Please read the full disclosure for more info. 💚
Today, I thought I’d dive into the process of choosing the right fig tree variety for my garden. Now, I’m not a fig expert, but I’ve learned quite a bit over the past few weeks, and I wanted to share some of the things I considered when picking my fig tree variety.
When I first started researching fig trees, I had no idea there were so many different types. It’s honestly a bit overwhelming at first, but the good news is that no matter where you live or what your gardening space looks like, there’s probably a fig variety that’ll suit your needs.
Different Types of Fig Trees
There are two main categories of fig trees: common figs and caprifigs. The main difference? Common figs can be grown on their own and don’t need a second fig tree for pollination. On the other hand, caprifigs aren’t grown for fruit—they’re there to pollinate other fig trees.
I knew right off the bat I didn’t want to deal with caprifigs because I wanted something I could just plant and watch grow. So, I focused on common figs, which are way easier to manage.
Choosing the Right Fig Tree for My Garden
When I was picking a variety, I thought about a few things:
1.Climate: Fig trees love the sun. I live in an area here in the Philippines that’s perfect for them (warm summers), so I knew I could grow most varieties. If you’re in a cooler climate, you might need to grow figs in pots and move them indoors for winter, but in my case, a regular fig tree would be fine.
2. Space: Fig trees can get pretty big, so I had to think about how much space I had available. I’m planting my tree in a pot and place it in my terrace garden together with my other plants, so I don’t mind a tree that gets a little tall. But if you’re working with a smaller space, there are dwarf varieties you can consider, like Petite Negra, which stay more compact.
3.Fruit Type: I’m all about eating figs fresh. So, I went with Raspberry latte as my first fig variety. I bought three cuttings to grow in small pots. I know when they grow and start fruiting they’ll be great for fresh eating, and also versatile enough for drying and baking. I’ve tasted the fruits are a bit on the sweeter and tangy side, which was a selling point for me.
Conclusion
Choosing the right fig variety is all about considering your climate, space, and how you want to use the figs. I feel confident with the Raspberry latte figs I picked, but I’ll keep you posted on how they do as the season progresses. Tomorrow, I’ll be talking about the actual process of planting my fig tree, so stay tuned for that. Check for Day 3 Here! 🌱
