Container Fig Tree Care? -- Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

[RogueRose]

You're welcome! It always seems like over night that it gets the big leaves....I always keep an eye on it then next thing I know it goes FALUMPH and it has the big leaves. I never really see a "transition" leaf.

[applestar]

So, how did everyone's figs do this season?
I harvested about 1/2 doz earlier, and now it's covered with the 2nd crop. I gave 1st ripe one to DH who said it was great.

Now waiting for about 16 more to grow to size and ripen:

... Now I'm worrying about the end of the season yet similar issues of when and how much to protect the fruits from cold temps and frost....

[gumbo2176]

My figs have been done for several weeks now. They usually play out by early August, but I had a decent season. This years crop was not as good as last summer's, but I got about the equivalent of a 5 gallon bucket of figs from the old tree I have. I made a few quarts of preserves, ate some of them fresh off the tree and gave most of them away to family, friends and my wife's co-workers.

The 2012 crop was bigger, but I trimmed the tree back pretty hard after that since it was getting a bit out of control. My late father-in-law was the biggest recipient of my figs most years. That man could eat 20 or more of them in a sitting, and he loved how I preserved them and would eat fig preserves on his biscuits till the jar was wiped clean. When he was alive, not many other folks got figs.

[applestar]

Had some days/nights in the 80's / high 60's -- probably last ... Expecting heavy rains tomorrow then down to low 70's / mid 40's.... Will these fruits finish growing and ripening if I bring the container inside to keep above 60's? (I'll provide supplemental light)

[gumbo2176]

Had some days/nights in the 80's / high 60's -- probably last ... Expecting heavy rains tomorrow then down to low 70's / mid 40's.... Will these fruits finish growing and ripening if I bring the container inside to keep above 60's? (I'll provide supplemental light)

Much different from the growing and ripening environment of my area. My figs ripen best when the daily temps are in the mid to upper 90's and nightly around mid 70's. Of course it all depends on how much moisture they receive when they are producing at max output. I had about 4 days of great harvest then it rained for a couple days and all the fruit split before ripening and started souring on the tree. That was the end of it for this year. My harvest is for a couple weeks in July only.

[applestar]

Hmm... Can't find the pictures right now, but two of the breva (? Is that the right term for dormant fruits that overwinters then ripens in spring?) fruits out of 19 on the overwintering fig tree ripened last week (1 ripened a while -- few weeks? -- ago). The very first one was a little underripe (not sweet) when it fell off so. I left them black and shiny for longer as long as they stayed on. When I picked them, one of them had gotten past ripe and was slightly fermenting, but we ate them anyway after drying in the oven for a couple of hours to concentrate the flavor. Not fantastic, but tasty and welcome addition to the winter harvest. Can't wait until the rest of them decide to break dormancy and ripen.

[imafan26]

figs do not ripen off the tree. I have a different variety, Brown turkey. In summer they will turn from green to red and get soft. I have to get to them before the birds do. Unfortunately the birds know when they are ripe too. Now, that it is cooler the figs are red but still firm, so I have to wait for them to soften before I pick them. Some figs taste better than others.

Black Mission and Brown Turkey are sweet, some white figs even the birds will leave alone. You can usually tell if you have good fruit, because the birds will always go after the best fruit.

[applestar]

Thanks imafan. ...my Petit Negri fig is in the kitchen though, by the back door to keep it on the cold side. And in case it wasn't clear, I was leaving these two fruits on the tree after they had turned dark and somewhat shiny. DH was the only one who was trying to pick them before I declared them ready,

I remember visiting a distant relative ages ago and climbing from the 2nd story veranda to the fig tree and picking the ripe figs. I think I have been looking for that flavor ever since. I recall they had a green variety -- large sweet fruits bursting with red inside.

[!potatoes!]

fig can definitely ripen off the tree. maybe not all the way...but there's been a number of times I've grabbed some that were mostly hard and not very sweet from public plants, and had them sweeten + soften in the house. is this not 'ripening'?

[applestar]

Those figs are ripening and starting to droop/drop. We've had three or four recently -- finding that they taste sweet if left to shrivel a little and droop on the stem. Two more are harvested and ready to eat, and 9 more on the tree:

Latest harvest of Kootenai and Sweet N Neat tomatoes and Figs

Remaining figs slowly ripening on the tree

Along with the winter indoor tomatoes and hot peppers, they are unusual but welcome addition to the modest winter harvest. . Maybe I'll post an update on the winter garden thread with comprehensive description of what's growing right now....

My figs ripen best when the daily temps are in the mid to upper 90's and nightly around mid 70's.

...these poor fruits are working with something like upper 60's during the day and down to upper 50's at night. Sad shadow of what they could taste like, I'm sure, but still somehow delicious, you know?

I wonder if fruiting and ripening now as they are, if this would disrupt their fruiting pattern? I think I'd rather they fruited and matured in the height of the summer for much fuller flavor.

[applestar]

New question related to this PETIT NEGRI fig tree

I have harvested and (we) have been enjoying all of the ripe figs -- one was wasted because I didn't realize it had passed prime but was still hanging on the tree And for some reason there is one last fruit remaining stubbornly green and hard.

As soon as most of the ripe figs were picked, this tree decided to start to break bud and start growing leaves: One tiny recognizable leaf on very tip and the second bud greening and unfolding. BUT it's still middle of January, no way the tree is going outside until mid-March to April IF still dormant and late April is the last average frost when it could go out in full leaf. Lighting is poor and any growth during the winter will be weak.

I also wanted to prune about six inches off the end of each of the three trunk/branches.

I can think of two possible solutions:

(1) Should I prune off the growing end and send the tree out to the garage to hopefully hibernate for the rest of the winter?

Does this sound like a workable solution? I will have to do this right away if I'm going to do this -- need recommendation ASAP. The unheated garage can fluctuate from 50's°F to as low as mid to low 20's if we get the wintry blast of cold again which is entirely possible. The garage is dim at best though there are two t-12 fluorescent light on 24/7 for the overwintering peppers, eggplants, pineapple sage, and pomegranates, and the seed starting V8 light nursery (three t-12's and four t-8's) turns on for 16 hours. The fig could be placed near the V8 nursery but it won't be close enough for good growth if it tries to grow, or it could be placed farther from the stronger lights and closer to but not directly in the 24 hr lights where it is also probably colder.

(2) The other option would be to let the tree grow any way it wants in the kitchen despite the inadequate light, but prune the end of the branches later when I put it outside in late April.

[applestar]

...I'm impatient...

I just came in from dragging the fig tree out to the garage
-- my reasoning is that this is supposed to be a deciduous tree and it would probably be better for it to get its winter rest than to waste its energy trying to leaf out out of season. Hopefully it will halt trying to break bud and go back to sleep even though it's currently on the warm side in the garage at 56°F -- it was a gorgeous day and the kids and I went out for a walk this afternoon.

...a little worried that it might be too bright in there for "winter storing" the fig tree, but maybe it doesn't matter (will help) while it has leaves, until the leaves dry up and are shed. Any thoughts from your tree and fruit tree expertise are welcome and appreciated.

[rksamon]

I am in Zone 6 in central TN, and I must confess - I am a fig-a-holic. lol I absolutely love figs - I have 7 fig trees planted in the ground here and a couple more growing on to plant out this year.I have 2 Brown Turkey, 2 Celeste, 1 LSU Gold, 1 LSU Purple, and 1 Kadota in the ground. Once established for 4+ years, my figs have always done fine with no protection as long as they are grown more like a bush rather than a tree (multiple stems coming out from the base). Even if the temp gets too low and kills back some of the branches, the fig will send up new branches from the base. I fear that may be the case this year after we have had several temperature dips below zero this winter.

I plan to harden off the ones I have in pots when I harden off my tomatoes and plant them in the ground when they leaf out vigorously. Hopefully it will be a good year... Good luck with yours!

PS - the person who had the memories of picking the greenish figs off of a huge tree - I recall similar experiences from my childhood. Our tree was a Celeste fig - huge, tender, and honey sweet.

[imafan26]

I don't have a winter or snow or even close to freezing although 53 degrees feels icy to me. My brown turkey has been producing fruit for months. It takes longer to ripen but it really has not gone dormant.

It is kind of a dilemma for me, since I want to prune it but I don't want to sacrifice the fruit.

The fig I have is over 5 feet tall. I wanted to prune it to an umbrella tree form, but the plant I have was started from a lateral branch. Most of the branches are growing laterally and very few are going vertical. So, I have decided not to fight its' nature and prune it into a shrub shape instead. At least the fruit will remain easier to pick.

[applestar]

The fig dropped all it's leaves and lost the tip of one branch during the winter -- it got down to at least mid 20's in the garage this winter. I trimmed the branch tips cutting off the obviously dead portions and stuck them in some sandy mix with a cut off soda bottle humidity dome and put it on top of one of the t-5 fixtures for bottom heat in hopes that the cuttings will strike roots.

Today, with no freezing temps in the next 10 day forecast, I sent the fig outside on the SE facing brick patio. It's getting rained on now, but it should be OK, I think. Hopefully, it will be able to wake up and leaf out. But last frost is a month away so I'll probably have to bring it in and out from now until then.

I'm encouraged about growing some hardier cultivars in the ground. I ordered and am expecting a Chicago Hardy fig to be delivered this spring. I'm now furiously thinking about getting more....

[applestar]

looks like one of them struck roots

Petit Negri fig cutting starting to grow

...the other two started to grow white mold. I sprayed with alcohol a couple of times but when one of them turned mushy, I called it and cut them down to the soil level, so only this one is growing. ...but I GOT ONE

[ReptileAddiction]

Nice! If you wanted to trade some rooted cuttings, I have some small celeste figs...

[applestar]

...but this is my first baby....

[hendi_alex]

I should have moved my container grown petit negri to protection this winter. Looks like the unusually cold temperatures have killed it, Texas giant, and celeste all have been killed back to the ground. I would assume that new growth puts out from the roots, but I've never seen figs with older growth get killed back so far before.

[applestar]

That's a bummer, Alex.

Yes, this winter has taken all of us by surprise... Particularly in terms of [not usually needed] protection and hindsight is 20/20 as they say. I'm still assessing what survived and what didn't out in the garden, but my rosemary by the garden gate is all brown and dried up.

[applestar]

The "Big Fig" out on the patio is starting to break bud

BTW that's my "backup" rosemary that was overwintered nearly dry in the unheated garage in front of (not directly under the lights of) the V8 Nursery. I draped it along with the fig with a clear plastic sheeting loosely attached to the light fixture with magnets for easy on/off when temps got down in the neg. single digits outside and V8 nursery area was down to 24°F so it was getting "some warmth" generated by the light fixtures. But I never completely covered/wrapped the the set up this year since I wasn't using it for tender plants. Just zone marginal ones.

The apparently empty white pot contained a pineapple sage propagated in fall from cutting. Top was totally winter fried, and I'm nit sure if there was enough root system to survive the freeze... But I'll just leave it like that and see.

[RogueRose]

Last year was a good fig year for my tree...not quite a bumper crop, but it was good. We'll see how this year goes. Something nibbled on it this late winter/early spring. I don't know what. I am going to guess groundhog or squirrels. I hope it does okay....it's just at the base.

[applestar]

Those buds had swelled to nearly unfolding. I've dragged the tree back inside the back door to protect from the forecasted overnight temp of 28-26°F and windchill of 16°F. No way I'm letting those buds get blasted.

[applestar]

So far so good

Can you see the six baby figs?

[applestar]

The same fig tree now.

It grew around 30 fruits -- pretty respectable/satisfactory amount, I'm thinking
They are starting to ripen, and I've harvested four so far including the two in the picture.

Until this summer, the DD's didn't even want to try them, so DH and I have been enjoying the tiny harvest from this tree, but this year, younger DD decided to try one, and now she loves figs.

So we have to share....

But I have a solution for that -- My new Chicago Hardy fig has been growing well and, since it's supposed to be hardy in the ground, hopefully it will crop more heavily than the container fig.

I'm planning to train it in espalier style against this wall.

[applestar]

Three more are starting to ripen

There's one left in the kitchen that was harvested two days ago when the fruits sagged, had a slight give, and easily pulled off. I wrap the harvested figs in paper towel and let them ripen completely for another day or two. At that point, they turn nearly black and are delicious.

[applestar]

My fig tree is inside and going dormant. The leaves are shriveling and falling, and I have been chopping them up into small pieces to mulch the surface of the container mix.... And I started to notice this WONDERFUL AROMA as I crumpled up and chopped up the leaves.

So, it's too late now with this tree and I'll have to wait until next season, but I looked it up and found this

Fig leaves are harvested from mature fig trees. The leaves are a bright, vibrant green with thick veins and a prominent stem. Each leaf has five main veins and leaflets, much like fingers on a hand, and each leaflet is wider in the center and tapers to a point. Fig leaves are most commonly used to wrap and grill or steam seafood. The leaves give the cooked meat a smoky, fruity flavor, and distinct coconut aroma.

Applications

Use fresh, clean fig leaves to wrap seafood, meat, fruits and cheeses. Secure the parcel with string or twine and grill, bake, roast, smoke or braise. The fig leaves will keep the items moist, cooked by the steam created in the parcel. Fig leaves should be used immediately; keep refrigerated and dry to store. Rinse but do not dry before wrapping, the moisture on the leaves will help to cook your parcel.

https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce ... s_7136.php

I might try making something if the Chicago Hardy fig tree outside but planted against the SW side of the house still has leaves.... Has anyone else tried making fig-leaf wrapped something? I was originally thinking of making Chinese steamed dumpling with sweet filling because the aroma reminded me of something like the lotus leaf wrapped sweet sticky rice.

[Rairdog]

My Chicago Hardy was in a pot but growth slowed after a few months so I put it in the ground. It took off again. I tried pulling it to see how deep the roots dug in and it was solid. Just trimmed it back and put some cuttings in wet paper towel in a ziplock to see if they will root.

[rainbowgardener]

Your figs are beautiful, applestar. Now I really "need" a fig tree!

[applestar]

A peek under the covers at the sleeping fig accompanied by the larger Rosemary and Pineapple Sage in the garage in front of the V8 Nursery

...The stick like trunk with dried up dead leaves to the left is an avocado -- subject of extreme dormant state overwintering experiment

[Rairdog]

I am trying to root some of my Chicago fig stems. One rooted in moist paper towel inside a ziplock not fully closed but they got a little moldy. I am trying them in the DE kitty litter now.

How does the Chicago taste? I had fruits started but never matured. My solution was to get them out of a confined pot and propagate more for the dirt.

[Rairdog]

I have some leafs on one stem and buds developing on the others. These were placed in DE on the water heater with a ziplock over them to keep humidity in.

[applestar]

Looking good! You'll have more to plant by the time the ground thaws

My
Chicago Hardy is spending it's first winter outside. Haven't tasted it yet, but hopefully, this summer. I'm planning to propagate from that tree if It grows extra branches I can cut off.

Here's my baby Petit Negri/a. I didn't want to let it go dormant this winter, so it's sitting in the coolest spot possible -- it can get as low as upper 40's in this corner on the floor level, though there IS a covered vent nearby.

[Rairdog]

I read somewhere to cut the Chico low to the ground and cover with mulch for winter because the stems will freeze and die off anyway. I hated to waste the stems so I tried to root them. Did you not cut yours back?

[applestar]

Mine is planted about a foot in front of the SW facing house wall which is in an L with the garage wall to the NW. Mom hoping this location has a more protective micro-climate. I did mulch well around the base of the little tree (it's about 28-32" tall). With my Zone 6b location going for it, hopefully this is all I need to do.

I'm going to prune it into an espalier (flat plane) in front of the wall.

[applestar]

My container Petit Negri fig has been waking up on the driveway outside the garage, ready to roll inside if frost threatened... But it had been warm and nice so I asked DD to use the hand truck to move it to the back yard on the patio. ...that was Saturday... She told me she noticed little baby figs on the tree -- and she was correct!

-- but now, FREEZE warning has been issued for the next two mornings.

... I think I'll just wrestle it into the kitchen tonight and tomorrow night ...

[applestar]

Here's the little cutting I propagated from the Petit Negri. I was too apprehensive to let it lose its leaves, so I put it in this Cool Gang corner (floor level, farthest from the house thermostat and blocked vent -- as cold as high 40's in the depth of winter). It didn't lose its leaves but hunkered down and didn't do anything all winter. It woke up since March and grew these bigger leaves.

[applestar]

Well, I had been concerned that the outside Chcago Hardy didn't make it. The upper portion of the longest branch felt dead, but not the ENTIRE branch, so I have been waiting with my fingers crossed.

I watered heavily last week thinking we haven't been getting enough rain...aaaand....

Tah-DAH !!!

-- you can see the new growth from the base, and there are several green buds developing up both branches. So you were correct that the upper portion did die, @rairdog. I think I will also take cuttings from the tips to try to root this year.

[applestar]

I need to uppot the "baby"

image.jpg (56.56 KiB) Viewed 16282 times

[applestar]

Chicago Hardy doesn't really belong in this thread since its planted in the ground outside, but since I mentioned it a couple of times here...

...it's starting to form flower buds (baby figs)