Some of you may remember our Lazarus fig - not a new variety but so named as it miraculously rose again from an apparent death!
We grow the fig in a large pot which spends most of its time outdoors. We take it inside the cold greenhouse for winter - having no heating this isn't a frost free environment but gives the plant a bit of protection.
Apparently restricting root growth by planting in a container encourages fruiting although we have had the plant a few years now and it hasn't really provided us with any significant fruit, However that could be about to change if early indications are anything to go by.
We had a bit of a surprise when we actually stopped to take notice - even regularly being in and out of the greenhouse the event seems to have gone undetected - the fig is now sporting lots of small fruit.
It also has held on to one or two fruit from last season that hadn't fully ripened.
The fruits seem to have appeared out of nowhere as figs don't produce flowers which then pollinate to form fruits. The flowers actually develop inside the fruitlets which means that figs have a unique method of pollination. This involves a female fig wasp becoming plant food. Fortunately the types of fig that we can grow do not need to be pollinated as they are self fertile. If you really want to know the full story of how the fig wasp pollinates figs try reading this.
Now we have fruitlets we need to feed the plant with tomato fertiliser every two or three weeks. Will the fruitlets fall off or will we have a figgy treat? Watch this space!
Martyn and I have just noticed that we have both posted about the fig today! Interestingly we have both gone for a totally different slant.
Martyn and I have just noticed that we have both posted about the fig today! Interestingly we have both gone for a totally different slant.
Tomorrow is the deadline for entries for a chance to win a fire pit.
more information here (I do hope you manage to take part as I am looking forward to reading your stories - I'm not judging so I can just enjoy!)
Posts
I am so pleased for you..how lovely to have figs.
ReplyDeleteJust fingers crossed that they don't all drop off - we even have some more forming
DeleteOh how wonderful to have a fig that is fruiting. I'll look forward to seeing how it gets on.xxxx
ReplyDeleteI look forward to that too Snowbird
DeleteIt looks promising. I hope they make it to maturity for you.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed, Jo
DeleteThe figs look beautiful, hope you got lots of lovely ripe fruit this year.
ReplyDeleteJust a handful would be good, Kelli
DeleteWow they look fantastic hope they mature into proper fruit for you.
ReplyDeleteTime will tell, Elaine
DeleteI'm going to be following this story carefully. My little freebie Brown Turkey fig-tree has a long way to go before it produces any fruit!
ReplyDeleteI'm already anticipating something I really enjoy though: figs and feta!
Like Mark, our fig twig won't be producing fruit anytime soon, but we can dream! Yours looks great Sue. I read somewhere that you should remove any fruit that stayed on the tree over winter as this encourages the new fruit to ripen?
DeleteMark - ours seem to have been a while in coming.
DeleteLee - I read that too we only had a couple still on last year and seeing as they were our first fruits we just couldn't bring ourselves to remove them. It doesn't appear to have put it off though as new fruits are still forming
How wonderful! Fingers crossed for lots of delicious figs for you this year. I'm still investigating these and one may very well fall into my shopping basket sometime soon ;-)
ReplyDeleteJust one or two would be fine, Paula
DeleteI'd never heard of the fig wasp before...fascinating. Good luck with your little fig fruits Sue. I hope they ripen nicely for you :)
ReplyDeleteI knew something about how figs were pollinated and wanted to find out more Tanya - at least now I know nothing will have died inside our figs!
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