Do you love the fig variety of your neighbor, your parents or your friends and would you like to have the same one in your garden?
It's possible !
Just ask them for permission to layer their fig tree.
In a few months, you will get the same young tree to plant at home!
When is the best time to layer a fig tree?
Early spring, in
March or April
, before the sap begins to rise and circulate in the tree again, is the best time to layer a fig tree.
If your garden is located in a cold climate region, wait until the greatest risk of late frosts has passed.
How to make a fig branch take root?
Layering the fig tree is
a propagation technique
which consists of obtaining the formation of roots directly on one of the branches of the tree, even though it is still attached to the mother plant.
Unlike cuttings, the young plant obtained therefore continues to be nourished by the mother plant until it is separated from it, after the roots have formed.
Also read: layering: a simple method for propagating plants
What are the advantages of layering a fig tree?
The young plant obtained by layering is a
true “photocopy” of the mother plant
: it is therefore genetically identical to it and has all its characteristics (size, quality and taste of the figs, tolerance to cold, etc.) The layering of the fig tree succeeds every time (or almost!).
The resulting seedlings are also quicker to produce fruit than seedlings obtained from cuttings.
Layering is very quick and easy to carry out: it does not take more than a quarter of an hour to put the layer in place.
It still takes around 2 to 6 months for the roots to appear.
This method of propagating the fig tree is simple and requires
few tools and materials
: fine potting soil, moss to obtain an ideal substrate, a grafting board (ideally) or a sharp knife, a layering capsule and a filled sprayer. of rainwater.
That's all !
Find layering capsules at the best price here!
How to air layer the fig tree?
This involves obtaining the formation of roots on an “aerial” branch of the fig tree, that is to say one which is not in direct contact with the ground.
Here are the five steps to follow to do it:
Choose a healthy branch of the fig tree, free from disease, injury and true to the characteristics of the mother plant.
This branch must be at least one year old, and a maximum of two to three years old.
Beyond that, the bark risks being too hard and the diameter of the branch too large;
Using a clean, disinfected grafting post,
remove the surface bark
around a piece of stem 2 or 3 cm long.
This step is crucial because it eliminates, on the one hand, the hard parts through which young roots have difficulty breaking through, and on the other hand, the wound in contact with a substrate encourages rooting.
Fill the air layering capsule with a suitable substrate: a mixture of moss and fine potting soil is ideal.
The substrate must be moistened beforehand.
Position the capsule around the prepared area on the branch of the fig tree.
This type of capsule is generally provided with a clip which keeps the device closed and in place on the branch.
To ensure optimal support, you can attach the capsule to the branch using a plastic-coated metal tie, string or adhesive tape.
Please note: The packaging must be
tight enough
to prevent any movement but allow some ventilation.
Finish with
generous watering
(using a sprayer) to thoroughly moisten the substrate.
Also read: How to take a fig tree cutting?
How to take care of the layer?
Check the humidity of the substrate regularly and water if necessary to keep it moist.
Leave the layering in place
for several months
until the roots develop sufficiently.
This type of multiplication is long: it can take between 3 to 6 months, depending on climatic conditions and the vigor of the mother plant.
When to separate the layer from the mother plant?
Once the roots are well formed and visible through the translucent walls of the capsule, it is time to separate the new plant from the mother plant.
To prune a fig tree, use pruning shears to cut the branch just below the new roots and carefully remove the device.
At this point you can:
Plant the new fig tree in a pot with good quality potting soil to make it grow for another year;
Or directly in the ground, depending on where you want to grow it.
In all cases, it is necessary to continue to water the plant very regularly after transplanting so that many roots continue to form!