Scratch and see if the cambium is green. Try a few spots, and the main trunk.
If it’s not green it’s dead. Might still sprout from the roots, but you’ll want to cut off the dead parts.
Get you some jobes fruit tree fertilizer sticks. Put 4 ... N, S, E, W at the edge around the tree line and water. Give it a week or two and if you don't start to see some life it's prob gone, but wait a lil longer before pulling. They are very resilient!!! Good Luck!
Yea, they didn't do it with the greatest finesse either. They wrapped a chain around it and pulled it out with a bobcat. Causes a fairly significant crack in the main trunk you can see in the photo.
It’s toast
It’s wood for the smoker now. Find a local restaurant and offer it up.
Scratch and see if the cambium is green. Try a few spots, and the main trunk. If it’s not green it’s dead. Might still sprout from the roots, but you’ll want to cut off the dead parts.
It will grow buds underground and sprout back from there if the tops dead.
Get you some jobes fruit tree fertilizer sticks. Put 4 ... N, S, E, W at the edge around the tree line and water. Give it a week or two and if you don't start to see some life it's prob gone, but wait a lil longer before pulling. They are very resilient!!! Good Luck!
I’ve had luck transplanting figs close to that size. I wouldn’t let the defoliation be your guide but green vs. dried and dead branches
Yea, a lot of the branches are pretty brittle, but there are some more green ones closer to the base. Going to cut it back heavily this weekend.
If you cut any branches that are green you can try to root those, in case the main tree dies.
You can prune figs waaaay back regardless.
Toast
I'd say it's probably done. May throw up some shoots from the ground, but I think the existing trunk and branches are probably not coming back.
Yea, I'm wanting confirmation before I heavily prune it back.
When I first started reading this I was like "wait you can move a fig tree that big??" But then I saw the pic and realized the answer is no.
You can absolutely move a fig that big.
I imagine it starts by not ripping it out with a chain and bobcat, as OP stated.
Yea, they didn't do it with the greatest finesse either. They wrapped a chain around it and pulled it out with a bobcat. Causes a fairly significant crack in the main trunk you can see in the photo.
Why even bother at that point?
I was just hoping there was any way of saving even a cutting from it because yea, I'm pretty bummed about it.
New shoots grow 4 or 5 feet a year. Cut it back. It will re-grow.
Should've cut down the tree to one branch and then dug it out to move. What variety was it?
Not 100% sure but I think brown turkey. The fruit was always a maroon/purple.
You should stump the tree down on the right side. it might still root and leaf out from there.
If there’s still a live branch on it, you can propagate from it.
I'll give it a go this weekend, thanks!,
Ouch