305 useful answers · Page 12 of 13
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Search this topicYes, a suitable large container can restrict root spread and help control a fig’s vigor. Choose a variety and protected sunny position suited to your climate, then maintain watering and appropriate pruning. A pot does not eliminate winter protection needs or make every full-sized fig suitable for a tiny balcony.
Look for fruit that has softened and hangs downward rather than remaining firm and upright. Ripe color varies by variety, so do not wait for every fig to turn purple. Handle the stalk and fruit gently, and use the harvest promptly. Check individual fruits regularly rather than stripping the whole tree at once.
Yes. Fig sap can irritate skin, so protect your hands and avoid contact with sap released from fresh cuts. RHS also advises working upward from the lower branches so drips are easier to avoid. Use the correct pruning method for the tree’s form; protective gloves do not determine which branches should be removed.
Keep the crown at the soil surface, with the roots covered and spread into the planting hole. Burying the crown encourages rot, while planting too high can leave roots exposed and dry. Water to settle the soil and recheck the level. Keep growing-season mulch from covering the center of the plant.
Place clean straw or suitable strawberry collars around the plants as fruit develops, supporting berries above damp ground. Leave the crowns clear and avoid packing wet material against them. This helps keep fruit cleaner and drier, but it does not replace checking for spoiled berries or maintaining good air movement and sensible watering.
Yes. An established strawberry plant can tolerate conditions that damage its open flowers or young fruit. If frost is forecast during flowering, protect the plants overnight with a suitable crop cover. Remove or open protection when conditions allow pollinators to visit, and follow local guidance for the expected temperature and crop stage.
For the usual summer-fruiting types, remove canes that have finished fruiting and retain the new canes for the following crop. Train old and new growth separately so identification is easier. Check the variety first: primocane-fruiting types need a different plan. Wear sturdy gloves when handling thorny stems and keep replacement canes supported.
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Choose a compact variety specifically suited to containers. Many ordinary blackberries make long, vigorous canes and need substantial support and space. RHS suggests a container at least about eighteen inches wide and deep for suitable compact types. Provide drainage and regular watering; a small nursery pot is not a permanent growing space.
Blackberries do not continue ripening after harvest, so pick them when ripe rather than expecting the kitchen counter to finish the job. Check every few days during cropping. Use a shallow container and avoid piling fruit deeply, because ripe berries squash easily; eat, freeze, or process them promptly.
Do not automatically copy an apple-pruning schedule. RHS recommends spring work for young plums and summer pruning for established trees to reduce disease risk, using dry weather. Suitable timing also depends on local conditions and training style, so check regional extension guidance before making substantial cuts, especially on a neglected tree.
Removing too much at once can trigger a mass of vigorous replacement shoots. Plan gradual thinning over several suitable pruning seasons, aiming for a balanced framework with light and air through the crown. Start with a clear assessment rather than cutting every long branch. Large or hazardous limbs call for qualified tree-care help.
Usually not. Fruits mature at different rates, so make several picking rounds and select those with the appropriate color and a gentle softness. Plums develop good flavor on the tree, but handle ripe ones carefully because they bruise easily. Use the variety and fruit condition rather than a single calendar date.
If insects cannot reach the flowers, gently move pollen among open blossoms with a small soft brush on several dry days. Peaches are generally self-fertile, but pollen still needs to reach the right flower parts. Also protect blossoms from damaging cold; hand pollination cannot rescue flowers already killed by frost.
RHS guidance aims for roughly eight inches between the remaining fruits once they are around hazelnut to walnut size. Remove small, malformed, or crowded fruit carefully without damaging the shoot. The purpose is to support a manageable crop with better-sized peaches, rather than leaving every fruit simply because it has set.
Check its developed color and whether the flesh near the stalk yields gently. Cup the fruit and lift carefully; a ready peach should separate without a forceful tug. Inspect the tree repeatedly because fruits will not all mature together. Handle ripe peaches lightly and plan to use them soon.
It depends on the type and variety. Sour cherries are generally self-fertile, while sweet cherries include both self-fertile varieties and ones needing a compatible partner. Check the nursery label and flowering compatibility before buying. Two random cherry trees are not a guarantee of cross-pollination, especially if their blooms do not overlap.
Cherries do not ripen further after picking, so leave them until properly ripe for that variety. Harvest in dry weather when possible and handle the stalk rather than squeezing the fruit. Gentle picking limits bruising. Protect a manageable crop from birds while it ripens rather than harvesting immature fruit to beat them.
Heavy rain or excessive watering near ripening can cause the skins to split. Check the crop frequently and harvest fruit that is already ripe before a forecast downpour when practical. Keep routine watering appropriate to the soil and container. Picking unripe cherries is not a useful workaround because they will not finish ripening afterward.
Early blossom can be damaged by frost, and poor pollination can also limit fruit set. Look at weather during flowering rather than judging only the healthy leaves that appear later. Choose a suitable sheltered site and locally adapted variety, and protect reachable blossoms during forecast cold. A mature tree is not immune to blossom damage.
Look for developed color, a softened feel, and fruit that separates easily from the tree. The exact harvest period depends on variety and climate. Handle each apricot gently and check frequently as the crop matures; ripe fruit bruises easily and has a short useful storage life, so plan how to use it.
A small tree in a container can be more vulnerable to cold than a larger tree rooted in the ground. Check the variety’s hardiness and your local winter conditions, then move the pot to an appropriate sheltered location if needed. Do not assume the patio label guarantees survival in an exposed container.
Check the potting mix rather than following a rigid weekly interval. Let the surface partly dry, then water thoroughly and allow excess water to drain. Never leave the pot standing in collected water. Lower light and slower growth often reduce water use, so continuing a summer routine can leave roots too wet.
Acclimate it gradually instead of changing conditions abruptly. Wait for overnight temperatures suitable for that particular citrus, then introduce outdoor light and exposure in stages. A warm daytime forecast alone is insufficient. Watch moisture closely after the move, since wind, sun, and a growing plant can dry the container faster.
Yes. Depending on the variety, fruit can take many months to ripen while a new round of flowers appears. Seeing both stages does not by itself mean something is wrong. Continue suitable light, watering, and feeding for the plant’s season and condition, and judge ripeness using guidance for that citrus variety.
Source checks for these answers: September 22, 2026. Product instructions and local requirements can vary.