Fig Tree

I have just aquired a Fig tree but have no idea on what's the best place to plant it. I have also heard you have to restrict the roots, can anyone help?
It appears to be a standard type by the name of FICUS CAR. GRISE SAINT JEAN

 

hi robbsy...I got ficus carica Brown Turkey,not heard of your variety in this country. They need sunny and sheltered position.One of mine I planted in chicken paddock 5 yrs ago and was last year 8 ft tall and also wide, but got severely pruned early this year by nature,as a 6x10 shed was blown on top of it in Feb. gales. The other I grew into a standard , confined to an 18" pot, which will fruit this year.Regular pruning encourages more growth and more fruit.I feed mine on high potash from now on.
Let me know how you get on, wonder if yours is hardy?
-------------------
Ladybird

 

Also see fig tree pruning question thread

 

Hi, Figs in the mediterranean will bear 2 crops, one which on my Brown Turkey ripened around the end of August and one which mine has now; they are about 1-2" long and would ripen about Christmas. These are the ones to pick off. Monty Don says when the leaves drop, but mine didn't drop till very late last year, and I am wondering whether to do it earlier as they must be taking up the plants' energy. When does everyone else do it? The fruit for next year are small bud like fruit inthe nodes of branches. They don't really look like figs yet. According to this nursery:
http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/
Which has the Grise Saint Jean listed [also good article on figs], this is a greenhouse variety so if possible put it in a large container, so that it can be moved inside over winter, unless you have e very warm place for it.

 

I dont pinch anything off, its not needed, The ones that are too large to make it through the winter drop off next spring anyway.
Life doesn't need to be complicated :D

 

Monty Don - he say, that those that are ripening now, leave, those that are green and developing remove cos they will never ripen in our shorter summers and waste strength, and the bud fruits are next years ripe fruits.

Never having grown a fig - who knows if this is right :D

 

Well I posted a reply to this message, but lost it, cos it said someone had enabled "flood" something or other.

Basically and shortened -MD said, keep ripening fruit, remove green fruit taht will never make it , bud fruits will be next years.

 

Hi Fran

Its a safety thing to prevent anyone trying to flood the site with posts...just click the back button and you'll find your post is still there, wait a couple of seconds and then it will let you post

 

Who's Monty Don? :D

 

Hi Pete,
He's a big frightening monster who always does everything right.
I will leave my unripe fruit on, as usual, and chance MD's wrath.......

 

Monty Don is a gorgeous hunk - in my humble opinion...

 

Looks as if he can't grow rhubarb either :D