How to grow Figs
Ficus carica
Honey-sweet fruit from an easy tree.
Figs are one of the easiest fruits — little pruning, few pests — but they’re frost-tender. In cold regions grow a hardy variety, wrap it for winter, or keep it in a pot to shelter.
Grow Figs with step-by-step help for your exact yard.
Start free in Seededly →Figs at a glance
| Sun | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6.0–6.5 |
| Spacing | 120 in |
| Harvest | 1–2 yrs to fruit |
| Plant | Spring |
| Note | Protect from hard frost |
How to grow Figs, step by step
Plant in sun & warmth
- Give it the warmest, sunniest spot — against a south wall is ideal.
- In cold areas use a hardy type or grow in a pot.
Water young trees
- Keep young trees watered; established figs are drought-tough.
- Avoid heavy nitrogen — it grows leaves, not fruit.
Protect & harvest
- In cold winters, wrap the tree or move pots to shelter.
- Pick figs only when soft and drooping — they don’t ripen off the tree.
Figs problems & fixes
Figs — Fruit drops unripe: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Cold, drought stress, or an unpollinated type. Keep watered; grow a common (self-fruitful) variety.
Figs — No fruit ever: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Too much nitrogen or winter dieback. Ease off feeding; protect from frost.
Figs — Split or sour fruit: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Rain or overripe. Pick promptly when ripe.
Recommended figs varieties
- Chicago Hardy — Cold-hardy. Survives hard winters; the safe pick north.
- Brown Turkey — All-rounder. Reliable, sweet, widely grown.
- Celeste — Sweet. Small, super-sweet 'sugar' figs.
Figs month-by-month
| January | Dormant — protect in cold. |
|---|---|
| February | Unwrap as cold passes. |
| March | Plant; buds break. |
| April | Leaves and shoots grow. |
| May | First (breba) figs on old wood. |
| June | Main crop sets. |
| July | Fruit sizes up. |
| August | Main crop ripens — pick soft. |
| September | Harvest continues. |
| October | Last figs. |
| November | Leaves drop; wrap for winter. |
| December | Dormant. |