What to do when you get your new fig tree…

Young grafted fig trees with green leaves growing in black nursery pots covered with labeled foil.
Two young grafted fig trees with green leaves growing in clear plastic nursery containers
Stack of sealed cardboard shipping boxes with a visible Parcel Post label outdoors

The fig trees have been carefully packed to ensure they are safe for travel.

When you receive your package, open the box and remove the carboard cover over the potting soil

The figs have been acclimatised to the outdoor climate, having been grown under a shade cloth over Autumn before being taken outside.

They may however take a few seasons to get used to their new climate.

All my figs are grown from cuttings sourced of my mother tree or trees I have access to.

You may notice some tape around the main cutting - this is just grafting tape that I use to stop the cutting drying out during propagation.

The cuttings I sell are not grafted but if you are after a grafted tree, reach out. For those with space restrictions, I also graft multiple species on the same tree - you have to be patient - this can take a few seasons though.

Up Potting or Planting in ground………..

Close-up of tangled yellowish plant roots spreading through a soil and perlite root ball held in a hand
Close-up of dark potting soil mixed with white perlite
Gardening scene with a child planting in a lime-green pot beside bags of Brunnings propagation perlite and seed-raising mix.
Young leafy plant with exposed roots and soil-covered root ball

If you decide to keep your tree in a pot, give the tree a month or so before up-potting.

I recommend to u to gradually increase pot size each season to the eventual pot size you choose. Don’t go to a huge pot as the tree will use all its energy filling up the pot with roots at the expense of real growth.

After the first pot up give it a water but don’t drown it.

Try not to disturb any roots – the white roots are new roots and are quit sensitive, the brown are established and hardy.

If you are keeping in a pot it will take about 3 seasons to get a crop. If it is in the ground, it will grow pretty quick and you may get a few fruit in the second season.

I will often add perlite to my potting mix to provide a bit more breathing space for younger roots

The different seasons……….

Leafless flowering tree with pale trunk in a landscaped garden beside a wooden utility pole and wire fence
Ripe purple-and-gold fig beside a pruning knife on a weathered wooden table
Close-up of green figs and newly unfurled leaves growing on a fig tree branch against a blue sky
Two halves of a ripe yellow fig beside a small knife on a weathered wooden surface

Figs are deciduous so they will lose all their leaves in winter.

Some summer its fruiting season and some fig species will have two crops.

The first crop is called the breba crop and will form on last years growth. These figs are not as tasty or prolific. See bottom pictures of a breba fig.

The main crop will occur later and will form on the new seasons growth.

All of my figs are self pollinating so you don’t need to rely on wasps or other fig trees.

Fruit should be picked when its soft and before the birds get to them. Figs wont continue to ripen off the vine so they are best eaten fresh.

General maintenance……….

Freshly cut plant branches, pruning shears, and a clear cup on a wooden outdoor table
Grafting tools and taped tree branches scattered on grass
Pruned fig tree trained against a black fence with yellow ties and espalier support wires
Child standing in a garden beside a tree, with piles of trimmed branches on the grass.

Figs tree like a good prune in Autumn before the new growth in Spring.

The main crop of figs only grows on new season growth so a good prune can assist in increasing your crop.

Pruning can also assist in forming a good shaped tree. Figs can be espaliered easily and can be pruned to any shape.

I have never seen a true dwarf fig tree but figs can be easily dwarfed by keeping them in a pot and pruning them each season.

Any cuttings you get can then be made into new trees!

Young trees should not be drowned in water whilst their roots are still developing.

After a season or two, the tree is pretty hard to kill so its very suitable for all types of gardeners!

Sometimes you may encounter some unfriendly visitors to your fig tree.

Clusters of yellow and black caterpillars feeding on damaged green leaves
Small brown beetles on the underside of a leaf with prominent veins

The Fig Beetle - The troublesome little fig beetle. You may see these little buggers on your fig leaves. They lay their eggs under the leaves and soon you will see what looks like black marks. These are actually baby beetle grubs. They rapidly grow devouring leaves with the skeleton of the leaf remaining. If left unchecked they can clear a whole tree so be on the look out. Sprays can be effective but I prefer to collect the beetles for my chickens and dispose of any eggs quickly.

Close-up of a plant stem covered with clusters of small pinkish-brown scale insects in a garden.
Close-up of weathered green leaves with white spots lying on a wooden surface

Sooty Mould and Scale - Sooty mould will often go hand in hand with scale or other insects that produce honey dew. It is spread by insects like ants who actually protect the scale as they collect the honey dew as a food source.

If left to long this can kill a tree. Treatments include soapy water with detergent but the best bet is something with neem oil in it. The neem oil covers the scale and prevents it producing the honey dew. A few applications are needed

Close-up of a gray-brown tree frog clinging to a fig tree trunk and branch
Close-up of a caterpillar with a brown head and pale segmented body on a corn leaf

The Borer Beetle - This little critter lays her eggs in or around the base of your fig tree. Some also bore the nodes of new seasons growth. They then lay eggs. Once hatched, the larvae soon bore their way into the tree creating tunnels that can severely damage the tree. They are very hard to get rid of once they take control causing poor form and growth. The only real treatment is to remove large portions of the tree to stop them boring further. Keep an eye out for these, prevention is better than cure

Small black beetle on the palm of a person's hand
Close-up of a fig tree branch showing two dark holes in a freshly cut stem, held between fingers.

Long Horn Beetle -The little longhorn beetle can a terror during spring and summer. They often will burrow in the fig node and if you are not careful will destroy the tip of the rest of the tree. They particularly like new growth and can severely impact your harvest

A bit of Confidor or Pyrethrum spray helps before they lay their eggs

Other annoying things…….

Close-up of a fig leaf with brown spots and insect damage on a potted plant
Close-up of a split-open fig showing its pink, fibrous interior on a fig tree
Smiling young woman with a braid posing in a crowded indoor sports arena
Ripe fig split open on a fig tree branch, showing its pink-red seeded interior, with an unripe green fig beside it.

Whilst I love my figs there are several things that can be annoying…..

Splitting - After a big summer storm and a lot of rain, ripening figs will absorb alot of water. When it gets hot again they will split. Some split more than others.

Rust- Fig rust is a fungus results in leaves having orange brown rust spots on them. It ends up killing the leaves and they fall off. It wont kill a tree but it will reduce its vitality as the photosynthesis process is reduced. Often a tree plagued by rust will have a lower yield. It results from water staying on the leaves in humid periods and fungus starts to grow. You can never escape it! You can reduce it by trying to water under you plant, not on it but in reality it is nearly impossible to stop it occurring. The best way to avoid rust affecting your tree is to use fungicides containing copper sulfate and lime. Be careful not to spray the fruit.

Lastly Birds, Rats Ants and Possums. The trick here is to get in first!