How to Plant & Care for Dwarf Fig Trees

Overview

Figs are a sweet addition to your home garden. The fruit can be eaten fresh or dried, or used in baking and preserves. Dwarf fig trees begin to bear fruit at 2 to 3 years old but may take a few years to reach full production. With regular pruning, you can keep your dwarf fig at a manageable 6 fete tall, and dwarf figs are adaptable to container culture.

Step 1

Dig a hole deeper and wider than the root system. Add planting mix if the soil is very heavy and dense.

Step 2

Remove any broken or dried roots and place your dwarf fig tree upright 2 to 4 inches deeper than it was planted in the nursery. Try to keep the root ball intact to keep root damage and stress to a minimum.

Step 3

Crumble soil around the tree's roots, packing soil down as you go to avoid air pockets. Water to encourage the soil to settle around the roots.

Step 4

Prune branch tips to develop lateral branches and reduce stress if the tree has not been pruned before transplanting.

Step 5

Keep a careful eye on water management. Fig roots often grow close to the soil surface and may easily dry out. Afternoon leaf-wilting is a sign that your fig tree needs more frequent watering, particularly in warm weather.

Step 6

Mulch around the base of your fig trees to help retain soil moisture and discourage weeds.

Step 7

Prune your dwarf fig tree annually during its first three growing seasons to train it to the shape you want.

Step 8

Prune only to stimulate new growth or keep your tree at the proper size after the first three seasons. Figs can develop fruit on the previous year's growth, so remember that heavy pruning will cause your tree to produce lighter crops the next year.

Step 9

Perform any necessary pruning after you've harvested the main crop in early autumn.

Step 10

Remove all dead or weak limbs during the dormant season.

Step 11

Fertilize figs grown in containers three or four times a year with a fruit tree fertilizer; figs grown in the ground do not usually need regular fertilizing and too much nitrogen can cause poor fruit quality.

Step 12

Cut back watering in the fall to slow your tree's growth and encourage dormancy to minimize the chance of damage from the cold.

Step 13

Mulch over the base of your tree to protect the crown from killing frosts if you live in an area where the temperatures will consistently drop into the teens.

Step 14

Cover young trees with polyester frost blankets to protect them from a killing frost.

Step 15

Prune any frost-damaged branches only after the last frost in spring and do not remove frozen branches until the tree has had a chance to grow.

Step 16

Allow figs to ripen on the tree, but pick them as they ripen because fruit left on the tree may spoil or attract insect pests.