Figs are a delicious treat that has tropical and subtropical origins. Here’s how to grow fig trees at home!
Figs thrive in areas with long and hot summers, though they can also be grown in containers. Figs can be eaten fresh from the tree, preserved, or used in cooking.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
Fig stripped of leaves
Some time in the middle of the night, my dog managed to strip and eat all the leaves off of my container grown fig! It’s a fairly young plant only about 2 feet tall. How can I best care for it now that it’s leafless? Will it be able to survive and re-grow?
fig leaves
First, some fig leaves are actually toxic to dogs. We hope your dog is OK. See: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic...
Second, the tree shouldn’t be affected and will simply grow new leaves.
Black Jack fig tree
Hi there, My black jack fig tree is in its second year with me and was doing really well. I live on the central coast of california. We had a massive wind storm and it got pretty beat up but that has happened before. However my trees leaves seem to be turning brown and dry and falling off? I'm not sure if its fro the wind or something else. Its in maybe a 5 gallon-ish clay pot. It does have some moss that had been planted on top this year, could they be interfering with its root system? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Fig Tree Leaves Dying
How wet or dry is the soil? Leaves that turn brown, dry up, and fall off suggest that the soil is too dry. Moss doesn’t grow deep enough to directly interfere with the roots, though it will act as a sponge and soak up some of the water that would otherwise go to the fig. If it’s been a dry spring where you are, you may need to be watering the tree by hand as well.
For now, remove some of the moss and feel two to three inches deep into the soil. If the soil is dry, you may want to remove all of the moss and replace it with a layer of bark mulch. This will allow water to flow into the pot but not evaporate too quickly.
Alternatively, the problem could be that the soil is being kept too wet and the roots are rotting. Have you been getting a lot of rain? The moss could be trapping too much moisture in the soil. In any case, you’ll have to do some poking around in the soil to figure out the issue first!
no figs
When I planted my small fig tree it had three tiny figs. The wind blew them off and now I have no figs. I live in Las Vegas Nevada. The tree gets plenty of sun. When might I expect it to produce more figs?
fig crops
It is hard to know, and may depend on the health of the plant, pruning, climate, variety, etc. But if your fig normally produces 2 crops per year, it is possible that some may form later in the season. Some figs produce a breba crop in spring/summer on last year’s growth, and then a main crop later in summer/fall on current year’s growth. Others may produce only a breba or only a main crop.
Although many figs are self-fertile, some require a pollinator to set fruit; fruit will drop early if not pollinated correctly. Be sure to water consistently, and shade in extreme heat. Too much nitrogen can also deter fruiting.
Can fig trees be produced or grown from a cutting
great article on growing figs
hi. I bought a very small fig
hi. I bought a very small fig plant and its grown so much. Yet it started to get its leaves yellowish brown and they started to fall off. My little tree is almost without its leaves. I'm starting to panic a little. What can I do to help it. As of right now it's in a pot. I'm thinking maybe I should plant it already. Any advice?
Hi I bought a very small fig answer
I think you should move it, or you could try the fertilizer mentioned in this article
Thank you. I'm going to do
Thank you. I'm going to do just that. Move my fig tree to the ground and hopefully that helps.
Figs not producing
My fig tree is around 20 yrs old and for the last two years it has only a tenth of the leaves and "very little" fruit. Do I need to cut it down or is there something I can do to help it out?
Why plant 20 ft away?
I bought a dwarf and a semi dwarf fig tree, why do they need to be planted 20 ft away from structures and other trees? Thanks!
Fig spacing
It’s probably best to check with the grower on the type of fig tree and spacing requirements. For example, the Black Jack Fig is a semi-dwarf tree which grows up to 15 feet tall and 15 feet wide, but can easily be kept to 6 feet with annual pruning. Other semi-dwarfs are larger or smaller.
We’ve often seen fig trees planted in Turkey on the sunniest side of a building. Plant them about 4 feet from the building. Roots of fig trees will not damage masonry foundations of buildings or steel pipe, but they may damage clay sewer pipe. Do not plant fig trees within 25 feet of clay sewer pipe or over septic tank drain fields. If you plant fig trees in a lawn, keep a 2- to 3-foot area around each tree free of grass for à year or two until the tree becomes established.
Big old fig tree in MS
Hi. I need help with a very old fig tree that is growing and growing. Makes tons of really great figs. Only problem is most of the fruit is 20 to 40 feet up the tree and very difficult to harvest. Can I cut the tree back this winter to bring the tree and the fruit closer to Mother Earth? If so how should I go about doing this? I have pictures but don’t see a way to post them here. Thanks
overgrown fig
There are ways to reduce an overgrown fig tree. Best time to do so in most cases is during late winter, when the tree is dormant. To reduce the size, you might want to work at it gradually, over three years. Each time, reduce the size of the fruiting wood back by ¼ to ⅓. (Also remove any suckers, diseased or rubbing branches, etc.) Keep in mind that you may forfeit part or all of the next year’s crop by doing so. (Some figs produce a breba crop in spring/summer on last year’s growth, and then a main crop later in summer/fall on current year’s growth. Others may produce only a breba or only a main crop. Pruning techniques may vary, depending on the type you have, and your region’s climate.) Heavy pruning can expose previously shaded branches to sunlight, possibly causing sunscald. To avoid this, some experts advise whitewashing the trunks. Hope this helps!
Removing fig tree from ground and putting it into a pot
I live in Western Australia. I had a fig cuttings 3 years ago and put them into the ground and it bore 4 figs in the 2nd year. In it's 3rd year now and it is about 2 meters tall and has @50 fruits on it now. I am worried that the roots will uproot the driveway and want to remove the tree and put it into a large pot. Can you please advise me what I should do in order not to kill my lovely fig tree.
Fig transfer
My best advice.. Wait until winter when its dormant. . dig up all the roots you can fit in the container. . pot it and cut it Way back. I think it will surprise you how it rebounds.
Brown turkey...water issue
Hello, I live in El Paso, Texas, and recently bought a brown Turkey. We were waiting for the weather to cool before transplanting and went away for the weekend. The plant was well watered on Wednesday. When we got hom tHe leaves are curled and slightly yellow. Is this from a lack of water, and if so, can we save her?
Best time to plant fig tree
Hello, I live in Beckley, WV, and would like to know when is the best time to grow/plant fig trees and what is the best, sweetest, and best yielding type of figs to grow? I'm a first time home renter with a beautiful backyard, that in passed years is very fertile, and I'm very excited to plant.
fig trees
Beckley, WV, is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a. This means that you’ll need to select a cold-hardy variety of fig, and perhaps give it winter protection. You can grow figs in containers and move them to a sheltered location over winter. Or, if grown in ground, cover them with insulating material (such as leaves) in late fall, or bury the trees. Some popular cultivars hardy in your area include ‘Chicago Hardy’, ‘Brown Turkey’, and ‘Celeste’. If growing figs in the ground, it’s best to plant in spring. For more information for your area, you might contact your county’s Cooperative Extension. For contact information, see: https://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services
BLOWN OVER FIG TREE
My beloved tree was blown over yesterday. Its still attached slightly but otherwise on the ground can i rescue it - if so how? Thank you
Transplanting fig tree
We live in NE Pa (zone 5) & have a Chicago Hardy fig tree good to -20 degrees currently growing in a container. It's getting too large to manage in our garage so we would like to transplant it into the ground.When is it advisable to do this? Spring or Fall & do you have any specific advice for transplanting.
When to transplant my tiny fig tree?
Hello, I received a small fig tree from my sister that is growing in a pot and is only about a foot tall. I live in Southeastern New York (Zone 7a) and would like to transplant the tree into my south facing garden. Can I do this now, or should I wait until fall? Many thanks!
when to plant
The best time to plant a fig is in the spring. Please scroll to the text above to see more tips on successful growing.
"Leggy" Fig Plants
Hi! Over the past several years I have acquired 4 fig plants (all about a foot or so tall when I got them). Two are 2 years old and two are 1 year old. I live in northeastern Kansas (about 30 minutes west of KC). I have kept them in pots and take them in to a sunny window in the winter where they have stayed alive and growing but I think not growing as a normal fig should. None of them have a central "trunk" just several branch-like pieces are growing more horizontally than vertically and each is several feet long. They have leaves at the ends but none between the dirt and the last 8 inches or so. They have produced about 2 figs each in the time I have owned them. SO, should I
A) plant them in the ground? (Is it too cold here in the winters?) If I can plant them in the ground, is July/August too late and should I prune them back to just one of these branch like pieces first? OR,
B) re-pot them in bigger pots (the pots are already pretty big) and prune them way back? Or
C) just leave them in their pots and prune them? and if I prune them, when and how far back?
From what I have read here, fertilizing is something I've learned I definitely need to do as I never have - eeeek! I'm just perplexed about what to do first and in what scenario and to what extent. "Fig"ure I have made a mess of this whole thing!
Obviously I have no idea what I am doing.I recall my Nana in VA having beautiful figs that bore lots of fruit, and I always thought they were beautiful and remember her teaching me to make strawberry/fig preserves. I definitely inherited her love of plants but not her gift of growing them :) Can you help? Thanks ever so much!
Leggy Figs
Hi Lauri,
Most of Kansas is located in Hardiness Zone 6, which is too cold for most figs, meaning you wouldn’t want to plant yours outside unless you know that they are a cold-hardy variety. The legginess issue is commonly caused by a lack of sufficient sunlight, so if you can, keep your figs outside in the summer in a spot that gets at least 8 hours of sunlight each day (while also making sure that they are watered regularly). In winter, keep them next to the sunniest window in your house. For the rest of this season, it’d be best to leave them in their current pots and to not prune or fertilize them. In late winter, while the trees are still dormant, prune them back by about ⅓ in length and fertilize with a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer. Assuming you can get enough light on them, they should grow back in a more regular pattern. Good luck!
Fig tree
My fig tree is now 4 years , 2 bd year I saw 2/3 fig , last year was 2 , this year still no fig . But the tree is big now , 5/6 feet long now , I don't know what I should do , bcs tree is going bigger with no fruit - pls help me , same my pear tree as well . I put water every day
fig tree fruiting problems
It’s true that a fig tree should start producing fruit once it reaches two years of age, but it can take some trees as long as six trees to mature. Are your figs getting 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight every day? That’s what they need to bear fruit. Also, do you live in a climate that doesn’t get colder than 15 degrees F? Figs do not do well in colder climates.
If there is a pest problem, the most common reason for poor fruiting in fig trees is nematodes. Soils in orchards and old gardens generally are heavily infested with nematodes. This is especially a serious problem for southern growers who have light, sandy soils. Treat such soils with a nematicide or with soil solarization. Consult your local cooperative extension for more information about treatments that are locally-approved. Young trees must be protected from nematodes if they are to get a good start. Once planted, this type of infestation is easy to diagnose by uncovering some roots and inspecting them. If you see tiny galls or swellings on the roots, you have root-knot nematodes. The best control is to destroy infected plants and not use that site for figs again. Pears typically produce the first fruits three years after planting, although they won’t produce a full crop for five to seven years.
Leaves falling off
My fig tree has been in my back yard for 4 years now it produces great figs more each year. It has been doing really well, but this year the leaves are turning yellow and falling off? Is it to much water or some dease? Thank You for your time.
Failing fig?
It may be that the tree is not getting enough water; leaves turning yellow and falling is symptomatic of that. It could also be a sign of worse things. We suggest you review this page: http://afghanag.ucdavis.edu/a_horticulture/fruits-trees/figs-1/manfruitn... for possible conditions. This is a California cooperative extension/university page. TO find the coop ext service nearest you, click here and find your state: http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services
We hope this helps!
Pages