Use and Care Manual

How to Grow Figs
When it comes to fig tree care, you should know that growing fig trees requires well-
drained and fertile soil. The best soil for growing fig trees would be loamy soil that has
plenty of organic matter cut through it. Also, be sure the area gets plenty of moisture.
The perfect pH for growing fig trees is a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5. When thinking about how
to grow figs, you should know that they should be protected from cold winter
winds
[1]
and direct winter sunlight. Unseasonably warm temperatures can cause your
fig trees to grow. If this happens too early in the season, and then another freeze
sneaks in, your growing fig trees will be damaged.
When to Plant Fig Trees
For good fig tree care, remember that a northern exposure keeps your fig trees dormant
until the time comes that they should be blooming. You can set your dormant, bare-
rooted trees
[2]
out in late fall to early spring. For easy fig tree maintenance, you should
choose fig trees that are free of root-knot nematodes
[3]
. Fig tree maintenance is not a
lot of work. Fig trees like full sunlight and adequate room for growth. You can plant your
growing fig trees about 15 to 20 feet apart. If you are going to train your trees to be
bushes instead, plant them 10 feet apart. Either way, there is little fig tree care you will
have to administer.
Fig Tree Care
Be careful not to have too much nitrogen in the soil
[4]
. You can fertilize the soil at a rate
of one pound of 8-8-8 each year of age of the tree, or each foot tall the tree is. This is to
a maximum of 12 pounds and then you would maintain the same rate each year. With
regard to fig tree maintenance, you should fertilize your trees annually. If you have
heavy soil, fertilize the tree when the buds swell. If you have loamy soil, you can fertilize
with half the amount required when the buds swell and the other half can go down in
late May. Good fig tree care requires some pruning
[5]
. However, fig trees don’t require
much. You should prune in late winter just before growth begins so you don’t injure the
plant.