Fig Tree Development

Fig trees (Ficus carica) produce a seedy but exceptionally sweet fruit prized for its flavor since ancient times. Fig trees are relatively easy to grow and make rewarding additions to a home orchard in areas where they can withstand winter temperatures. Generally grown as bushy trees with full crowns, figs are suitable for culture in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9.

Young Trees

A fig tree is often started from a dormant, rooted cutting planted in late winter or early spring. The cutting is planted in a hole significantly deeper and wider than its root system, to allow space for new growth. For a container-grown tree, it should be planted 2 or 3 inches deeper than it was in its pot. The hole should be back-filled with soil and tamped down well to ensure all roots contact the soil. Young figs benefit from cutting back the dormant trunk by about one-third at planting time, making up for root loss during planting and to stimulate new growth. Trees should be spaced at least 16 feet apart to allow sufficient room for growth during subsequent years.

Siting and Feeding

Fig trees grow best when planted in full sun. Choosing a site near a south or east side of a building can help protect the trees from cold during the winter. A warm, sunny location also speeds drying of fruit and foliage, helping prevent fungal disease. Fig trees usually grow about one foot per year. Although they benefit from occasional fertilizing, feeding a new tree should be delayed until the following year and limited thereafter to light feeding with a balanced formula only if the tree failed to increase its size by one foot the previous year. This regimen helps keep vegetative grown down and favors fruit production.

Pruning and Other Care

Fig trees are generally grown as multi-trunked trees that can reach a height of 10 to 20 feet at maturity and live for hundreds of years. They should be pruned in early years to help them develop a pleasing, well-crowned shape. Five or six healthy shoots can be chosen to establish young trunks and other shoots removed at the ground in the first year or two. After this, fig trees don't require major pruning and should not be pruned back in winter, since fruits are borne on the previous year's new shoots. To control a tree's size or shape, cutting back branches is best done immediately after figs are harvested. Fig trees are shallow-rooted and benefit from regular mulching with organic material to help retain soil moisture and keep weeds under control.

Pests and Diseases

Fig trees are sometimes attacked by gophers, which can damage or destroy a young tree. This can be prevented in gopher-prone areas by planting a young tree in a large wire basket placed in the planting hole. Birds also feed on fruit, a minor problem for a large tree but one than can reduce or eliminate fruit on a young tree. Small trees can be protected from birds by covering them with netting or other protective material. Fig trees are also susceptible to several fungal diseases that cause browning of leaves and loss of foliage. These are best prevented by watering trees from below, keeping foliage dry whenever possible, and by practicing good sanitation, removing fallen leaves and debris promptly.