Q: I was recently given a container-grown outdoor fig tree as a present by a kind friend who knows how much I love my garden. Any tips on keeping it happy? I live in coastal Dublin so frost is rarely an issue, but growing space is. Cliodhna S
A: The good news is that a fig tree can be grown very successfully in a large pot, so long as you can give it a sheltered, sunny spot, ideally close to a south or southwest facing wall with protection from cold winds. In fact, restricting the root spread in this way encourages the tree to produce its delicious fruits, unlike trees growing in the ground, where abundant leafy growth can often come at the expense of fruit production. For this reason, resist the temptation to repot your tree into a much larger container. Instead, grow it in a pot no bigger than 60cm in depth and diameter, or plant it into a similarly sized planting hole with the edges of the hole restricted by roof slates.
You don’t say which variety of fig tree it is, but hopefully it’s one of the hardier, self-pollinating kinds such as Ficus ‘Brown Turkey’, Ficus ‘Damatie’ or Ficus ‘Bornholm’, which are better suited to our cooler Irish climate.
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Bear in mind also that fig trees need some carefully timed pruning to be at their productive best. At this time of year, it’s best to remove any remaining developing fruits larger than a pea, as these will only rot. Any fruits smaller than a pea are what are known as the tree’s embryonic figs, which will swell and ripen next year so long as you make sure to protect your tree from frosty weather by draping it in a layer or two of garden fleece or Bionet.
[ When should I prune my fig tree?Opens in new window ]
Wait until late spring to prune away any frost-damaged branches or shoot tips. If your fig tree gets too big for its boots, then a second pruning in summer may be required, pinching back any new shoots to five to six leaves. You’ll also need to watch out for damage from drought by keeping it well watered to prevent premature fruit drop, while a potash-rich liquid feed once a week from early summer will also help boost productivity.
