Fig Tree Fertilizer: When And How?

The fig tree is classified from the kingdom of plants, the division of vascular plants, the division of seedbeds, the order of rosettes, and the family of berries, and it is characterized as a shrub whose height ranges from one meter to 10-12 meters, in addition to its fruits that are eaten fresh or dried. Asian Turkey and northern India are the original habitats The fig tree, as it spreads in warm seasons such as the Mediterranean regions, in addition to the benefits of the fig fruit, which is called the poor man's food; Because it contains important nutrients such as phosphorus, iron, calcium and potassium.

Fertilizing The Fig Tree

The fig tree is one of the trees that does not need much care or many fertilizers. As it rarely needs this, and if it is provided with a large amount of nitrogen, this will lead to the production of fruits that are smaller in size and less resistant to cold weather, and because the fig tree is characterized by its slow growth, the process of giving it a lot of fertilizer leads to mutations that cause cracks in both trunks and branches.

The Amount of Fertilizer

A number of conditions and steps must be followed to fertilize the fig tree, including:

• Fertilizing batches are best divided into several doses rather than in one dose. For not providing the tree with a large dose of nitrogen.
• Trees between one and two years old should be given an ounce of fertilizer per month.
• Full-grown trees are given 0.15 kg of fertilizer for every approximately 31 cm of tree height, 3 times annually.

Fertilizer Type

The fig tree is one of the fruit trees that produce edible fruits, so it is usually preferable in such types to use vegetable fertilizers of organic origin, and among its advantages is that it is not exposed to burning, and that the tree does not grow more than it should, in addition to not containing harmful chemicals or organic substances, such as flour Cottonseed, fish emulsion, or alfalfa flour, and sometimes a fertilizer made from seaweed is used and is supplied to the tree throughout the growing season. It should also be avoided providing it with fertilizer that contains nitrogen, as it will contribute to the growth of leaves instead of fruits.

Method of fertilizing the fig tree

The process of fertilizing the fig tree takes place according to a number of steps, including:

• Spread the fertilizer around the trunk of the tree, away from the shaded area.
• Leave a distance of at least 31 cm between the fertilizer application area and the tree trunk.
• Concentrate the application of fertilizer at the root feeding area, which is next to the dotted area.
• Gently irrigate the tree to ensure that the fertilizer stays in the designated place and is not washed away.

Fertilizing fig tree

There are a number of circumstances in which the fig tree must be fertilized, which are:

• When symptoms of slow growth appear on the fig tree.
• The appearance of the leaves in a pale color.
• when the fig tree grows in a sandy place; This is because sandy soil helps in leaching nutrients.
• When the fig tree grows alongside other trees and types of fruit trees that will compete with it in obtaining nutrients and nutrients.
• When new leaves of the fig tree begin to appear and end at the end of July.
• Full-grown fig trees are fertilized three times a year, in late winter and mid-spring and summer.

Things to consider when fertilizing

The process of fertilizing fig trees varies according to the type of tree, as there are newly planted trees and trees that have a period of time, and fertilization takes place as follows: 

• Modern trees: The tree is not fertilized during the dormant period, that is, during the period when the leaves do not grow. Because compost can be damaged due to early freezing.
• Pre-planted trees: Pre-planted trees are provided with harmless organic and plant fertilizers, when new growth begins in the spring, and can be additionally supplied in late spring and early summer, as fertilizer is placed evenly under and around the circumference of the branches.

Important notes when composting

There are some important notes that help in the composting process, which are:

• When you notice the yellowing of the leaves or their transformation into dry and wilted leaves, the tree must be fertilized, especially when the soil lacks essential elements.
• Granular fertilizer should be used. This is to provide the tree with the basic elements in batches, not all at once.
• In the absence of granular fertilizer, it is preferable to provide the tree with the important elements at a ratio of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10, which are specific ratios for each of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium NPK.
• Trees grown in pots need more fertilizer than trees grown in the ground.
• Be sure to read the instructions on the fertilizer label.

Alternatives to using fertilizers

Sometimes some other materials are used to fertilize the fig tree in the absence of organic fertilizers that consist of household elements, including:

• The use of banana peels, as they are placed next to the trunk of the tree, and when they decompose, they provide the tree with essential elements and the soil becomes more fertile, and they are placed throughout the year.
• A liquid fertilizer tea is made, which is a mixture of onion peels and garlic peels. In addition to being a natural fertilizer, it is an excellent insect repellent, as it provides an additional benefit in the summer when insects such as grasshoppers attack.

The importance of fertilizers and their benefits for the fig tree

Here are some of the benefits that accrue to the fig tree when applying the appropriate fertilizer:

• The leaves of the new fig tree have visibly doubled in size, and during the growing season they grow twice as high as the normal tree.
• Ensure that the tree gets all the essential elements and nutrients for good and healthy growth.
• Transforming the soil from alkaline to acidic, because the acid medium is the most suitable medium for tree growth ideally.

Wrong fertilizer use on fig tree

There are a number of damages to the fig tree in the event of the wrong use of fertilizer, including:

• Excessive use of fertilizers, especially the nitrogen element, should not be used, as it causes tree damage and reduces fertilization.
• The dose of organic fertilizer should not be applied completely at once, as it causes damage to the parts of the tree, but fertilizers must be applied in the form of specific doses and the growth of the tree should be monitored.
• If placed incorrectly and close to the roots or bark of the tree, it will damage both.
• Increasing the amount of fertilizer beyond the specified amount leads to an increase in the growth of the vegetative set and a decrease in the growth of the fruit set.
• Increasing the amount of fertilizer above the specified amount leads to the fruits being small in size.