With clay soil you may not need to water much. We have very rocky (huge boulders) decomposed granite soil which drains well. Figs don't like wet feet. We have many varieties of fruit trees mixed in with at least 30 varieties of figs. Violette de Bordeaux doesn't like too much heat, and we have 2 in ground. Too hot here for it, but it would do well for you as would Chicago Hardy and Desert King. Some varieties like Kadota do the best in dry heat. Check into Rhonde de Bordeaux. People seem to do well with it in cooler climates.

Plant the figs on the south side of your boulders so they can get their roots under them and the boulder will absorb and reflect heat during cooler times.

Does it snow or freeze in your zone? Figs will need protection from freezes.

Someone in a zone possibly similar posted their records of certain varieties in the Figs4Fun Forum. They are in zone 7a. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/an-initial-estimation-of-201415-winter-damage-in-zone-7a-7336657?pid=1286546302#post1286546302

Hi Suzi,

Thanks for the reply. I'm in zone 9a - I don't think I have to worry about the cold. Maybe you were looking at my Sunset zone?

Anyway, it seems like there was a run on figs at the nursery so I ended up with Black Mission and Ischia. Now to figure out where to plant them!

~emmers

Fig trees do not have aggressive roots like an oak tree. They are often planted very near houses here in the northeast. You should probably avoid planting near your sewer lines though because the roots will find any leaks and clog them.

Black Mission is apparently a large tree and I am not sure about Ischia. You can plant them out in a row with other trees, or by your house. Someplace with full sun, they are not picky about soil and could probably be happy in a marginal site.

Wow! I have to disagree here. Read this article http://www.botanical-journeys-plant-guides.com/brown-turkey-fig.html, and note this paragraph:

"You just don't want this fig tree growing too close to your house. Ficus carica 'Brown Turkey' can grow to 30 feet. Its root system is extremely invasive. If planted too near the foundation of your home it can and will
crack the concrete. I don't even want to think of the damage the
branch-sized roots of a mature brown turkey could do to the pipes in a
septic drainage field.Even if you have this fig tree growing in a large lawn, the roots will tend to grow on top of the ground"
That article was about the Brown Turkey, but a Black Mission will behave the same way.

Many parts of California are ideal for growing figs and they thrive here. The previous poster is in the North East where many people have basements, so a fig root won't invade air, but California homes are mostly built on slabs which will crack and are $$ expensive to fix.

I also have a Black Mission and it is planted on the slope near a boulder. Figs love to get their feet under the damp soil found under the boulders (and slabs), and you and I both have those. I know you are on a slope. Is your view important? Ours is. It's beautiful and consists of city lights and miles of pastoral orchards. Think of the height of your tree if the view is important, But you can prune your tree to any height you want. Much easier to harvest a lower tree for sure!

Good luck to you! Enjoy California!
Suzi

Southerners plant next to their houses so the roots can travel under their slabs, no nematodes and keeps the roots cool. The species of figs that have aggressive roots are tropical; banyans, stranglers etc.

The article does not give a specific reason that a fig tree could crack a slab, neither do you Suzi.

The biggest risk I could find (from reputable sources -home inspection/tree experts etc.) is that the roots can dry soil under the slab and cause it to settle in some areas, leading to a crack. That issue is not specific to fig trees, large shade trees can spread roots farther than their height. Drought conditions can apparently cause it to happen faster.

Houses with basements can have damage caused by the soil outside drying, shrinking and pulling back from the foundation; leading to outward cracking.

At any rate, unless it is for winter protection there is no reason to plant a fig tree right next to a house. 10 ft + will make it easier to prune and pick fruit.

Hello emmers!!! You may very well be long gone by now; I see your last post was from two years ago. I happened upon your avocado post from 2014 and I may as well have been reading my own query! My husband and I are looking to relocate from dreary Pennsylvania to California and one of my primary considerations is whether or not I can grow avocados in Sacramento! I too am a gardener and would like nothing more than a bit of earth in a climate that has a 240 day growing season! Avocados are not the end-all be-all, of course, but we would've loved to have been able to put our two volunteer avocado plants (now languishing in our cold garden window) into some native California soil. My questions for you are: first, why did you ultimately choose Sacramento? And second, how are you adjusting to the differences in climate (new pests/water table/plants that won't grow/etc)?

Much of coastal California is a possibility for us, as my husband is in the biotech industry, but I am partial to the heat and I'm looking inland for warmer temps. I hope you are still around for guidance because it would seem that you are several steps ahead of me in the same journey! Thanks in advance for any info you can share and congratulations for making your dream a reality! :)