Figs are a delicious treat that thrive in warm climates but can also be grown in more temperate regions with a bit of extra care. Here’s how to grow a fig tree in your garden!
About Figs
Figs thrive in areas with long and hot summers (Zones 8 and warmer), though they can also be grown in colder zones if properly insulated from freezing temperatures or grown in containers and brought indoors.
The common fig tree (Ficus carica) is the most popular species of fig for home gardeners because its flowers do not require pollination to yield figs. Many varieties of the common fig tree exist, including hardy cultivars that can be grown outdoors in slightly cooler climates (Zones 6 and 7). Other species of figs either do not produce edible fruit or have very specific pollination requirements (such as needing to be pollinated by a certain type of wasp), making them too much trouble for home gardeners to grow.
Figs can be eaten fresh from the tree, preserved, or used in cooking. Note that figs do not continue ripening after they are picked, so be sure to harvest at the right time!
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Rooting fig cuttings
I was given a cutting with roots. After years of growth, I had to cut it back and was told I could root the cuttings by bruising the cut end cambium and planting in growing medium. I did it and every cutting rooted. When I tried to do it again, I had no luck. I believe because initially the pot I was rooting in was in an enclosed porch not outside, whereas the next time it was in the yard.
I gave one of the rooted cuttings to a neighbor and when it came time to trim his, he offered me his cuttings. I decided not to try again so he stuck them in a pail of water in the fall and come spring they all threw roots.
Since then I have always rooted cutting by placing them in water inside.
I have two types-white and purple. The white is large and firm while the purple is small and soft when ripe. The purple is more prolific.
No figs forming
We were given a brown fig as a house warming present. We are in zone 5b in NYS Hudson Valley.
We moved it into a large pot with organic container type soil to fill in.This is it’s third year and no figs have ever formed. When it was very rainy earlier this summer we moved it into our little greenhouse and continue to water as needed.I’ve top dressed with mushroom compost a couple times/ season. It stays in the greenhouse over the winter .
Any ideas why there are no figs forming yet?
To support Fig Tree Fruiting
Figs need lots of calcium, using washed, dried and crushed organic egg shells has been the best way I've found to increase yield. I have a King Fig tree planted outdoors in zone 7 and the first several years it wouldn't bear fruit, once I learned about the need for calcium and started to save the eggshells all year, I have more figs than I know what to do with. Yearly addition of a bag of sand to keep the soil well drained has also supported the fruit yield.
Problem with fig leaves
Why fig leaves get dark and yellow spots.What to do?
Fig trees
Great article. Is this tree good to grow in Rockland County,NY.?
Your Fig Tree Needs a Mate!
This happened to my sister when she bought another fig tree it blossomed heavily within 3 weeks. We are in Richmond Va.
My fig tree
I have a six+ foot fig tree, planted in outside soil here in northern Florida. The tree has been planted in the yard for about 5-6 years. In all that time it only bares 1 to 2 figs annually. What could be wrong? What can I do to get it to produce more fruit? I do fertilize 2-3 times a year.
Can I add fertilizer while fruiting?
I have a nice 2-3 year old fig tree in a container (indoors still in New England) and it has probably 15 or so fruit growing. I have not fertilized the plant since before winter. Can I and/or should I fertilize it now, while fruit is growing? I see this article recommends a high nitrogen fertilizer, but my understanding it that Nitrogen promotes green growth, not flowers and fruit. Should I fertilize now?
Fertilizing Fig Trees
If figs are already developing and the tree is growing well, we’d recommend holding off on fertilizing, as over-fertilizing can cause the fruit to drop off the plant. However, if the plant seems to be growing particularly slowly, you can fertilize it once a month during the growing season.
Gophers eat the roots
I'd lost three young fig trees before I realized their deaths were not my fault. One day I pulled on one with badly wilted leaves that had been fine the day before. It easily came out of the ground with a smooth rounded knob where the roots used to be!
How to remove a fig tree
We need to remove a Celeste Fig tree that was planted too close to the house, unfortunately. Can anyone recommend the best way to do this? I’m thinking cut it down to about 12” and drill holes in the remaining trunk and put some type of root killer in the holes.
Planting next to house
I know of plenty of figs planted immediately next to house walls. I am in my 60s and have never heard of or noted damage to the fabric of a house. What is the fear of tree roots based on other than old wives tales?
the figs taste like they are fermented
I have been reading the questions by other fig owners and I do not see anybody having my problem. I have a fig tree, several years old, that yields a lot of fruit. However, when it is ripe or even before that, the figs taste fermented (kind of alcohol taste). I also have a problem with ants (they love my fig tree); could they be causing the fermentation? I think is a Brown Turkey because when I bought it the farmer said it was "Brown Fig Tree". I live in Miami, Florida. It rains a lot here in summer and I prune my tree but I am rather shy about it. I hope you can help me. Thanks.
Bad Fig Flavor
The flavor of fig fruit can be affected by a few things. Two candidates are sour rot and endosepsis. Check whether the symptoms listed on the following pages match what you observe:
Planting out my cutting.
August 10, 2020
Powell River, BC, Canada
Sunshine Coast; Zone 8B
SITUATION:
- I have a healthy cutting I took in February of this year.
- Once rooted in May'ish I transplanted them to 1 litre pots.
- I removed all but one shoot when I potted it up to the 1 litre.
- It has now grown a good set of roots that are out to the perimeter of the pot; just about to start circling in the pot.
- The hardwood stem/cutting height is 8"in.
- The new stem/shoot emerged 4.5"in up the stem of the hardwood stem/cutting.
- The new stem/shoot is 11"in high; with 7 leaves plus the growing tip.
- 7"in of the new stem/shoot appears to be transitioning to hardwood
QUESTIONS:
- Can I plant/bury the stem to where the new shoot has emerged from the parent/hardwood?
- Will the shoot, root if I let the underside tough soil?
And will the buried portion of the parent'hardwood grow roots?
REASON: I would like it to grow in tree form, with a single trunk for the first 6'ish feet.
I really appreciate your help! Thank you.
Fig trees
Good morning I got a problem every other day or so I have two or three fig leaves that are on the ground looks like something come straight off what do you think this would be thank you
Large fig crop twice year. Six years old over 10 feet tall
Figs fully formed and large beautiful. Outside skin green and dark purple looking. Solid open up to white very dry seedy looking inside. Taken to several nurseries, don't know why
I have a 4 inch fig tree it haves some leaves
I'm wondering if play sand from home depot will be fine for me to plant it there I have it indoors
using sandbox sand
Sources tell us that “builder’s sand” or coarse sand is best. However, remember that sand is heavy. You could also use perlite, which is…lite.
Fig tree
I have a fig tree that has recently lost all its leaves for the fall. It’s mid October and new leaves are coming out and several gigs. Why is this?
Ripened figs?
I have a new brown turkey variety fig tree. It's a great little tree & in its first year has already produced a bunch of figs. What color are the figs supposed to be before they are ripe? I always thought they would be purplish or brown, but one by one they seem to be getting soft & falling off the tree just as they are starting to turn from green some other color. They are also soft at this point too. Any advice, comments, etc., would be appreciated.
Browning Mission Fig leaves
I have a 3 year old Mission Fig Tree here near Tampa Florida. The soil is well drained and moist most of the time right now in August. So not too much or too little water.
The tree has many green figs and throws out a couple of ripe ones every day or so. Looks great. However it also has many brown and curling leaves that snap off very easily. Any suggestions on this condition please?
Oyster shells around for trees
I live in eastern NC and have always seen oyster shells placed around the base of fig trees. What is the purpose of this practice? - calcium enrichment?
oyster shells
Yes, you are correct. Oyster (or clam) shells are similar to eggshells they can provide an easy source of calcium to plants for normal cell processes, root growth, and fruiting.
We haven’t used oysters but crushed eggshells are common. However, as a soil amendment (versus a slug deterrent), they really need to be ground very finely for plant uptake. If you mix them with a weak acid, such as vinegar (3% acetic acid), the chemical reaction converts the calcium into an available form. You can apply as foliar spray during the reproductive stage of a plant’s growth cycle when setting fruit and vegetables are most vulnerable to blossom-end rot.
How tall?
How tall can a fig tree grow in a year in texas heat?
Fig tree
We have a 3 metre fig tree in full sun in south-west France. We are new to the area and hopefully will spend longer here as each year passes. The fig tree is mostly healthy and indeed has some fruit, but on one side there are some dead branches and others which appears to have few leaves on them. Some of the trunk has areas with little bark. All the advice tells you to remove dead and diseased wood in the dormant season, but we are not here at that time. Would it be reasonable to perform this action before we leave in early September? Is it advisable to paint the exposed wood after cutting? Thank you. Brian Corbett
Fig tree
My fig trees have grown way to tall and the fruit is all at the top. Would it be beneficial to cut halfway down this winter/ early spring.
Fig Tree Pruning
The best time to prune your fig trees is definitely in the winter (dormant season). When you prune a fig tree, you can indeed trim away half the tree (once it’s had its first winter outside). This allows the tree to focus on developing strong roots. After the second winter, cut everything except 5 or 6 strong new branches for the fruit to grow on. Removing any branches that are not growing out from your selected fruiting branches, as well as any dead or diseased wood. You find this video interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkN0fPx9Ens
Fruit either ripe or small shriveled dead.
Hello, I recently bought a home in Arizona that has a huge beautiful fig tree planted in the courtyard. There is gravel onto of the soil and pavers on one side. The tree fruits but they are all either green or dead looking brown hardened not good to taste. I love the tree and want to fix the problem. I notice when I water the tree it doesn’t seem to soak into the ground but rolls off and doesn’t water properly. Should I get rid of the gravel and plant grass? Remove the pavers? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance. Janine
Fig Tree
Your fig tree would likely benefit from the removal of the gravel and pavers, as it sounds like they’re preventing the tree from getting an adequate amount of water. Replace them with a light-colored bark mulch, which will hold moisture in the soil for longer.
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