I didn’t set out to have a fig orchard when I first started gardening, and don’t even know if I had ever had a fresh fig before growing my own. Now, 4 years later I’m obsessed with them, and I own 7 different varieties.

I received my first two small fig trees in 2021, they were free gifts from friends who had more than they could fit into their orchard.  This became my introduction to the world of fruit trees and discovering that I love fig trees.  I transplanted those two trees into larger pots, and I still have them today, in half whisky style planters. 

I purchased my first fig cuttings in 2022 after doing some research both via youtube and gardening blogs.  Figs appeared to be easy to propagate via cuttings (sticks).  That spring I purchased 30 cuttings of two varieties (Green Ischia and Chicago hardy) from an online seller.  When they arrived I had 40 total cuttings and I got lucky with how well the rooting process went.  I ended up with over 50% success rate, and all of a sudden I had a lot of fig trees.  Once they had established roots I potted them into a variety of mismatched pots so they could keep growing.  My first fig harvest came in November of that year, after I had moved the young trees into the basement for the winter.  The first figs to ripen were Green Ischia, which taste like strawberries, very sweet and light.

First ripe fruit: green Ischia on the left, Chicago on the right

Thus began my obsession with fig trees. The leaves are gorgeous and can get to be quite massive. I’ve also recently learned that they make nice prints when hammered onto fabric, so I definitely want to try that out later this year. When the trees awaken from dormancy or new cuttings start to grow, the first tiny leaves are so amazing to watch unfurl. Figs put on a lot of growth in one year and can get quite large if planted in the ground.

The original Chicago trees were very productive in their second year.

In 2023 the one-year-old trees came into their own and I harvested 103 figs off of my 20 container figs.  Several of the trees did not produce that season, either from lack of nutrients or just taking too long in the year to reach maturity.  I made a couple of batches of fig jam. I used half of it on homemade English muffin bread toast and turned the other half into homemade fig newton bars.  I ate many of them fresh, since they mostly ripened just a few at one time.  I also shared some with friends.

Cooking both types of figs down to make jam.

2024 was a tougher year for figs for two reasons. Firstly, my two attempts at propagation from cuttings completely failed.  I had meant to take some of my own cuttings but the trees started waking up in the basement in February, far earlier than I expected.  I had missed my window for taking cuttings since all the tips were leafing out.  So I moved them down towards the back door and the grow lights.  I did purchase some cuttings online, 2 different varieties from the ones I owned, and only 1 of 15 successfully rooted. 

The second reason happened when we moved them outside.  The trees had put on significant growth by early spring, so my dad and I moved the trees out of the basement on a warm day in early May.  However, we did not harden them off and they suffered when we had an unusually hot sunny stretch.  The new leaves were all sunburned and started to drop, then to add insult to injury we had a freak brief hail storm and the remaining leaves got punctured and pounded.  About 90% of the new growth died and the trees were down to just bare stems and branches.  All of the trees survived, and put on more leafy growth, but I lost out on an entire growing season.  I only got 2 ripe figs, one of each variety. 

Damaged fig leaf, showing both sunburn and hail damage

I have learned from my mistakes and will be implementing some changes to better protect the trees from the sun and to provide more nutrients to the roots, by setting up a fertilizing schedule. Since they are in pots they have very limited soil, but are heavy feeders because they put on large amounts of growth over each season. I will be more intentional about providing them with the nutrients they need in order to hope for better fruit production.

My largest single day harvests from 2023.