has never failed to produce fruit in our garden, even during cold, wet summers. The best method of finding the suitable cultivar for your garden is to try a few different ones each year, along with your old favorites. Other favorites of mine include: 'Kotlas', 'Terrific', 'Super Fantastic VF', 'Oregon Spring' and 'Summerset VF'.

Fruit Set

Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum)

Tomato plants do not require you going from one flower to another with a tiny paintbrush, as some folks believe. A tomato flower is complete with both male and female organs and are mostly self-fertilizing. Pollen grains from the anther (the male part) fall or float in the air and adhere to the sticky surface of the stigma (the female part), usually of the same flower. The important factor here is now the temperature. When the pollen grains land on the stigma, they germinate and send tubes with the pollen tube nuciei (sperm) down the style to the ovary where they unite with the ovules and set fruit. This process takes very close to 50 hrs. If night temperatures are lower than 55 degrees F., or above 75 degrees F., pollen germination and tube growth are so slow that fertilization does not take place in the 50 hr. time period and the blossoms drop off, resulting in no fruit. We can help our tomato plants set fruit in cooler weather by covering them each night with large cardboard boxes. The boxes trap heat given off by the soil.

Have you ever noticed your fingers turn dark green to black after picking a lot of tomatoes? The reason is glandular hairs which are found on the leaves and stems give off an oil when they are bent. These glands are also responsible for the strong, characteristic tomato odour.