PLANTING PROCEDURES: The best time for planting is the onset of the rainy season. The layout for planting can be either square or hexagonal system. The square system is more common and desirable. Spacing depends on variety and soil type. Pits of 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm size are dug and exposed to sun for about 15 days, and then filled with a mixture of compost, top soil and sand (1:1:1); 2 kg of neem or castor cake/ pit. Planting can preferably be taken up on an overcast day. When grafts are used the graft joint should remain above the ground level. Once the tree is planted the soil around the plant should be tamped firmly. Water is applied immediately after planting.

TRAINING AND PRUNING

Fig trees are trained initially to single stem to encourage a wide, symmetrical crown with a mechanically strong framework having evenly distributed laterals. The tree is allowed to grow for about a meter and then it is topped, which induces side branches all round the main stem. The interior of the bush should be maintained free of suckers, dry and sick branches. Pruning in fig is practiced annually to stimulate production of new growth, and bearing fruits. The time and type of pruning vary with location, variety and number of crops harvested annually. The best time to secure a mature crop is hot, dry summer. Therefore, pruning may be done 4-5 months in advance. Generally, a single marketable crop is harvested yearly in our country. Either heavy or light pruning can be adopted in fig. When heavy running is practiced, trees are headed back severely every year, leaving about 2 buds on each one year old shoot. If light pruning is adopted, shoots which have yielded fruits are lightly headed back after harvesting. Copper fungicide should be used to protect the cut ends. MANURING AND FERTILIZER

Nutrient requirements vary according to the variety and soil type. A general manure and fertilizer recommendation for fig is given in table 2. For young plants fertilizers can be applied with the onset of monsoon and, just after pruning for those which have commenced yielding. The annual requirement can be best divided into 2 applications, half after pruning and remaining 2 months later when the syconia are developing. Nitrogen is essential for rapid growth of foliage and development of syconia, fruit color and maturation and K for yield and quality. Better fruit quality can be achieved if N and K are applied in the form of ammonium sulphate and sulphate of potash respectively.