North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[mark wessel <growyourown@earthlink.net>]

on 11/13/02 11:22 AM, Suzi Teghtmeyer at srt175f@smsu.edu wrote:

> Hi NAFEXers,
> Does anyone have any experience with growing figs as container plants? I'm
> in zone 6a in southern Missouri, and think of an indoor/outdoor arrangement.
> Also, what varieties would you recommend?  I was thinking of the Brown
> Turkey (Eastern).
> How about a source?  Any recommendations?
> 

    I have been growing several Italian Honey figs in pots for seven years
now with great success. They eventually ended up in giant pots. Not sure of
the gallons but they are at least two and half feet across. I store them
under the carport in near darkness. They set the first crop in feb, but alll
these usually drop unless I bring them into the greenhouse at that time.
They are tooo big for that space. Just for kicks I burried one in the
compost pile over winter. Came through great. Many roots on the stems.
Potted several of these up and they grew vigorously this year. I have also
taken to just planting the biggest in the landscape then digging them up
every year. Even with heavy pruning they get top heavy and blow over if in
potts. This year I layered several and these will most likely replace the
largest. The potted ones seem to be much more productive in there youth.

Mark  Z6