NATURE'S CANDY:

Figs are tough plants that will give you decades of fruit

September 13, 2019



PHOTO BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER CATHERINE KOENIG

Master Gardener Catherine Koenig's husband, Steven, is shown with their family heirloom Celeste Fig tree,or sugar fig as most in the area call it.  It was started in 1993 with a cutting from their aunt's tree.  That tree was started from another relative's tree in the late 1950s.  This family heirloom tree and its "mother" are still very productive and have proven themselves well-adapted to the area.

PHOTO BY CATHERINE KOENIG VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

This fig tree dropped its leaves and most of its fruit in late July in response to the failure to maintain consistent soil moisture for the shallow root system during the dry weather.  To help the tree recover, grasses were removed and a deep layer of wood and hay mulch was added along with supplemental watering.  As a  result, new leaves are sprouting as shown from the main trunks as well as suckers sprouting from the root system.

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER CATHERINE KOENIG

The cross section on the left is immature fruit showing the masses of tiny flowers within the hollow stem tissue.  The fruit develops without pollination and produces no seeds.  Shown on the right is the ripened fruit where the flowers have developed into rich, sweet pulp.

Figs are a classic southern treat that grow especially well in South Central Texas south of the line from Houston to San Antonio. The fruits are prized for their rich sweet taste and are high in natural sugars, minerals and soluble fiber.

Common fig domesticated more than 10,000 years ago

The common fig (Ficus carica) is believed to have been the first plant domesticated by humans more than 10,000 years ago in areas of the Middle East and western Asia. During the mid-18th century figs were brought from Spain to California and from there spread to regions of the southern United States with long growing seasons and mild winters.

• Persistent/common type most prevalent grown in Texas

The common fig has four distinct fruiting or horticultural types, one of which is the persistent or common type and is the most prevalent type grown in Texas. Unlike other fruits that develop from the pollinated female flower, the fig fruit is actually an enlarged, fleshy hollow of stem tissue enclosing masses of tiny flowers.

The fruit of the common type develops without pollination and produces no seeds. The gelatin-like center is actually the unfertilized flowers.

• Must be ripe before harvest

Figs must be ripe before harvesting because they will not continue to ripen once picked, and even with refrigeration will only last one to two days. To have access to fresh figs it is necessary to have a local source such as a farmers market, a generous friend or your own backyard.

Growing figs

• Sun, soil, site

Fig trees need a location that receives at least seven to eight hours of full sun and provides adequate drainage to prevent standing water. Early-morning sun is particularly important to dry dew on leaves and fruit to reduce the incidences of disease.

They can tolerate a wide range of soil types and pH levels from 5.5 to 8.0, but prefer loam with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.

Fig trees can get quite large. A mature, multi-trunked tree can reach a height of 15 to 20 feet and have an equal distance in its spread. Choose a location to accommodate its growth.

• Care and maintenance

Fig trees have shallow, fibrous root systems that need protection from water loss, winter temperature fluctuations and soil compaction.

• Need deep layered mulch; little fertilizer

Maintaining a deep layer of mulch will conserve moisture and improve soil structure and fertility, reduce weed competition and insulate the root systems from freezing conditions. Figs require very little fertilization but may benefit from a light application of compost in early spring.

• Plant when dormant – late winter to early spring

The best time to plant a new tree is in late winter or early spring when the plant is still dormant. It is recommended to plant it 2 to 3 inches deeper than it was grown and to cut back the dormant trunk by a third to compensate for root loss and promote lateral branching. Do not fertilize at the time of planting.

• Have frost and freeze sensitivity

Fig trees are frost and freeze sensitive, but it is less of a problem in our region than in other parts of the state. Mature trees that are fully dormant can endure temperatures as low as 10 degrees with little damage. Young plants will need extra freeze protection until they get firmly established.

Three popular varieties for our area

• Celeste is a classic Southern variety that is commonly referred to as the sugar fig. The fruit is small and has an excellent dessert quality with a rich, sweet flavor. Celeste generally has only one main crop beginning in mid- to late June.

• Alma is a high quality fig released by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in 1974. It produces a medium-sized fruit with an excellent rich, sweet flavor. Alma is very frost sensitive, especially as a young tree, but once established, it is more cold-hardy.

• Texas everbearing produces a medium- to large-sized fig with a mild, sweet flavor. It can bear two crops per year with the early crop ripening in May and the main crop ripening in late June into August. It is the most common variety in Central Texas.

Tough plants once established

Getting figs started is the hardest part of growing them.

• TLC needed for young plants

Until established, give young plants extra tender loving care, including consistent moisture and extra freeze protection.

• Pests and diseases

Various pests and diseases can affect fig trees. See information published with this column for types and solutions when available.

Decades of nature’s candy

Once established, figs are pretty tough plants that will give you decades of deliciously sweet fruit you can pick fresh from your backyard.