We grow figs in ground at 1200ft elevation, latitude 48.5, growing zone 6b, in the rain shadow of the Cascade mountain range. It is a very dry area with hot summers and cold winters and less than 12 inches of annual precipitation (none during the summer). We have 2 figs in the ground, a Chicago Hardy and another unknown variety I call Milton #51 which produces more and slightly larger fruit acquired from a friend in the Tacoma area. Figs do not ripen all at once and I was able to harvest a 1½ cups every week for more than a month, at least 6 cups of figs from 2 small "bushes".
After changing our well pump in 2022 our water situation got worse and had to cut back on watering. Because of this we got many figs but very few berries in 2023. The two fig trees produced much more fig fruit than berries would in a smaller area with less water. We used a single 0.6 gpm dripper for each fig tree and ran them 40 minutes a day. Figs in a cold environment? Yes, just cover them well in the winter and they grow back in the spring to produce figs in late summer/early fall. I cover my best tasting cold sensitive (Marion & Columbia Star) blackberries every winter, so the effort put into blackberries and figs is similar but figs again use less water and yield more. Compared to the effort put into blueberries with pH adjusted fertilizer solutions, figs are again are the winner.
Winter Protection
Figs can be grown in the ground in short hedges and the row covered for winter protection. My figs are planted on the south west side of my trailer and the wind comes predominately from the northwest and they were covered in a 3-4 ft snow drift most of the winter. For winter protection cut or better tie down the branches to a manageable size, pack mulch or straw around and over the branches 8-12 inches deep, and cover with a plastic tarp folded 2-4 layers thick held down with rocks. Get the branches close to the ground as possible if you want to have any old wood survive winter, in my conditions I loose anything more than 6-12" above the soil sometimes more. Cutting the branches seems to cause more damage and instead it is better to bend the branches down and tie them together or put rocks on top of the branches. When I did it this way the old branches were still alive 6-10 inches above the ground even though temperatures on Dec 22 reached -9°F with 18mph wind which is about -32°F wind chill (in previous years they died back to the ground).
Growing Zone Update - We are supposed to be in growing zone 6b but Jan 11 2024 temperature reached 0°F with windspeed of 35mph, on Jan 12th the high was -2°F with a low of -8°F and windspeed of 31 mph (windchill -37°F), and on Jan 13th it got down to -13°F with a windspeed of 16mph. This may seem more like zone 5b but by definition growing zone is the a 30 year average of the lowest annual temperature so though by definition temperatures can drop below the stated range for a growing zone. I looked up the daily lows on NOAA for the past 31 years and the average was -2°F, so zone 6b is correct and half of the annual lows should be below -2°F on average. Also local surroundings can create a microclimate affecting temperatures and wind can affect the wind chill or the "feels like" temperature (we are on the flats so unprotected from strong winds).
This year I broke the thickest stem when tying down the branches so cut it down to where the wood wasn't split and tied the rest. This isn't a problem since there were many smaller branches and it is common to cut bigger branches that can't be bent and keep the flexible ones for next year. There are many techniques for winter protection of figs but one traditional way is to partially cut roots on one side to lay the tree horizontal and bury it. This gave me an idea (after breaking the main branch) so next spring I'll plant my new figs almost horizontal, the new branches (which will be flexible) will grow upwards but the trunk which will be less flexible in the future will already be horizontal.
Some fig growers prune the suckers off to grow upright fig trees but in a cold climate taller trees will just die back and be hard to tie down. Also, more branches near the soil will provide more growing points for future years after dieback. Ground level side branches can be trained along the ground in a line or all around the tree increasing the leaf canopy area and fruit production. A common myth is that tree sap and energy move to the roots during winter but this is not true. In winter sap thickens and stops flowing, and the energy trees energy is stored under the bark in all of the living trunk, roots, and branches. More trunk, roots, and branches surviving winter means more energy for the tree in the spring. Training the main trunk in a straight line (a row) along the ground simplifies winter protection and make harvest during summer easier. Click Here to see a fig tree where the trunk has been trained along the ground. Now that tree has a lot of energy built up in the horizontal section and it would be a snap to cover in the winter.
Remove the cover and mulch in spring when the last chance of frost has past. To get more figs you can remove the cover and mulch earlier and replace with a heavy-weight clear greenhouse plastic (not row cover). This warm up he soil earlier and prevent damage to new fig growth down to about 26°F (or 8° F protection) increasing your end of season harvest period by 2 weeks or more. You can remove the cover after the chance of frost has passed. Remember warmer conditions means faster growth and faster fruit set & maturation so a better idea is when it warms a little open the cover at the ends during the hot part of the day to avoid cooking your tree and close it at night until it really warms up above 70° F then remove it entirely. Temperatures can be more than 30° F higher under the plastic during the day so watch it if temperatures get above 60°F. Consider using it again in the fall before first frost to extend your season and ripen those later figs still left on the tree.
Fig Trees - Milton #51 Left / Chicago Hardy Right
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Milton Fig Tree
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Bowl of Figs
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I haven't tried using heat tape under the tarp yet but it doesn't seem very practical as some people may not have power near their fig plantings. Also, it seems like a waste of power for minimal gain. If plants won't produce locally without costly accommodations then grow something else (this should be a motto). In any event covering with a hay and a tarp should be enough protection for most in ground figs to at least zone 6a. It is for others to test but if growing figs in zone 5 or colder consider growing near the south side of a building and trying with and without a heat tape and let us know your results on our Contact Page.
Fig Propagation
Most common figs grown in the US are easily propagated by cuttings, though I have known tropical types that were extremely difficult to propagate even by air layer. Always use new potting soil for cuttings because old soil may contain mold spores, contaminants, and pests which will weaken or kill new cuttings. Fig cuttings can be taken in summer but to get as much fruit as possible it is better to wait till after harvest. Figs may ripen even after a light frost so again it's better to wait till all figs which will ripen, have ripened, and been harvested before taking cuttings. In general it is a good idea to dip fig cuttings in 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted 1:5 with water for 3 minutes to kill mold, bacteria, and other pests.
Currently I use Ben's fig pop method to root cuttings with some modifications. Just the idea of keeping cuttings separated so that fungus gnat and mold outbreaks can be isolated is genius. For this I highly recommend using the 4" x 16" 1 mil poly bags as Ben suggests, plastic cups with wrong sized bag and rubber bands around the cup are a hassle. I purchased cuttings online and only buy hard wood cuttings not green cuttings. Sterilize cuttings dilute 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide to 4 parts water and soak cuttings for 3 minutes then allow to air dry before proceeding. Fill a poly bag half way with moist sterile seed starting mix. Use sharp heavy duty garden shears to re-cut the bottom of the cutting, make a clean cut (below the bottom node and at an angle if possible) without crushing the stem and make sure there is a live green layer all around the cut (many new roots will form here). I used a PEX pipe cutter but any sharp cutter will do. Scrape the bottom inch of the cutting lenthwise on 2 sides through the node with the sharp side of garden shears or a knife till the green layer is exposed. Usually I only dip the first cutting, put it in a cup of water, and stir it to dilute the CloneX then use the mix to dip the rest of the cuttings. Optionally dip in bottom 1-3 inches in CloneX rooting gel, a small pouch of this is about $5.00 and can do many cuttings. Rooting powder can also be used, knock off the extra powder back into the container. Put the cutting in the bag with the lower half in the mix and use a postal band to go around the cutting and secure over the bottom end of the bag. Poke a few small holes though the plastic in the lower half with a toothpick or tip of small garden pruners to allow the soil to breathe. Partially close the top with tape or a rubber band and place out of direct sunlight. Keep in low light till roots are visible then move to stronger diffuse light. Leaves may appear but do not transplant till the cuttings have formed strong roots. Once roots and several leaves appear open the top in increments to harden off the leaves. It is normal for new leaves to be light green or a bit yellow. Once hardened off and the cutting has several leaves and strong roots it can be repotted. Ben has 3 great step-by-step videos on this, just search for Ben's fig pop method.
Being Creative - Single Node Flipped Fig Cutting
It may also be possible to fix failed cuttings which did not root (I don't do this for molded cuttings only ones where the bottom rots or doesn't root). Sometimes the bottom of a cutting rots but the top still has one or more nodes that are still alive. Just remove the cutting, cut off the rotten part till you find green wood, soak in 1:5 dilution of 3% hydrogen peroxide for 3 minutes to sterilize, allow to air dry completely, recut the bottom, scrape as per normal, and put in a clean bag with clean moist (not wet) potting soil.
An update on the fig pop method. It works great and it's nice to be able to see the roots in the clear bag but my big criticism is that no matter how careful I am emerging leaves and shoots get damaged even when not moving the bags, the leaves just fall off or shrivel and die sometimes. Some bags get condensation which touches the leaves causing rot and the leaves also break off easily when handling. Once shoots emerge it's a bad idea to pick it up from the top of the bag. Also, it is better to not seal the top completely as new growth will take longer to adjust to less humid conditions and it's better to seal only half (one side of the opening) with rubber band or fold over, and open gradually later. Remember the path of the sun changes during the day and to keep your cuttings out of direct light. Pull back or remove the top and protect the bottom of the bag before exposing even briefly to sunlight. Even if the leaves can tolerate some sun from a window temperatures in a closed bag will quickly soar and damage the leaves (I suspect may be part of my issue). Another variation I have tried is wrapping the exposed part of the cutting with parafilm then putting it in a fig pop bag with the rubber band around the middle and bottom but leave the top open, partiallly open, or pulled back (this doesn't seem to be any better than using fig pop without parafilm and may actually be worse).
Another method I use is to take 12-18" cuttings, remove leaves on bottom half, optionally score the sides through the node till the green layer is exposed, optionally dip the cut end in rooting hormone, and plant in a deep 3 gallon pot up to the bottom leaf. Optionally remove most of the leaves and trim remaining 1-4 leaves to half their surface area to reduce the transpiration load on rootless cuttings. Cover the pot with a plastic bag and leave in a shaded location at room temperature for 4-8 weeks. Use a rubber band to hold the plastic but periodically open the bag for short periods to control humidity and prevent mold. If the plants start molding take off the plastic immediately. Usually a few won't take so put 3-5 cuttings per pot to save space. Don't give up on any cuttings that have green buds but throw away those that are completely brown and dry. If some cuttings are still green and have 1-2 new leaves emerging, remove the plastic and expose the cuttings to lower humidity and gradually increase light intensity.
This year I took 5 cuttings in mid June and later in the fall and I used old soil. Only one of the June cuttings survived but it is growing very well and it has 3 new side branches and a total of 26 leaves as of 11/01/2023. Again, it is unwise to reuse soil for cuttings.
Figs can be grown easily from seeds but will not be exactly like the parent(s). I have used dried turkish figs from the store but make sure they are dried naturally and not sterilized at high temperature. Open the dried figs and soak in a bowl of water till soft then separate the seeds from the flesh. Rinse a few times, add more water and pour off leaving the seeds at the bottom. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom. Spread the seeds over wet sand in a wide shallow planting container and cover with a plastic sheet sealed with a rubberband. Leave in the shade to sprout. Sometimes seedlings grow roots on the surface so use a toothpick to make a small hole and use it to put the root into the hole leaving the seed at the top of the hole, replace the plastic. Once the seedlings are touching the plastic, remove the plastic and acclimate to less humid conditions. Add 1/4 strength fertilizer and transplant when 2-6 inches tall.
Harvesting Figs
In warmer climates figs can produce 2 crops (a breba crop and a main crop) but in colder climates where the previous years wood dies during winter only the main/larger crop is produced.
- Breba Crop - first crop produced on previous years branches
- Main Crop - second crop produced in late summer on this years green wood
If there are still many figs on the tree and cold weather is approaching break off any figs forming that will never ripen to provide more energy to the larger figs. About 2 weeeks before the first frost use a Q-tip to dab olive oil on the osteole (eye) at the end of the each fig trapping ripening hormones within and make the figs ripen faster.
Fig Pests & Diseases
Ants, birds, grasshoppers, and black fig fly can damage your fig trees and/or fruit. My figs usually have a little ant damage but they still taste great. For ants mix a sugar water solution with borax and put in plastic bottles laid horizontally with a small hole or tray with cotton buds or paper towels. Ants will bring the solution to the nest killing the whole colony. This year we had a grasshopper festival (at least it was a festival from the grasshoppers point of view) and we sprayed heavily with diatomaceous earth because grasshoppers were stripping the leaves. I did very little to protect my figs and still got a good harvest. Some people use net bags to protect the fruit from birds and other pests and are a good idea if you don't have too many trees. I have found that reflective tape that sparkles as it moves with the wind helps keep away birds, at least till they get used to it.
Fig russet mites, Aceria fici, feed on plant juices and are the main vector to transmit FMV (Fig Mosaic Virus). Fig mites are a problem both outdoors and indoors but can't survive long term where figs freeze to the ground and regrow in the spring. Severe infestations of fig mites can also cause malformed leaves and reduced vigor and yield both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors they may be less of a problem due to natural predators but it is recommended to monitor outbreaks using a hand held microscope to inspect the underside of plant leaves. Fig mites are extremely small, carrot shaped, white to orange colored, have 2 pairs of legs (4 legs), and look like much smaller versions of immature thrips. These pest overwinter in dormant buds and can easily be brought in on new dormant cuttings. In greenhouses russet mites are a big problem and all cuttings are dipped in a solution of suffoil X during propagation and then isolated in a clean area. In general it is a good idea to dip fig cuttings in 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted 1:5 with water for 3 minutes to kill mold, bacteria, and other pests. Chemical controls include pyrethrins (extract from chrysanthemum) and azadirachtin (extracted from neem oil). To prevent burn after spraying it is a good idea to keep plants out of direct light at least until the leaves are dry, follow application instructions on the bottle. It is highly recommended to rotate sprays and apply every 2 weeks to prevent mites from developing resistance to a particular treatment. There are several mite predators including lacewing larvae, ladybug larvae, and A. andersonii which works on other types of russet mites too. Do not apply predatory mites right after or before a chemical spray as the spray will also kill the beneficials.
FMV (Fig Mosaic Virus) causes Fig Mosaic Disease and is not considered a big issue with most fig hobbyists but severe infections can reduce the vigor of plants and cause malformed leaves as well as light patches or mottling. According to UC IPM, FMV can be transmitted by feeding of a single fig mite, grafting, and vegetative propagation (cuttings) but not by tools or seed. Fig russet mites can weaken plants causing FMV symptoms to appear. Some figs show symptoms of FMV when first rooted from cuttings or when under stress but usually outgrow the symptoms. Certain fig cultivars are immune the FMV and plants grown from tissue culture are usually virus free. It is a good idea clean new cuttings with 10% bleach and quarantine new plant material to prevent the spread of mites and or FMV. Although according to UC IPM FMV is not transmitted by tools it is always a good idea to sterilize tools between cuttings from different sources by dipping in a 10% bleach solution for 30 seconds. To treat heavily infected plants cut them to the ground in late fall (regeneration pruning), treat for fig mites if appropriate (get at handheld microscope at least 25X, a 60X is less than $10 online), let them regrow healthy branches in the spring, and then take cuttings from the asymptomatic branches. This helps both the mother tree and generates healthier propagation material. Doing this a second time to the trees generated from the new cuttings (eg take cuttings from cuttings after regeneration pruning) should further reduce FMV symptoms and progressively improve the vigor of successive generations of cuttings. FVM cannot be cured and if the above doesn't work replace the tree. A post from a well known fig grower said he had symptomatic trees next to healthy trress and the healthy trees never got the symptoms, so remember some varieties are resistant (notably seedlings with F. palmata as the male parent).
Indoor Pests
Fungus Gnats are a problem for indoor plants because they have no natural predators in indoors and the larvae will eat the roots of your plants. I have worked in a greenhouses and they are a serious issue. Use sticky traps to catch the flying ones and 2 tsp of gnatrol per gallon and water to surface of all the pots every 2 weeks till problem is resolved. Always keep a few sticky traps to trap the majority of the flyers and monitor for outbreaks.
This winter I ordered sticky traps immediately after a small flying thing caught my eye and by the time they arrived and put out 1 cut in half, I caught 3 on the first day. My mistake was using old potting soil for the big pots of 3 tomatoes, 8 physallis, 11 Milton #51 and Chicago Hardy fig cuttings. I had 30 on the traps after 2 weeks so to reduce gnats and gnatrol use I removed the 2 poorest tomatoes and applied gnatrol to everything else except the covered fig pops. There was a decrease for a few days but they reappeared which are probably hatched from pupae which are not affected by gnatrol . I had only used 1 stick trap cut in half so I added 6 more full sheets to the room. I'd rather not put sand on top of my soil but will if necessary. As of 11/28/2023, I still have fungus gnats and have ordered neem cake and will try mixing a few tables spoons of this per gallon and using this everytime I water. I plan to rotate this with gnatrol which should be applied 3 times once a week. The good news is that as the plants grow the pots are drying out much faster particularly the figs and Physalis p. (which have many berries now). I have not used neem cake yet but after the 2nd application of Gnatrol there are very few gnats, and it seems a good plan to just include some treatment with every watering.
Lighting
Figs prefer full sun and the more sun the better they do, so plant them in the sunniest location available. If you plan to grow small trees and cuttings during winter months plan to keep them at 70°F, get a 200-400 watt (I used a 2000w equivalent Agilex K2000 but switched to a 4000w K4000) full spectrum led lighting panel and keep them near a south facing window with natural sunlight. I had my plants on an 18 hours schedule but it caused my cilantro to bolt and while plants get more energy from longer photo periods they will have a harder time adjusting come spring. Currently my lights are on 16 hours. Before spring I plan to store the new cuttings at 28-32° F for a couple months to simulate winter and rest the plants.
Fig Varieties
Common figs do not need to be pollinated but some types of figs do need to be pollinated by the fig wasp which only survives in mild climates like Turkey and California. When choosing fig varieties to grow in colder areas make sure to buy common figs unless you plan to hand polinate them for breeding. For example getting Desert King which is a San Pedro fig that produces a large breba crop is a bad idea for my location because most of my old wood does back (no brebas) and the second crop requires a pollinator (no fig wasps).
- Common Fig (female fig that does not need to be pollinated)
- Smyrna Fig (female fig that does need to be pollinated)
- San Pedro Fig (male & female parts on breba crop and female only on the main crop that requires pollination)
- Capri Fig (male fig for pollination and considered not edible)
Fig Cultivars
Chicago Hardy fig is a Mt. Etna type fig that is widely available and commonly sold at nurseries but is not the most vigorous, biggest, or best tasting cold hardy fig. My Milton #51 is more vigorous, more productive, and produces larger and better tasting figs. I enjoyed the figs so much this year I bought more cuttings of more varieties I'd like to try. I am most interested in cold hardy types that are known to fruit from die back since both of my figs have died back to the ground every year except this last 2022-23 winter where 6-12 inches of old wood did survive.
A well known fig grower said among the many varieties he tested there was no difference in hardiness, and he believes that hardy figs are a myth. This may be true but he lives in zone 7b, so I'll do my own experiments to confirm. It will probably take 2 years to get any meaningful results and here are the cultivars I am trying so far.
Fig enthusiasts sometime group similar type figs into catagories like Hivernenca, Mt. Etna, and Coll de Dama. Figs can also be catagorized by flavor profile which can include notes of honey or sugar combined with figgy, mellon, berry, peach, cherry, nutty, spicy, or other flavors even cotton candy. Generally complex berry/fruity flavors are preferred.
Some cultivars are distinct phenotypically but are genetically the same which means they are the same plant but look, grow, or taste different from each other. This is still under research but plants with the exact same genes (eg clones) can be different if over time some genes become more active or less active due to secondary modification. The DNA interacts with proteins, is coiled more tightly around histones in the nucleus, or is otherwise modified which changes the activity of the genes in the DNA. These modifications occur over time (just like true mutations in genes) and can be carried on to cuttings. This is called epigenetic inheritance.
Fig List
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- Blanche d'Argenteuil (Early White)
- Burgan Unk. (cutting may make it)
- Conde
- Colonel Littman's Black Cross (cutting failed)
- Hardy Hoboken (cuttings failed)
- Hative d'Argentuil (cutting failed and known to be hard to root)
- Red Lebanese Bekka Valley (cutting failed)
- Yellow Long Neck
Extra Notes
- Bass - Well known fig collector owner of Trees of Joy in Bethlehem PA.
- Baud _ Well known french fig collection with more than 300 varieties
- Harvey C. - Figaholics has a huge collection of fig cultivars aprox. 350 in California.
- Hivernenca - A grouping of fig cultivars with similar characteristics.
- Ira J. Condit - A UC Riverside horticulturalist and author of Fig Varieties: A Monograph.
- KK - Fig hobbyist source a vigorous Black Madiera (King of Figs) cultivar.
- Marius - Fig collector in Ohio
- Mount Etna - A grouping of fig cultivars with similar characteristics (includes Hardy Chicago).
- MP - Monserrat Pons is a well known fig collector in Catalan.
- Sal’s EL (Aug 10th - 5b-6a)
- TJ - Thomas Jefferson brought Marsellies White to USA and promoted it.
- WillsC - A collector with many cuttings www.willsfigs.com/ourfigs.com in Florida.
Fig Import Warning
Some vendors do not provide a phytosanitary permit and imported fig cuttings will be destroyed by customs. Please check vendors location to determine if a phytosanitary certificate AND a pre-approved import permit are required. The customs website says vendors is responsible for providing a phytosanitary certificate (the buyer is responsible for the import permit) but the letter I got said the shipment was missing a required phytosanitary permit and that I could be liable for civil penalties and a fine and it would be passed on to the Postal Authorities for resolution. So in short check government regulations for your region or buy within your region.
Fig Resources
I found that Ross Raddi @ FigBoss is a great resource but be warned that many of the figs he reviews are his "best tasting" or "favorite fig" and you may end up getting the fig bug and buying more figs than you intend. Other useful resources include Fig Database, Our Figs, Mountain Figs, Trees Of Joy, The Fig Company. Etsy, EBay, Amazon, and garden centers usually have figs for sale. For harder to find types check out Fig Bid and Figaholics. Don't forget to lookup Ben's fig pop videos.
Listed below is probably ripening order of figs that I have or wish to have, partially resourced from this blog Early Ripening Fig Varieties.
Early Season Main Crop Figs
- Rhonde De Bordeaux (Aug 6-10th - hardy to 0°F)
- Improved Celeste (Aug 9-20th)
- Florea (Aug 3rd - Hardy to -10°F)
- Mt. Etna Types
- Black Bethlehem
- Black Greek
- Crozes
- Dark Portugese
- Hardy Chicago
- Hardy Hoboken (cutting failed supposed to be very virgorous and cold hardy)
- Malta Black (Aug 9th)
- Marseilles Black (Aug 17th)
- Red Lebanese Bekka Valley (cutting failed)
- Sao Miguel Roxo (later ripening Mt. Etna type)
- Pastillere
- Hative d'Argenteuil (cutting failed)
- LSU O'Rourke
- Atreano (wish list)
- LSU Purple
- LSU Tiger
- Nordland (wish list)
- Longue d'Aout
- Brooklyn White
- Kadota
- Texas Everbearing
- Violette de Bordeaux
- Celeste
- White Triana (wish list reorderd)
- Green Ischia
- Lattarula (early green fig)
Figs (rooting not yet confirmed)
- Calderona (mid season fig)
- Ciliegia Dolce
- Floria