[Brickred]

I see fig trees will grow in places such as Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia. Anyone have experience with them? Our grocery has a few potted ones out front, and I see several vartieties, but don't know which are best for what.

Do they really -thrive- that far north?

Etc.

 

[4meandthem]

I grew up with Black mission figs and ate them off the tree. I googled fig tree care and it looks like they will grow fine in those climates. You can also plant in a container and move indoors for winter. I grew up in Fresno which can freeze pretty good and it never hurt the trees.

 

[bike4fun919]

Research and find out what type of fig it produces. Some produce small figs, some very large figs. I planted without knowing and ended up with a nice tree that produces lots of small figs. I really like the big ones though. I've heard them called turkey figs, but that's probably a local name.

 

[Truck Vet]

I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. We bought 2 Fig trees 3 years ago that were a couple feet tall, now they are 3 Fig trees and the originals are 12 ft tall
and 10 ft wide. One of them put its branch in the earth, it took root, we cut it off and its another tree now. The figs are small but plentiful, they get a little bigger every year.

I have bought several fruit trees, to include Apple, cherry, nectarine, pear, and Plum. These Figs have grown faster per year than any of them. My wife loves them and we plan on buying more next spring. I have had much better luck buying from my favorite nursery than box stores or other stores. You pay a little more but its worth it.

The coldest its got here in the last few years is about 17f which made me lose a Pomagranite tree that had some burlap on it, but I never bothered to cover the fig trees. The only thing I don't like is that I wish I would have planted them somewhere else because they grow so fast they get in the way of my truck
(they're next to the drive way).

 

[MichaelK]

If you're going to give figs a try, I'd suggest "Hardy Chicago". Supposedly hardy to 10F. I've planted a Brown Turkey that died over the course of two winters at our mountain homestead. It might have survived if I wrapped it with insulation during the winter.

 

[Rikken]

Research and find out what type of fig it produces. Some produce small figs, some very large figs. I planted without knowing and ended up with a nice tree that produces lots of small figs. I really like the big ones though. I've heard them called turkey figs, but that's probably a local name.

I bought and planted a brown Turkey fig. Maybe that's the same.

 

[America's Patriot]

They can grow pretty much anywhere, just make sure they have soft enough soil to root in. Once they start growing, they are a weed and grow quickly (and crazy if you don't prune them). People don't realize it, but fig trees can get large.

Note that most dogs will eat the heck out of figs and it can kill them since it acts as a laxative. If you have dogs, please monitor them and make sure they don't eat too many in one sitting. Almost learned the hard way myself...

 

[LIBERTYCHICKEN]

If you're going to give figs a try, I'd suggest "Hardy Chicago". Supposedly hardy to 10F. I've planted a Brown Turkey that died over the course of two winters at our mountain homestead. It might have survived if I wrapped it with insulation during the winter.

Funny 2 years ago I bought bolth a english brown turkey and a chicago hardy , the chicago hardy never survived the winter but the english brown turkey is 8 foot + tall and already made several cuttings which all took

When I bought the trees I rember looking into several other varitys that were suitable for my zone 7 climate

 

[barnetmill]

Figs do very well in the deep south. They do not like shade.

 

[shenandoah1]

My grandfather who lived in northern Ohio would cut his figs back each fall, dig a trench with his tractor, and bury the trees. When the ground thawed in the spring he would dig them up. They were prolifically fruiting fig trees...every year.

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

I don't know about places like: Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia.

I have fig trees here in Maine. They produced a bunch last year. Right now they look like they may only give me one fig this year.

I have a couple pomegranate trees. This is their first year. I had one bud, so I thought I was going to get fruit this year. Bud that bud fell off yesterday.

This is our second year with lemon trees, and we have a couple blossoms.

We have an orchard which has: Almond, Apples, apricot, Cherry, Chestnut, Elderberry, Ginkgo biloba, Hazelnut, Mulberry, peach, pear, Pecan, Plum, Walnut, and Witch Hazel.

Our garden produces: asparagus, Beans, beets, Bell peppers, Blackberry, Blueberry, Carrots, Corn, Cranberry, Cucumber, Eggplant, garlic, Ginseng, Goji, grape, Horse radish, Kale, Lavendar, mint, Leek, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, pumpkin, Radish, Raspberry, rosemary, sage, Spinach, Squash, Strawberry, tea [Camellia sinensis], thyme, Tomatoes, and zucchini.

I also harvest a marketable amount of fiddleheads, medicinal mushrooms, and resveratrol that grows on my land.

 

[Kpz1234]

I did some research after clicking on this and I am pretty jealous of you who can plant your own fig tree. There's like a billion varieties and half of them grow two crops a year.

 

[arleigh]

I have an old 6'tall fig tree that has never produced more that 2-3 figs and it is among some other much larger trees shading it quite a bit .
Do you suppose that I could move it to a more sunny location for better results?

 

[America's Patriot]

I have an old 6'tall fig tree that has never produced more that 2-3 figs and it is among some other much larger trees shading it quite a bit .
Do you suppose that I could move it to a more sunny location for better results?

The larger trees are stealing not only the sun, but the nutrients. Figs require lots of both. Try feeding and watering it and see what happens. If you have a drainage issue, get a 4" diameter piece of PVC, drill holes all in it and bury it next to your fig tree (with a portion of it sticking out of the ground). Water into the pipe so that it stays at the roots of the fig tree (works well with all fruit trees).

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

I have an old 6'tall fig tree that has never produced more that 2-3 figs and it is among some other much larger trees shading it quite a bit .
Do you suppose that I could move it to a more sunny location for better results?

I think so.

 

[Kpz1234]

This article might be helpful in regards to that old tree...

To prune or remove...

 

[MikeK]

I don't have any experience in growing them in your climate, but I have grown them here in Texas. If they thrive in an area, they are one of the lowest maintainance fruits I've dealt with. Few natural enemies and disease resistant, at least in my area. They do need aggressive pruning though, for maximum yield. And birds love the fruit.

 

[TxHannah]

When reading about fig trees producing two crops a year, be aware that the 'first' crop is called the 'breba' crop, and while the fruit are usually larger than the 'main' crop, they are also fewer. The 'main' crop is just that--the heaviest fruiting of the tree, but fruit generally smaller than the brebas. Also, many varieties have brebas that differ slightly in shape from the main crop. If you cannot plant figs in the ground due to your climate, you could certainly grow them in large pots and bring them into a garage or enclosed area that doesn't go lower than freezing. Even roots in large pots will freeze after a time, but if you have a garage or cold room in your home, you can move your pots inside. I know people who have pots that must be moved with dollys. Also, potted plants will fruit but as with any potted, fruiting tree, you will get less. Smaller tree=less fruit.

For fig lovers in really cold climates; http://www.adrianosfigtrees.com/contact.html

For fig lovers elsewhere http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/

 

[Brickred]

I don't know about places like: Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia.

I have fig trees here in Maine. They produced a bunch last year. Right now they look like they may only give me one fig this year.

I have a couple pomegranate trees. This is their first year. I had one bud, so I thought I was going to get fruit this year. Bud that bud fell off yesterday.

This is our second year with lemon trees, and we have a couple blossoms.

We have an orchard which has: Almond, Apples, apricot, Cherry, Chestnut, Elderberry, Ginkgo biloba, Hazelnut, Mulberry, peach, pear, Pecan, Plum, Walnut, and Witch Hazel.

Our garden produces: asparagus, Beans, beets, Bell peppers, Blackberry, Blueberry, Carrots, Corn, Cranberry, Cucumber, Eggplant, garlic, Ginseng, Goji, grape, Horse radish, Kale, Lavendar, mint, Leek, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, pumpkin, Radish, Raspberry, rosemary, sage, Spinach, Squash, Strawberry, tea [Camellia sinensis], thyme, Tomatoes, and zucchini.

I also harvest a marketable amount of fiddleheads, medicinal mushrooms, and resveratrol that grows on my land.

I wonder if figs "alternate bear" the way pecans do? Pecan breeders try to find cultivars that won't do this badly, and I think there are ways of care to diminish it. I forget why pecans like to have off years. Makes me wonder if lots of trees do it.

 

[Brickred]

I have an old 6'tall fig tree that has never produced more that 2-3 figs and it is among some other much larger trees shading it quite a bit .
Do you suppose that I could move it to a more sunny location for better results?

Does it need a pollinator? Maybe it just doesn't get enough sex.