do fig trees grow in oregon?

Figs can be trained to be either a bush or a tree. The bush form is easier and more practical in the Oregon climate because of frequent winter freezes. To achieve this size of plant, remove 1/3-1/2 of the annual growth each winter. Pruning in the winter will help prevent the tree from suckering, or growing shoots from the base. Remember to keep the center of your fig tree open. This will allow it to get more sun and produce higher quality fruit. Fig trees can be pruned severely and kept small – as low as 5 feet. When pruned this way, the early crop is sacrificed. Figs planted in containers are also restricted in growth. [2]

A new paper from ourfigs.com shows how I was lucky enough to meet Karl recently in rural Oregon.I actually purchased a few great trees from him. A couple of Austrian Black Pines and two small madrone trees.I foundad found out it is almost impossible to dig a madrone up in the wild and successfully plant it.It is also very difficult to plant large potted madrone trees with success.Karl saved me from the frustration of trying to dig up madrone trees.He had also shown me his fig tree. It appears to be a Desert King that is happily growing in a micro climate against a west facing structure.After feeding me a concoction made with garlic, honey, ginger and hot peppers, I was ready for anything the world could throw at me. It was spectacular to say the least!He would not let my wife and I leave without giving us a jar of bourbon figs that his wife made.We are going to open them to compliment our Christmas dinner.Yes, fig trees do extremely well in Oregon.The trick is finding a cold hardy variety with a great Breba crop or early main crop.I want to continue to experiment with different varieties in ground in Oregon.Hopefully many will benefit from my trials in the future.The most important thing to me is meeting people like Karl.People that share a love for growing plants and make this rock we live on a better place.I can only hope to give back a fraction of what has been given to me on my fig journey.Bourbon Fig report to follow. (revised by Linzi Conn on May 9, 2020) [3]

Prune in January or February by opening up the interior of the tree and reducing its height. Start by standing back and studying the tree to see where you want to cut. To open up the interior, concentrate on taking out old wood, including a few large limbs. Leave about a third to a half of the 1-year growth because that is what produces fruit. It’s easy to tell the difference: The 1-year growth is green and smooth. Mature wood is gray. Also, the 1-year wood will have developing fruit on the tips of new growth that look like tiny nubbins. (we truly appreciate Terrail Mendoza from Mathura, India for letting us know). [4]

Renquist doesn’t recommend growing figs in pots for the long term. They are vigorous plants that need room for sustainable root growth. If you have a small space to garden and a container is the only choice, start with a pot that will accommodate several years of growth and then transplant to a larger one. A 7-gallon container should be sufficient for three to four years, a 15 gallon for seven to eight. Once the pot fills with roots, growth will become weaker, and he suggests pulling the plant out and pruning the roots severely. The top will have to be pruned significantly, also. (we appreciate Xia Coburn having pointing this out to us). [5]