Fig tree help

[nick the grief]

One thing to beware of with Figs is the sap, if you are pruning it don't get the sap on your skin as it's an irritant - that said, the fruits are well worth it I've a friend who lets me have some of their's (occasionally) I really must get one of my own

[LunaPixie]

We bought a fig tree (think its a brown turkey but there was no label!) and apparently you have to treat them mean to keep them keen as it were!
We have it in a half barrel and layered it like this:
Broken up red brick/rubble and normal soil at the bottom (churned up a little for drainage etc)
A layer of compost
Sand
Compost
We then planted the tree and although only one fig appeared in the first few months of having it, this summer we have around 20 growing and recently have eaten the first ripe one of the season! Yum yum!
I believe the brown turkey variety can produce up to 4 crops of fruit per year if it is kept in quite hardy conditions however once it is fruiting you need to water it every day and with the weather we have had of late we have been able to leave nature to do it's course!

[bazzaboy]

hi LunaP and welcome to the Grapevine - interesting name, do you garden by moonlight?

I try to be 100% rational when it comes to gardening but the fig tree - as you've chosen to start with that - is really quite mysterious and mystical (it must have been the tree in the Garden of Eden, rather than the apple ) For a start the "fruit" is not a fruit but a flower (I kid you not) and you've probably already noticed the fig tree has no blossom.... Very strange! It is also continually productive rather than traditionally "seasonal" and only stops when the temperature prohibits growth (which of course it begins to do in the UK any time soon...). Look it up on Wiki if you haven't already, it's an intriguing tree.

I take it you when you say you "planted the tree" that's half-barrel as well to restrict it, fine. That's pretty tight with mean contents but it will probably find a way out if it proves too restrictive... they seem to thrive on hardship. But they like the sun of course, so sheltered south-facing tends to work best; don't over-water (or feed nitrogen) as it tends to promote leaf growth rather than fruit. You can try to protect embryonic fruit through the UK winter (I actually take them all off in order to prompt new crop as early as pos next Spring which seems to work but is not what the books say...). Beware the sap which is an irritant. "Fruits" (flowers) do not ripen off the tree but go mouldy fairly quickly so you need to pick when fully ripe, an encouragement to eat soonest if encouragement needed. They ripen sequentially (i.e. one one day, two or three the next, then one or none etc) which is either very convenient or very inconvenient depending how you want to use them. You can freeze or dry them, I much prefer the latter (thawed ones go squidgy).

Not only all that mystery, magic and taste but the tree looks so good all year! Hope it thrives, it certainly will if you keep doing the Moon Dance!

bb

[m4perez]

Better late than never...Here's a link to the University of California Davis webite for figs: http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/cro...actsheet.shtml
They point out that the fig prefers warm conditions. I think in California that ht emore productive areas for figs are inland, where its hot in the summer, but can frost in the winter. They don't like much wind. Also they are a preferred snack of gophers, ground squirrels and goats! Good Luck!

[Alison]

Do we have any gophers (other than Gordon!) in the UK?

[wellie]

I am a complete Figgin' Novice to growing this fruit, and having bought a superbly 'accidentally' well-trained espallier, we've had this planted in a raised bed that I made, and it has flourished having its roots restrained within a one and a half foot by four and a half by two feet deep. I purposely planted it facing due South, against a wall, and therefore, given our location (south-west/welsh borders) it has actively loved the situation).

It's A Brown Turkey.....We've had it two years (?) now, and we've had 9-ish gorgeous fruits from it this year, that took us WELL by surprise, and now, having picked a ripe one yesterday (knock me over with a feather?) there are another 11 'wanting to do business', and I wasn't in any way, shape or form actually prepared for that.... and I'll be dead surprised if they make it to maturity before the onset of weather that they don't like too much.....
So, THIS Baby, is coming to Auvergne with me, and no mistake!

[leona]

dont they ripen the year after they first set? never grown them but thats what i heard

[Cat]

Does anyone know how to rescue a fig tree that appears to be damaged by frost/snow? Mine is in a pot and and was over wintered in a cold greenhouse. Unfortunately I watered it occasionally (don't think I should have done) and put it back outside too early (end of March) We then got some snow and a couple of frosts. The leaves which were starting to grow have gone brown to black and are falling off.

[yoanbob]

Mines like yours cat, not doing too well noleaves and the new groth seems to have stopped, I'm just hoping it will recover.

[suet]

watchful waiting- might well recover, still time yet

[TonyF]

That's what happens to them when they grow in the garden and I've never heard of one dying yet!!

It depends on so many variables - ages of plant, root condition etc etc so just be patient, you'll be surprised when it comes back again - if all else fails, don't dump it, prune it lightly even if it's only a stick.

[Seahorse]

One of mine was outdoors all winter and ended up looking very sorry for itself. I pruned the worst bit off the top and it's all lush and green now. Definitely worth hanging on to see what happens!