When I started gardening I was extremely naive to what can actually be grown here in the pnw. The last thing on my radar was a fig tree. They are really an amazingly beautiful tree and those long droopy leaves where an obvious choice for Adam and Eve. The leaves where not what interested me though. I was after the sweet fruit so rarely experienced fresh in my part of the country. We are all aware of the dried ones and fig newtons but I wanted to see what the fresh ripe ones tasted like so I go to the local nursery, look through the 3 varieties and find the show tree I was looking for. Desert King. Known to produce a very heavy breba crop (early crop born on older wood). This is important because my cooler climate cannot ripen the main crop. Also one of if not the most cold hardy varieties. Bam! I was ready (after some begging and pleading with the wife as well as having the nursery worker get involved in the plea) to make myself the proud papa of a new baby fig. Turns out this parenting thing is tough stuff. Now I have an 9 month old baby girl (for real) and a 4 month old baby fig. When I brought it home it had a few tiny figs on it but it lost them after transplant. I am growing it in a 15 gallon pot. Apparently figs have super vigorous root systems and if you constrict them it will help the plant to produce more fruit. Every 3 years you do need to root prune but other than that it's just typical pruning. You can maintain them to 10' or less by pruning annually and I've seen reports of much smaller. Great for a patio or for areas that you have to bring them in for the winter. Figs don't require a lot of fertilizer and if you ever lose all your clothes in a bet at least you can go to work Monday styling your fig suit.
No comments:
Post a Comment