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Growing Figs
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Figs
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Figs
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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!
Figs thrive in areas with long and hot summers (Zones 8 and warmer), though they can also be grown in colder zones if grown in containers and properly insulated from freezing temperatures or 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.
Planting
Planting Fig Trees
- Figs can be planted outdoors in Zone 8 and warmer. In zones where winter temperatures get colder than 10°F (-12°C) for periods of time, figs are best grown in containers and kept inside for the winter.
- Plant fig trees outdoors in the early spring or late fall, when the tree is dormant.
- For container fig trees, grow them in a soil-based potting mix and add fine bark chips to improve drainage. Keep the tree in full sun in the summer. Be sure to add a high-nitrogen fertilizer every 4 weeks in the spring and summer and water the tree moderately. In the winter, move the tree indoors and keep the soil moist.
- For outdoor fig trees, plant the tree in the spring or early fall in full sun. Fig trees can grow in most types of soil as long as the soil is well-drained and contains plenty of organic material. (Learn more about organic soil amendments.)
- Space fig trees at least 20 feet away from any buildings or other trees.
- Fig trees put down deep roots if given the chance, so bear that in mind when choosing a planting spot.
- To plant container-grown trees in the ground:
- Remove the plant from its pot and remove any circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears to cut through the roots.
- Dig a hole that is a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. Set the tree on top of a small mound of soil in the middle of the hole. Be sure to spread the roots away from the trunk without excessively bending them.
- Plant the tree 2 to 4 inches deeper than it was originally in the pot (check the color of the trunk to see the original soil line).
Care
Caring for Fig Trees
- Water young fig trees regularly to help them become established. In areas with dry climates, water fig trees deeply at least once a week.
- Unless grown in containers, most fig trees do not require regular fertilization. However, if your fig tree is not growing much (less than 12 inches in one growing season), you can add ½ to 1 pound of nitrogen supplement. Divide up the nitrogen into 3 to 4 feedings. Start applying the nitrogen in late winter and end in midsummer.
- You can also apply a layer of mulch around the tree to help prevent weeds and keep in moisture for the roots.
- Fig trees require little pruning. During the dormant season, be sure to remove all dead, diseased, or weak branches to encourage growth.
- If you have an abundant growth of figs, you can thin the fruit to encourage larger figs.
- In colder regions, bring container-grown fig trees indoors for the winter. Keep the soil moist.
- If your area experiences a particularly cold winter, fig trees planted outdoors may die back to the ground. If the tree is of a hardy variety, the below-ground part of the tree will likely be unaffected. Remove all dead wood while the tree is still dormant and watch for new growth in the spring.
Pests/Diseases
Harvest/Storage
Harvesting Figs
- You should harvest figs only when they are fully ripe, as they will not continue to ripen off the tree. The figs should be fully colored and slightly soft to the touch.
- You may need to invest in bird netting to protect your crop; figs are a favorite of birds and squirrels.
- When picking figs, wear gloves or long sleeves because the sap from the fig tree can irritate your skin.
- Figs are very perishable. Store figs in the refrigerator; they will keep for 2 to 3 days.
- For long-term storage, you can freeze figs whole for later use. Another storage method is to dry the figs. You can also can your own figs.
Recommended Varieties
- ‘Brown Turkey’, which produces abundant medium to large figs. This type works best in warm climates, but is fairly tolerant of cooler temperatures, too.
- ‘Celeste’ produces small, sweet, purplish figs. It is one of the more winter-hardy varieties.
- ‘Hardy Chicago’ is a winter-hardy variety that produces purple, medium-size figs.
- ‘King’ is well adapted for the cooler conditions found in the northwest. It produces medium figs that are sweet and rich in flavor.
- ‘Kadota’, which vigorously produces small to medium fruit. Its figs are rich and sweet, and it is the most commonly canned fig.
Wit & Wisdom
- Figs are an excellent source of potassium, dietary fiber, and calcium.
- You can’t grow figs from thistles.
Recipes
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Reader Comments
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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.
fig tree cuttings
When is it the best time to take cuttings. what sort of medium is best to plant in. I use hormone dust. Any suggestion you make would be appreciated.... Thank you
Fig Tree Beetles
I have these big green wind beetles, devouring my figs, help!
Fig Tree Beetles
Big green winged beetles
Should I eat
We recently moved to a new (different) house that has what we and everyone else who’s seen it has presumed to be a fig tree in the back. The fruit started to grow and they’re just starting to get ripe. They look and smell just like figs. I know this comes off as paranoid, but is there any other type of tree and fruit that is close to a fig that would be dangerous to eat? Another words, how can I be sure they’re figs and are ok to eat not having planted the tree myself?
Identifying Figs
Figs are fairly unique trees, so they should be easy to identify if you know what to look for! First look at the leaf: it should be quite large and have three to five lobes. Then look at the fruit: the color of the ripe fruit depends on the variety, but they may range from lime green to brown to purple. The stems of the fig fruit are fairly thick (not thin, like an apple or pear’s stem). Search in Google for images of fig leaves and see how yours compare. Finally, if you want to be absolutely sure, contact your local state Cooperative Extension Service, which should be able to ID the tree with a photo.
Ants in figs.
I live in D/FW area and have a brown turkey fig tree. Ants invade the fruit at the blossom end. Lately it has stopped, but I think that's because of a little lizard/gecko type thing. If the ants return, any suggestions on how to remedy the situation?
Fig Tree Protection Against Ants
Hi Heather,
If the ants return, try sprinkling diatomaceous earth or broken eggshells around the base of the tree. It’s a simple solution and should cut up the ants as they pass through to climb the tree. We hope this helps!
Question about growing from cutting
Hello! Thanks for the great site and article. My family brought a fig tree over from Italy back in the 1920s. That tree has been moved from house to house until ending up at my mother's house in NJ. She sold her house about a year and a half ago, and we were unable to take the tree with us unfortunately. However, I tried to propagate the tree with multiple fig cuttings. Most failed, but one has survived and is still going. However, the main trunk/stem of the cutting seems to have died a while ago and is not really growing. The surviving part of the main stem comes out about two inches from the dirt and is healthy, and there is one branch growing off that section. This sole branch is growing well, and is probably about two and a half feet long, currently sprouting new growth. It is in a 12 inch diameter pot. My question - is there hope for this tree to grow more than just this one branch? Also, should I do anything with it (bigger pot, plant outside, etc.) I'm afraid to move it outside permanently in case it doesn't work.
Thanks in advance!
a twig of fig
We can always have hope, Michael, but sometimes a backup plan is needed, too. It’s impossible to know if the tree will grow another branch or if this branch will survive…but it does not sound promising—and I share that from experience. You might consider purchasing a new plant, one of some size, and continue the family legacy that way, nearly a century later.
Fig tree
We’ve had a fig tree for three years. Iit’s doing fine except the leaves are yellowish. How do we remedy this?
You could take the one branch
You could take the one branch as a cutting and start fresh, or you could if possible return to the original tree location ask new owners for clippings explaining the heritage of the tree and your family, Im sure they would allow it and also have a bit of knowledge themselves of their fig tree
FIg Tree .. well Twig!
Hi, don't give up on your fig twig just yet. I live in the Canary Islands and had the same problem.. just a single twig that would not seem to grow at all. Then, one day, I bumped into an old lady who had lived on the islands all her life and has the most beautiful garden filled with big healthy trees. She told me that it took 7 years for an old stem to settle ... she actually said ( in Canarian Spanish ) "That the fig needs to decide if it wants to live with you and wants to share its fruits with you". She was right.. almost to the day.. in the 7th spring of me owning the twig.. it started to grow and is now a huge, healthy tree that bears more fruit than we know what to do with. Maybe there is something in old wives tales after all!
grafting a fig tree
I was just wondering if you could graft a branch onto a different rootstock and maybe save it that way?
fig tree from cutting
A friend gave me a fig tree cutting from her Kadota tree for me to plant. It has done well, but the central branch of the cutting died early and two off shoots have grown fantastically. I will soon transplant it to my backyard as it will grow much bigger than the 5-gallon pot it is in, but I worry that the branches only form a V-shape and have no central trunk (except for 2 inches worth that the V is attached to).
Will this cause me problems later? I worry if the branches grow out and get bigger, their weight will eventually break them off. Is there a way to help this? I want to keep this tree as I love figs and it is very healthy otherwise.
No fruit on very old very high yielding fig tree...
My fig tree which is at least 60 years old and usually fruits twice high yielding every year has no fruit. It does not seem to have any disease nor parasite. This is most likely a King or Kadota variety, in the Portland OR area of the United States. What do I do? Help
Pavers and fig roots
I have a semi dwarf turkey fig that is my pride and joy. Planted in full sun. I am considering putting pavers from the trunk out 5 ft around the tree to control weeds. Will this cook the roots and kill the tree?
Pavers
The roots are probably too deep to be affected by warmth from the pavers, however, the bigger issue with pavers is that they could prevent water from reaching all the roots effectively. We would recommend using a porous covering, such as landscaping fabric or a 2-inch layer of bark mulch (or both). This will help to prevent weeds, but also allow water to reach the roots. Mulches will also help to hold moisture in the soil in times of drought.
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!
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