Hi I am only in my second year of caring for an allotment. Under a fig tree, against a fence, is a small bed of what looks like really shockingly poor soil, but I think the fig is extremely happy there judging by last year's fruit, so am reluctant to boost the soil too much. I am thinking of planting something underneath that I can dig in slowly over some years - would phacelia be OK if I allowed it to flower but cut it back before the seedheads ripened? Something that will bring in additional pollinators but would cope with the poor soil, but also won't be too invasive because of all the plots around. There's a decent amount of sun - the fig has been properly pruned. Any ideas and thanks?
I would leave it alone. Figs crop much better on poor soil and their roots do not spread so far. You say the fig seems very happy so why disturb the balance? Are you short of growing space wanting to fatten up the bed? I would not worry too much about encouraging pollinators, usually allotments have plenty of plants, crops or weeds, to encourage insects etc.
More a question of aesthetics I think! And eagerness, the sign of a new allotment holder! You're probably right. And I am creating more work for myself. You speak wisdom. Thanks for your reply Goldenlily,
Probably going to be a bit dry underneath a fig tree to grow any thing of substance. Interesting that you have pruned it, not too much I hope.
It's had quite the trim, but was professionally done and is looking really fine for this year although I wont get the same quantity of fruit obviously. Next year it will be perfect. I cant believe how vigorous it was. A couple of years of neglect while the previous owner couldnt work the plot, and we couldnt even get past it!
My allotment fig's roots are constrained by a square of slabs sunk into the ground. They can get very big otherwise. Not much grows underneath, lack of light and water. Even weeds don't thrive
If you have poor soil in your garden and wanting to grow veg .......Carrots,Parsnips ,Radish and other root crops grow well on my poor soil.. I found out the first time of growing veg that the soil I had enriched had forked my carrots and parsnips . Some came out with very amusing shapes i.e. hands and feet with realistic knobs and fingers which encouraged our children to eat their veg . Others looking quite crude with hand signals which I had to chop up
Sandy stony soil grows great "comedy carrots". My old neighbour used to get some absolute corkers, very "realistic looking"
Yes Jenny very realistic That's why I had to chop them up, after our daughter had enjoyed telling her teacher that mum had grown some????????
It is always possible that a past tenant of your allotment deliberately created a poor soil bed to grow the fig. It sounds as if they knew what they were doing and were successful if the fig is cropping well. Just what was wanted. Fig tree roots are very invasive in "fat" soil, it also means fruit production is poor. If you want the fig to continue cropping leave well alone. I am a very old, ancient gardener who grew up with 2 massive fig trees growing the width of our garden. A warm, fully ripe, juicy, fragrant fig is something very special to eat. My sister and I used to hunt for the figs and tuck them behind leaves hoping the grownups would not find them before they were ripe and we could pick them. Delicious! You are very lucky. My current neighbour has a fig tree which can produce succulent fruit but he cuts it down to a few feet every few years because they don't like figs. Such a waste! No, he has never offered to leave them for me to enjoy.
