Growing fig trees

[peachmonster]

I am thinking about getting a fig tree, to grow in a container against a west facing wall. Does anyone else grow figs outside? I'm a little puzzled what happens when you've trained it against a wall, but need to repot it every few years, do you have to untie it so you can repot?

Any general advice on outdoor fig growing appreciated!

[Kirk]

Will start by saying no real direct knowledge but as it is the restriction of the roots that cause the fig to produce fruit then by repotting into something bigger would mean removal (temporarily) of the root restriction and so no fruit for a period.

So I would guess that the idea is plant one into whatever whatever you intend it to spend it's time in.

Had better say a friend has a fig at the front of their house, not in a pot, growing happily and producing fruit. If he had any idea of what to do with it I suspect he would get a fair few figs from it, but it is a sort of green tree more then a fig (producing) tree. Half suspect he/they were given it and just plonked it in the ground at the front with the other tree type things to form a bit of a hedge.

[Bill Door]

Ok good idea. I have a fig and I dug a hole in a very thick layer of clay up next to a west facing wall. My reading of the situation is that once you have restricted the roots you need do nothing else. I sometimes give my fig a soak but I have recently heard that I don't even need to do that.

I have had a few figs, don't expect too many for the first two years(or even later). I also lightly prune the tree and take out the really old growth or anything growing that is likely to get in the way. I also take off the immature figs in October/November (but don't touch the very small "nodules" as they might be next years fruit).

So if you are planting in a pot I don't think you need worry about re-potting.

Enjoy the fruit

Rid
P.S. give it a bit of support (trellis)

[BUFFS]

I have a fig outside on a southfacing wall, a brown turkey, tied in a fan shape, break off all the new buds off each stem in late feb/early march (promotes fruiting), use john innes No3 compost in a 50ltr tub, I give a handful of chicken manure pellets in feb/march and I have been trying a monthly feed of toms feed to boost the crop and it seems to work, so if it works here you should be okay where you are. when it comes to repotting, I cut the strings holding the branches to the wires and tip the pot over, and a fair amount of the compost falls out, i scratch at the rootball to loosen some more and remove that, I tip the pot back upright and put fresh compost in to replace the lost amount and water it in. I do this on a "mild" day in feb so when the growth starts there is no check to growth, just tie on the branches onto the wires again and that's it for about 4yrs or so..it works so far and the fig has been there for 10/11yrs now..

[peachmonster]

Thanks for the advice! Sounds like it's all possible, so off to a nursery soon to do some shopping!!