[GD]

Hi,

Can I espalier container planted figs on a 3' south facing wall or does it need to be taller?

Thanks
Dan

[Yorkie]

I'd have thought it needed to be higher, particularly as the level of the soil in the container is likely to be 12-18" high.

[GD]

thanks for the quick reply -  you're right the pot is approx 12" high, leaving just over 2' of wall to play with. That's a shame as it would have been ideal to cover a large section of this wall.

Cheers
Dan

[Yorkie]

It would probably eventually need a bigger pot too; difficult to repot once espaliered.

[operabunny]

Figs get VERY big once they get going, even if container grown!

[GD]

hmm, ok thanks.  It's against a wall about 3' x 8', so maybe I need to find a new location sooner rather than later.  It's only about 1m tall so far (it's a Brown turkey..if that makes any difference).

Thanks,
Dan

[Alastair-I]

I think it might be worth trying if it's the only space you have.  I have a fig growing well against an east-facing wall and it's quickly raced up the 14' or so of the wall.. but I was thinking aloud last week with someone about pruning a fig into a tall step-over style (more hurdle or high-jump than step) with branches trained horizontally at about 18" and 36".

If you're doing it in a pot I'd look for a very long or wide pot with a good bit of weight to it, maybe a butler sink or even a low bath.  If you need to go higher than the wall, could you put a strong fence in place to train it along and give you a second tier at a reasonable height?  The secret to success will be in getting the pruning regime correct.

[Yorkie]

The difficulty with your suggestion Alastair is that the wall is only 3' high.  Once you've deducted the height of the container, that's 2' high - only room for maximum of one horizontal branch.

Edit: unless there's some way of attaching very strong supports for wires which go higher than the wall.

[Alastair-I]

I did mention a fence could be used if required to go above the height of the wall.. but you can largely ignorer the height of the pot in this case.. with a 12" pot, as soon as you've gone outside the area of the pot, what was 6" above soil level miraculously becomes 18" above the ground.. and the height of the first level is purely to provide some air movement and get the fruit above the rain splash zone.  Fig will happily put out low shoots that can be tied in at any point from soil level upwards.

To go above wall level, 2"x2" uprights bolted to the wall on 4' centres with a tensioned wire (or chain) would give support to a second layer above wall height if neccessary.  If you go much higher above the wall, remember that figs grow fast and heavy, with large leaves that provide a big sail area.  This summer I've replaced the rawlplugs and eyes supporting the fig against our wall with M8 anchor-eyes.

[Yorkie]

I did mention a fence could be used if required to go above the height of the wall.. but you can largely ignorer the height of the pot in this case.. with a 12" pot, as soon as you've gone outside the area of the pot, what was 6" above soil level miraculously becomes 18" above the ground.. and the height of the first level is purely to provide some air movement and get the fruit above the rain splash zone.  Fig will happily put out low shoots that can be tied in at any point from soil level upwards.

Good points.  After doing stupid hours at work recently I overlooked them