Fig tree

[didireallysaythat]

The local nursery had 20% off everything and it would have been rude not to.... So DH got a father's day present - two in fact. A wisteria (which will have to stay in a pot for a while but I've potted it up into a larger one and kasged it to the house) and a fig tree. OK. So perhaps they were more like presents for me but there's nothing wrong with that is there ?

Any tips for fig trees in containers (brown Turkey, in tree form about 5 foot, potted into a new slightly larger pot in John innes 3) ? Do they really need to be moved indoors over winter ? We are in the east, south south west facing garden so sunny but the wind can be cold.

I have never brought my fig indoors. I just put it in a sheltered spot near the house where it's not going to get soaking wet in the autumn. And I am in the north at the top of a hill where we regularly get -8 or -10 at night in the winter. However, I grow it for the leaves and not the fruit at the moment. I think if you wanted it to crop, then you would need a really sunny spot against a south-facing house wall, and a good summer.

Nice father's day strategy on the plants - I like your style!!

I have two fig trees in my garden. They are planted into the ground. They have grown massive. They are in a very very sunny sheltered spit in a south facing garden in London and thrive. They produced massed of fruit this year and then the bloody squirrels stripped every last figs off the trees

Mine's in the ground up against a south west facing wall, and is currently loaded with figs that I am looking forward to eating this year (got quite a few last year too). It's in rubbish soil but that's been the only attempt to contain the roots. Gets no protection other than being in a sheltered position.

Brilliant - thank you all. Ultimately the pot can go against the south wall of the house but not until the extension is finished. I am a little worried about the easterly winds (so windy - the wind comes from Russia I think) but I like the leaves and the fruit would just be a bonus. The wisteria was probably the real father's day present....

I find it best to get the tress into the car (ignoring the looks from everyone else in the car park - a 10 foot tree can fit in a fiesta it just takes creative packing) and ask for forgiveness rather than permission....

Apparently figs like constricted roots. Proverbially they should be planted in a Gladstone bag. I have one in my wardrobe - no reasonable offer refused.

The same is said about agapanthus, which, like figs, grow prolifically in Au, and not in containers; straight into the ground. In the UK, I tried to grow both in containers, to no avail.

I'm not sure what a Gladstone bag is - I'm curious...

I killed our agapanthus. Just by looking at it. I think it got cold...