Fig Trees 101: How to Grow, Harvest, and Choose the Right Variety

When most people think of backyard fruit, figs don’t always make the list. That’s a mistake. Fig trees are one of the easiest, most rewarding fruit trees you can grow, especially here in Florida. They’re forgiving, fast-growing, and packed with nutrition. In this Fig 101, I’ll walk you through the basics how to grow them, how to harvest, and which varieties are worth your time.

Why Grow Figs?

Figs are one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world. They’re naturally sweet, nutrient-rich, and can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked into everything from jams to salads. Beyond taste, fig trees are hardy. Once established, they don’t demand much attention and reward you with heavy crops year after year.

Growing Fig Trees

• Soil: Figs like well-draining soil. Sandy loam is ideal, but they’ll tolerate poor soil if drainage is good.
• Sunlight: Give them full sun. At least 6–8 hours a day ensures good growth and sweeter fruit.
• Watering: Figs don’t love “wet feet.” Water deeply but infrequently. Once they’re established, they’re surprisingly drought-tolerant.
• Spacing: Give them room to spread. Most fig trees want 10–15 feet of space, but dwarf varieties can be tucked into smaller gardens or even grown in large pots.

Harvesting Figs

Here’s the trick: figs don’t ripen once picked. That means you want to harvest only when they’re fully ready. Look for fruit that’s soft to the touch and slightly drooping. If the fig still points upward, it’s not ready. When ripe, figs should practically fall into your hand.

Eat them fresh, refrigerate them for a few days, or dry them for longer storage. If you’ve got an abundance, fig preserves are a classic.

Choosing Varieties

Not all figs are created equal. Your climate, space, and taste preferences will determine what works best.

In my own food forest, I grow the LSU Purple fig, a variety bred to thrive in the South. It’s a heavy producer with medium to large fruit that has a sweet, rich flavor. I also have two Little Miss Figgy trees, a dwarf variety that’s perfect for small spaces or container gardening. Don’t let the size fool you Little Miss Figgy puts out delicious dark purple figs and looks beautiful as a compact ornamental.

Other popular options include:

• Celeste: A reliable Southern fig with small, honey-sweet fruit.
• Brown Turkey: Widely grown for its adaptability and decent yields.
• Chicago Hardy: Famous for cold tolerance if you’re gardening further north.

Final Thoughts

Figs deserve a spot in every backyard food forest. They’re low-maintenance, productive, and provide fruit that tastes like nothing you’ll ever find at the grocery store. Whether you’ve got room for a full-sized LSU Purple or just a patio spot for Little Miss Figgy, there’s a fig tree that fits your life.

If you’re building a self-sufficient garden, figs are one of those plants that practically pay you back every year. Plant one now, and a few seasons from today you’ll be pulling sweet fruit straight off the tree.