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Fig
Ficus carica
Restrict the roots, get twice the crop — a wall-trained luxury.
Sun
Full sun, sheltered
Water
Weekly in dry summer
Soil
Well-drained, pH 6.0–7.5
Spacing
3 m apart
Days to harvest
1st fruit year 2–3
Hardiness
Zones 6–10
Seasonal Calendar
S
S
H
H
S
S
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Sow Harvest
The method
- 1
Restrict the roots
Plant in a large pot or a lined 60×60×60 cm pit — restricted roots crop far better.
- 2
Fan-train against a wall
A south wall gives the extra summer heat figs love.
- 3
Overwinter tiny embryo figs
In cold winters, protect pea-sized figs at branch tips — those are next year's crop.
- 4
Pick soft, drooping fruit
Ripe figs hang down, feel soft, and often show a drop of syrup at the eye.
Common problems
No ripe fruit
In cool climates, remove any figs larger than a pea in autumn — they won't make it.
Coral spot on dead wood
Cut back to clean wood, burn prunings.
Good neighbors
RosemaryStrawberry
Field tips
- “Rub a leaf — the coconut-sweet scent is unmistakable in high summer.”
- “Wrap wall-trained figs with fleece in hard winters.”