Care Tips for Growing Vigorous and Fruitful Potted Figs on a Balcony

If you want to grow a very delicious fruit that needs little care, one that can be grown in a pot on a balcony and produces fruit especially easily, then the fig is perfect for you. When winter temperatures get too low, you can move it indoors to protect it from frost damage.

Figs actually come in a great many varieties, as many as more than 200, in a wide range of colors and types. You can choose a suitable variety according to your specific climate, and it is best to choose a self-pollinating variety.

Figs like a warm environment year-round, and if the temperature drops below 10 degrees, they are quite prone to frost damage. If you live in a northern region where winters are quite cold, you can choose to grow figs in pots, keep them on a terrace or balcony, and move them indoors during the cold winter.

To grow figs in pots, you can choose a fairly large container, preferably a large ceramic or clay pot. During the growing season, remember to regularly add compost or organic fertilizer solution, and for the soil choose a loose, breathable, well-draining, slightly acidic humus soil rich in humus.

When caring for figs, also pay attention to regular watering. Generally, wait until the top 2~3 cm of soil has dried out, then water once. If the soil becomes excessively dry, its leaves will keep dropping, and the branches and leaves are likely to dry up.

If you grow figs in pots on a balcony, you should still regularly apply foliar fertilizer, and you can occasionally mist water around them to maintain a certain air humidity. In spring and summer, you can give a slow-release organic liquid fertilizer once every 2~3 weeks to supplement the fig's nutrients.

Propagating figs is also very simple. You can cut off a section of branch about one year old, remove the leaves from the bottom of the branch, and keep just 2~3 leaves at the top. Make a slanted cut at the bottom end, dip it in a little rooting powder, then insert it into loose sandy soil, keep the soil moist, and place it in a warm, ventilated environment. Generally, it will take root and sprout in one to two months.

The spot where you keep a potted fig should have plenty of light. In winter, avoid wind and protect it from freezing. During the growing season, give foliar fertilizer once a month. If the temperature drops below 10 degrees, move it indoors; the most suitable winter care temperature is between 5~10 degrees.

Caring for figs is very simple, because they rarely suffer from pests or diseases. Just be careful to avoid waterlogged soil, otherwise it can easily cause root rot, and the leaves will also keep dropping.

If you grow potted figs according to the care methods above, then in summer and autumn you will be able to keep harvesting figs. To keep figs for a longer time, you can store them in the refrigerator, and generally they will not spoil within one to two weeks.