Greetings, Rhea Countians! We wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a guest speaker at our association meeting on May 16.
Angel Miller and her husband, who own 2AngelsMushrooms in Ooltewah, Tenn., came to speak to us on growing figs at home. Angel has extensive knowledge of growing these delectable edibles. We want to share some of this information with you. Figs are not actually a fruit, but an inside out flower. They require pollination from a specialized wasp, which does not live here. Therefore, figs that are produced here come from propagation.
There are over 2,000 cultivars of figs and come in a wide range of flavors. Figs can be grown in pots but are limited to production because of pot size and they require more attention in summer for water and fertilizer requirements. They must be moved into a dark cool place in the winter and then brought back out in stages in the spring for “hardening off.”
Figs, planted in the ground, however, require just a large area and a minimum of 8 hours of sunlight per day. In harsh conditions in winter mulching helps to protect the fig for next year, be sure to trim off any dead branches.
There are several varieties that grow well here in Tennessee. Some examples are Celeste, which is an heirloom fig known as the TN Mountain fig. LSU gold and purple, were developed by LSU for growing in the southeast as well. Chicago Hardy, another great fig that produces once a season but does well here. When buying figs, make sure you are purchasing from reputable nurseries, or go online and check out Figbid.com, they are an excellent source. Angel sells cuttings you can propagate or plants that are established, see picture below.
You can find out more by visiting her website 2AngelsMushrooms.com. Figs are a healthy food, and we encourage you to try growing some in your home gardens. Happy Gardening!
Send questions to rheacomg@gmail.com or write to Rhea County Extension Office, c/o Master Gardeners, 125 Court Street, Suite 3, Dayton, TN, 37321.
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