Fig Tree Care

(common edible varieties)

These three figs are planted in pots and set into a corner of the Longwood Gardens conservatory.

The ground cover plants hide the bottoms of the pots.

There are different types of figs: Panache Tiger, Kadota figs, Peters Honey, Black Mission fig and Celeste fig to name a few.

Fig trees will grow in almost any type of soil but it should be fertile and there should be enough moisture.

Figs like a dry Mediterranean climate best, but there are figs that will grow and fruit anyplace that the winter temps stay above 12 degrees F. If it gets colder than that where you live, keep the trees in pots and move them into a frost-free garage before the first hard freeze.

Fig Tree Care in Rainy Climates

I keep my trees in pots here in Florida, not because of the cold, but to keep them from getting too wet during our rainy summers. If figs take on too much water while the fruit is ripening, it leads to problems.

I also favor close eyed varieties like Celeste because I find ants crawling into the fruit of open eyed types through the eye. Here's a list of closed eye types in addition to Celeste:

1. Alma--moderately closed, small eye--honeydew closes eye
2. Adriatic
3. Giant Celeste (Tiger) partially closed
4. Golden Celeste (Champagne) partially closed
5. Panache
6. LSU Improved Celeste (O'Rourke) partially closed
7. LSU Gold
8. LSU Purple
9. Conadria--small, tight eye
10. Excel--medium, tight eye
11. Vista
12. Green Ischia--closed
13. Hunt--closed
14. Tena--medium, tight eye
15. Texas Everbearing--moderately closed, small eye
16. Black Mission

The roots of fig trees are trenchant and so it is better not to plant them near septic tanks and sewer lines.

Fig tree care involves taking steps to protect trees from disease. Fig mosaic and rust are common fungal diseases. They leave yellow spots on leaves and eventually result in a bald tree. Spraying with a fungicide is the only solution to control the fungus.

Fig fruits are exposed to insects and smuts. Severely infected fruit bearing trees should be removed if there are other trees nearby. Bacteria that feed on the fruit flesh can also damage tree trunks. Whitewashing the trunk helps to ward this off.

Tiny worms or root knot nematodes permeate roots and cause them to swell. This interferes with the tree's ability to take up water and nutrients and results in the premature fall of fruits. Extra watering or placing a layer of mulch around the tree can help to protect if from nematodes.

Ground squirrel can also destroy young fig trees. One is left with two remedies for this: either eradicate the rodents or make a small cage to protect the young fig plants.

Avoid Root Knot Nematodes

While choosing a young fig tree to plant, be cautious to choose a tree free of root knot nematodes. Do this by carefully slipping the tree out of the pot (you might not want to let the nursery owner see you doing this) and looking at the root ball. If there are little "knots" or balls along the roots, the tree is infected. Leave it there. That way you reduce tree maintenance and save time. Trees that you buy from a mail order nursery will, in all likelihood, be clean.

You can always prune your fig tree to a bush to keep it short and easy to harvest. Pruning should be done during dormancy so that it doesn’t affect the fruit count.

Fig tree care is easy, as long as you are watchful. A fig doesn’t need nearly as much care as most fruit bearing trees. A well-tended fig tree will reward you with a delicious harvest. Enjoy!

Growing Fig Trees
How to grow figs that produce loads of fruit.

Brown Turkey Fig
The fruit of the Brown Turkey fig is richly flavored and delicious. Its purple-brown skin makes it as attractive as it is tasty. The tree is drought tolerant once established and will only need occasional watering.

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