It is really remarkable that after writing online stories for 25 years, I have a topic today that I’ve both never written about and something I know more about than almost anything else.
That thing is figs.
How did we get to this point? My uncle had a fig tree in his backyard, and we lived at his house 16 years ago. Coincidentally, my father-in-law also had fig trees, so when we bought a new house 14 years ago, we accepted a gift of a fig cutting and planted it in an auspicious backyard location.
Since that time, well, magic was born. We have a fully fruiting fig tree that just last year produced more than 1,600 amazing figs. We aren’t 100 percent sure what type of fig tree we have, but we believe it’s Brown Turkey. There are a lot of varieties, and fortunately ours is not one that needs a wasp to pollenate.
From my experience, a fig tree is relatively easy to maintain. Like most plants, they need water and sun. I trim branches in the fall and just after the last frost, specifically branches that are less than a 45 degree angle. I harvest the figs slowly, trying to wait until they are ready to fall off the tree and taste like candy (seriously). The biggest challenge is keeping the birds and squirrels from eating them. Considering how big the tree is now, we don’t mind sharing.
During the past six years, I’ve kept a spreadsheet of the number of figs we’ve harvested. They generally start ripening to perfection in early August and go all the way until early October. It’s important to not pick figs too early since experts say they do not ripen off the tree! However, I’ve learned that leaving them sit for a day or two, in a paper back and eventually in the fridge, can help them ripen slightly (although it’s difficult to get the candy taste unless they are picked off the tree at the last moment).
More recently, I have been making fig cuttings to share the power of figs with others. There are several ways to prepare a fig cutting, but I generally just keep them in a bucket of warm water (heated by our sunroom floor) near the window during the winter. I also sometimes use the paper towel method, which involves wetting the paper towel, wrapping the cutting in it and then sealing in a ziploc bag.
To grow a cutting into a tree, you really just need water, sun, proper drainage and avoid severe cold. During really cold days (below 20 degrees Fahrenheit), I would cover with a bucket or sheet, depending on the size of the cutting/tree at the time. It’s also possible to leave cuttings in a garage during the winter because they are dormant at that time.
While eating fresh figs is the best way to enjoy, we also partake in fig smoothies and homemade fig bars. We have recently realized that frozen figs are great when there’s an abundance. My in-laws also make fig preserves, which are great on a peanut butter sandwich.
While we do have a couple of larger cuttings that are 2-3 years old outside, it’s hard to find a place to plant in our tiny yard. I’m hoping that I can distribute more cuttings for others to enjoy. Baltimore weather seems to be really great for figs, and since I can keep the smaller cuttings inside and heated during the winter, they are ready to grow once they are outside. As the summers get warmer here, I anticipate more people having their own trees and eating the delicious fruit they produce.
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