It is not surprising to hear that you are planning to grow figs in your garden or backyard. Growing or taking care of the fig tree is not at all a daunting task; the real challenge lies in choosing the right fig tree amongst its huge varieties. The good news is you can easily find all fig varieties at Fig supplier in Argentina.
If sources to believe, over 700 varieties of fig trees are available around the world and all varieties fall into these four categories:
1. Smyrna: Smyrna or Caducous figs bear female flowers and need to pollinate with other varieties, Caprifigs. Some of the most popular examples of this variety are Marabout, Zidi and Sari Lop.
2. Caprifigs: This variety never bears fruits and only produces male flowers. The main purpose of this fig tree variety is to pollinate with female fig trees like Smyrna.
3. San Pedro: This kind of variety bears two crops: one on new wood and the other on leafless mature wood. The former requires pollination whereas the latter does not require pollination by the male flower. The intermediate group is another name of the San Pedro and the common examples are King and Lampeira.
4. Common Figs: This is one of the best varieties to pick for growing in home gardens. This fig variety does not require any other variety for pollination. The distinguishing feature of common figs is they do not have an opening, which allows the entry of pollinating wasps into the internal flower. Because of no opening, they are less susceptible to damage caused due to insects. This variety is also known as persistent figs and the common examples are Brown Turkey, Brunswick, Black Mission, etc.
It is necessary to understand that not all varieties are ideal to grow in your home gardens. For growing figs in home gardens, pick the following varieties from the fig suppliers:
1. Brown Turkey: This variety comes up with attractive flesh but with few seeds. It produces large-sized and tasty figs for a long season. The Brown Turkey fig has a violet to light brown color with strawberry pulp. Some other names of this variety are English Brown Turkey, Easter Brown Turkey, Texas Everbearing and Everbearing.
2. Celeste: It is a small to medium-size fig that grows on a large tree. It is brown or purple in color that ripens earlier than other varieties. This fig is the most suitable to pick for preparing dessert. The other names of the variety are Conant, Sugar Fig, Celestial and Tennessee Mountain Fig.
3. Alma Figs: It is also a small to medium-sized fig with amber pulp. The Alma fig has pear-shaped and is golden brown in color. It has a delicate and sweet taste. As compared to other varieties, it ripens late and is highly susceptible to fruit rots.
4. Purple Genca: These figs are large to very large in size with amber pulp and red flesh. They are purple to brown in color with a flattened appearance. These figs have a sweet flavor. Some other names of the Purple Genca figs are Black Spanish, Black Genoa and Black Jack.
You can find all these varieties easily available at online fig suppliers at affordable rates.
Now, let’s discuss the ideal growing conditions for figs in your gardens.
Ideal Growing Conditions: These trees are easy to grow in warm climates but produce the best fruit in Mediterranean climatic conditions: hot and dry summers and wet winters. When planted in the ground, they easily reach up to the height of 15-30 feet. These trees tolerate poor to average soil but for getting the best produce, loamy and well-drained soils are ideal picks with a pH range of 5.5 to 8.0.
Fertilization: The fig trees respond very well to high applications of compost and manure. But prefer providing necessary fertilizers during the early growing season but not during the planting. On the other hand, well-established plants need fertilization only once during the spring season. Another important thing is to apply fertilizers around its base i.e. minimum of 1 foot from the crown.
Irrigation: For getting good to best fruit production, keep watering the figs during the growing season regularly without leading to waterlogging. During plantation, give the plant 10 gallons of water either from rain or irrigation minimum thrice in a week. During drought conditions, increase the water quantity to 20 gallons.
The first time growers can successfully grow figs in containers like a pot and keep them in a well-lit place. Keep watering and feeding them regularly. If you experience chilly winters where the temperature falls below 15 degrees, bring the potted plant inside a shed but make sure that it gets ample natural lighting of 8-10 hours a day.
So, purchase the best quality of figs from suppliers in Argentina and start growing your own produce.