Ficus otherwise known as the fig in common terms is a large deciduous tree or large shrub.Tehy can easily grow to be about 15 feet in height, more in the wild and 10 feet in width. They are large leathery leaves and the flowers produced on them are on the inside of rounded,hollow,pear-shaped containers which are nearly closed at the top. This container then develops into a sweet edible fruit with ot without fertilization.

Many gardeners tend to stay away from figs because of the uncertainly surrounding their cultivation as well as the fact most are unsure of their judgment in deciding whether or not the figs are ready to be picked.

Figs In The Garden

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Figs can play two dynamic roles in the garden many plants lack. For beginners they provide wonderful dramatic architectural shapes with their curiously shaped branches and large leaves. The second reason is because of their delicious exotic fruits.

The only true problem with these plants is they have a bad reputation for being rather invasive, although, there is an easy remedy to this problem, plant them in large tubs or use paving slabs to line each side of the planting hole.

There are many types of fig trees including the rubber plant(F.elastica), weeping fig (F.benjamina) and mistletoe fig (F.diversifolia) which are all popular as houseplants or greenhouse plants however; there is really only one species which is hardy outdoors which is Ficus.carica

How To Grow

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*A fig tree requires a sunny location with some winter protection,preferably against a south or west facing wall.

*For best production plant them in sandy or chalky soil that is light but well drained.

Plant figs in April. Trees always produce more fruit if the roots are restricted by planting in a hole 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep lined at the sides with concrete or bricks and at the bottom with drainage material such as broken brick.

*Do not feed, mulch or apply organic matter on a regular basis as this will cause too great a growth of the leaf and stem and too little fruit.

*Apply a light mulch in the late winter as this help to conserve water.

*Trees must be given protection in severe winters. A heavy duty clear plastic sheet can be attached to wall above the plant and lowered down over it at night as well as in the day if necessary but make sure to keep the tree ventilated..

*Figs are best grown as fans. To do this tie in suitable placed shoots as they grow and space them in order to for all of them to be able to receive the sun and air.

*In the fall, after the leaves have fallen,cut cut some of the old,bare, non-fruiting shoots back to a bud or joint to encourage new growth to take its place. In the spring cut out any weak or crowding shoots.

*To propagate take semi-hardwood cutting in June and place under cover.

Crop Production

With good care figs will reliably produce a crop for many years. Figs planted will produce one crop per year on one and two year old shoots but those in pots can be taken into a greenhouse in August and kept there until April which will result in two crops, one in May and another in September.

Harvesting (When Figs Should Be Picked)

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When determining whether your figs are ready to be picked, though the changes can be rather elusive sometimes they are unquestionably there, you just have to know what your looking for. The figs are ripe when the stalk bends and the fruit is hanging down. Also figs have an eye at the bottom and if they open giving a drop of sugary solution they are ripe. A lot of figs will change color when they are ready but the most important factor to look out for is the wasps, when the wasps are swarming around your fig tree that is one of the most definite ways to be sure your figs are ready to be picked. A way to try and keep the wasps at a minimum by netting the tree, placing a fine mesh around it.

 About Author

Tanya Kime-Wallace is a writer and freelance writer as well as the owner of a small gardening business. She developed a love for writing at a very young age and is extremely passionate about the written word. She is capable of writing virtually anything she sets her mind to and is an upcoming horror novelist. She has extensive knowledge about horticulture and gardening teaching workshops relating to this subject and enjoys being able to share it with others. She has many interests and when she feels something is interesting or important enough to share, she will write about it. She is also a mother of two beautiful children and cherishes every second of it.

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Copyright © 2010 Tanya Kime-Wallace