Collect sweet, like honey, figs on your own plot?Stock up on big capacity, patience, and our tips!
According to a study by an Israeli-American group of scientists, the first cultivated plant was figs. In Western Jordan, this plant was grown 11,400 years ago, that is, 5,000 years earlier than grapes, dates and olive trees. And this is not surprising, because no other fruit can taste like a ripe, just plucked from the tree, melting in your mouth figs. But the price of the overseas “prince” bites. So why not try to tame the Southerner-and get a crop from him? You’ll find it doubly cute!
Figs of summer varieties produce large fruits, and autumn ones-smaller ones, but include more of them. But they are not inferior to each other in taste.
Features of cultivation
To grow figs, you do not need anything extraordinary: as always, the main allies of your company are the right choice of variety, suitable conditions for this pretentious plant and competent care.
It is not necessary to bring the plant from the southern countries. After all, as a rule, overseas beauties self-fertilize, that is, they need pollinators. The flowers grow in the warm regions of figs, they are pollinated by blastophages, which are found only in the subtropics.
Figs can be parthenocarpic varieties. Since there are no worthy candidates for pollinating the flowers of a heat-loving guest in our region, choose plants of this group.
The next selection criterion is the size of the future “pet”. At home in the subtropics, figs grow up to 12 m (39.3 ft) in height, but we are limited to the container option, and therefore we avoid potential giants and focus on plants of very dwarf varieties.
In the spring, the selected specimens can be dug out in the garden directly from the pot, and with the onset of autumn, put in a cool room where the air temperature does not fall below -5°C (23°F). However, figs can also be grown as a purely indoor plant: for home conditions, there are already many varieties of both foreign selection and our own. Among them there are even those who harvest twice a year — “Dalmatian”, “Sarah Absheron”, “White Adriatic”.
1. In the first year after planting, the figs bloom, but the fruits do not ripen. The harvest can only be obtained in the second year.
2. Figs are most easily propagated by cuttings that take root easily in sand or in light soil. Transplanting a seedling into the house is possible only when the earthen clod completely sprouts roots.
3. Plants of small varieties, such as Dori and Dalmatian, can be grown in pots and transplanted every 2-4 years in a larger container.
Care of figs
How to care for figs? For the root to grow well, it must be in the substrate. It should not contain peat or mineral fertilizers. The ideal option is a mixture of garden soil with sand and compost in a ratio of 2:1: 2.
- At the bottom of the container with a volume of 20-50 liters (5.3-13.2 liquid gallon) for drainage, be sure to pour expanded clay with a layer of at least 5 cm (2 in).
- In the garden, choose the sunniest place for the plant, protected from the cold north wind. Suitable plot in the south or south-west side.
- Having decided on the place, take care of feeding. Note that figs need potassium, phosphorus, and a minimum of nitrogen.
- Accordingly, nitrogen fertilizers and horn chips are categorically not suitable, otherwise the tree forms too large leaves and soft shoots and gives little fruit. The best option is fertilizers for berry bushes of prolonged action, which give “food” in portions for 2-3 months.
- From August, stop feeding , so that the wood has the opportunity to mature .
- Don’t forget Every year, prune — thin out the crown, remove dead branches and pinch young shoots. This is necessary for the proportion of green mass and the number of ovaries.
Fully ripened figs have a brown or dark purple rind..
And finally, the good news: figs are extremely rarely sick and are not preferred by pests.
In the southern regions, figs can be grown outdoors. Choose only cold-resistant varieties, such as brown turkey (can withstand temperatures up to -20°C/-4°F).
Baked figs
You will need:
serves 4
- 40 g (1.4 oz) butter
- 40 g (1.4 oz) sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- approx. 125 ml (4.4 fl. oz) dessert wine
- the juice of half a lemon
- 8 figs
- 20 grams (0.7 oz) of pine nuts.
Baked figs
Preparation:
- Melt the butter and caramelize the sugar on it. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and add to the caramel. Mix the wine and lemon juice, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Wash the figs and cut them crosswise. Put it in the caramel sauce and sprinkle the nuts on top.
- Place in a preheated 180 °C (356°F) oven for about 6 minutes.
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