Learning how to grow figs at home is surprisingly easy. Fig trees grow well in the ground or in containers and are a brilliant way to get kids excited about the garden. There’s nothing quite like watching a child bite into a sun-warmed fig they’ve picked themselves. Best of all, you don’t need acres of space. A single tree, well-maintained and tucked into a garden bed or a large pot on the patio, can reward you with armfuls of fruit.
Why figs are a garden family favourite
- Fruit forms on new season growth, so even young trees can produce a crop.
- With annual pruning, they can be kept to a compact size, making them perfect for small yards, courtyards or pots.
- Kids can help with watering, mulching, netting and even tracking down potential pests.
- Ripe figs pull straight off the branch with ease, so little hands can harvest safely.
Choosing your fig variety
There are lots of different varieties to choose from. Here are some of the most popular:
- Brown Turkey – medium fruit, copper-brown skin, rosy-pink flesh.
- Black Genoa – prolific and popular, large fruit with purple skin and dark red flesh.
- White Adriatic – green-yellow skin, deep-pink flesh; best in warmer climates.
- White Genoa – yellow-green skin, pale-rose flesh; suited to cooler areas.
- Preston Prolific – purple-brown skin, white to amber flesh; excellent for jam-making.
How to grow figs in the garden or pots
- Choose a warm, sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil.
- Figs like neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Add lime if your soil is acidic.
- After planting, prune back to around 30 cm to encourage low branching and a bigger future harvest.
- When growing in pots, start with a 40 cm pot and size up as the tree grows.
- Avoid black pots, which can overheat in summer. Choose a lighter colour.
- For container growing, always use a premium potting mix such as Pot Perfection.
Caring for your fig tree
- Water deeply and regularly, especially through summer and while fruit is developing.
- Cover the soil with a 5–7 cm layer of Sugar Cane Mulch to conserve moisture and feed the soil. You can mulch the surface of potted figs too.
- Feed potted figs monthly with pelletised poultry manure from spring to autumn; feed in-ground trees once a year in early spring.
- Prune hard each winter while dormant. The best fruit will form on the new growth that develops in spring.
- Every 2–3 years, prune the roots of potted figs and repot into fresh mix.
Watch out for fig pests
When learning how to grow figs, keep an eye out for fig leaf beetles and their larvae, which can defoliate trees if left unchecked. Check trees regularly and squash any you find. This can be a satisfying job for some kids!
Hungry birds love figs too. Cover ripening fruit with bird-safe exclusion netting to protect your harvest.
Harvesting home-grown figs
Figs colour up quickly once ripening begins, so check your tree daily. They’re ready and at their best when they come away from the branch with barely a touch. When learning how to grow figs, it is important to remember that figs do not continue to ripen once picked, so leave them on the tree until they are ready to eat.
Figs don’t store well, so enjoy them fresh, share them with neighbours or preserve a glut in jams, syrups or freezer bags.
Once you know how to grow figs, a well-cared-for tree can provide delicious home-grown fruit without taking up a huge amount of garden space.
