fig tree in a pot

18 years ago

Hi, I just went to Surry Gardens in Surry Maine. I saw a fig tree in a pot. It is a kind that I dont think of as pot culture. Could it be grown in a container year round? Of course, outside during warmer months, inside by a window under shop lights with grow tubes in winter. (maintenance is all it would be)

I think it was a brown 'turkey' fig. Not sure. Looked at the tag and noted that the grow zone was 8 to 10 (that's why I'm asking) Asked the folk who worjed there & they told me it had been in same pot for 5 or 6 years. It is about my height right now (5 feet or so) and I believe in a 10" pot.

Would it grow in a container, if I upped the size yearly? Or should I just flush the price of it down the toilet? And also, why would I do this? Would it bear fruit?

If this is a stupid question, then get used to it! :0)

Sherry

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Comments (5)

yellowthumb
18 years ago
You sure can grow a fig year in container round, I have mind for three years now, outside in summer and in cold and dark garage in winter, it loves it. The truck grew from half inch to two inches in two years, got over 150 figs this year. You do have to pot it up every year, it grows massive roots, I am using Al's mix (Al, thanks again) plus some aged manure. I don't think you need zone 8 to grow it, in Toronto, which is barely zone 6, some people keep fig tree in their back yard, of course, they use heavy protection in winter.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
18 years ago
It will grow and fruit in a container if you are able to provide suitable cultural conditions, but simply increasing the pot size yearly will lead to noticeable decline in just a few more years - particularly since it's been in the same pot for 5-6 years already. Regular repotting, which should include root pruning, is much preferred to simply potting up. Keeping it inside by a window during the winter will likely provide you with a good measure of disappointment - it prefers a cold rest with temperatures below 45* but higher than 20*, so an unheated garage should be a good choice to over-winter.

How about including your USDA zone with your user info? - you'll get better and more specific advice. ;o)

Al
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sherryinmaine
Original Author
18 years ago
thank you yellow thumb and Al, my zone is either 4 or 5, I live 25 mi south of Bangor, 18 miles west (I think) from Ellsworth, one hour north from Bar Harbor. I dont know my zone; each chart I look at says something different.
Perhaps if I put it in garage I think I'd have to 'rig' up some kind of something to keep it above 20 degrees. I'll see if I can find it; lived here only a few winters. Last winter had quite a few days below zero; even with sun it got to 10. Winter prior to last, was unusually warm. I'll look up my zone.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
18 years ago
If you set the plant on the garage floor, and cover it with an overturned cardboard box whenever you feel temps will be cold in the extreme, it will protect the plant TO the extreme. BTW - the plant needs no light while dormant or quiescent.

Al
yellowthumb
18 years ago
Al is right on the repot, you do have to root prune the fig tree every two or three years. I finally bite the bullet this spring to root prune my beloved pomegranate tree this year (it has been going downhill since last year) based on Al's advice, you should see the results, I got so many strong shoots and flowers. The tree was simply reborn.