It sounds wrong to me. Why would it attract roaches unless them mean a type of wood bug. I would think if you kept the figs picked up off the ground there wouldn't be any issues with any critters.

no, I think they mean regular cockroaches. I can see where if you leave fruit on the ground, that would attract pests, but my friends are like, they'll swarm on the tree.

ick.

I just don't see how it would happen. Do they really like figs or is it the tree itself that has the appeal for the roaches? Seems unlikely to me but I am not a fig expert.

there is a fig forum here, but I hate posting in all the disparate forums that have no traffic

I'm sure someone here will have the answer for you. I would just plant the fig and not worry about it.

hey, yeah -- that could be. I am reassured.

Violet.west, did you get your fig tree planted yet?

not yet. Hoping to this weekend or the next.

I have never seen them in a tree, but it would not surprise me that an occasional one might adventure there.

But I fondly remember outside observing around my yard and the adjacent neighbor's on a beautiful summer night with a full moon. The moon shimmering on the ground through the fig tree . . . wait the moon is in the wrong position. Man what is going on? Grabbed a light, shined it under my neighbor's shimmering ground under the fig tree and watch probably somewhere around 100,000 roaches of all descriptions gorging on fermenting figs on the ground and likely throwing an orgy underneath.

It's their yard too. Long as they stay out of my home they can turn the soil to their heart's content---better than me having to do it.

I will say if my neighbor raked under his tree there would be way fewer roaches/other bugs out there.

This post was edited by Fascist_Nation on Wed, Sep 25, 13 at 19:06

Look around for a fig tree already growing in your area (a proven winner) and preferably one you like. Lucky for you figs are grown off of cuttings (not grafted) so getting the appropriate wood in late Jan. early Feb when winter/dormant pruning is done and growing them out in the spring is easily done.

As for hardiness as far as I know all figs should do well in zone 8a.

All of the above is pretty much true for pomegranates as well. Growing Pomegranates in Southern Nevada, http://www.agmrc.org/media/cms/fs0476_DF280E5E65077.pdf

Good summer shade on that wall and they drop their leaves in the winter to let the warming sunlight through.

If the sour fruit beetle or other names is around that crawls into the eye of the fig for a safe sleep is in your area stick with either small/closed eye or honey/rosin figs to keep them out. Bacteria on them contaminates and rots the larger eyed figs.

Most of the ones you buy in this area are from DWN or LECooke:
http://www.lecooke.com/cms/fruit-trees/fig-trees.html
http://www.lecooke.com/cms/fruit-trees/pomegranate-trees.html

http://davewilson.com/product-information/product/figs
http://davewilson.com/product-information/product/pomegranates

If you buy potted figs they will either be in sleeves (a 4" sponge like material that is planted whole with the roots growing through (this protects supposedly tender roots from drying out) or in a pot with this material in some state of decomposition.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fig Production Guide (Alabama) propagation

This post was edited by Fascist_Nation on Wed, Sep 25, 13 at 20:20