Topic: Growing A Fig

[dannylewis]

Hi All,

I bought a fig today fr my garden and i don't know hoe to grow it, it already as a fig on it and i know on Gardeners world in Berryfield they have one, But, what i am basically saying is do any of you gardeners know ha togrow one and where i cna get information on growing one?

Thanks

Dannylewis

[Bodolph]

I'm presuming you have a "brown turkey" fig since that is the most common and reliable eating fig for the UK. It will prefer good drainage and a sunny position. You could grow it as a tree or fan against a wall. Figs like to have the roots congested so when you plant it constrict the hole you place it in. I've seen figs that are planted in large pots do extremely well. I would be tempted to use lots of crock and rubble.

Bodolph

[David R]

Yeah, agree.

Got mine in a large pot with john innes 3. I have only fed it occasionally and it is now abot 4 feet high but covered in figs. They fruit better on wood with lots of nodes, not sappy growth, so keep it lean, hot and well watered.

When you harvest the figs, keep them in a warm place for a day or 2 as this improves the flavour, rather than straight of the tree.

[Mrs Ava]

Agree with everything.  Mine is in a big pot trained as a fan, treat it mean, and it rewards me with some delish figs!  Better than shop bought fruits!!  I do over winter mine in my greenhouse, but it has been out now for a month or more.

[weedin project]

Mine is sitting in a large pot outside now in a sheltered spot.  I kept it in the cool greenhouse over winter until all the leaves sprouted, now it is growing nicely, but no sign of fruit.  Should I worry about lack of fruit at this stage?

[David R]

Forgot to mention that they are totally hardy in our climate (well the ones bought in this country, and intended for outdoor culture). Some of the more exotic sorts might not crop here though.

[derbex]

Something's eating the fruits off mine -when they're very small >:(

Jeremy

[flowerlady]

A Pruning Question?

I was given a fig for Mothering Sunday.

It is a lonely single 3' stem!!  However it has sprouted several shoots from the base of the stem.

This seems to have taken all the strength away from the growing tip ...

the question is ...

should I prune away, some or all of the base shoots?  What is the optimum number of branches for a fan?  It will stay in a pot on the patio.

[greenstar]

My fig tree is currently in the (unheated) greenhouse at the lottie - will it be OK here?  I know they're supposed to be hardy and can survive the British weather, but I'm in Glasgow.  I seem to remember reading that it would be OK in the south, but that it should be wrapped in fleece anywhere else.

I stupidly threw away the leaflet that came with it - I wasn't intending on keeping it.  It's still in its original pot, but the "instructions" said to re-pot it as soon as possible.  Should I risk doing that now?  It's growing vigorously and seems quite happy as it is.

[jennym]

There is some info about figs on this post:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,57/topic,16102.msg165444#msg165444

[SMP1704]

About to bring a sour note to this thread, so apologies in advance.

I just need to get this off my chest..........deep breath...........

We live in a terraced house, where each garden is roughly 12x30 - your standard postage stamp.  Next door is a fig, planted directly into the ground.........our current neighbours are lovely in every respect, except that they will not prune the thing and I sit a watch it grow an inch a minute during the summer.  Both previous neighbours granted me the right to ' hack at will', which upset the current neighbours no end, but the thing is an absolute monster.

I am currently working up to knock on their door again to have the 'fig tree talk' and again ask them to prune back the uprights.  This year, since I now have the shredder, I will offer to stred their prunings and remove for them (to the Plot)   Still it's not entirely hopeless, last year they did finally realise that having a 30ft Eucalyptus was not very neighbourly and had it removed. All that growth in 4 years ::) :o ???

Whatever you do, don't let it lose out of the pot unless you have a very very very big plot or garden.

Feel better now, thanks ;D ;D

In terms of pruning, this is a good thing as if left to its own devices the leaves and fruit only develop on the ends of the branch.  In my experience, you can prune/hack as much as you like and it just keeps on growing...........going to take the pills nooooooooooow.

[Tora]

I have a question. :D

I have had my fig tree for 6 years now. It's been in a pot and doing well, very hardy so stays outdoors all the year around.

My question is, the tree gets about 10-15 tiny fruits in the spring (around this time of the year) but I get to harvest only 1 or two figs. They all drop before they get big. How can I prevent this happening?  ???

Thanks.

[greenstar]

Hi Sharon, I'd been warned not to let mine out of the pot, I know why now!  I'm not into antisocial gardening so I'll just find a bigger pot for mine.

Tora - mine had developed a couple of fruit that dropped off too, although I was blaming it on my three year old.  What causes this (apart from sticky little fingers)?

[flowerlady]

thank you for the link jennym think I missed that one!!

I'm still wondering if the side shoots need to be cut away at this stage though, the whole thing is only a stick of 3ft!!

[artichoke]

I have two figs "out of the pot" growing against walls for nearly eight years (cuttings from an older fig when I moved house). It is very easy to chop off unwanted growth now and again. They are not exactly elegant fans, just firmly spread-eagled against the walls, lashed firmly to wires. I can't imagine them ever getting out of hand unless I ignore them completely for a few years. The roots are not confined, but they are in very poor soil full of rubble and rather dry.

I get many delicious figs, and much prefer them straight off the tree. The only problem I have is that woodlice love them; they climb up and gnaw away at any that are touching the wall.

If you ever go to Sissinghurst, they have a very decorative way of growing figs against walls (not much fruit, though). They force every twig into a circle, downwards - in winter, when the leaves have gone, the effect is of wonderful grey circular patterns against old red brick walls.

As far as cutting off side shoots goes, I think the official advice is to grow the tree, fan or otherwise, on a short stem. I welcome fresh shoots from below, personally, and I have grown figs against walls for nearly 40 years.