Growing Figs At Home

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Many people like to feast on the fruits of figs, but alas, it is impossible to grow figs in summer cottages in central Russia. Why not try growing this attractive and healthy culture at home? By the way, many Europeans have been practicing home cultivation of figs since the distant sixteenth century! And they practice quite successfully! So, it's time to learn valuable experience and also try to acquire at least a couple of fig bushes! With proper care, figs grown as a room culture can boast a fairly high decorative effect and the ability to delight with wonderful fruits twice a year

Growing features

In summer, figs growing in indoor conditions need abundant watering and systematic spraying - with a moisture deficit, a useful plant will gradually begin to shed its foliage. And from November to February, it is important to try to provide the figs with a full-fledged rest period by moving them to a rather cool, but at the same time, bright place, the thermometer in no way drops below fifteen degrees. As for dressing or additional lighting, figs do not need them at all at this time. If the handsome fig does not want to "fall asleep" in any way, it is necessary to reduce the watering so that the leaves begin to fall off the plant. And for infrequent watering, they use slightly cool water (its most optimal temperature in this case will be eighteen degrees). During this period, figs are watered in moderation, preventing the earthen coma from drying out.

And when the buds begin to swell on the plant, the number and frequency of watering are increased. Also, the figs are immediately transferred to a brighter place and periodically begin to feed him. With good care, the first time the figs should bloom in March, and please with fruits already in June, and the second harvest usually falls on the period from the beginning of August to the very end of September.

By the way, if desired, in the summer season, figs can be transplanted into the ground for a while, however, with the onset of autumn, the plant is again moved into pots and taken indoors.

It is quite simple to determine that the fruits are ripe: they will become soft, and nectar will begin to stand out from their eyes. As a rule, the final ripening of the fruit takes two to four weeks.

What to grow figs from?

In order to grow figs, you will need to either purchase its seedlings at specialized points, or prepare cuttings by asking a couple of twigs from familiar plant breeders, or buy high-quality seeds. It will be equally important to choose the right substrate with dishes. Ideally, the soil for the future cultivation of figs is prepared from the following well-calcined and thoroughly steamed components taken in equal proportions: wood ash, not too coarse river sand, as well as peat with turf and leaf humus. And on the very bottom of the bowl it will not hurt to carefully lay the processed expanded clay, sprinkling a small layer of sand on top of it. As for the regulation of moisture on the surface of the substrate, sphagnum moss can be used for these purposes.

The container in which the figs will be grown should initially be small, but every five years, when replanting plants, you will need to take a larger container. In this case, it is also important to take into account the fact that as long as the roots of the figs feel very at ease, the flowering of the plant will be delayed. On average, up to eight liters of substrate should be planned for one adult tree.

The easiest way to grow figs is from cuttings. Each stalk should be equipped with three to four buds, while the lower cut is made about two centimeters below the eyes, and the upper one is one centimeter higher. Also, in the rooted areas, the bark should be scratched with small longitudinal stripes up to the cambium itself - this approach will significantly speed up the process of root formation. Then, after pouring the substrate mixed with sphagnum into a glass and thoroughly moistening it, the cuttings are immediately immersed in it (up to the second buds). It is quite acceptable to carry out preliminary processing of cuttings with Heteroauxin or Kornevin.

In order for the roots to begin to form as quickly as possible, the glasses with cuttings are covered with “caps” made from plastic bottles on top, after which the finished structures are installed in diffused light using additional lighting for up to twelve o'clock. And as soon as the first leaves appear (this usually happens after about two to three weeks), they immediately begin to airing in order to give the leaves the opportunity to get used to the apartment air. Also, from time to time, plants are sprayed with well-settled warm water. And only after the figs are completely accustomed to the air in the room, they are transferred into pots filled with substrate. And a couple of weeks after that, the plant should be fed with fertilizer specially designed for indoor plants or high-quality nitrogen fertilizers. As for growing figs from seeds, this process looks about the same, with the only difference that the seeds are buried in the soil by two to three centimeters.

Throughout the growing season, figs must be fed with high-quality mineral fertilizers and organic matter, alternating the compositions every two weeks. Fig reacts very positively to feeding with mullein or thoroughly fermented herbal infusion prepared from biting midge in combination with dandelion and nettle. Also, once a season, he is fed with a complex composition enriched with various microelements, and they also give him iron vitriol once. This plant will not refuse good potassium-phosphorus dressings, so you can safely give them too!

Have you tried growing figs at home?