Fig tree help

[peregrin]

I have just had a fig tree for my birthday. It is a brown turkey. Please could someone offer some advice as to how to take care of the tree such as best sites to plant and winter care. Thanks

[Alison]

Can't give you any advice but will be interested in what people say as am thinking of getting one also.

[pigletwillie]

I have one at home and one on the plot.

If you are growing in the ground, do restrict its roots to an area 2' x 2' with either a root bag or slabs lining the planting hole otherwise it will grow tremendously at the expense of fruit. If you are putting one in a pot, think something half barrel sized and plant using John Innes number 3. You can shape them into espaliers, fans or lollypop shapes if required. Mine at home is fanned against a south facing wall.

They prefer sun but will be ok in semi shade, but full sun is best for fruit ripening. They are quite hardy and as long as the pot they are in is well drained, do not require protection other than from very hard prolonged frosts.

Cuttings can be taken and struck in September and these tend to root very easily if you want to propogate more.

[SimonCole]

I'd be tempted to cover the plant in straw over the winter or move it into an unheated greenhouse to protect the embryo fruit (very tiny). You want the plant frost free but not so warm that it jumps into life in mid-winter!

[Headfry]

What are the fruit like.....?
Do they ripen fully here in UK?

[pigletwillie]

They are sublime Headfry and we generally get them ripening from August onwards.

[Flummery]

I think you've made my mind up for me as to what fruit I put against the south facing fence next to the Tayberry. There's a p*ss poor apology for a rhododendron there which was in place when be moved here and I've given it a chance but it's gotta go. I thought about a thornless blackberry but a fig sounds very promising!

[Alison]

I think you've made my mind up for me as to what fruit I put against the south facing fence next to the Tayberry. There's a p*ss poor apology for a rhododendron there which was in place when be moved here and I've given it a chance but it's gotta go. I thought about a thornless blackberry but a fig sounds very promising!

Oooh Flummery, I never knew you knew such language, though you were a lady like!!!!!

Re the thornless blackberry, in my experience although easier to pick, the fruit is nothing like as nice as the old fashioned vicious ones.

[Flummery]

That's what I'd heard. That's why the fig sounded good. As to the language, you really need to see that ratty rhodie - you couldn't call it owt else!

[andrewo]

I have two in pots, they love it and are trained laterally along a south facing fence. I have learnt over the years - as crops can be poor in bad weather years - to feed well at the beginning of the season with potash, as soon as the fruits start to appear, water well everyday (if in pots). And to cut back half of the tree after three years, and cut back the remaining half the following year (or you end up with a woody base). I wrap mine around November in fleece and unwrap them when all signs of frost are gone. Beware of birds they will have the young fruit.

[peregrin]

Thanks for all that advice. It sounds like my best bet is to keep it in a large pot and move it in the greenhouse in Winter then out in the sun when the frosts are finished. I'll give it a go, see what happens and try to keep it alive!!!

[PAULW]

ANDREWO
Could you explain for the more simple of us what you mean by cut back half the tree after three years, do you mean reduce the length of the branches by half or prune out half the branches, I had about twenty fruits this year on a three year old plant and scrummy they were too.

[Polly Fouracre]

I bought a Brown Turkey four years ago,very young(the fig,not me!!)Put it in a large pot,nothing! Two years ago put it in a half barrel,still nothing.Leaves in abundance,though not big enough for modesty,but not a sign of fruit.
I just keep watering,feeding(wood ash)and hoping.Perhaps it needs more time,though this year we can blame everything on the weather!!

[pigletwillie]

Keep it pot bound (just) and tightly fed and you will do better. If you give these guys room they just grow but dont produce fruit. In this case some slight "stress" induced to the plant will encourage it to fruit and thats best done by restricting the roots.

[annieb]

I have a fig in a 10" pot, it's about 5' tall and I had 5 super figs this year. Should I pot it on to the next size pot before winter or leave it until spring.
I now live in Lincolnshire and lovely it is too.