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Any advice for growing a fig tree in Seattle?

I absolutely love figs and would like to have my own tree. I live in an apt in Seattle but have a large southern facing patio. Would it be possible to grow in a large pot? Any advice would be great.

quartney asked in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report

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  • Card_small
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    I have a fig tree in a large pot next to my patio in my backyard. It doesn't exactly produce huge amounts of fruit (or huge fruit), but it bears a few fruit per year, and I don't try very hard (I got it from a friend who had to move).

    If you like figs, I'd try it, use the largest pot possible, and use fertilizer at least once a year.

    My only big piece of advice is to settle on a pot and a place and then don't move it. Figs (and ficus in general) do not like to be disturbed. Every time I move any of my ficus more than a foot or two, they drop all their leaves. They recover, but that's not a recipe for getting a good crop of fruit.

    Greg Barnes answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
    3 comments by Basil, Greg Barnes, and quartney…
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    A huge pot would work. They like it wet but need drainage-this could be a problem if you ignore the pot and its water needs, but not if you're good with this type of gardening.

    For the best fruit: Fertilize annually (With a lower N fertilizer), and let the fruit ripen on the tree until it looks like it's going to fall off. Wrap each fig with paper or mesh to keep the squirrels, rats and birds off.

    Fun late-summer recipe: Split figs in half lengthwise, grill on a charcoal fire until cooked through, let cool a bit and stuff with soft blue cheese.

    Figs grow well in the Puget Sound area and are probably the easiest fruit tree to prune- you can really hack it up bad and they come right back.

    Adam Michelson answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
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    Make sure you get a fig tree that is self-fertilizing. Some require a specific type of wasp to polinate them. I think the variety you want is a 'Brown Turkey', but double check with your garden center first.

    Schweighsr answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
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  • 41768_1239950453_2629_n_small
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    Be happy you are not on the north side. Got to the Downtown library and read up on which of the 850 types of fig trees grows in a vaguely similar climate to Seattle. Then read up on climate control. You will need to control the humidity and temperature. Of course water according to research. It is possible yet expensive. You might want to try and meet a botanist. Good Luck

    elocy, answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
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    I had some neighbors growing up who put paper bags on one of their trees every year. We thought it was a tradition of some sort (they were Chinese, if I recall). Then, five years later they brought over some figs. Turns out, they put bags on the ripening figs so that the crows would not eat them.

    So, I guess my second-hand tip is to cover the figs with paper bags if you don't want crows to eat them.

    Bion Satir answered in Trees & Shrubs about 1 year ago | Report
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