How to grow figs at home?

Foreword

Fig, it is also a fig tree, a fig tree, a wine berry, a fig - growing this exotic plant at home is a completely doable task. In our country, outdoors, this subtropical deciduous ficus grows and bears fruit in the Caucasus and Crimea. This is one of the oldest, if not the most ancient cultivated plant.

How to grow fruiting figs?

As it turns out, figs began to be grown at home in the 16th century. Its fruits, in taste and content of substances useful for the body, are not inferior to garden or wild figs. The tree is compact, unpretentious, grows well even on the windowsill, bears fruit twice a year.

There are two ways to grow a homemade fig tree:

• by grafting or planting root processes;
• from seeds.

growing figs at home

For the cultivation of a fig tree, ordinary soil, mixed with a small amount of river sand and leafy humus, can be used, to which a little lime or ash should be added. It is not bad if you add a little mixture of finely ground eggshell and peat.

Growing homemade figs from cuttings

The easiest way is to plant cuttings that are cut from the fruiting figs. They will be more hardy if perfectly ripe branches are cut from the bottom of the tree. Cuttings root better if cut in January or February before the plants shed their leaves and start growing young shoots. The length of blanks for cuttings is about 10-15 cm, each of them should have 3-4 buds.

Fig tree shoots

Cutting is done with a sharp knife. The upper cuts of the cuttings remain straight, but the lower ones are made oblique and several longitudinal small cuts are applied to them - in this case, the roots are better formed. Sections are dried in the open air in cool conditions until the milky juice hardens (6-7 hours).

Fig seedlings adapt faster if they are first placed in a heteroauxin solution for 10-12 hours. There are three ways to carry out the process of rooting cuttings:

1. By placing them in a vessel of water.
2. By planting in a box or vessel with wet sand.
3. By planting the stalk in a small pot specially prepared for this. Drainage (expanded clay) should be poured on the bottom of the container, steamed soil should be laid on it, and sprinkled on top with a thin layer of steamed sand. Before planting, the cutting should be washed with water, placed in a prepared shallow hole and slightly crushed around the ground.

In all three cases, the seedlings are covered with suitable glass vessels on top and they try to ensure a constant temperature in the room, where it should be light and warm. In the second and third methods, sand or soil must be systematically watered with slightly warmed (but not hot!) Water. The glass covers should be removed periodically to ventilate the plants.

Growing figs in a pot

After about a month, cuttings that have taken root by this time can be transplanted into pots with prepared soil. At the bottom of them, there should also be drainage from a porous material, and the surface of the soil should be sprinkled with steamed sand. Cuttings rooted in the third way are transferred along with a lump of earth to their permanent place and watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).

Since it is not always possible to find a tree from which you can cut cuttings, you should purchase ready-made cuttings or seedlings. Sometimes the seedlings are grown and then cut into several cuttings. With cuttings propagation, the first fruits can sometimes be obtained within a year after planting the seedling.

Reproduction of figs by planting seeds

To obtain fig seeds, healthy and large fruits are chosen. The seeds taken out of them are carefully washed with water, and then dried within 24 hours. Seeds are planted in prepared soil in early spring.

Fig tree fruit

Seeds are planted to a depth of 2-3 cm and not very abundant watering is carried out. The container with the planted seeds is covered with glass or polyethylene. After the first shoots appear, the coating is removed for several hours a day so that the plants can breathe. When the seedlings are old enough, they need to be transplanted into containers of suitable sizes. The first fruits with this method of reproduction usually appear 4-5 years after planting.

Features of caring for indoor figs

It is very important to spray the trunks and leaves of fig trees with settled warm water all year round and water it abundantly. If the soil is allowed to dry out, the tree can shed its foliage. In addition, spraying helps prevent spider mites. The intensity of watering should be reduced during fruiting - the fruits may become watery.

Like any subtropical plant, home-grown figs have a dormant period. In this plant, it lasts from November to January. Therefore, for this time it should be placed in a cool (with a temperature not higher than +15 and not lower than 0 ° C) and shaded place. The number of irrigations is also reduced, and the water for them must be cool. Trees shed their leaves during this period.

When the buds begin to wake up, the plant needs to be taken out into the light, it should be regularly watered, fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen is needed for intensive fruiting. And during periods when the buds swell, tree care includes alternating feeding from phosphorus fertilizers and manure solution.

Abundant light is essential for figs to grow

Up to 7 years old, an indoor fig tree, which has a rapidly growing root system, should be transplanted into a larger pot every spring before opening the leaves. After that, the transplant is carried out every three years. Bottom drainage is still required. After transplanting, the tree must be exposed to light.

It is very important to form the crown correctly, especially since the tree can become too large without pruning. Its formation begins by pinching the apical buds. Pruning is best done before the buds swell so that the upper shoots are directed to the sides, and not inside the crown. Shoots growing inward are removed. Mainly the upper branches are shortened, due to which the lateral and lower branches become stronger. So you can grow a tree with a beautiful crown.

Figs at home can give 1 or 2 crops during the year. With two harvests, the first ripens in July and the next in September. Ripening lasts about a month. The ripe fruit becomes soft and begins to secrete sweet juice from the eyes. One well-groomed tree can produce more than one kilogram of tasty and healthy fruits per season.

It remains to add that due to the unusual dissected leaves, figs can also become a spectacular decoration of the home.

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Many gardeners dream of growing a wide variety of different crops on their plots. Figs belong to exotic fruits. It has an unusual taste and many useful properties.... The only drawback is the thermophilicity of the plant. Let's talk in more detail about growing figs at home.

Growing figs in different climatic conditions in Russia and Ukraine

Figs do not tolerate cold weather and it is possible to grow such a plant fully and carefree only in southern regions with a subtropical climate and air temperature not lower than 20 degrees.

There are also several ways in which figs can be grown in central Russia and the Moscow region:

• in greenhouses;
• at home, as a houseplant;
• when planting a plant in open ground, it must be carefully covered for the winter.

Figs can be grown at home as a houseplant

If the fig grows at home, then it is recommended for the spring-summer period, bury it directly with a pot in the ground in the garden, and in the fall, move it back to the room.

It is best for wintering to take place in conditions close to its natural habitat, that is, instead of a warm room, it is preferable to place the plant in a basement with a temperature of 0 to -5 degrees.

A winter shelter for outdoor figs should look like this:

• a box with a thickness of 10 centimeters is made of polystyrene, while its length is on average 1 meter, and the width and depth are 50 centimeters;
• the structure is fixed with adhesive tape, and put additional protection upstairs in the form of an old door or window frame;
• as soon as it snows, they can fill the box;
• in May, the shelter is completely removed or instead of the top cover, the surface is covered with plastic wrap, leaving a small gap for air circulation.

Figs are a very capricious culture and can be fully grown only in hot areas. But with a strong desire, this exotic fruit can be obtained in the central part of Russia, Krasnodar Territory and Ukraine.

It is worth remembering that for growing figs in a greenhouse or in open ground with shelter, only low-growing varieties or shrubs, for example, Black Pearl, Dalmatian or Sochi, are suitable.

Landing dates

Considering that figs are very fond of warmth, then it is necessary to plant it only in the spring, so that it has time to properly take root before the first cold weather, otherwise the plant will die. Experienced gardeners identify the exact dates of planting, namely March 15-30., immediately after the start of warming and melting of snow.

Land requirements

Common figs at their summer cottage

When choosing a place for planting figs, you need to take into account all the features of the plant.:

1. The place must be warm and light;
2. The best thing avoid draft and gusty winds;
3. Experienced gardeners recommend place the tree on the south side in relation to a house, fence or other structure;
4. Ground water level should be no higher than 3 meters;
5. The plot must be flat, small slope allowed;
6. In no case don't plant figs in lowlands.

Since such a tree does not have special requirements for the quality of the earth, it is necessary to dig a hole and fill it with a mixture of:

• the upper fertile soil layer;
• leafy land;
• humus;
• sand.

All ingredients are taken in equal proportions. You can also add a special potting soil mixture for lemon or rose to the dug soil..

Open ground landing rules

A seedling can be obtained in several ways.:

• buy at a store or nursery;
• grow from a bone;
• propagate using cuttings.

For beginners in gardening, it is best to purchase already grown seedlings, because alternative methods require experience and special attention.

To get a seedling by cuttings, you need:

1. In the end of January cut cuttings 10-15 centimeters long with 3-4 kidneys and dry the cut site for about 7-8 hours;
2. Several cuts are made in the lower part of the cutting and deepen into river sand by 2-4 centimeters;
3. After which they watered abundantly and cover with a jar;
4. Also instead of sand you can put the cuttings in water.

Chopped fig cuttings are rooted both in water and in clean coarse river sand

And to get a plant from a seed, you must perform the following steps:

1. The seed is washed and dry thoroughly;
2. In early spring prepare potting mix from the sand of leafy earth and peat and deepen the seeds into it by 2-3 centimeters, after which the soil is watered;
3. The container with seedlings must be covered to create a greenhouse effect;
4. When shoots appear, they begin take cover gradually, first for an hour, then the time is increased.

As soon as the seedlings, regardless of how they were obtained (by cuttings or from a stone), the roots grow, they are transplanted into pots with a special soil mixture consisting of leaf humus, peat, turf and river sand. As the plant demands, it must be moved to a larger container.

Saplings that have reached 2 years of age can be planted in the garden in the open ground... There are 2 methods for carrying out such work.

Landing in the pits

1. Digging holes the depth and diameter of which should be equal 1 meter;
2. To the bottom lay out a 30 cm layer of broken brick, and the walls are lined with whole stones. This design will provide good moisture circulation and protect the roots from freezing;
3. Part of the soil mixture is spread on the bottom of the pit, then there put seedlings;
4. Young the trees are carefully covered with earth, tamped, watered and mulched.

Landing in trenches

Trench way of planting figs

This option is best suited for growing bush figs. To complete this landing, you must:

1. The length of the trench is calculated based on the number of seedlings, width should be 70 centimeters, and the depth is 90-100 centimeters;
2. A layer of crushed stones is placed on the bottom., and bricks or stones are inserted into the walls;
3. Then the prepared soil mixture is poured into the trench and make holes for plants;
4. Near the landing site support pegs are installed;
5. Seedlings are placed at an angleto make it easier to cover the plant for the winter;
6. Then trenches are covered with earth, tamped, watered and mulched.

The planting method depends on the type of fig. Trees are planted in holes and bushes in trenches.

Caring for figs at home

Water the tree in such a way that the near-trunk circle is always moistened. During the period of active fruiting, the amount of introduced moisture is reduced... The same goes for the winter season.

In autumn, figs require phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Early spring it is best to use special complex feeding, in summer the tree will have enough constant mulching of the soil with humus or other organic substances.

In the first years of life, the fig needs a support, which is built from ordinary pegs or trellises.

In the spring, experienced gardeners recommend removing all frozen and diseased branches. Also it is advisable to carry out a shaping pruning, during which the following actions are carried out:

• leave only 2 healthy growth buds, pinch the rest of the shoots;
• at the end of spring, the branches burrow so that the distance between them is about 10-20 centimeters.

In autumn they also carry out sanitary pruning, during which diseased and dry branches are removed.

Also, the care process necessarily includes the protection of the plant in the winter.

In order for figs to give a good harvest, it must be protected from various diseases and pests. Typically, the plant is attacked by fig moths, fig flies and fig aphids.... With regard to diseases, then most often you can observe anthracnose or gray rot on figs.

Preventive measures:

• in late March you need to get rid of insects and various bacteria that have wintered in the tree, for this the tree is treated with an emulsion of mineral oils;
• from the affected branches, you must immediately get rid of and be sure to burn to avoid the spread of the disease;
• at the beginning of August the tree is treated with fugnicides;
• if signs of the appearance of insects still appear, the most effective method is considered spraying with drugscontaining copper in their composition.

The main pests of figs are fig flies, fig flies and fig aphids.

Figs are a very tasty and healthy fruit, which, unfortunately, can only be grown in warm climates, in other areas, you will have to take great care of this crop so that it begins to bear fruit. It is necessary to take care of its shelter and create the most comfortable temperature and humidity.

Fig fruits have good taste and a significant number of useful properties. Therefore, many have a desire to grow this plant at home. To do this, you need to know about the special needs of the plant and how to care for it. Before considering how to grow figs at home, let's get acquainted with the characteristics of this culture in more detail.

Description and types of culture

Favorite delicacy of many can be grown in your garden

Fig, which is also called the fig tree, is a representative of the genus ficus of the mulberry family. Despite the fact that this is a subtropical shrub, it grows successfully in cold latitudes - in the territory of eastern, central and western Europe. Figs are resistant to low temperatures, some of its species can withstand frosts down to -20 ° C. This culture is grown not only in the open field, but also at home.

Flowers develop in generative shoots located in the leaf axils. This only applies to female plants. After a certain period of time, the flowers are replaced by seed fruits. As they develop, their size increases, and the shape takes on the shape of a pear. There are seeds inside the seed. Many varieties of figs can be harvested twice a year. Breba (first harvest) ripens by early summer. The second fruiting begins in the first half of autumn.

Varieties of figs

Not all fig varieties are suitable for growing in cold regions. To make the right choice, you need to familiarize yourself in detail with their varieties. So, the most popular types are the following:

1. Brunswick is an early variety. The fruits of this fig are elongated and burgundy-greenish in color.
2. Brown Turkey is a variety recently created specifically for growing in cold areas. Has a dark brown color.
3. Dalmatika is a late variety with good frost resistance. Its fruit can be recognized by its green color and pink flesh.
4. Tiger fig is an old variety. Its peculiarity is the appearance of the fruits - they are distinguished by a yellow-green striped color. The pulp has a deep red color, and the taste is distantly reminiscent of strawberries.
5. Chicago Hardy - has a high frost resistance.
6. Madeleine de De, purple Bordeaux, Violet de Bordeaux - French old varieties. They are distinguished by early fruiting, successfully grow in areas with cold climatic conditions.
7. Kadota is a green fig with excellent taste.

Varieties in the photo

Madeleine de Deux variety is a wonderful healthy delicacy

Brown turkey is suitable for growing in cold regions

Brunswick is a popular fig variety with juicy fruits

Dalmatian figs are used by many culinary experts

Tiger fig is a rare variety, for which it is more appreciated by gardeners

Chicago hardy is not only tasty, but also very healthy

Figs of the Kadota variety have a rich aroma

Planting seeds

To plant a plant, you do not need special knowledge and skills.

The process of planting fig seeds has the following features:

1. To get high-quality planting material, you need to cut the fruit in two and remove the seeds.
2. Then they are placed in a fine mesh sieve and washed under running water.
3. Next, the seeds need to be dried. To do this, they are laid out on a paper napkin and left for a day.
4. After this time, the planting material is ready for use.
5. For planting, you need a container. First, drainage is poured to the bottom, then a nutrient substrate. The composition of the soil mixture includes rotted manure, turf soil and sand (it can be replaced with peat) in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. For greater efficiency, wood ash should be added at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of the mixture.
6. The soil must be well moistened, then put a napkin on the surface and sprinkle with a small amount of soil.
7. The pot is covered with polyethylene and placed in a place where the temperature reaches 25 ° C.
8. The seeds need ample moisture. Perform the treatment daily using soft, constant water at room temperature. Try to water so that the liquid level of 1-2 mm is always kept in the pot pan. This is an important rule, non-observance of which increases the risk of death of the entire crop.
9. Crops should be ventilated daily. To do this, remove the bag from the pot and remove the formed condensate. You also need to monitor the level of soil moisture, if necessary, moisten it with a spray bottle.
10. After 15-20 days, seedlings will appear. If they are too thick, they should be thinned out. Otherwise, seedlings will not be able to fully develop.
11. After the first 2-3 leaves appear, the seedlings can be planted in separate pots and looked after like an adult tree.

Care and optimal growing conditions

Frequent watering, plenty of light and warmth are important conditions for fruit ripening.

Figs are a moisture-loving culture. Its growing season begins in January and lasts until October. At this time, the plant needs abundant watering. With a lack of moisture, the leaves curl, and the seedlings disappear. Therefore, settled water is used for irrigation. The procedure is carried out as the soil dries.

Important! The level of air humidity does not affect the development of culture.

From October, figs begin to lose their leaves. Then comes a period of rest. It lasts from mid-November to the end of December. During the winter, the culture should be at a lower temperature than the rest of the time. Therefore, it must be moved to the window sill and moved as tightly as possible to the window. During this period, the soil is rarely moistened, only to prevent the soil from drying out.

Important! During dormancy, figs should not be watered abundantly.

Another prerequisite for growing a crop is good lighting. Although figs are capable of tolerating shaded areas, they should receive sufficient light during fruiting. It also needs to be fed, especially the plant needs this during active growth. Fertilizers are applied in the first half of January (10-15 days), when the buds begin to swell. Further, feeding is carried out every two weeks, while the composition of nutrients should be alternated:

1. Initially, a manure composition is applied, which is prepared at the rate of 5 g of fertilizer per 1 liter of water.
2. Then phosphorus feeding is used: 7 g of superphosphate is diluted in the same amount of liquid. Its granules dissolve well under the influence of high temperature, so the composition should be boiled.
3. Figs also need potassium trace elements.Top dressing is done as follows: 1 tsp is diluted with 1 liter of water. ash extraction. Before use, the solution is defended throughout the day. Ash can be scattered on the ground and mixed with soil.
4. During the growing season, micronutrient fertilizers are applied twice.
5. For a period of rest, a break is taken in feeding.

To form the correct crown, the figs must be trimmed

To form the crown, the figs are cut off. This process has the following features:

1. Pruning is usually started in early spring. Damaged and crossed branches are subject to removal. And also those that grow inward.
2. Excessively long branches should be shortened. In the summer, new shoots are cut. The shortening is done behind the fifth sheet.
3. Unripe fruits are harvested in autumn.

Culture transplant

Transplanting will allow the tree to grow stronger

Until the figs reach the age of three, they are transplanted once a year. This process is carried out before the beginning of the growing season, that is, in the last days of December.

Important! An adult culture is transplanted every two years.

A humus mixture is usually used as a soil. You can buy it in the store or prepare it yourself. The mixture includes sand, turf, leafy soil and humus. All components are added in equal amounts.

Flower pots can be used for the first few years. Their size must be increased with each subsequent transplant. The capacity is selected based on the desired dimensions of the plant. The size of a fig depends on the development of its root system. For home growing, containers with a volume of 6-8 liters are used, since they are placed on a standard windowsill.

The transplant takes place in the following sequence of actions:

1. Initially, a layer of sand or expanded clay 2 cm thick is poured into the pot.
2. Then the fourth part of the container is filled with manure.
3. After that, the soil mixture is poured.
4. Figs are placed in the central part of the pot and the roots are covered with soil.
5. It is necessary to ensure that they do not come into contact with the manure. A small layer of soil should separate the root system from the fertilizer.

The transplanted plant should be well watered. Voids form in the soil, as a result of which too much air appears around the roots. This negatively affects the development of culture. In the process of watering, the voids are filled with water, after it has been absorbed, the soil moves there. Every 14 days, the soil should be enriched with mineral nutrients.

Reproduction at home

Cutting is the best way to propagate figs

There are several ways to breed figs:

• seminal;
• vegetative;
• with the help of root growth.

The first method to propagate a crop is rarely used, since in this case the crop begins to bear fruit later than when using other options. Also, seed reproduction does not always ensure the preservation of the characteristics of the mother culture. The vegetative method, which is also called grafting, gives better results. Plus, it doesn't require much effort. So, the breeding process is performed in this order:

1. Before the growing season, before the growth of buds and the formation of leaves, cuttings up to 15 cm long are cut. Using a napkin, remove the juice in the cut area.
2. After the cuttings are placed in a cool dry place for 10 hours. The juice does not need to be removed. But then the planting material needs to be kept in a heteroauxin solution for a day - 1 tablet is used per liter of water.
3. River sand is poured into a container with a diameter of 9 to 15 cm and 3 cuttings are buried into it by 2 cm.
4. Then the planting material is watered with warm water, the temperature of which should not exceed 25 ° C, and covered with a regular jar.
5. After one month, roots will appear. To speed up the process, special conditions must be created for the cuttings - to maintain the soil temperature at 25 ° C.

It is not always possible to detect the formation of the root system in a timely manner.To facilitate this task, it is recommended to plant the cuttings in transparent containers - for example, in plastic cups. When the roots begin to form, they penetrate the walls. Once they are visible, the cuttings should be transplanted into potting soil. To make it, you will need sand, peat, turf and humus.

Important! The formation of the root system indicates the need to transplant the cuttings.

Consider another breeding method that is considered the easiest:

1. The fig branches are tilted to the ground and fixed in this position.
2. Then sprinkle with soil and watered regularly. After two months, these branches develop their own root system.
3. In the second year, new figs will begin to bear fruit. The shoots are separated with a shovel from the main tree and transplanted.

Possible problems and solutions

With proper care, figs will delight with an abundant tasty harvest.

Figs, with proper care, are rarely exposed to pests. But you need to pay attention to the formation of the crown. With the intensive development of culture, it grows at a rapid pace. Long shoots must be removed in a timely manner. This will strengthen the lower branches.

The root system of figs can suffer from a lack of air. Regular loosening of the soil will help to avoid this. With insufficient moisture, the culture loses its leaves, therefore, the soil should not be allowed to dry out.

Video: master class on planting culture in the garden

Figs can be called an unpretentious plant. It is able to grow successfully both in subtropical climates and in cold areas, since it is resistant to low temperatures. And also practically not susceptible to the harmful effects of pests. Caring for figs is easy. Creating optimal conditions for its cultivation will allow you to get a high-quality harvest.

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In the potting culture, the fig tree has been used since the 16th century. Home-grown figs produce tasty, healthy fruits that are not inferior in their valuable properties to garden and wild figs. The indoor fig tree is compact, unpretentious, grows well on the windowsill and bears a crop 2 times a year.

Reproduction is carried out by seeds or cuttings. It is recommended to purchase several seedlings, which are grown and then propagated by cuttings, or use ready-made cuttings. The seed propagation method of the fig tree is no less popular. However, when propagated by cuttings, the fruiting of the culture occurs faster.

Low-growing, self-pollinated varieties are used for growing domestic figs:

Shuisky	White Adriatic	Moison
Black Pearl	Seedling Oglobin	Gift to October
Dalmatika	Kadata