Soil pH for a Black Fig Tree

Soil pH Factor

• Soil acidity and alkalinity are expressed in a unit scale from 0.0 to 14.0. Acidity is associated with an increase in hydrogen ions and alkalinity with an increase in hydroxyl ions. A pH of 6.0 is 10 times more acidic than a pH of 7.0. The differences affect the way molecules act in the soil. Plants grow best in soil with pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Too much or too little acidity prevents plants from utilizing the nutrients in soil.

Fig Tree Soil Requirements

• Black figs and other fig tree varieties grow in many types of soils with good drainage. Avoid soil that does not drain completely within 24 hours after a rainfall. Fig tree roots do not receive adequate oxygen in compacted, heavy soils with poor drainage. Fertile garden loam soil is a mixture of sand, silt, clay, and decayed plant and animal material. Adding organic matter such as mature compost improves soil pH.

pH Affects Nutrient Uptake

• Black fig tree varieties need 17 nutrients to grow and thrive. A soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5 makes it possible for the tree to utilize all the soil’s available nutrients. Manganese, boron, copper, iron, sulfur, chlorine, zinc, magnesium and molybdenum are necessary in trace amounts for healthy fig tree growth. Excessive use of high-nitrogen fertilizers increases soil acidity and disrupts the root system’s normal nutrient uptake.

Ongoing Care

• Fig trees do not require fertilizer or soil amendments when transplanted from nursery containers. They survive better when planted 2 to 4 inches deeper than they were in the nursery container, according to horticulturists at Texas A&M University. Delay transplanting until spring in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones that are subject to cold damage. Place a 2- to 4-inch layer of shredded bark or other mulch material around the tree several inches away from the main trunk. Mulch helps retain soil moisture and prevents weed growth.