I live in Gainesville, but I am sorry, I don't know anything about figs.
Citrus does okay here, but beyond that fruit trees are a mystery to me!

We have a fig tree in back of our house that goes nuts! I've no clue as to what type they are, but they do just fine here and we're just south of you. Much luck to you!

figs should do fabulously there. they need very little in the way of chill hours. nematodes are always a problem where the soil is sandy and the winters mild, but containers are always an option. here in deland, about 2 hrs south of you, i know of several massive (climbing-size) brown turkeys. my alma, in the ground, is only 2years old, but right now it's lined with figs.

I'm glad the subject of figs came up. I have a little (12") Kadota fig I got at a plant swap that seems to be doing well in a small pot. It needs repotting - I'm disinclined to put anything in the ground these days - could I keep it permanently potted? cora

researching the fig is on my list of to does. I planted one 2 years ago have not had much production. Right now there is not much happening. It's in the shade under my loquate tree. Should it be in the full sun? It does get some light. What about fertilizer? I am finally giving a lot of attention to the garden.

thanks
Odalys

The Gainesville area has a lot of heavy soil compared to points southward, so the nematodes are much less of a problem. My grandfather had a couple of massive fig trees against the stone wall of the house. Grapefruits also thrive against the house, fyi.

wish I had some of that heavier soil on my property, I have 5 acres of pure sand here off Millhopper Road in Gainesville, LOL

madbloomer -- if it's still a manageable size, i'd move it out of shade. they do best in brutally hot, full sun. one of the large trees i know is planted in the swale (between sidewalk and road) with south-west exposure, full sun. the fig loves it there. figs are tough -- you can probably lift it out of its current location with a little leverage on the end of a shovel. baby it for a while.

oh, about fertilizer -- balanced, tho the woman who owns the fig i mentioned above never fertilizes and still gets a bounty every august. enough that she shares a grocery bag or two with me.

I don't know where that is, Bihai. My grandad's place is about ten miles due west of downtown, or a couple miles past I75. Very heavy clayey soil, even has rocks in it if I remember correctly.

The panhandle has a lot of clay, and so does Sumter county.....

I live in north DeLand and have a very old fig - brown turkey I am guessing . It grew very slowly but really perked up dramatically one year when I put a heavy application of oak ashes around it . The fig took off after that .
I get two crops a year - one in July and a smaller one in October . It is in poor soil and full blazing sun . It is also in my citrus grove so it gets citrus fertilizer when I think about it .
It is a wonderful carefree plant . I used to trim it before I knew better and now I do almost nothing . This time of year is great since the fig leaves are returning and are a pretty green .
Plant the figs in Gainesville in the ground . Ask your younguns to water it regularly until the summer monsoon sets in and off you go !

I planted some figs last year. Five different varieties. One died,the other four were flourishing until these summer rains came. Now there is some kind of rust or fungus and the leaves are curling up and drying. I saw Texas Horticulture extension agency recommended some kind of neutral copper spray. Anyone know what a good one is that I can find at Lowes or Home Depot?

Hi, I have been growing fig trees for years. Mine are now getting the rust fungus too but this is something that happens to figs every year. I never spray because it is like fighting a loosing battle. Plus I still have a few fruits left on the trees so I don't want them to get sprayed. If you feel that you must spray with something, copper is the only safe thing to use. The label should say "copper". You would have to go to a nursery or buy it online. Really, it's an unnecessary step. A word of caution about copper---it stains concrete so watch the overspray.

This picture was taken last year. It is a Brown turkey that I've had for several years. It was a gift and the tree was big already. Nematodes killed a small and medium size. This tree has really grown lately. Everyday for the past weeks We
have been harvesting a basket of figs. My wife has made syrup and marmalade for ice cream and pancakes. My property is south of Ocala. Established trees fair much better than young ones.
Felix

Where can I get a good sized Brown Turkey fig tree in the Gainsville- Ocala area, would also listen to other suggestions of more suitable figs for this area. Thanks.

I bought two here a couple of months ago: http://www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com/Homepage.html
They are in Archer near Gainesville. They are planted and have lots of small figs on them.