Where To Plant Figs In The Garden

How to grow figs

Figtrees do well in our Mediterranean climate and are an ideal size for most backyards.

Aug 05, 2019 2:59am

The fig is a Mediterranean plant, a deciduous, sub-tropical tree, that likes hot (but not too hot) summers and cool, wet winters (but no frost). The Riverland in SA provides an ideal climate and dried fig production was an important enterprise in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area in the 1920s.

Tomatoes, strawberries, sweet corn, snow peas, stone fruit and citrus all taste wonderful when picked fresh from the garden and eaten straightaway. But the best of all is surely a freshly picked fig. As well as scoffing figs straight from the tree, you can toss them through a salad, serve them with cheese or fold them through a chocolate cake.

With figs, the riper the better. As figs ripen they become sweeter and sweeter. At this stage, they're so soft that transporting them to market would be impossible, so the best-tasting figs you'll ever eat are the ones you grow yourself.

Growing fig trees

Edible figs grow to around 3m tall and 5m wide but can be larger. They need a sunny spot — full sun is vital — and well-drained soil. Figs can be planted virtually year-round but, as they are deciduous, there are good stocks available in winter, or you can grow your own at that time from a hardwood cutting.

They can also be grown in large containers. Figs are long-lived, so it is worth putting some time into them when they are first planted. They have a reputation for being virtually 'unkillable' but this is only when they are well established.

To get them bulletproof, make sure young plants are kept well watered, especially during hot, dry periods. Although mature trees tolerate cold and frost, protect new plantings from frost until they have grown over a metre high.

Position a few pots of red geraniums in a sunny spot near your fig tree, grab a glass of wine and a plate of small olives and you'll be instantly transported to Greece.

Care tips for fig trees

Figs really do have few problems if given a good start in life. Expect to start harvesting your luscious, sun-ripened figs 2–3 years after planting. Most varieties produce two crops a year when in full swing. The first crop grows on the previous year's wood and ripens in summer. The second crop forms on new growth and ripens in autumn.

Most of the figs we grow don't require a pollinator to set fruit, however you will need to fend off the birds. Netting is probably the best method but do check nets regularly to rescue any trapped birds, lizards or other animals.

Trees are pruned when young to develop several main branches. Aim for an umbrella-like shape so you can enjoy their shade. Once established, however, there's no need to prune except to maintain the overall shape and size the way you want it, or to remove older wood. If desired, they can be trimmed and trained into a manageable size, grown as a hedge or even espaliered.

Varieties of figs

Figs have evocative names. How could anyone resist a tree that's called a Brown Turkey, Black Genoa or White Adriatic? The fig variety that is traditionally grown and dried is Smyrna.

The Willabrand fig orchard in Hermitage, outside Adelaide in SA, has 12,000 trees and five varieties – Archipal, Deanna, Spanish Desert, Brown Turkey and Black Genoa. They open the farm to visitors who'd like to pick their own fruit and also make a wide range of fig products, from chocolate dipped figs to fig and almond jam.

A fig declares itself ready to eat when it's soft to the touch and sweet smelling. Photo: Simon Griffiths

How to tell when fruit is ripe

The fig is a soft, pear-shaped fruit in green, brown or purple, in different varieties. It is unusual in that the flower is borne inside the fruit – yes, the inside pulp is actually many tiny flowers. Many fig varieties crop twice: the first (or breba) crop forms on last year's wood. You'll see the tiny fruits dormant on the tree over winter. A heavier crop is then produced later in summer when the new growth develops.

A fig declares itself ready to eat when it's soft to the touch and sweet smelling. Look for plump fruit and while perfect, unmarked skin is attractive, don't dismiss fruit that bears small wrinkles or slight tears. The skin is very fragile, more so in thin-skinned varieties, so handle carefully.

EATING FIGS

There's no need to peel figs. Eat whole or halve, quarter or slice them according to how you plan to use them.

When perfectly ripe, fresh figs are ambrosial. But the sweet, juicy fig has a wonderfully diverse culinary repertoire in both sweet and savoury dishes. Fig goes well with nuts (almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts), chocolate, orange, fresh goats curd and salty, fatty ingredients like blue cheese and prosciutto. Add sliced or segmented to salads and cheese boards; poach whole in light sugar syrup flavoured with ginger and cinnamon, warm in the oven with gorgonzola cheese, or bake into fruit tarts. Fig also make great jam.