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Growing Figs in Cold Climates: A Complete Guide
From Minnesota to Moscow -- how to grow fresh figs in cold climates
Growing Figs in Cold Climates is a complete, full-color, illustrated guide to organic methods for growing delicious figs in cold climates, well outside the traditional hot, arid home of this ancient fruiting tree. Coverage includes:
Five methods for growing figs in cold climates including overwintering
Cultivar selection for cool and cold climates
Pruning techniques for a variety of methods of growing figs in cold climates
Pest problems and solutions
Harvesting, including ways to speed ripening, identify ripe fruit, and manage an overabundance
Small-scale commercial fig production in cold climates.
Fresh figs are juicy, full-bodied, and filled with a honey-sweet flavor, and because truly ripe figs are highly perishable, they are only available to those who grow their own.
By choosing the right cultivars and techniques, figs can be grown across cool and cold growing zones of North America, Europe, and beyond, putting them within reach of almost every gardener. Easy and delicious -- if you can grow a houseplant, you can grow a fig.
Growing Figs in Cold Climates is a complete, full-color, illustrated guide to organic methods for growing delicious figs in cold climates, well outside the traditional hot, arid home of this ancient fruiting tree. Coverage includes:
Five methods for growing figs in cold climates including overwintering
Cultivar selection for cool and cold climates
Pruning techniques for a variety of methods of growing figs in cold climates
Pest problems and solutions
Harvesting, including ways to speed ripening, identify ripe fruit, and manage an overabundance
Small-scale commercial fig production in cold climates.
Fresh figs are juicy, full-bodied, and filled with a honey-sweet flavor, and because truly ripe figs are highly perishable, they are only available to those who grow their own.
By choosing the right cultivars and techniques, figs can be grown across cool and cold growing zones of North America, Europe, and beyond, putting them within reach of almost every gardener. Easy and delicious -- if you can grow a houseplant, you can grow a fig.
- GenresGardeningNonfiction
128 pages, ebook
Published October 5, 2021
19 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Lee Reich
23 books23 followersLee Reich, PhD is an avid farmdener (more than a gardener, less than a farmer) with graduate degrees in soil science and horticulture. After working in plant and soil research with the USDA and Cornell University, he shifted gears and turned to writing, lecturing, and consulting.
He writes regularly for a number of gardening magazines and his syndicated gardening column for Associated Press appears biweekly from coast to coast.
His farmden has been featured in such publications as the New York Times and Martha Stewart Living, has won awards from National Gardening and Organic Gardening magazines, and has been included in “Open Days” tours of the Garden Conservancy.
He writes regularly for a number of gardening magazines and his syndicated gardening column for Associated Press appears biweekly from coast to coast.
His farmden has been featured in such publications as the New York Times and Martha Stewart Living, has won awards from National Gardening and Organic Gardening magazines, and has been included in “Open Days” tours of the Garden Conservancy.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 4, 2021
A comprehensive guide to growing fig trees for many kinds of gardeners
I live in Maryland and have a fig tree grown from a cutting from my dad’s fig tree that he grew from a cutting from his mother’s fig tree that she grew from a cutting that she brought with her when she immigrated from Sicily. Naturally I REALLY want to continue the DiCarlo fig line and grow a few more trees, but Maryland is not Sicily, even after global warming, so I was delighted to see this book.
I was more than halfway through the book before I discovered that Maryland is not a “cold climate” by the author’s definition, since we are in Cold Hardiness zones 7-8 (The book tells you how to find your zone.). If I had realized that from the outset I might not have read the book, and it would have been my loss, because I found everything I needed to propagate more fig trees, even in an area a bit warmer than upstate New York.
Although it is short, Growing Figs in Cold Climates covers just about every topic a hopeful fig grower might want, such as preparing the soil, overwintering, pruning, using cuttings, and harvesting the fruit. It describes five different methods: 1. Grow in a container, 2. Plant in spring, dig up each fall, 3. “Swaddle” stems, 4. Lay down or bury stems, and 5. Grow in ground in a protected environment like a greenhouse. There is also related useful advice, like how to hasten ripening, or how to use leaf shape to identify what variety of fig you have.
Some of the methods are daunting for the ordinary homeowner, like storing the fig plant over the winter in a refrigerator or making your own potting soil, but there are also approaches that even novices like me can understand and use.
The focus of this book is, quite properly, to provide information. However, that information is supplemented by lovely photos and an occasional bit of related trivia, like how figs helped Leonardo da Vinci with his painting or the author’s favorite way to eat fresh figs, which I am eager to try! It was an enjoyable read overall.
In sum, Growing Figs in a Cold Climate is informative, short, attractive, and even entertaining. I think it will have what you need to grow your own figs, even if, like me, you are not in a cold climate.
I received an advance review copy of this from Edelweiss and the publisher.
I live in Maryland and have a fig tree grown from a cutting from my dad’s fig tree that he grew from a cutting from his mother’s fig tree that she grew from a cutting that she brought with her when she immigrated from Sicily. Naturally I REALLY want to continue the DiCarlo fig line and grow a few more trees, but Maryland is not Sicily, even after global warming, so I was delighted to see this book.
I was more than halfway through the book before I discovered that Maryland is not a “cold climate” by the author’s definition, since we are in Cold Hardiness zones 7-8 (The book tells you how to find your zone.). If I had realized that from the outset I might not have read the book, and it would have been my loss, because I found everything I needed to propagate more fig trees, even in an area a bit warmer than upstate New York.
Although it is short, Growing Figs in Cold Climates covers just about every topic a hopeful fig grower might want, such as preparing the soil, overwintering, pruning, using cuttings, and harvesting the fruit. It describes five different methods: 1. Grow in a container, 2. Plant in spring, dig up each fall, 3. “Swaddle” stems, 4. Lay down or bury stems, and 5. Grow in ground in a protected environment like a greenhouse. There is also related useful advice, like how to hasten ripening, or how to use leaf shape to identify what variety of fig you have.
Some of the methods are daunting for the ordinary homeowner, like storing the fig plant over the winter in a refrigerator or making your own potting soil, but there are also approaches that even novices like me can understand and use.
The focus of this book is, quite properly, to provide information. However, that information is supplemented by lovely photos and an occasional bit of related trivia, like how figs helped Leonardo da Vinci with his painting or the author’s favorite way to eat fresh figs, which I am eager to try! It was an enjoyable read overall.
In sum, Growing Figs in a Cold Climate is informative, short, attractive, and even entertaining. I think it will have what you need to grow your own figs, even if, like me, you are not in a cold climate.
I received an advance review copy of this from Edelweiss and the publisher.
October 23, 2021
I've been raising figs for many years in zone 6b, characterized by cold winters and long warm summers, so I'm always on the lookout for good tips on maximizing harvest. This book, while mostly aimed at new fig growers, has interesting and potentially valuable advice on winter protection strategies, as well as covering most of the basics like different types of figs, pruning and coping with occasional pests. There are useful photos and illustrations accompanying the text.
Missing are directions on how to propagate figs from cuttings, a popular way of acquiring new fig varieties cheaply and expanding your collection.
Fig enthusiasts would likely disagree with Reich on some key points, particularly his advice to avoid at all costs plants containing FMV (fig mosaic virus). Reich seems unaware that the great majority of plants and cuttings sold and traded, at least in the U.S., are infected with FMV which is often dormant and impossible to detect. Furthermore, FMV typically doesn't have a significant effect on growth and fig production, so worrying about it is unnecessary. Certainly, you don't want to automatically discard any figs showing foliar mottling characteristic of FMV, as Reich advises.
Reich discourages preserving figs by drying, due to his one less-than-optimal experience with a single variety. But lots of fig growers enjoy tasty figs well into the winter using home dehydrators and other techniques.
Overall this is a worthwhile book, especially if you're just getting into growing figs. In addition, I suggest looking for a Facebook or other online group that has experience in your region (figgers tend to be very helpful to newcomers) and taking advantage of articles from growers and gardening sites as well.
Missing are directions on how to propagate figs from cuttings, a popular way of acquiring new fig varieties cheaply and expanding your collection.
Fig enthusiasts would likely disagree with Reich on some key points, particularly his advice to avoid at all costs plants containing FMV (fig mosaic virus). Reich seems unaware that the great majority of plants and cuttings sold and traded, at least in the U.S., are infected with FMV which is often dormant and impossible to detect. Furthermore, FMV typically doesn't have a significant effect on growth and fig production, so worrying about it is unnecessary. Certainly, you don't want to automatically discard any figs showing foliar mottling characteristic of FMV, as Reich advises.
Reich discourages preserving figs by drying, due to his one less-than-optimal experience with a single variety. But lots of fig growers enjoy tasty figs well into the winter using home dehydrators and other techniques.
Overall this is a worthwhile book, especially if you're just getting into growing figs. In addition, I suggest looking for a Facebook or other online group that has experience in your region (figgers tend to be very helpful to newcomers) and taking advantage of articles from growers and gardening sites as well.
August 17, 2022
-i'm unsure how to rate this. i think its a good book for people zone 5 or warmer, or people interested in a lot of extra work. but for where i live, this book made me decide that growing figs isn't for me.
-the book offers 5 methods of planting/growing figs, including potted, greenhouse, and outdoor in-ground.
-it also has lots of nice pictures, including those detailing how to prune for breba (early) crops and how to prune for main crops, or both.
-the book explains that yes, the fig tree will survive winters, but it will die off to the ground each winter and take too long to regrow each spring, so by the time the figs show up, they won't have enough time to ripen before it gets cold again.
-suggests adding soybean meal to potting mix, which is something i haven't heard of and want to google. suggests varieties and details a couple pests.
-says the potted trees need root pruning every year or every other year, and refreshing with new potting soil. and that after a few years the trunk gets too wide to repot and you need to take a cutting and start from the beginning. plus extra care and watering during our hot hot summers. that seems like a lot of work.
-the book offers the possibility of putting it in the ground, and then tying it up and tipping it over and digging a trench and burying it each winter. but doesn't recommend that if you have small critters who would chew on it. and i have bunnies and lots of darn voles. plus that is a lot of digging each fall and spring. it also suggests a low espaliered fig tree that you could set up an insulated tarp in fall. but again, too many hungry critters make that less than ideal in my case.
-after reading it - i'm not convinced i can keep a fig tree alive through minnesota's harsh winters and short summers. or more to the point, i'm not willing to do whats necessary. my greenhouse is not insulated nor heated over winter, so the tree would freeze solid. my basement is finished and fully heated so that's out for winter storage as well. i do have an attached garage, but from what the book says i'd have to be hauling a big heavy tree pot in and out and in and out of the garage in spring to carefully harden it off each year, and not allow it to freeze when temps dip back down, as they *frequently* do in our wildly varying springs. our last frost date here isn't until may 30. my garage is a step up from the backyard/patio, and i'd have to haul a heavy awkward pot up and down with each in and out.
-the book offers 5 methods of planting/growing figs, including potted, greenhouse, and outdoor in-ground.
-it also has lots of nice pictures, including those detailing how to prune for breba (early) crops and how to prune for main crops, or both.
-the book explains that yes, the fig tree will survive winters, but it will die off to the ground each winter and take too long to regrow each spring, so by the time the figs show up, they won't have enough time to ripen before it gets cold again.
-suggests adding soybean meal to potting mix, which is something i haven't heard of and want to google. suggests varieties and details a couple pests.
-says the potted trees need root pruning every year or every other year, and refreshing with new potting soil. and that after a few years the trunk gets too wide to repot and you need to take a cutting and start from the beginning. plus extra care and watering during our hot hot summers. that seems like a lot of work.
-the book offers the possibility of putting it in the ground, and then tying it up and tipping it over and digging a trench and burying it each winter. but doesn't recommend that if you have small critters who would chew on it. and i have bunnies and lots of darn voles. plus that is a lot of digging each fall and spring. it also suggests a low espaliered fig tree that you could set up an insulated tarp in fall. but again, too many hungry critters make that less than ideal in my case.
-after reading it - i'm not convinced i can keep a fig tree alive through minnesota's harsh winters and short summers. or more to the point, i'm not willing to do whats necessary. my greenhouse is not insulated nor heated over winter, so the tree would freeze solid. my basement is finished and fully heated so that's out for winter storage as well. i do have an attached garage, but from what the book says i'd have to be hauling a big heavy tree pot in and out and in and out of the garage in spring to carefully harden it off each year, and not allow it to freeze when temps dip back down, as they *frequently* do in our wildly varying springs. our last frost date here isn't until may 30. my garage is a step up from the backyard/patio, and i'd have to haul a heavy awkward pot up and down with each in and out.
December 31, 2025
The cultivation of figs is a subject not explored much in North American gardening. This is a useful book, charmingly and humorously written, with lots of pictures and good descriptions of various fig growing methods. However there are a few typos and it would have benefited from more step-by-step photos. I’ve also propagated figs from twiglets (cuttings) but this book doesn’t really address that.
For where I live (eastern Ontario), because I lack a greenhouse, the winters are so cold that growing in containers is the only sure method for me. I have a couple of fig trees in pots that I inherited from my late father-in-law (he was southern Italian and a master of gardening, especially figs!). I’ve never pruned them because I find the prospect of whacking them back to stumps very terrifying 😆 but now from this book I have some inspiration for handling these trees next spring and perhaps getting more fruit from them.
For where I live (eastern Ontario), because I lack a greenhouse, the winters are so cold that growing in containers is the only sure method for me. I have a couple of fig trees in pots that I inherited from my late father-in-law (he was southern Italian and a master of gardening, especially figs!). I’ve never pruned them because I find the prospect of whacking them back to stumps very terrifying 😆 but now from this book I have some inspiration for handling these trees next spring and perhaps getting more fruit from them.
June 6, 2022
Great information about growing figs in cold climates.
December 3, 2024
Informative book on growing figs in zone 5 and above. Great ideas and illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews