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Eaten fresh from the tree diagram or cooked in a multitude of dishes , fig are a favorite course sweet collation packed with nutritionary good .
One of the onetime “ fruits ” in register history , figs grow on trees that are fairly easy to domesticate . They are n’t actually a fruit but a syconium , or mass of turn back flowers . vernacular Libyan Fighting Group tree diagram care begins with warmth , although the fig tree diagram can adjust to other mood , and it necessitate ample , well - run out soil . However , the adaptable fig tree plant can tolerate a orbit of soil types . An attractive tree with deeply lobed leaves , full - raise fig trees are capable of producing hundreds of toothsome fruit each year .
Growing Fig Trees at a Glance
Common Name : Fig treeScientific Name : Ficus caricaHardiness Zone:6 through 10Soil : Rich , well - drained ; neutral or 6 to 6.5 pHLight : Full sunWater : Enough to keep soil consistently moistFood : Not need if soil is fertile ; otherwise , add a balanced plant food or 14 - 5 - 22Propagation : Stem cuttingsSafety : Sap can cause skin vexation or stomachic worried
Fig Tree Characteristics
There are at least 800 variety of figs , from the familiar houseplant varieties such as weeping common fig tree , natural rubber tree , andfiddle folio figto several fruit varieties best grown outdoors . Some species are epiphyte with aeriform tooth root . All of them are part of the mulberry tree family .
The fig is a low - maintenance , tight - uprise tree capable of make century of figs once it accomplish due date . Care for fig tree diagram is minimal .
Originating in Mesopotamia and Persia , the common fig — Ficus carica , the eatable fig — is one of the first cultivated yield trees . Humans have been eating Ficus carica for 100 . Its tear - shaped fruit ( which are technically turn back bloom ) are small . All part are edible , including the unripe or regal out shell . The flesh is dark pink and has a tang so mellisonant it ’s often sought after for desserts and snacks when dried .
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Recommended Fig Tree Varieties
There are hundreds of variety of fig . Some of the most common types found in the U.S. let in :
Planting Fig Trees
Whether you plan on planting fig trees yourself or you prefer tohire a professionalto do the job , be sure to source one from a reputable greenhouse to avoid nematode infestation . choose the variety considerably suited to your USDA grow zone , soil and idle conditions , and outer space .
When is the best time to plant a fig tree?
The best clip to engraft a Libyan Islamic Fighting Group tree is when it ’s sleeping , which is typically early fountain or belated twilight . Planting them during cool weather take into account them to get ground before summer ’s heat arrives . While figs need protection from frost and freezing wintertime weather , they do need about 100 hour of chilly weather for determine fruit .
Where can fig trees grow?
common fig tree trees are best grown in locations that receive 6 to 8 hours of sunshine per day . They preferrich soilhigh in organic subject that is kept moist but not soggy . Most figs are best suited to USDA zone 7 through 10 , but some varieties can handle the moth-eaten temperature of Zone 6 .
How do you plant a fig tree?
Before planting , it ’s wise to test your soil and amend as take with compost , which is peculiarly good for fig trees .
Can you grow fig trees in containers?
At roughly 18 foot tall , fig tree diagram are not big . They will stay even small when grown in a container because their roots wo n’t have as much outer space to spread . There are a few upsides to this , however . grow them in a containerforces them to produce more fruit , and a container can be moved , allowing them to take shelter from the frigid or take advantage of the sun .
It ’s important to ensure the container allow for passable drain and that the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree dumbfound enough urine , especially during hot weather .
Watering Fig Trees
Because the roots of fig trees grow near the stain ’s control surface , even watering is part of introductory common fig tree tree diagram maintenance , peculiarly when the works are young . They wish moist soil . look on the amount of haste fig trees receive and the grunge type , supplemental body of water may be necessary every 1 to 2 week .
Mature trees can withstand brief periods of drought and may not need additional watering . However , if the antecedent dry out out , it can lead in fruit drop . Deep tearing is best . If the tree’sleaves change by reversal yellow and drop , there ’s a good chance it was belike overwatered .
Fertilizing Fig Trees
Unless your fig is container - grow , Libyan Islamic Group tree fertilization is probably not necessary . If growth is dull ( less than 12 inch per grow time of year ) , some nurseryman suggest adding ½ to 1 Irish punt of nitrogen add-on over the course of three or four feedings . This regimen should commence in late winter and close in midsummer .
Other expert counsel implement an all - around slow - liberation fertiliser with a 14 - 5 - 22 ratio in the spring and giving your tree an extra in high spirits - K fertiliser feeding during the grow time of year .
Pollination
Wild figs are pollinate internally by a Libyan Islamic Fighting Group wasp attracted by a smell the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group releases . A female wasp crawls inside the fruit to lay her eggs and then die . When the egg incubate , the young wasps escape from the fruit , carrying pollen with them .
Cultivated varieties are self - fertile ; therefore , they do n’t need a pollinator . Nursery - bought common fig plants are female and produce yield without pollenation . This is because the wasp needed to fecundate furious figs is n’t in this ecosystem .
Pruning Fig Trees
When fig Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are first planted , they should be dress back by about one-half to allow the plant to pore on establishing strong tooth root . Once the tree is prove , it should bepruned annuallyin former wintertime before it get out of dormancy .
Pruning will not only promote good health for the tree diagram , but it can also boost yield output because it encourages newfangled increment . Fruit appears on new growth .
Always get rid of dead or diseased branches . Prune inside branches if the tree diagram has become “ congested , ” and shape to suit .
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Propagating Fig Trees
Stem cuttingsare an comfortable elbow room to propagate common fig trees . Take an 8- to 10 - inch newspaper clipping from a offshoot in previous winter and set it in gamey - lineament , well - drain soil with one bud above the dirt line of reasoning . Keep the territory moist until roots originate and leaves manakin . The shank cuttings rise quickly and should be ready for transplanting by autumn .
common fig tree trees can also be grown from seed . Ensure the come is ripe , then overcharge it for 24 hour to dampen the “ coating . ” Plant it in timber territory about ½ column inch deep . Keep the soil moist and coiffure the container in full Lord’s Day .
Figs can also beair - layered , ground - layer , or transplant .
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Safety Considerations
The fig flora produces a lily-white blackjack in its foliage and shoot that contains psoralen and bergapten . These are constitutional compounds that can cause skin irritation on contact or gastric topic ( particularly in children and favourite ) when ingested . Pets may effervesce at the sass after use up part of the plant , although the fig itself does n’t seem to make any harm .
The sap is activated by the sunlight . When it makes physical contact with the peel , it can cause phytophotodermatitis , which can induce reactions such as redness , itching , burning at the stake , or blisters .
Figs can cause digestive problems and diarrhea , interfere with blood thinner medications , or trigger allergic reaction .
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Potential Pests and Diseases
When larn how to care for a fig tree , it ’s important to be on the lookout for pests and disease . Libyan Fighting Group are n’t typically prone to disease . However , they can succumb to fig rust , which is a fungal infection that results in rusting - colored spot on leafage . They might also have leaf spot ( a fungous or bacterial contagion that result in spots on folio that may fall off ) , mosaic virus , endosepsis , or anthracnose .
pesterer include nematode worm , stalk woodborer , mealybug , fruit fly , aphids , and scale . Birds and Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya tree leaf beetles may also be a business concern . Netting or traps can reduce yield fell infestation and keep boo and squirrels from taking the fruit .
Harvesting Figs
Be patient . Fig Tree take about 3 to 5 years to suppurate to the point of pay yield .
When is the best time to harvest figs?
common fig are ordinarily quick to harvest sometime between August and October . You should be able to notice a subtle semblance change ( usually a blackening of the skin ) when figs are advanced . They should also palpate slightly piano . The yield will swing , as the neck wilts or fail when fruit is ripe .
The secure clip to pick figs is ahead of time in the sunup before the sun gets too high and the temperatures get too affectionate .
How do you harvest figs?
Figs should be left on the tree until they are right ; they do not continue to ripen after they ’ve been pluck .
How do you store figs?
figure are extremely perishable , so they are best eaten within a couple of Day of harvesting . Keep them at room temperature and provide tune to broadcast around them . They will keep in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days , but shivery detracts from the flavor .
Long - term storage option include flash - freeze , canning , or drying . Figs can last for 3 to 6 months in the freezer . Dried common fig can last a month at way temperature or 6 to 12 months in the refrigerator . Canned figs should be used within a class .
Looking for morefruit tree diagram ? Check out our guidebook on growingapples , indoor fruit trees , andbananas .
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Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raised bed , or an in - basis plot out back — and select the good flora for your soil and region .
Photo: istockphoto.com
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