How to Care for a Violette De Bordeaux Fig

Stick your finger 1 inch into the soil of the potted Violette de Bordeaux fig. If it’s dry, water the plant slowly until water drains from the bottom of the container. If the soil dries too much, the fig tree will begin dropping leaves and not produce as well as it should.

Water the ground-grown Violette de Bordeaux fig with 1 inch of water each week if it doesn’t rain. Because the tree’s roots are close to the surface, you may need to water more frequently during warm, dry periods. If you notice the leaves wilting a bit in the afternoon, water more often. Apply water slowly, using a soaker hose or drip system, to ensure an even soaking of the root area.

Fertilize the container-grown Violette de Bordeaux fig when the buds just start to swell in early spring. Use 4 1/2 tablespoons of a three-month release 9-4-12 granular fertilizer, spread on the surface of the soil. Keep the granules away from the fig’s wood, and water slowly until water drains from the pot after the application. Reapply the fertilizer three months later.

Apply 1 ounce of 10-10-10 fertilizer once a month from spring until late July for the first two years. Supply 1/3 pound per foot of plant height to trees in year three and beyond. Make these applications in late winter, early June and in the middle of July. Sprinkle the fertilizer under the branches, keeping it away from the wood; water slowly to activate it.

Spread netting over the fig tree, if necessary, to keep birds from eating the fruit. Ensure that the netting reaches all the way to the ground; wrap it around the base of the Violette de Bordeaux fig tree and tie twine around it to hold it in place.

Prune the fig tree in late winter by first removing dead wood back to its point of origin. When pruning to control the tree’s size, cut branches back to three nodes during the tree’s first two seasons. Excessive pruning of branches will cause a reduction in fruit.

Protect the fig tree if temperatures are expected to dip below 15 degrees F by spreading a 4-inch-deep layer of mulch on the soil around its base. For added assurance with a young tree, a string of holiday lights through the tree’s branches will help provide additional warmth.