[Motivator]

Hope someone can advise me on this one. My fig plant in a pot has thrown up two suckers, Can i remove them and put them on , If so what is the best method.

[8doubles]

Yes, figs are easy. Just put them in a pot of soil and keep them watered and they will grow. Do the same with 2 yr old wood prunings cut in 4" lenths with one bud at the top.
 Push the cutting in so 1/2" is left showing and they will grow.

[Siouxfly]

Can they be grown outdoors up here in Scotland or do they need a greenhouse? I'd love to grow figs.

[8doubles]

Can they be grown outdoors up here in Scotland or do they need a greenhouse? I'd love to grow figs.

Our fig tree survived the fairly cold winter we have just had with no problems but i think an outdoor fig will need a longer `warm season' than you get in your part of the country for the fruit to ripen.
If you have a warm , sheltered position in Edinburgh you may be okay.

[Cazzy]

Hi Souixfly, I was wondering the same as I fancy one.

I found an old article that says "Figs are far hardier than people think. They are productive in sheltered places as far north as Scotland"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3354107/Growing-figs.html

Its worth giving it a try.

[Trillium]

But if you've only one tree, it's difficult to make the decision to risk leaving it outside. Personally, I'd overwinter it in a greenhouse to keep off frost and rain which can do the most damage to figs. When we overwinter them in Ontario, we uproot most of the tree, push it into a trench, mostly fill trench with soil, top completely with insulation batting, top that with waterproof poly then tarp, and top with more soil. Its a lot of work but the figs pull through every year.

[Cazzy]

Right, I see.

I hadn't even given the overwintering a thought, I was thinking of our cool summers for ripening the fruit. 

Thanks Trillium

[ex-cavator]

I've got one growing in a pot by the front door but it's getting a bit big now ...

Must admit I hadn't thought of it before, but, would it be acceptable to stick it in the allotment? Or do they just grow too big? I don't know if the parish council would find it acceptable. If it was OK, would I expect to get ripe figs in a typical Oxfordshire summer (e.g. cold, windy, & wet), and if so, how old does a tree need to be to start producing? 

[Yorkie]

They do prefer sheltered sunny conditions but if it's a hardy variety it would probably be OK.  However, they do like their roots restricted in order to perform best so don't just put them in the open ground.

[ex-cavator]

Haven't got a clue what variety it is - they grow like weeds on sewage works, as the seeds just pass through ...  So, working for the water co., I can just take my pick. Mind you, they can be a devil to dig out 'cos the roots go on for ever, even on a small one, and what they grow in isn't always too pleasant  So I was interested to read the bit about taking a cutting 

[lmpd]

i wouldn't recommend putting figs on your plot, i inherited two very mature trees on my plot and although the figs are sheer bliss, the roots go on forever and can't grow anything within 8 foot of them (except crocuses)