Figs can also thrive in our latitudes and, if cared for well, produce lots of juicy, sweet fruits every year. This article explains how and where you can plant the fig in your home garden or on the balcony.
How to plant a fig tree correctly?
To plant a fig tree, first choose a self-pollinating, hardy variety. Plant the tree in spring in a sunny, wind-protected location in permeable, nutrient-rich substrate. Container plants should be planted in high-quality potting soil and repotted if necessary.
Which fig varieties are suitable for the garden or balcony?
Fig trees no longer thrive exclusively in the Mediterranean climate. Self-pollinating and winter-hardy figs also bear numerous fruits in autumn in our latitudes. When choosing a fig tree for your garden or balcony, pay attention to the following points:
- it must be a real fig tree, not an ornamental fig
- since the fig gall wasp cannot survive in our latitudes, the fig must be self-pollinating
- Hardy fig trees survive cold phases well
- High-yielding and resilient varieties guarantee a good harvest
The optimal location
Figs love warmth and need a sunny location in the garden. The location you choose should also be protected from the wind. Figs thrive particularly well if you plant them in front of a heat-retaining house wall or in a sheltered courtyard.
You should also choose a sunny and protected location for the fig on the balcony. Windy balconies with little sun are not suitable for figs.
The right time to plant
The optimal time to plant a fig in the garden is spring. The ground should no longer be frozen. Wait for the time after the Ice Saints, because then experience shows that night frosts are no longer to be expected. A fig planted in summer or autumn does not have enough time to form sufficient roots and get used to the environment. Therefore, avoid planting fig trees outdoors at this late date.
Propagate a fig tree
Figs can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. The offspring are successful and it is worth trying to grow offshoots from a well-bearing fig tree.
Relocating fig trees
Potted figs only need to be moved if the fig has become too big for the plant container. Both repotting and planting a potted fig outdoors should always be done in spring.
Moving fig trees in the garden
If you have to move a fig that is already rooted in your own garden, this should be done in early spring. It is important to prune the tree so that the plant's supply is ensured by the inevitably reduced root mass. If the fig is on clayey soil, moving it is easier because it forms a smaller root system in this subsoil than in sandy soil.
What substrate does the fig love?
Fig trees cultivated in pots can be planted in commercially available potting soil (€10.00 on Amazon) or good quality balcony plant soil. In the garden, the fig loves permeable and nutrient-rich substrate. A mixture that consists of half topsoil and sand mixed with fine gravel has proven successful.
Tip
First cultivate frost-sensitive young plants in a bucket on the balcony and overwinter the figs in a frost-free room. Since they do not freeze back, the plants bear fruit in the first few years.
