Growing figs

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Permalink Reply by Karen on March 20, 2008 at 7:08pm

My grandfather had a fig tree. From what I remember, birds and other wildlife really like the fruit. Some people use a type of netting to keep birds from eating the figs.

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Permalink Reply by Linda on April 4, 2008 at 9:16pm

Yes, brid netting does the trick. We used that in CT over the blueberry plants too.

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Permalink Reply by Polly McDaniel on March 20, 2008 at 9:45pm

You have to grow them in a semi-protected area around here. Close to the house, out of the way of the wind, etc.
But some people grow them very successfully here. Just have to find a micro-climate in your yard that is slightly warmer than the rest of it.

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Permalink Reply by Linda on April 4, 2008 at 9:18pm

I have a pretty nice place on the south and southeast side of the house that I hope to tuck one or 2 into and I can also espadrile them too. I have never espadrilled before, but I can wing it by the seat of my pants - again !

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Permalink Reply by Shelby on March 21, 2008 at 8:56pm

There was just an awesome article in Horticulture magazine all about our beloved Figs! It was very interesting. I learned that figs in our area can suffer severe dieback in temperatures below 15 degrees. The rootstock will be fine, thank goodness but you'll be starting from the ground up after a hard winter. I also learned that by providing the figs with a more alkaline soil you will have a super sweet treat! Good luck and let me know what happens! And yes, protect them as Polly suggested, this can be done with a wire cage filled with leaves for pine straw for insulation.

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Permalink Reply by Linda on April 4, 2008 at 9:28pm

I guess I will go to the Library and check out the Horticulture magazine. Was it the March issue?

Another thing about fig trees is you can bring them inside (garage, basement or porch) in the winter and they will naturally go dormant. They also do quite well in pots I understand. .

I remember seeing fig trees in CT and RI when I was little and they were wrapped there for the winter. I figure if they can grow them in New England and Canada I can grow them here providing I get the right kind of a tree! I have done a lot of research on http://www.gardenweb.com and also on www.figs4fun.com. They are both great places to learn from. Also the Country Extension Service here in Hendersonville has sent information to me.

OK - we have some knowledge so now I have to see what really works for me.

Forgot to tell you - got roots on 3 of the cuttings now - going to pot them up over the weekend and hope I son't have any go thru 'Sudden Death Syndrome' like some of my Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia) do.

Thanks for writing - I enjoy hearing from others. - Linda

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Permalink Reply by carnivorousplantconnection on April 4, 2008 at 8:24pm

Check out "Useful Plants Nursery" in Black Mountain. Ask for Chuck and tell him Josh sent you.

He offers at least 4 different varieties of the cold-hardiest figs including "Chicago", "Brown turkey", "Celeste" ect ect. He grows the little kiwi that's cold hardy to zone 4 as well.

take care,

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Permalink Reply by Linda on April 4, 2008 at 9:33pm

Josh - thanks so much for this info. I will go online to see if they are there. Kiwi too - oh oh - do not let me buy anything else, my growing space is too limited.

I need to buy a place that has more room. I want blueberries, raspberries, figs, grapes, and now kiwi too. And I have to have tomatoes too. And summerr squash, green beans, pumpkins and gourds - lol

I might as well get a farm - I all ready have those farmer pants with the straps over the shoulders and the snaps on the side!! Got those in Arkansas when we lived there.

So you do carnivorous plants??? Wanna do some fig trees????

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Permalink Reply by carnivorousplantconnection on April 4, 2008 at 9:40pm

I'll grow figs when I buy land. I got 3 varieties from Chuck last year as a gift for my dad. He said one of the varieties was found in Chicago, another in Michigan if I remember correctly. take care,

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Permalink Reply by Michael Coyle on April 7, 2008 at 12:33pm

I have found 'Brown Turkey' to be the most cold hardy cultivar of the ones I've tried. I had one in a rather exposed position, not close to the house or other structure. It would lose a limb or two over winter, but other than that did fine. The cataclysmic April freeze last year did it in, though.

I'm going to try again, but I'm going to grow in a pot this time. Do the cold frame dormancy thing. I'm already lugging around countless pots of cacti in the winter, might as well add another plant to the chore list. LOL.

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Permalink Reply by Katherine on June 2, 2008 at 10:11pm

Just a warning about planting up against your house. I planted a fig on the south side of my house, about 2 feet from the foundation. It did well and grew quite large. After about 5 years, I was crawling around in the crawlspace and felt all these long things under the plastic- fig roots! They had gone 20 feet in all directions under the house! I moved 2 sections of the fig that fall and dug out the rest. The 2 sections have taken hold and I hope to get a crop this year. They aren't close to my house this time.

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