Fig trees

Choose the position and plant your fig tree carefully

Fig trees are often described as fruit trees capable of growing almost anywhere. This reputation applies mainly to the survival of a mature and well-established tree.

To obtain fully ripe figs regularly in a cool European climate, the planting position, cultivar earliness and quality of establishment are decisive.

Choose a bright and warm position protected from cold winds and situated outside hollows where cold air accumulates.

A south-, south-east- or south-west-facing wall can improve fruit maturity and protect the one-year-old shoots carrying the following season’s breba figs.

In northern and frost-prone regions, we recommend planting container-grown fig trees during spring.

Where the plant is already in leaf, wait until the principal risk of late frost has passed before planting it permanently.

Prepare a broad area of soil, remove perennial weeds carefully and work the ground only after it has drained sufficiently and begun to warm.

Maintain a weed-free root zone and monitor moisture throughout the first growing season.

Water whenever rainfall is insufficient, including several months after planting.

A quoted hardiness temperature generally refers to a mature, dormant and well-rooted fig tree exposed to cold for a limited period. A young container-grown plant can be damaged at a substantially higher temperature.

A young fig tree is less cold-hardy than an established tree

A young fig tree possesses little mature wood, limited reserves and a root system still concentrated within the volume of its former container.

A severe frost can therefore affect almost its complete structure.

Shoots produced late in the growing season are particularly vulnerable.

Green, water-rich and incompletely matured wood is much less frost-resistant than a properly hardened branch.

A mature fig may lose its shoot tips or even part of its crown and then regenerate from older framework branches or from the base.

The same frost can destroy the complete above-ground structure of a recently planted tree.

The duration of the cold, wind exposure, soil moisture and previous acclimatisation are as important as the minimum temperature.

A brief frost following several weeks of cool weather is generally less damaging than a sudden temperature fall after a mild period that has encouraged the buds to swell.

The first years should therefore be treated as an establishment phase.

Temporary protection around the base and young framework can be useful during exceptionally cold periods, even for a cultivar regarded as hardy.

Tree survival does not guarantee ripe figs

A fig tree can survive winter without visible damage and still produce fruit that never receives enough warmth to ripen.

In northern, maritime, elevated or otherwise cool regions, earliness is frequently more important than the lowest temperature tolerated by the dormant wood.

A highly winter-hardy but late-ripening cultivar may remain covered with green fruit when autumn arrives.

The final stage of fig maturity is rapid but demanding.

During the last days, the fruit expands, softens and accumulates a substantial proportion of its sugar and aroma.

Cold, wet or overcast weather can interrupt this development.

A fig may increase in size and change colour slightly without developing the concentration obtained during warm and bright late-summer conditions.

For a cool climate, prioritise cultivars whose main crop begins sufficiently early or whose breba crop ripens reliably in a sheltered position.

A fig is not an ordinary fruit

The fig is a syconium: a hollow, fleshy structure enclosing numerous tiny flowers.

The flowers are situated inside the fig and cannot be seen from the outside.

The small crunchy structures commonly called seeds are the individual fruits formed by these flowers or, in an unpollinated parthenocarpic fig, undeveloped ovaries.

The opening opposite the stalk is known as the ostiole or eye.

Its width, shape and degree of closure differ considerably between cultivars.

A narrow or tightly closed eye generally limits the entry of rainwater, insects, yeasts and other microorganisms.

This is an important characteristic in humid and maritime climates.

Some cultivars form a thick drop of nectar at the eye as they ripen.

This does not necessarily indicate disease and can temporarily help seal the opening.

Most garden fig trees require no pollinator

The cultivars best suited to gardens across northern and western Europe usually belong to the common fig type.

They develop their figs parthenocarpically, without fertilisation and without pollen from a caprifig.

The term self-fertile is frequently used in catalogues, although it is botanically approximate.

The flowers are not fertilising themselves: the fig develops without fertilisation.

One plant of a common-type cultivar can therefore produce fruit alone.

Planting several varieties can extend the season and provide different flavours, colours and fruit types, but is not required for pollination.

The presence of small seed-like structures in the flesh does not prove that the fig was pollinated.

These structures are also present in parthenocarpic common figs.

Where a common fig fails to produce, investigate tree age, frost damage, cultivar earliness, pruning, excessive vigour, insufficient light and water stress before assuming that a pollinator is missing.

Common, Smyrna and San Pedro fig types

For a cool European garden, choose a cultivar clearly identified as a common fig and known to mature its fruit without caprification.

Uniferous or biferous fig tree?

The breba crop forms on the previous season’s wood

A breba fig begins developing near the end of the previous growing season.

It remains over winter as a very small embryonic fig situated on a one-year-old shoot.

These figs resume growth during spring and can ripen relatively early.

Breba figs are often larger but less numerous than the main crop.

The first crop depends directly on the survival of the one-year-old shoots and their embryonic figs.

Severe frost, hard pruning or cutting every branch back annually can remove the complete breba crop.

In a warm and sheltered position, breba figs may provide the most reliable harvest because they have the first part of summer in which to ripen.

Where the branches freeze frequently, it is safer to choose a cultivar capable of producing a very early main crop on new growth.

The main crop develops on new shoots

Main-crop figs appear progressively in the leaf axils of shoots produced during the current growing season.

The fruit closest to the base of a shoot normally begins developing before figs situated nearer its tip.

Maturity is therefore naturally spread over time.

An early cultivar can ripen a large proportion of this crop during summer.

On a late cultivar, the final figs remain green as light and temperatures decline.

Large but hard green figs left on the tree during autumn do not normally become the following season’s early crop.

They generally fall or deteriorate during winter.

Only the very small embryonic figs formed on one-year-old wood are capable of becoming breba fruit.

Large immature main-crop figs can be removed once the season has finished.

Biferous does not necessarily mean more productive

A cultivar theoretically capable of producing two crops is not automatically more useful than a good uniferous variety.

The breba crop may be small or possess lower eating quality than the main crop.

It may also disappear after a cold winter or pruning that removed the productive shoot tips.

The main crop of a biferous cultivar may be too late for a cool climate.

The gardener then obtains several early breba figs followed by many green fruits that never ripen.

An early, productive and rain-tolerant uniferous cultivar can ultimately provide a much larger quantity of usable fruit.

Choose according to the reliability of each crop in the intended climate rather than the biferous description alone.

Useful characteristics when comparing fig cultivars

Skin colour does not describe maturity or flavour

Fig cultivars may produce green, yellow, brown, red, purple, black, striped or bicoloured fruit.

This colour is a characteristic of the cultivar and is not a quality classification.

A green fig can contain deep red flesh and possess an intense berry flavour.

A dark purple fig can contain amber flesh and develop a milder honeyed taste.

Some cultivars change colour substantially during ripening, while others look almost unchanged until their final softening.

Colour must therefore be interpreted according to the individual cultivar.

A green fig is not necessarily unripe and a completely black fig is not automatically ready to pick.

Choose a genuinely warm position in a cool region

Fig trees crop most successfully in full sun with warmth reflected from a wall, paved surface or other mineral material.

A south- or south-west-facing position generally accelerates maturity.

A south-east-facing wall receives sunlight earlier and can help leaves and fruit dry quickly after dew.

Avoid planting directly beneath a wide roof overhang where the soil remains permanently dry.

Reflected warmth is useful only where the roots receive enough water.

A gentle slope is preferable to low ground.

Cold air should be able to continue moving downhill without being trapped by a solid fence, wall or dense evergreen hedge.

In an open but cool position, choose a very early cultivar.

Reserve more heat-demanding varieties for warm courtyards, urban gardens, sheltered façades and favourable microclimates.

Plant container-grown fig trees during spring

Spring planting gives a young fig tree a complete growing season in which to establish roots before its first winter.

Where the plant is already in leaf, wait until the main late-frost risk has passed.

Young foliage developed in a nursery, greenhouse or tunnel can be considerably more tender than leaves emerging naturally on an established outdoor tree.

Prepare a broad area rather than a narrow planting hole filled with potting compost.

The roots must be able to move easily from the original root ball into the surrounding garden soil.

Work the ground when it is moist but no longer saturated or sticky.

Wet clay cultivated too early forms large clods and smooth compacted surfaces around the planting hole.

Remove perennial weeds and their rhizomes before planting because later cultivation can damage the fig’s shallow roots.

How should a container-grown fig tree be planted?

Water the root ball before removing the container.

It should be evenly moist but not saturated.

Where roots are circling tightly, loosen them carefully and direct them outwards.

Position the top of the root ball approximately level with the surrounding ground.

Planting too deeply keeps the base of the stems wet and can delay establishment.

Backfill with the prepared garden soil, firm moderately and water thoroughly to establish contact between the root ball and surrounding ground.

Do not place fresh manure or concentrated fertiliser directly against the roots.

Excessively stimulated growth produces tender shoots that mature poorly and suffer greater winter damage.

In a windy position, install a temporary stake to prevent repeated movement of the root ball.

The tie should remain flexible and must be inspected as the trunk grows.

Keep the ground around a young fig free from grass

A mature fig develops an extensive root system, but a newly planted tree remains highly sensitive to competition from grass.

Maintain a weed-free area substantially wider than the original container.

This allows the roots to expand without competing immediately with dense grasses for water and nutrients.

An organic mulch can reduce evaporation and suppress annual weeds.

Keep it slightly away from the stems so that the bark is not held continuously wet.

Avoid deep cultivation around an established fig because a significant proportion of its active roots develops close to the surface.

Water throughout the first season when required

An established fig tree can tolerate drought, but this ability does not apply to a young plant whose roots remain largely confined within its former root ball.

Monitor soil moisture throughout the first year and not only during the first weeks after planting.

Water sufficiently to moisten both the original root ball and the surrounding soil.

Small quantities applied only to the surface may leave the centre of the root ball dry.

The soil should then begin to regain air between waterings.

Continuously saturated ground deprives the roots of oxygen and weakens the tree.

Water demand increases when the fig develops its large leaves and carries a crop.

Serious drought can cause leaf drop, fruit drop and an interruption of fruit growth.

Fig trees tolerate different soils but not stagnant water

Fig trees adapt to light, stony, clay and moderately calcareous soils where the roots retain access to oxygen.

Deep and fertile ground encourages powerful growth.

This vigour can be valuable in poor conditions but excessive where a compact and rapidly productive tree is required.

Heavy soil is not automatically unsuitable.

It must nevertheless allow winter water to drain away.

Where the ground remains saturated, plant in a genuinely raised and drained area or improve the general movement of water.

A layer of gravel at the bottom of one planting hole does not correct an impermeable site and may simply create a basin around the roots.

Fig trees generally tolerate lime more successfully than blueberries, chestnuts and several pear rootstocks.

Exceptionally calcareous, compacted or oxygen-poor soil can still limit growth and cause chlorosis.

Should the roots of a fig tree be restricted?

Root restriction is traditionally used to control vigour and encourage fruiting, especially in fertile ground and cool climates.

It can be achieved with a large container, a partially enclosed planting pit or a root-control barrier that still allows surplus water to escape.

Root restriction should not be applied automatically in every situation.

In poor, shallow or dry ground, it can create permanent water stress and weaken the tree.

A freely rooted fig can crop extremely well where the cultivar is suitable, the crown receives enough light and nitrogen supply remains moderate.

Restriction is most useful where a tree produces excessive shoots and leaves without ripening a satisfactory crop or where the available space is genuinely limited.

A restricted root system requires more careful watering because it cannot explore distant soil during drought.

Most fig trees grow on their own roots

Fig trees root readily from cuttings and layers.

Most nursery plants therefore grow on their own roots rather than on a separate rootstock.

When an own-root fig regenerates from its base after frost, the new shoots belong to the same cultivar as the destroyed crown.

This is a significant advantage in cold regions.

Even where the branches are damaged, the surviving root system can recreate a plant true to the variety.

Grafted fig trees do exist, particularly where several cultivars are combined or where a difficult-to-root variety is being propagated.

On a grafted plant, a shoot emerging beneath the graft union does not necessarily belong to the purchased cultivar.

A fig tree grown from seed is a new genetic individual.

Its fruit quality, maturity period, flower type and ability to crop without caprification remain unpredictable.

Bush, small tree or fan-trained fig?

Understand fig production before pruning

Pruning depends on the crop being protected.

Breba figs are carried on the previous season’s shoots, while the main crop appears on new growth.

Severe cutting removes the breba crop completely.

It also stimulates long and vigorous shoots that may form numerous late figs unable to ripen.

Where the cultivar is grown for its early crop, retain enough one-year-old shoots carrying small embryonic figs.

Where the tree is regenerating after frost, new shoots may produce a main crop provided that the cultivar is sufficiently early.

Pruning should balance preservation of productive wood, entry of light and gradual renewal of ageing branches.

When and how should a fig tree be pruned?

Wait until spring and the end of the principal severe-frost risk before making the main corrections.

New growth then makes the difference between living and genuinely dead wood easier to identify.

Remove frost-damaged wood, crossing branches, shoots growing towards the centre and several old stems where a bush has become too dense.

Avoid shortening every branch uniformly.

This removes breba figs and provokes a strong vegetative response.

Where an old bare branch needs renewal, a lower cut can stimulate a suitably positioned replacement shoot.

Renew the structure progressively rather than cutting the complete tree down in one season.

During early summer, pinching selected excessively long shoots can encourage branching and limit the formation of very late fruit.

The white fig latex can irritate the skin and eyes.

Wear gloves and wash exposed skin after pruning.

Avoid excessive nitrogen and vigour

A heavily fertilised fig can produce exceptionally large leaves and several metres of new growth without increasing the quantity of ripe fruit.

Excess nitrogen delays the maturation of the shoots, increases shade and encourages late-forming figs.

In fertile soil maintained with an organic mulch, a freely rooted fig normally requires little additional fertiliser.

Where growth is weak, investigate the soil, drainage, moisture, frost damage and root condition before adding fertiliser automatically.

In cold regions, avoid late nitrogen applications that produce shoots remaining tender when the first autumn frosts arrive.

Consistent moisture improves fig quality

A mature fig survives drought, but producing fleshy and juicy fruit requires enough water during development.

Water shortage can cause young fruit to fall, reduce final size and interrupt shoot growth.

A sudden irrigation or heavy rainfall following a dry period can cause nearly ripe figs to split.

Container-grown trees, root-restricted plants and figs growing directly beneath a wall require particularly careful monitoring.

Relatively consistent moisture is preferable to repeated alternation between complete drying and saturation.

Why do figs split or ferment on the tree?

Splitting depends on cultivar, skin structure, maturity and fluctuations in soil moisture.

Heavy rain can cause the pulp to expand faster than the skin can stretch.

Cracks and wide open eyes then allow water, yeasts, fungi and insects to enter.

The fig may become sharp, foamy, watery or develop a fermented smell.

Cultivars with a closed eye and useful resistance to splitting are generally better suited to humid climates than varieties selected in exceptionally dry regions.

Harvest frequently during rainy weather and remove split, sour or fermenting fruit from the crown.

Fig trees are robust but not completely free from problems

Fig trees generally require little plant-health intervention in a garden.

Climate and failure of the fruit to ripen are often more important than disease.

Mosaic-like leaf patterns, distortions, leaf spots, cankers and fruit rots can nevertheless occur.

Premature fruit drop can result from cold, drought, insufficient warmth, excessive vigour, caprification dependence or pest damage.

It should not automatically be attributed to one disease.

Scale insects and mites are especially troublesome on plants maintained under protection or overwintered in a location that is too warm.

An open crown, adequately drained soil and removal of rotten or mummified fruit limit many of the problems encountered in gardens.

Protect young fig trees during their first winters

In a cold or exposed position, protect the base, young trunk and one-year-old branches carrying embryonic breba figs.

Winter fleece can be placed around a framework that keeps the material slightly away from the branches.

Dry leaves or straw can provide additional insulation without holding the stems continuously wet.

Open or ventilate the protection during mild periods to prevent excessive humidity and premature growth.

A mulch protects part of the root system and the base of the plant but should not form a wet mass against the stems.

Preserving the above-ground wood is especially important for cultivars valued principally for their breba crop.

What should be done after severe frost damage?

Do not cut the complete tree down immediately after the frost.

The boundary between living and dead wood becomes much clearer when growth restarts.

During spring, cut damaged branches back to healthy tissue and retain shoots emerging from living sections.

An own-root fig can regenerate from the base without losing its cultivar identity.

During the first season after severe frost, the tree may produce abundant vegetative growth.

A cultivar with a very early main crop may still produce several figs on the replacement shoots.

A cultivar dependent principally on breba figs normally requires another year before cropping.

Avoid excessive feeding of the regrowth.

The priority is to recreate a strong structure whose shoots mature properly before the following winter.

Container cultivation substantially reduces hardiness

A fig tree can be grown in a container on a terrace and moved according to the season.

Its roots are then much more exposed to frost than those of the same cultivar planted in open ground.

The complete root ball can freeze while an outdoor tree retains living roots below the soil surface.

Use a large, stable and adequately drained container.

A small pot dries rapidly and produces the moisture fluctuations responsible for fruit drop and splitting.

During winter, a dormant container-grown fig can be placed in a cool, unheated and frost-protected building.

The room can be dark or only lightly illuminated because the deciduous tree carries no leaves.

Do not attempt to maintain active growth in a warm room.

Winter dormancy is normal and beneficial.

Return the tree outdoors progressively during spring and protect the first leaves from late frost.

Fig harvest season

Breba figs may ripen during early or midsummer, while the main crop develops later on current-season shoots.

Actual dates vary according to cultivar, country, position, tree form, crop load and seasonal temperatures.

The calendar is intended principally for comparing cultivars rather than predicting one exact harvest date for every garden.

No product in this category has a recognised harvest period yet.

How can a fully ripe fig be recognised?

A ripe fig becomes soft and heavy and its neck begins to bend so that the fruit hangs downwards.

The skin develops the characteristic mature colour of the cultivar and may form small superficial cracks.

Some figs remain green or yellow even when completely ripe.

The fruit detaches readily and releases less white latex from the stalk.

A firm upright fig has generally not reached its best eating quality.

Depending on the cultivar, a drop of nectar may appear at the eye and the aroma becomes more noticeable.

Tasting remains the most reliable indicator.

A fig picked one or two days too early can lack much of the sugar and aromatic richness it would have developed on the tree.

Figs soften after picking but should be harvested almost ripe

A fig can continue softening after harvest.

This process cannot transform a hard green fruit into an excellent ripe fig.

Fruit intended for fresh eating should be harvested close to complete maturity.

Most of its sugar concentration, aroma and melting texture develop while it remains attached to the tree.

A fig picked too firm can soften while remaining low in sugar, weakly flavoured or slightly rubbery.

This explains why a garden-grown fig harvested at the correct stage often possesses far better eating quality than fruit picked early to withstand long-distance transport.

Harvest frequently and handle the fruit carefully

Ripe figs are exceptionally delicate.

Support the complete fruit and detach the stalk gently.

A soft fig bruises easily beneath the pressure of the fingertips.

Use shallow trays and avoid stacking several heavy layers.

During the main season, inspect the tree every day or two.

A ripe fig can quickly become over-soft, ferment or be consumed by birds, wasps and other insects.

Harvest preferably when the fruit is dry.

Wet figs keep poorly and are more susceptible to decay.

Damaged, split or exceptionally ripe fruit should be eaten or processed immediately.

Fresh figs have a naturally short storage life

A completely ripe fig keeps for only a short period at room temperature.

Its tender flesh, thin skin and high metabolic activity cause rapid deterioration.

Cool the harvest promptly when it will not be eaten on the same day.

Even under refrigeration, the fruit should be inspected and used quickly.

Figs can be frozen, dried or processed into jam, compote, chutney, fruit paste, cakes and savoury dishes.

Cultivars intended for drying should combine high sugar content, suitable flesh texture and good resistance to decay.

A very large and watery fig is not necessarily the best choice for drying.

Which fig tree should you choose?