Fig tree Ficus carica

Ficus carica will be fine in a sheltered spot in the garden over the winter. Perhaps an idea would be against a sunny wall.

Figs thrive in somewhat clay soil that drains well. Dig a wide hole and improve sandy soil with potting compost and a spadeful of clay and (conversely) clay soil with a few spadefuls of sand.

Fig as a pot plant

This lovely leafy shrub also makes a great pot plant on the patio or decking. For the fig choose a large pot or planter with holes in the base. Fig tree branches can easily be trained in a fan shape along canes in the pot or planter.

Water your fig regularly. Feed only up to the end of summer (monthly at most). Use a fertiliser for
Keep Ficus carica over the winter
If your Ficus carica is planted in the garden, it can cope with quite a bit of frost! It has even be suggested as much as -17˚ C, but with that much it would indeed cause some damage. The difference is in just how long the frost holds...one night compared to weeks on end. So protect your little tree against frost with straw matting or several layers of garden fleece. Bubble wrap is less convenient as it generates too much heat when the sun shines. Cover the roots with a layer of compost.

If you are growing your fig tree on the patio in a planter, bring it indoors to a cool spot when frost is forecast. As Ficus carica loses its leaf over the winter, it is ok if the room is dark.

Pruning Ficus carica

A yearly prune will keep your fig tree compact and encourage lots of fruit to develop. Choose a couple of well placed branches to start with and in November-December, cut back all the imperfectly grown or crossing branches. This will help give your fig tree an open crown.

To set the fruit well, prune the young side shoots from those well placed branches in the summer. Keep approx. 5 leaves on the side shoots that form. Avoid the milky sap that may run out of cuts as it can be a skin irritant.

Figs have been cultivated for their delicious fruit for many years. The ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks loved them with a passion but the tree originates in the Middle East. They are nowadays grown commercially from Afghanistan to Portugal.

Even in northern climes, small fruits appear in the autumn which will ripen the following year, depending on how good a summer it has been.

Fresh figs are delicious and dried figs are very good to eat too. Dried figs have the advantage of keeping well in storage for a long time (and is one of the reasons for its success in ancient times).

Ficus belongs in the Moraceaea family.