Alternative ways to successfully root fig cuttings.

Does the Position of a Fig Cutting Affect Rooting?

Yes. And there are also alternative ways to successfully root fig cuttings.Advice about propagating figs from hardwood cuttings follows mostly the same basic method: take a dormant cutting, place it upright in a free-draining growing medium, keep it warm and moist, and wait for roots to develop.That method works very well. Figs are among the easier fruit trees to propagate from cuttings.

Is that it?

Researchers and professional nurseries suggest that successful fig propagation may involve more than simply sticking a cutting into a pot. This might come as a surprise to some, but the position and orientation of a cutting can influence how it responds, and this is a field we are focusing our research on at The Fig Shop.In particular, cuttings placed vertically, at an angle, or horizontally can behave differently.

This raises an interesting question:
What is the most effective way to produce a strong, well-rooted young fig tree?

Why Orientation Matters

A fig cutting is not simply a piece of dead wood waiting to grow. Even after removal from the parent tree, it retains its natural polarity.The end that originally pointed towards the roots remains the basal end, while the end that pointed towards the growing tip remains the upper end. This polarity continues to influence where roots and shoots develop.

With a conventional vertical cutting, the lower part is buried in the rooting medium while one or more buds remain above the surface. Roots generally develop from the buried portion, while new shoots emerge from buds higher up.This creates a simple, predictable young tree.

But when you plant a cutting at an angle, or even lay it horizontally beneath a shallow covering of growing medium, more of the stem comes into close contact with moist, aerated material.

That can potentially create several rooting points along the stem.

Horizontal fig cuttings

Figs are particularly well suited to this kind of experiment because they readily produce adventitious roots from buried stems.A horizontal cutting may therefore behave rather differently from a vertical one.
Instead of producing most of its roots from the lower portion, a horizontally buried cutting may form roots around several nodes along its length. More than one bud may also begin to grow.

This could produce a broader and potentially stronger root system.It may also offer an interesting method of multiplying rarer varieties, because one sufficiently long horizontal cutting can sometimes produce several rooted growing points.

However, this is not necessarily an advantage in every situation.For nursery production, a single upright shoot with a compact root system is often easier to pot, train and sell. A horizontal cutting that produces several shoots may therefore need additional pruning or division later.

For that reason, the traditional vertical method remains extremely useful.

The important point is that horizontal propagation should not automatically be dismissed simply because vertical planting has traditionally been the standard method.

Vertical, angled or horizontal?

At The Fig Shop, we are increasingly interested in comparing the three approaches.

Vertical cuttings

This remains the simplest and most reliable method.Advantages include:·

~ easy planting
~ easy labelling
~ natural upright growth
~ compact root systems
~ straightforward potting-on
~ efficient use of nursery space.

For most general propagation, vertical planting remains an excellent choice.

Cuttings planted at about 45 degrees

Some growers prefer to place hardwood cuttings at an angle.

This increases the amount of stem close to the surface and may encourage root formation along a greater length of the cutting.It can also make it easier to bury several nodes without placing the base excessively deep in the pot.

However, angled planting does not automatically guarantee better results than vertical planting. Other factors — particularly temperature, moisture, oxygen and the quality of the cutting — are likely to be at least as important.

Horizontal cuttings

Horizontal propagation is potentially the most interesting method.

Lay the cutting flat in a shallow tray or pot and cover it with only a few centimetres of rooting medium.

Several nodes are then close to the surface, where moisture and oxygen are well balanced.

The result can be extensive rooting along the stem and sometimes several shoots.This method deserves further investigation, particularly for varieties that are valuable, scarce or slower to multiply.

Cutting length matters too

Another important consideration is the size of the cutting itself.

Very short fig cuttings can root successfully, but they contain relatively small reserves of stored carbohydrates and moisture.

A longer cutting has more stored energy available to support callus formation, root development and the first flush of shoot growth.

For normal propagation, we generally favour reasonably substantial dormant cuttings rather than very short pieces.

A useful practical range is often around: 20–30 cm long with several healthy nodes.Longer cuttings can also be successful, but for ordinary nursery propagation there is usually little advantage in making every cutting excessively long.

The aim is to find a balance between efficient use of valuable wood and producing a cutting with sufficient reserves to establish strongly.

Thicker cuttings can be surprisingly good

Some assume fig cuttings should always be pencil-thick. Pencil-thick material is certainly convenient and roots readily, but figs are much less restricted in this respect than many other fruit crops.

Thicker wood can root very successfully. In fact, thicker cuttings have several possible advantages:

~ greater stored carbohydrate reserves
~ greater stored moisture
~ more resistance to drying out
~ more energy available during early root formation
~ the ability to produce a stronger young plant relatively quickly.

This means that healthy fig wood that is somewhat thicker than the conventional pencil-sized cutting should not automatically be discarded. For many varieties, it can make excellent propagation material.

Older wood may also be useful

Another common assumption is that only the youngest one-year growth should be used.

Again, figs are more flexible than this. Well-ripened one-year-old wood remains excellent material and is normally the easiest to handle. However, healthy older wood can also root successfully.

Older wood is often thicker and contains substantial stored reserves.Recent propagation research on figs has shown that cutting age, diameter and position on the original shoot can influence rooting performance. In some circumstances, more mature wood has performed extremely well.

This is particularly interesting for growers because pruning often produces substantial pieces of older fig wood that might otherwise be discarded.

Provided the wood is:
~ healthy
~ fully dormant
~ free from disease
~ not badly damaged
~ not excessively old or decayed

it may still be valuable propagation material.

At The Fig Shop, we therefore do not automatically reject a cutting simply because it is thicker or older than the conventional ideal.

More important than orientation: air and moisture

Whatever orientation is used, one principle remains fundamental. A fig cutting needs moisture, but it also needs oxygen.

One of the most common causes of failed propagation is keeping the rooting medium too wet. A waterlogged mixture contains too little air and can cause the lower part of the cutting to rot before roots have had time to form.

The ideal propagation medium should therefore remain lightly moist while also being very free draining.Materials such as perlite, coco coir and light propagation compost can all be useful.

A good rule is that the medium should feel damp but should not release water when squeezed firmly. For dormant fig cuttings, slightly too dry is often less dangerous than constantly saturated.

Bottom heat can make a major difference

Temperature strongly influences rooting. During winter and very early spring, a cutting may remain dormant simply because the rooting medium is too cold. At The Fig Shop, our rooted cuttings are eventually moved into a polytunnel where bottom heat can be used from around February. This creates a particularly useful situation.

The rooting medium can be kept warm while the upper part of the cutting remains relatively cool. That encourages the cutting to begin producing roots before excessive top growth develops.

For figs, a root-zone temperature around 22–24°C is a useful starting point.The aim is not to create tropical conditions around the entire plant.It is to provide gentle warmth around the part of the cutting where roots need to develop.

Why too much early shoot growth can be a problem

One of the deceptive things about fig propagation is that a cutting can produce leaves before it has developed a proper root system. The cutting contains stored carbohydrates and moisture, so buds may begin growing using reserves already present in the wood.

A cutting covered in leaves is therefore not necessarily a rooted cutting.This is particularly important when propagating indoors. Very warm air temperatures may stimulate the buds rapidly while the lower part of the cutting is still struggling to produce roots.

The ideal situation is almost the opposite: warm rooting medium and relatively cool air.

That allows roots to develop first.Once a good root system has formed, stronger shoot growth can safely follow.

What about rooting cuttings in plastic bags?

A popular method seen increasingly online involves wrapping fig cuttings in damp kitchen paper, placing them inside a sealed plastic bag and keeping them somewhere warm and dark. This method can work extremely well.

The combination of warmth and very high humidity encourages callus and root initials to develop. However, it also has disadvantages.Cuttings kept this way can develop mould, roots may grow into the paper, and newly formed roots can be damaged when the cutting is eventually transferred into a pot.

For that reason, we see this technique as particularly useful for pre-callusing rather than necessarily allowing a complete root system to develop inside the bag. Once a cutting develops obvious callus or small white root initials, it can be transferred carefully into a free-draining propagation mix.

This can be particularly useful for scarce or valuable varieties where the grower wants to monitor individual cuttings closely.For larger-scale nursery propagation, planting directly into a suitable medium is generally simpler.

Our approach at The Fig Shop

We continue to refine our propagation methods rather than assuming that the traditional method is necessarily the only one worth using. Over the coming propagation season we intend to compare
~ vertically planted cuttings
~ cuttings planted at approximately 45 degrees
~ horizontally planted cuttings
~ different cutting lengths
~ different thicknesses of wood
~ younger and somewhat older dormant wood.

The most useful measure is not simply whether a cutting produces roots. For us, the real question is:

Which method produces the largest number of strong, healthy, saleable young fig trees?

A method that roots 95 per cent of cuttings is not necessarily better than one that roots slightly fewer if the latter produces stronger plants, larger root systems or more usable plants from the same amount of propagation material.

The simple lesson

Fig trees are remarkably willing plants when it comes to propagation. The traditional pencil-thick vertical cutting remains an excellent and dependable method, but it should not be regarded as the only successful approach. Longer cuttings often carry greater reserves.

Thicker cuttings can root extremely well.Older wood should not automatically be discarded.And horizontal propagation may prove to be a particularly useful technique where a grower wants to encourage extensive rooting or obtain more than one plant from valuable propagation material.

As with so much in fig growing, careful observation is invaluable.Sometimes the plants themselves show us that there is more than one way to do things.

Fig Tree Pruning – How to Keep a Fig Tree Small

So how can we reduce the size of a fig tree without sacrificing all its fruit?

“Help! My fig tree has grown too big!”
Or perhaps:“My fig tree produces masses of leaves, but very few ripe figs. What can I do?”

Fig trees can grow remarkably quickly. A young tree that seemed perfectly manageable when planted may, within three or four years, develop long, upright branches that carry its fruit beyond easy reach.This is particularly common when a fig is planted directly into fertile ground without any root restriction. With ample soil, water and nutrients available, the tree may devote much of its energy to producing long shoots and lush foliage rather than forming a compact, easily managed fruiting framework.

The obvious solution is to prune the tree and reduce its height. But this creates a dilemma.On many fig varieties, the earliest crop develops from tiny figs that formed near the tips of shoots during the previous summer and survived the winter. This is commonly called the breba crop.

If all those branches are cut back indiscriminately, the first crop may be lost.

For varieties that depend heavily on their breba crop, this could mean losing most—or even all—of the useful crop for that year.So how can we reduce the size of a fig tree without sacrificing all its fruit?

Quick facts

Do not simply cut every branch back by half.
Identify and retain as many shoots carrying overwintered fruitlets as possible.
Remove selected tall, bare or badly positioned branches completely.
Renovate a badly overgrown tree gradually over two or three years.
Pinch out selected vigorous shoots in early summer.
Remember that hard pruning encourages vigorous regrowth.
Understand whether your variety depends mainly on its breba crop or its main crop.
Root restriction can help control future growth and encourage cropping.

Three principles behind successful fig pruning

Before deciding where to cut, it helps to understand what pruning is intended to achieve.

1. Allow more light into the tree

A dense fig tree may have plenty of foliage at the top but very little light reaching the lower branches. This encourages continued growth towards the light and leaves the centre and lower part of the tree shaded.

Opening the structure by removing selected secondary branches allows more sunlight and air to reach the remaining shoots and fruit.

The aim is not merely to make the tree shorter. It is to create a broad, open framework in which productive annual growth receives enough light.

2. Control vigour without provoking excessive regrowth

Leaves manufacture the carbohydrates that support the tree’s growth. Reducing some of the leafy growth during the growing season can help control vigour, but excessively severe pruning may produce the opposite result.

A hard-pruned fig often responds by sending out several powerful new shoots immediately below each cut. Instead of one tall branch, you may soon have three or four.

Successful size control therefore depends on a combination of:

# selective structural pruning
# thinning unwanted regrowth
# pinching selected shoots during early summer
# avoiding excessive nitrogen feeding
# restricting the roots where appropriate

The purpose is to redirect growth, not simply to remove as much wood as possible.

3. Understand how the particular variety fruits

Not all fig varieties should be pruned in exactly the same way. Some varieties produce a valuable breba crop on shoots that grew during the previous year. Others are grown mainly for their main crop, which forms on the current season’s new growth.

Biferous varieties may produce both crops. Before pruning, ask:

Does this variety produce a worthwhile breba crop?
Is the breba crop its main or most reliable crop?
Does its main crop ripen early enough in my climate?
Am I growing it outdoors, under glass or in a polytunnel?

In the British climate, this distinction is especially important. A later main crop may fail to ripen outdoors, whereas the overwintered breba fruitlets have had a valuable head start.

The First Commandment: When do Fig Trees Produce Fruit?

Before picking up the secateurs, look carefully first. In spring, you may see tiny, pea-sized figs near the ends of shoots that grew during the previous summer. Cut them off and your first harvest is gone.

A biferous fig produces two separate harvests each growing season:

1. The Breba Crop:

The first harvest that forms on the previous year's woody growth. These figs swell in the spring and ripen early in the summer. The RHS explains that, in the UK, these overwintered fruitlets, the brebas, usually have the best chance of developing and ripening outdoors.

2. The Main Crop:

The second harvest that develops on the current season's new growth. These ripen later in the summer or early autumn – if at all. The main crop often require a long, hot summer to ripen.

This implies that “cutting the tree back by half” is too simplistic. The correct cut depends on what is growing on each individual branch.

Breba crop and main crop: what is the difference?

The breba crop develops on shoots produced during the previous growing season. The tiny figs usually overwinter near the ends of those shoots and resume growing in spring.

The main crop forms on the current year’s new growth. In warmer climates, both crops may ripen successfully. In much of Britain, however, the main crop may form too late to mature outdoors unless the variety is naturally early or the tree is grown in a particularly warm, sheltered position.

This means that pruning advice suitable for a Mediterranean climate may not always be ideal for a tree growing outdoors in Britain.

A variety such as Desert King, which is prized mainly for its breba crop, must be pruned particularly cautiously. Removing the previous season’s shoots removes the wood on which its useful crop is carried.

An early main-crop variety may tolerate harder pruning more readily, although severe pruning can still delay or reduce the harvest.

Will cutting a fig tree back by half destroy the breba crop?

It may. No, it actually will - most anyway.

If every branch is shortened by 50 per cent, many of the shoot tips carrying overwintered figs will be removed.The tree will almost certainly survive. Indeed, it may respond with a burst of vigorous new growth. But those new shoots cannot replace the breba figs that have already been cut off.

Hard pruning may reduce the height temporarily, but it can also stimulate exactly the kind of rapid, upright growth that caused the problem in the first place.The answer is therefore not to preserve every existing branch, nor is it to cut every branch to the same height. The better approach is to retain enough productive wood to give a crop while gradually replacing the tallest and least useful branches with lower, better-positioned growth.

Big mistake: Do not give the whole tree a haircut

One of the most common mistakes is to shorten every branch to approximately the same height, almost as though the fig were a hedge. This may make the tree look tidy immediately after pruning, but it rarely creates a good long-term structure.

Lightly shortening a long, bare branch often achieves very little. Several strong shoots may emerge just below the cut, leaving the tree denser and more difficult to control than before. The RHS recommends making a clearer choice: either retain a useful shoot unpruned or cut an unwanted long, bare branch back hard to encourage replacement growth lower down. For every branch, choose one of three options:

Keep it unpruned because it is compact, well placed and carries overwintered fruitlets.

Remove it completely because it is dead, crowded, crossing, inward-growing or badly positioned.

Cut it back hard because you want new replacement growth to develop lower down.

This selective approach may leave the tree looking slightly uneven for a season, but a productive fig tree does not need to look like a perfectly clipped ornamental shrub.

When should an established fig tree be pruned?

The main structural pruning is best carried out in early to mid-spring, after the danger of prolonged hard frost has passed but before strong new growth begins.

This is preferable to pruning during the coldest part of winter. Young shoot tips and overwintered fruitlets are vulnerable to frost, and fresh pruning wounds may also be exposed to severe cold.

The RHS recommends pruning figs twice each year: once in early to mid-spring and again in early to mid-summer.Wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning. Fig sap can irritate the skin.

Spring pruning: a step-by-step method

1. Stand back and assess the whole tree

Do not begin cutting immediately. Look at the tree from several angles and identify:

# its present height

# the height you eventually want

# the main structural branches

# areas where branches are crowded

# tall, bare or strongly upright shoots

# lower shoots that could form the future framework

# branches carrying visible overwintered figs

Taking photographs before pruning can be surprisingly helpful. You can study the structure on the screen and mark the branches you intend to keep or remove.

2. Decide on a realistic final height

Choose a height that allows you to protect, prune and harvest the tree safely.For many free-standing garden figs, a height of approximately 1.8–2m is manageable, although the best size will depend on the available space and the tree’s form.

Do not assume that a tree currently standing 3m high must reach its final 1.8m height in one pruning session. A gradual reduction is usually less disruptive and preserves more fruiting wood.

3. Remove dead, diseased and damaged wood

Start with the obvious material:dead branchesfrost-damaged shootsbroken branchesdiseased or badly damaged woodCut back to healthy wood or remove the branch completely at its point of origin.

4. Remove basal suckers

Fig trees often produce vigorous shoots from the base or roots.Remove unwanted suckers close to their point of origin. Leaving long stumps may encourage further shoots.

A sucker may occasionally be retained when a completely new low framework is required, but most should be removed so that they do not compete with the main tree.

5. Remove crossing, rubbing and inward-growing branches

Branches that rub against one another can damage the bark and create congested growth.

Remove branches that:

# cross through the centre
# rub against another branch
# grow directly inwards
# crowd a more productive shoot
# prevent light reaching the lower part of the tree

Branches with very narrow, weak unions may also be candidates for removal, particularly when they are strongly upright or likely to split. However, branch angle alone should not be treated as an inflexible rule. Overall strength, position, spacing and usefulness must also be considered.

6. Mark and retain fruit-bearing shoots

Look for pea-sized fruitlets near the shoot tips.Try to retain the most compact, well-positioned shoots carrying these fruitlets. They represent the crop most likely to ripen during the coming season.

Not every fruit-bearing shoot can always be saved. Some may be too high, overcrowded or badly positioned. The aim is to preserve a sensible proportion of the crop while improving the tree’s permanent structure.

7. Remove selected long, bare branches

Long branches with little useful side growth are poor candidates for light shortening.Where replacement growth is required, cut one or two selected branches back hard, leaving a stub approximately 5–8cm long. This encourages new shoots to emerge lower down.

Do not hard-prune every large branch in the same year unless complete renovation is unavoidable.Where you do not want new shoots—for example, in the crowded centre of the tree—remove the branch completely rather than leaving a stub.

8. Thin overcrowded secondary branches

Selectively remove some secondary branches to open the canopy and allow light to reach the lower annual growth.Do not remove so much that the tree is left almost bare. The aim is an open, balanced framework, not wholesale defoliation before growth has even begun.

9. Avoid cutting the tips from every annual shoot

The tips of last year’s annual growth may carry the overwintered fruitlets that will produce the coming breba crop.Retain as many useful fruit-bearing tips as the structure allows.Later in the season, the tips of suitable new shoots may also carry the embryonic figs for the following year. Repeatedly removing every shoot tip too late in summer can therefore reduce next year’s crop.

Reduce an overgrown tree gradually

A badly overgrown fig is usually best renovated over several years. The RHS advises staggering major pruning because a hard-pruned fig is likely to respond with excessive regrowth. Strong regrowth may take three to five years to bring fully under control when the tree is growing unrestricted in the ground.For a tree that needs its overall height reduced by approximately 50 per cent, consider the following approach.

First year

Remove dead, damaged and crossing wood.Remove one badly positioned central branch.Cut one or two of the tallest bare branches back hard.Retain several shorter branches carrying overwintered figs.Select lower shoots that can become part of the new framework.

Second year

Reduce another group of tall branches.Retain the best replacement growth produced after the first pruning.Remove crowded or badly positioned regrowth.Continue lowering the framework without stripping the entire tree of fruiting wood.

Third year, if necessary

Complete the height reduction.Refine the new lower framework.Remove remaining tall or unproductive structural branches.Continue controlling vigorous regrowth during early summer.This approach does not preserve every fig, but it avoids sacrificing the entire crop in a single year.

An example: reducing a three-year-old fig tree

Imagine a three-year-old tree with six main upright branches, each approximately 2.5m tall.Rather than cutting all six branches back to 1.25m, you could:retain three or four of the shorter, better-positioned shoots carrying visible fruitletsremove one badly placed central branch completelycut one or two of the tallest bare branches back hardallow the retained shoots to carry the current cropselect the best new lower shoots during summeruse those lower shoots to form the future frameworkThe tree may look uneven immediately after pruning. That is not necessarily a problem.The long-term aim is a compact, open and productive tree—not perfect symmetry during every stage of renovation.

Early-summer pruning: control the response

Spring pruning is only half the work.A strongly pruned fig tree may produce several fast-growing shoots from below each cut. If all of them are retained, the tree may recover much of its lost height in a single season.Early-summer management is therefore essential.

Thin excess regrowth

Where several shoots emerge from one pruning point, do not allow all of them to mature.Select the strongest shoot growing in the most useful direction. Remove or pinch back the others while they are still young.An ideal replacement shoot should:begin relatively low on the treegrow outwards rather than into the centrehave enough space around itreceive good lightbe easy to protect and harvestcontribute to a broad, open framework

Pinch selected shoots after five or six leaves

Once vigorous new shoots have produced five or six leaves, pinch out the soft growing tip of selected shoots.This reduces their tendency to form long, unbranched whips and encourages side branching. The RHS recommends carrying out this work from early summer until mid-summer.Do not pinch every shoot indiscriminately. Leave selected replacement shoots to extend where additional framework is required.

Stop major pinching by mid-summer

Do not continue shortening shoots indefinitely.By mid-summer, the tiny fruit embryos for the following year begin forming near the shoot tips. Pruning too late produces fresh growth that may not mature or form fruitlets before autumn.The timing is therefore important:early-summer pinching helps control vigour and encourage branchinglate-summer pinching may remove or prevent next year’s breba crop

A more intensive summer-control method

A very vigorous, unrestricted tree may sometimes require a more determined programme of summer thinning.

Because actively growing leaves support further shoot and root growth, selectively removing strongly growing, unproductive shoots after the tree has leafed out can help reduce canopy density and improve the light reaching the retained branches.

A cautious version of this approach would be:

1. Allow the tree to leaf out in spring.
2. Remove selected vigorous shoots that are badly placed or not required for fruiting or future structure.
3. Reassess the regrowth six to eight weeks later.
4. Thin new, overcrowded shoots again where necessary.
5. Retain enough healthy foliage to support the tree and its developing crop.
6. Stop substantial shoot removal by mid-summer.

This process may need to be repeated over several growing seasons.It should not be understood as repeatedly stripping the tree of all its strongest branches or leaves. Severe defoliation can weaken the tree, expose fruit and bark to scorching, and provoke further unwanted regrowth.The aim is controlled thinning, not exhaustion of the tree.

What about the main crop?

Hard pruning may stimulate fresh shoots capable of carrying a main crop later in the season.Whether that crop ripens depends on:

the variety

the local climate

the length and warmth of the growing season

whether the tree is outdoors, against a warm wall, in a greenhouse or in a polytunnel when the new growth began.

In much of the UK, figs formed late on the current season’s shoots may not ripen before autumn. This is why preserving overwintered fruitlets is often so important.However, growers should not assume that every British fig behaves identically. Early main-crop varieties may produce worthwhile figs on new growth, particularly in warmer or protected locations.

Understanding the fruiting habit of the named variety is therefore one of the most important parts of pruning correctly.

Root restriction and future size control

Pruning controls the top of the tree, but it may not correct the cause of excessive vigour. A fig growing in unrestricted, fertile soil may repeatedly produce long, leafy shoots.

Root restriction can reduce this vigour and make the tree easier to manage.

Suitable methods include:

- growing the tree in a large container,

- planting it in a lined pitusing a strong root-control bag ,

- or meshfan-training it against a sunny wall or fence.

The RHS recommends root restriction as a way of controlling excessive leafy growth and encouraging fruit production. However, it would be too absolute to say that an unrestricted fig cannot fruit. Many unrestricted trees do produce figs. The difficulty is that they may become large, vigorous and awkward to protect or harvest, and they may produce more vegetative growth than a carefully restricted tree.

Retrofitting root restriction around a large, established tree is also difficult and may damage major roots. Prevention is much easier than correction.

Feeding an over-vigorous fig tree

Avoid giving a vigorously growing fig large quantity of nitrogen-rich fertiliser.Excess nitrogen encourages soft, leafy growth and can make size control more difficult. A tree growing in reasonable garden soil may need little additional feeding. Where feeding is necessary, use a balanced or potassium-rich feed appropriate to the tree’s growing conditions rather than encouraging further lush growth.

Container-grown trees still need regular watering and adequate nutrition. Root restriction should control vigour—not starve the tree.

Should an overgrown fig ever be cut back completely?

Sometimes a tree has become so large, damaged or badly shaped that preserving the current crop is less important than rebuilding it. Fig trees generally tolerate severe renovation pruning and can regrow from old wood.

However, a very hard cut is likely to result in:

- the loss of the breba crop

- vigorous upright regrowth

- several shoots emerging from each cut

- a temporarily unattractive framework

- one or more seasons devoted largely to rebuilding the tree.

Complete renovation may be justified when:the tree has become unsafemajor branches are damagedthe framework is fundamentally unsuitablethe tree has completely outgrown its positiongradual renovation is impractical. Where there is no urgency, phased renovation is usually the better choice.

The best compromise

There is no pruning technique that can remove half of all the fruit-bearing wood while preserving every fig carried on that wood.The practical answer is compromise.

Retain the best branches carrying overwintered fruitlets. Remove the tallest, barest and worst-positioned branches first. Replace them gradually with lower growth, and control that new growth by thinning and pinching during early summer.

You may lose part of one crop, but you need not lose all of it.More importantly, you will begin creating a smaller and more productive tree that is easier to protect, prune and harvest for many years to come.

Fig-pruning calendar

Early to mid-spring

- Wait until the danger of prolonged hard frost has passed.
- Remove dead, diseased, damaged and frost-injured wood.
- Remove unwanted suckers.
- Remove crossing, rubbing and inward-growing branches.
- Retain well-positioned shoots carrying overwintered fruitlets.
- Cut selected tall, bare branches back hard.
- Remove crowded branches completely where regrowth is not wanted.
- Avoid shortening every branch indiscriminately.

Late spring to early summer

- Observe how the tree responds to the spring pruning.
- Select the best lower replacement shoots.
- Remove excess shoots emerging from the same point.
- Thin badly placed, inward-growing or overcrowded regrowth.
- Keep enough healthy leaves to support the developing crop.

Early to mid-summer

- Pinch selected new shoots after five or six leaves.
- Retain unpinched shoots where more framework is required.
- Continue opening the canopy so that light reaches the lower branches.
- Stop substantial pinching and shoot removal by mid-summer.

Mid-autumn

- Remove larger, hard figs that have failed to ripen.
- Retain the tiny pea-sized fruitlets at the shoot tips.
- Photograph the structure of the tree before the leaves fall.
- Mark productive branches if this will help with spring pruning.

The 12 Most Reliable Outdoor Fig Trees for the UK Climate

The Fig Shop guide to the best figs for British gardens

One of the questions I hear most often at The Fig Shop is simple:
“Which fig trees actually ripen properly outdoors in the UK?”

And honestly, it’s the right question.

Many fig trees will grow in Britain. That part is easy enough. The real challenge is getting reliable, properly ripened fruit in our cooler climate. Some varieties simply cope better with British weather than others. They ripen earlier, handle cold winters more confidently, and continue producing even when summers are disappointing. After years of reading grower experiences, comparing nursery recommendations, and watching which varieties repeatedly succeed in British gardens, a clear group stands out above the rest.

These are the fig trees that UK growers come back to again and again.

Our list of the best outdoor figs for UK gardens.

1.    Brown Turkey
2.    Ronde de Bordeaux
3.    Hardy Chicago
4.    Florea
5.    Michurinska-10 (Ali Pasha)
6.    Pastilière
7.    Violette de Bordeaux
8.    Celeste
9.    Madeleine des Deux Saisons
10. Brunswick
11. Desert King
12. Dalmatie (Dalmatian)

1. Brown Turkey — The Classic British Fig

Mainly Main Crop

If there is a “safe choice” for the UK, this is probably it.Brown Turkey fig has been grown in Britain for generations and remains one of the most dependable outdoor fig trees for ordinary gardens. It handles British weather surprisingly well and usually produces reliable crops once established.The flavour is the classic sweet fig flavour most people expect, and the tree itself is forgiving enough for beginners.

2. Ronde de Bordeaux — One of the Earliest Figs in Britain

Mainly Main Crop

Ronde de Bordeaux has developed an almost legendary reputation among UK fig enthusiasts—and for good reason.

It ripens extremely early, which is one of the biggest advantages a fig can have in Britain. Even in shorter or cooler summers, this variety often succeeds where others struggle.The fruits are smaller but packed with rich berry flavour.

If you only have space for one serious outdoor fig in a colder region, this might be the one.

3. Hardy Chicago — Built for Cold Weather

Mainly Main Crop

Hardy Chicago is famous for coping with colder climates, and that reputation is deserved.

Originally popularised in colder parts of the United States, it has become one of the most trusted outdoor figs in Britain as well. The fruits are dark, rich, and berry flavoured, while the tree itself is impressively resilient during winter.

For exposed gardens or colder regions of the UK, this is one of the strongest candidates available.

4. Florea — The Ultra-Early Producer

Mainly Main Crop

Florea is one of the most exciting figs for the British climate because it does exactly what UK growers need: it ripens early.Very early.This Romanian variety is exceptionally hardy and often begins ripening from early August onward.

In warmer years, fruiting can continue for a remarkably long season.

At The Fig Shop, we see Florea as one of the most promising varieties for northern gardeners and anyone dealing with shorter summers.

5. Michurinska-10 (Ali Pasha) — Tough and Productive

Both Breba and Main Crop

Michurinska-10 has become increasingly respected among British growers looking for reliability and cold hardiness.

This Bulgarian variety is known for handling serious cold while still producing good crops. One of its most attractive features is the potential for both breba figs and a productive main crop.

In good UK seasons, fruit can continue ripening surprisingly late into autumn.For growers wanting a hardy fig tree with serious productivity, this is one of the best choices available.

6. Pastilière — Rich Flavour in a British Garden

Mainly Main Crop

Pastilière combines excellent flavour with respectable reliability outdoors in Britain.The figs are dark, attractive, and richly flavoured, often described as having deep berry notes. While not quite as rugged as some ultra-hardy varieties, it performs well in sheltered UK gardens and rewards growers with exceptional fruit quality.

This is one of those figs that makes people fall in love with growing figs.

7. Violette de Bordeaux — Small Tree, Big Reputation

Mainly Main Crop

Violette de Bordeaux is especially popular among collectors and patio growers.It stays relatively compact, making it ideal for pots and smaller gardens, but still produces richly flavoured dark figs with excellent sweetness.

In sheltered British gardens, it performs surprisingly well and is often considered one of the finest-tasting figs available for UK growers.

8. Celeste — Sweet and Dependable

Mainly Main Crop

Celeste has earned a loyal following because it combines sweetness with cold tolerance.The fruits are smaller but intensely sweet with a honey-like flavour.

It also handles cooler weather better than many Mediterranean figs, which explains why it continues gaining popularity in Britain.

For gardeners wanting a reliable, easy-going fig tree, Celeste is an excellent option.

9. Madeleine des Deux Saisons — The Traditional French Favourite

Both Breba and Main Crop

Madeleine des Deux Saisons has been appreciated in Europe for generations.

One reason UK growers value it is its ability to produce both breba figs and a main crop under good conditions.

The flavour is gentle and sweet rather than overpowering, and the tree itself adapts well to sheltered British gardens.

It has an old-fashioned charm that fits beautifully into traditional UK gardens.

10. Brunswick — Famous for Large Figs

Mainly Breba Crop

The Brunswick fig remains a favourite largely because of its impressively large fruit.It appreciates warmth and shelter, so planting against a sunny wall makes a real difference in the UK.

When happy, it rewards growers with generous crops of large, mild, sweet figs.

For many British gardeners, Brunswick represents the classic “big fig tree by the wall” look.

11. Desert King — One of the Best Breba Figs

Mainly Breba Crop

Desert King is particularly famous for its breba crop.In the UK, that matters because breba figs often ripen earlier than the main crop. In protected locations, Desert King can produce impressively large, strawberry-fleshed figs well before many other varieties begin ripening.

At The Fig Shop, we’ve noticed that good breba varieties can sometimes beat the British climate simply by ripening sooner.

12. Dalmatie (Dalmatian) — Huge Figs with Rich Flesh

Mainly Main Crop

Dalmatian fig is one of the most visually impressive figs on this list.The fruits are large, green-yellow outside with rich red flesh inside, and the flavour is wonderfully sweet when fully ripened.

It prefers warmth and shelter in Britain, but in favourable gardens it can become an outstanding performer.

Final Thoughts from The Fig Shop

The truth is, there is no single “perfect” fig for every British garden.

A warm London courtyard and an exposed northern garden are completely different environments. But the varieties above have consistently shown that they can cope with British conditions better than most.If you’re new to figs, start with reliability. Once you’ve tasted your first properly ripened outdoor fig in the UK, you’ll understand why so many of us become obsessed with growing them.

At The Fig Shop, we focus on varieties that genuinely stand a chance in the British climate—not just figs that look good in Mediterranean catalogues.Because in the end, what matters is not simply growing a fig tree.

It’s ripening the fruit.

Michurinska-10 — One of the Toughest Fig Trees

We explain why this Bulgarian fig has become one of our favourites at The Fig Shop

Some fig trees are beautiful. Some are productive. Some are famous because collectors talk about them endlessly online. And then there are figs like Michurinska-10 — varieties that quietly earn respect because they simply perform.

At The Fig Shop, we are always searching for fig varieties that genuinely suit the British climate. Not just varieties that survive here, but varieties that have a real chance of ripening fruit outdoors in ordinary UK gardens.

Michurinska-10 is one of those rare figs.

A Fig Tree from the Balkans — Not the Mediterranean Coast

One reason Michurinska-10 works so well in Britain is its background. Unlike some famous Mediterranean figs that expect long, dry summers, this variety comes from Bulgaria and has been grown in far harsher conditions than most British winters can produce.

It is sometimes also known as Ali Pasha, though the name Michurinska-10 is the one most collectors recognise.

What immediately caught our attention at The Fig Shop was its reputation for cold hardiness and early ripening — two qualities that matter enormously in the UK.

This isn’t just a fig for sheltered London courtyards. Growers across colder regions continue reporting success with it year after year.

Why We Source Our Material from Bulgaria

At The Fig Shop, we believe the quality of the original plant material matters enormously.

That’s why we import our Michurinska-10 cuttings directly from Bulgaria through Balkep and The Polyculture Project, working with Paul Alfrey and the Balkep team to ensure we start with strong, authentic material.

For us, this isn’t just about selling fig trees.It’s about preserving and sharing varieties that have genuinely proven themselves in real climates similar to our own.

One of the Hardiest Fig Trees Available

Michurinska-10 has developed a remarkable reputation among cold-climate fig growers.

Some growers report it surviving temperatures down to around -20°C once established. That doesn’t mean every UK winter is harmless, of course, but it does explain why the variety continues attracting attention from gardeners looking for reliability rather than exotic fragility.

A Long Fruiting Season in the UK

Many growers describe Michurinska-10 as surprisingly productive for such a hardy fig. Under good conditions, it can produce both breba figs and a main crop. The early crop often appears in June or July, while the main crop follows later in summer.

One grower described it this way: “If I could only grow one outdoor fig in a colder climate, Michurinska-10 would be near the top of the list.”

That may sound dramatic, but after reading years of grower reports, you begin to understand why people speak about this fig with such affection. It combines several traits that rarely appear together:
~ serious cold tolerance
~ early ripening
~ good productivity
~ reliable fruit quality
~ strong growth.
That combination is unusual.

What Does the Fruit Taste Like?

The figs themselves are medium-sized with dark skin and a sweet berry flavour.This is not a bland supermarket fig. When properly ripened, the flavour becomes rich, sweet, and surprisingly deep for such a hardy variety.

Like many of the best outdoor figs for Britain, the real beauty of Michurinska-10 is not perfection under Mediterranean conditions.It’s reliability under British conditions.

Why We Believe It Has a Big Future in Britain

At The Fig Shop, we genuinely believe figs like Michurinska-10 represent the future of UK fig growing.

British growers are slowly moving beyond the old assumption that only Brown Turkey works outdoors. As more people experiment with cold-climate varieties from Eastern Europe and the Balkans, exciting new possibilities are opening up.

And honestly, Michurinska-10 feels perfectly suited to that movement.It has toughness without sacrificing flavour.It has productivity without needing greenhouse conditions. And perhaps most importantly, it gives ordinary UK gardeners a realistic chance of harvesting properly ripened figs outdoors.

Final Thoughts

Some fig trees impress you immediately with giant fruit or dramatic growth.

Michurinska-10 wins people over differently.It earns trust slowly, season after season, by coping with cold weather, ripening fruit earlier than expected, and continuing to perform when other varieties struggle.

That’s probably why so many experienced growers quietly rate it among their very best outdoor figs.And after working with this variety ourselves, we can understand exactly why.

My Fig-Growing Journey

How I discovered why most figs don’t ripen in the UK

As a boy, I had the privilege of picking sweet, yellow figs straight from a massive tree on my grandfather’s farm deep in the mountains. I still remember the honeyed flavour and the cool shade of the tree on a hot day. It was a simple pleasure — but one that stayed with me.

Years later, after settling in the United Kingdom, that memory returned. I wanted to pick figs from my own tree again. It sounded simple enough. In reality, it was not.

The Problem with Growing Figs in the UK

Fig trees grow well in Britain — that much is true.

But here is what I discovered very quickly:

Many fig trees never produce ripe fruit.

The issue is not just how cold it gets. The real challenge is the length of the growing season. Figs need enough time and warmth to ripen, and in the UK, that window is often too short.You can have a healthy, fast-growing fig tree and still end up with nothing but hard, green fruit.

My First Mistake

Four years ago, I bought my first fig tree: a Texas Blue Giant.

It grew well.
It looked impressive.

I am still waiting to pick a ripe fig from it.That was my first real lesson:

Choosing the right fig variety matters more than anything else.

At the time, I had no idea there were so many varieties — or that people actively collect them. Like most beginners, I chose based on photos of large, juicy figs, not on whether they would actually ripen in my climate.

From Curiosity to Obsession

What started as a simple experiment turned into a challenge — and eventually something close to an obsession:

Finding fig varieties that truly work in the British climate.

I made mistakes. Many of them.But every small success felt like a victory.

Every ripe fig felt like a small triumph over the climate.Along the way, I found other motivations too:

- making unripe fig jam
- drying figs and other fruit
- and experimenting with different growing methods.

Today, I grow around 30 different fig varieties, some in the ground and others in pots. Each one teaches me something new.

Why I Wrote the Fig Guide

I am not a professional horticulturist.
I am simply someone who started with the same question many people ask:

Which fig trees actually ripen in the UK?

My book, Figs for the British Climate, is the result of:trial and errorresearchreal growing experienceIt is not a scientific manual.

It is a practical guide to help you avoid the mistakes I made.

If You Want to Grow Figs in Britain…Start here:

✔ Choose the right variety
✔ Understand how figs fruit
✔ Work with the climate — not against it

Do that, and growing figs in the UK becomes not only possible — but rewarding