Fig Basics

Figs are probably one of the easiest fruits to grow. Just give them a little protection in the wintertime they come back from the roots. Down here I don’t do anything to mine. I pick about a gallon bag everyday

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Please look at the figs4fun forum or ourfigs forum for lots of growing information.

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Found this varieties list. Lots of fig to choose from.

http://figs4fun.com/varieties.html

Tony

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Figs are one of the most carefree fruit trees that I have ever grown. No major pests or diseases. Even fig mosiac virus, which is common in my area is little more than a nuisance. They are also one of the easier to propagate. Simply take a small branch, stick it in the ground and keep it moist. Odds are you will get a tree from it. The biggest challenge I have had with some cultivars is that they send up a lot of suckers from the roots and will form into bushes instead of trees. This is not a problem for fruit production but may not be as visually appealing unless of course you prefer bushes over trees.

They really are a no-brainer for the most part although as others have stated they may die back in cold zones unless they are protected.

You just need to select a cultivar that ripens in your area.

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Would you consider zone 6 a cold zone? When looking at varieties online, when a description says zone 6, does this mean it will die back but regrow and probably fruit, or not die back at all?

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Read the topic on cold hardy figs for info on suitable varieties and winter protection. Except for the cold hardiness issue, figs are basically a weed.

Temps of 0 degrees F usually means total dieback. They will resprout from the roots though and some varieties will even fruit that year.

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My personal experience is limited to zone 9 so I will leave that question for others to comment on. There are a number of members here that have experience in that area and can recommend specific cultivars that do well in your climate.

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Figs are generally easy to grow, exceptionally flavorful, and dont have any major diseases. However you have to guard them from birds, squirrels, possums, raccoons etc in fruiting season, i.e. pretty much all summer. Just like you and me, critters find them irresistible. If I did nothing to protect any other fruits in my yard, I would probably still have a few left. But figs are just too tempting to critters in my experience.

You may have a couple of carefree years after which your local wildlife will also learn how wonderful figs are.

:slight_smile:

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All figs will die to the ground in zone 6 as far as I know. Some may regrow and ripen figs if your growing season is long enough. If you grow them in pots you can lenthen the growing season. Notice those saying figs are easy to grow are in zones 8 and 9.

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I’m in zone 6 and agree with all you say except I still find them easy to grow in containers. Finding good ones to grow back in ground is a little tougher, but some do grow back and do produce, but I’m more into container culture for them. So I have more options on varieties to grow, The long season ones will fruit here too, but you usually only ripen 1/3 of the crop at best. So those don’t make a lot of sense.

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I have figs i their second year, so I don’t know much, but here’s one thing I do know: People here are opinionated, generous, and have to prune regularly. That means if you are patient and friendly, you can get bags of even “designer” cuttings as people like to show off their favorites.

I personally am glad people sent me figs because they are visually striking as a plant and very low effort. I shouldn’t even need to cover mine, based on the number of large run away figs in nearby yards.

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Everybody does seem to enjoy their figs, which is what has gotten me interested.

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Figs are like blueberry. They are easy in good conditions. Stick a twig in the ground and harvest the figs a couple of yrs later. However put blueberry in high pH area or figs in a cold area and it’s a different story. Figs are easier than blueberry. I’ll give them that.

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I know some have had mediocre results. I have not. I’m going on 3rd leaf of my oldest. 1st,2nd and 3rd leaf all are loaded with figs. Some are still forming too, Looks like another year full of figs. @fruitnut hey the CC air layer failed, but I did it another way, and the foil blew off last week, and I can see roots, so all looks to be going as planned. I started it too early, air layers are not going to work here until plant is growing well.

Sounds good. I haven’t started many air layers yet either. I think July will be the big month getting those going. The current season wood isn’t brown yet on my younger more vigorous plants. It is on my most mature plant, the big Strawberry Verte.

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I did them on old wood, seems to work, so you’re getting a big tree probably. I sort of have to as green wood here is only a foot or two, and not very hard yet. Figs are BB sized right now here. But maybe I’ll do more on the new wood too!

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In the greenhouse there’s early main crop that are full size. Then they seemed to take a break. Now many more bb to half inch. I’m marking some with red tape to see when they mature. I want to compare late things like the CdD, Black Madeira, Preto to some earlier stuff like Gino’s Black and Strawberry Verte.

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KY,
Have you tried fresh figs? The taste of fresh figs is quite different from dried figs. I know many people who love dried figs but do not like fresh figs. It is an acquired taste, I think. I did not like freh figs bought from stores. They have some “greenish” taste that is a turn off to many people including me.

I like fresh figs when I grow my own Chicago Hardy and let them ripe ( a bit shriveled). It tastes sweet and figgy. Idon’t know how to describe but most people I gave them to like the.

If you are in zone 6 or lower, growing figs in ground unprotected is challenging.
You have to choose cold hardy varieties that can resprount from the base when they died to the ground, They need to be varieties that ripen early enough before it gets cold.

I ddon’t have much success with potted figs. They don’t grow as vigorous as Drew’s. The soil mix, the fertilizer, amount iof water, amount sun and the timing to take those pots out from staorage, etc, are things that I have not mastered.

Figs are easy regarding no spray for insects or diseases. Grow them to fruit in time in a colder zone is not that easy in my opinion.

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I have had fresh figs, but only from a grocery store. I could taste the … promise. There was a good flavor there, but it wasn’t very sweet. I am guessing they were quite underripe.
Is Chicago Hardy one that will resprout and ripen reliably? I’ve seen it for sale locally. I’m not sure I’m up for wrangling a potted plant.