A gardener pays a heavy price for underestimating the size of her fig tree. The branches of most fig trees spread as wide as the tree is tall, and "Brown Turkey" fig (Ficus carica "Brown Turkey") is no exception; it grows to 25 feet tall and equally wide in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 though 9. On these spreading branches, "Brown Turkey" produces two crops a year of delicious, brownish-purple fig fruit. If you discover early that you have not allowed your fig sufficient elbow room, you can move the tree. The larger the tree, the harder the task and the less likely your fig tree is to survive.
Measure the circumference of the trunk of your fig tree 3 feet above the ground. Divide the circumference measurement by 3.14 to find the diameter. For example, if the circumference is 6.28 inches, the diameter is 2 inches. Calculate the optimal size of the root ball by multiplying 1 foot for every inch of trunk diameter. In this example, you need to take a root ball 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep to transplant the tree.
Root prune your fig tree three months before you intend to transplant it. Draw a circle on the soil with the fig trunk at its center. The radius of the circle will be one-half the width you calculated for your root ball. Press a sharp spade into the ground vertically along the circle circumference to a depth of 10 inches. Repeat until the entire circle circumference is severed. This action prunes longer roots and encourages the growth of new roots that can be transplanted with the root ball.
Prepare a new planting location for your tree. The Brown Turkey cultivar needs a sunny location with well-draining soil and plenty of elbow room. Remove weeds and grass from the planting area and work the soil to 12 inches. Shovel out a planting hole on top of the worked soil. Dig the hole the same depth as the root ball and twice as wide.
Deepen the cuts around the Brown Turkey fig tree while the tree is dormant about three months after the root-prune. Act during late fall or early spring. Use your shovel to dig a trench in place of the circle, deepening it until you can slide your shovel under the root ball of the tree. Move the shovel back and forth until the root ball loosens, then lift it out onto a tarp spread nearby.
Drag the tree on the tarp to the new planting location. Fill the planting hole with water and allow it to seep into the ground. Lower the root ball of the young fig into the hole. Fill the edges of the hole with earth, tamping down with the back of your shovel. Keep the level of soil the same as in the prior planting location. Water well and apply a 3-inch layer of organic mulch, taking care not to allow the mulch to touch the tree trunk.
Water your newly transplanted tree regularly. It needs at least an inch of water every week. Do not limit irrigation to the root ball but water the area around it to encourage the roots to advance into the moist soil. Avoid fertilizer during or soon after transplant.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- Garden spade
- Brown Turkey figs grow well in containers around the patio. Choose a sunny location and irrigate regularly.
- Big trees do not transplant well. If your tree trunk diameter exceeds several inches, leave the tree where it is or hire a professional.
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