Have you ever thought of growing a fig tree in this area? A friend of mine gave me a small fig tree a couple years ago, and I really did not know what to do with it. I did some research and planted it in a sheltered spot, watered it, and let nature take its course.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the first sign of flowers on the tree and then the fruit itself. I never tasted a fig right off the tree and I was not disappointed! It was wonderfully succulent and delicious.

You have to make sure you pick the ripened figs before the birds discover this treat because they absolutely love figs. They will feast off of it before you have a chance to pick all the ripe fruit.

Now here’s the catch. Fig trees are semi-tropical in origin. Very young trees can be damaged by frost and temperatures below 25 degrees. Just follow a few simple rules. When planting, prune the tree back to 24 to 30 inches. Mix in a handful of lime when you backfill and water well. Prune when plant is dormant. Fig trees are not heavy feeders, so a mulch of limestone chips will do.

Fig trees must have full sun. For winter protection in our zone trees are ideally planted near a south-facing wall. When the tree becomes dormant in the fall, it should be wrapped with some kind of insulation; i.e. carpet, pink fiberglass, or foam under-carpet. The plant should be fully covered. Whatever you use as insulation, cover it with a plastic sheet to keep the insulation dry. Do not let the plastic come in contact with the tree itself. You can also put your tree in a container and put it in your attached garage. The tree should be dormant and leafless if bringing it inside. Put it in a cold and dark location so it will not sprout leaves before spring.

The best variety of fig tree to go for is Ficus carica “Brown Turkey,” whose fruit ripens in late August. A reddish-brown skin, red flesh, and a sweet flavor distinguish this fig.

You can also try F. carica “Brunswick,” which ripens a few weeks earlier, and whose green-yellow skinned fruit have a sweet tasting pink flesh. F. carica “White Marseilles” ripens in early September with fruit that have a light-green skin and green flesh.

If you love figs and want to use them in recipes, it is worth the effort to have this fruit right off of the tree. Happy growing and good luck growing your own fig tree!

Linda Bergen is a member of the Butler County Master Gardeners.