Figs are one good choice for growing in Massachusetts, but you may need to bring them indoors in the winter, or keep them in a heated greenhouse. To decide which type of fruit tree to grow, you should consider these important factors: when your tree will produce fruit (years to maturity and harvest window)
How do you winterize a fig tree in Massachusetts?
After hard frost remove all remaining leaves and unripe figs. Place containers in an insulated unheated preferably dark room, garage or cool basement. If the space is not dark, you can cover the figs. If you're lucky enough to have an environmentally controlled greenhouse, you may not need to cover them.
How far north can you grow a fig tree?
Hardiness – Figs are reliably cold hardy in zone 7 and southward. They can survive winter temperatures down to 15 to 20 degrees F. You can grow them north of zone 7 if you provide them with winter protection or grow them in containers that can be stored in a garage or basement.
Where do fig trees grow in the Northeast?
Figs are sun-loving trees and do best in the Northeast when grown in heat-hoarding microclimates, such as near foundations where the heat from the building helps keep the soil warmer through winter or against a south-facing wall to benefit from the radiant heat.
Will fig trees grow in the Midwest?
Most fig trees will thrive unprotected in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10. The cold-hardy varieties can withstand winters in Zones 6 and 7, but they will require some protection.
Can fig trees survive snow?
Fig trees are tolerant of mild freezing temperatures, but extreme cold may kill the tree or damage it irreparably.
How cold is too cold for a fig tree?
Since figs thrive in warm regions, long periods of cold weather limit growth, ergo fruit set and production, and a lengthy freeze will kill them. Temperatures of -10 to -20 degrees F. (-23 to -26 C.) will definitely kill the fig tree.
How long does it take a fig tree to bear fruit?
three to five yearsHarvesting Figs Some varieties produce one crop of figs each year, while others produce two. Figs typically form on new stem growth each year and ripen months later. Most fig trees take three to five years to start ripening fruit.
What is the most cold hardy fig tree?
The Common Fig (Ficus carica) is the most cold hardy species of edible fig and the one we plant in Philadelphia; unlike other fig species, it is also self-fertile and doesn't require pollination to produce fruit.
How do figs grow in cold climates?
For overwintering, figs require almost no water — just enough to prevent desiccation, perhaps once in late winter. And light is not required, as the figs will be leafless. The ideal you're trying to simulate, he said, is a Mediterranean winter, somewhere between freezing and the low 40s.
Can a fig tree survive in Zone 5?
Amazingly, these prolific plants are hardy to zone 5 when given winter protection and self-pollinating, which means they can be grown independently without other varieties present.
Do deer eat fig trees?
Fig trees are considered deer-resistant plants in areas where deer are abundant. They're generally hardy and are considered a good choice for gardeners with sensitive soil. In particular, if you live in an area where deer are a nuisance, consider planting “deer-resistant” varieties.
Are fig trees easy to grow?
Fig trees are fast-growing fruit trees that are rather easy to grow and care for. They can be grown outside in warmer climates or set in containers to be brought in during the cold of winter in colder climates.
Where in the US do figs grow?
CaliforniaToday, 100 percent of the dried figs and 98 percent of the fresh figs grown commercially in the U.S. are from California. Over 100 producers, marketers, farm managers, and processors of California Figs farm 9,300 acres, mostly in and around the cities of Madera, Fresno, and Merced.
How long does a fig tree take to produce figs?
three to five yearsHarvesting Figs Some varieties produce one crop of figs each year, while others produce two. Figs typically form on new stem growth each year and ripen months later. Most fig trees take three to five years to start ripening fruit.
Do you have to plant 2 fig trees?
Figs are self-fruitful, so you need only one plant to produce fruit. Mature fig trees can be 15 to 30 feet tall. If you have more room, plant several. Choose early-, mid-, and late- ruiting selections to extend your harvest from summer into early fall.
How old does a fig tree have to be to bear fruit?
It may take two or three years for a young fig tree to establish and to bear fruit. After that, you can expect to harvest figs – one crop a year – or more if you live somewhere warm and sunny.