Why I Grow Fig Trees and Why You Should Grow & Plant Your Own
Updated: Nov 3
Ready to taste the sweet rewards of homegrown figs? Discover the top reasons why I grow my own fig trees and be convinced to grow your own fig tree or to start your own backyard fig orchard in this informative blog post.
Key Takeaways:
The benefits of growing fig trees include the nostalgia they evoke, the unparalleled taste of fresh figs, the incredible eating experience they provide, and the ease and versatility of growing them.
Figs are a healthy food source, containing fiber and essential minerals, and are a good option for people with diabetes.
Fig trees are relatively easy to grow and are not bothered by serious pests and diseases.
Figs can be grown in a wide range of climates and can also be easily grown long-term in containers.
Growing fig trees can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery.
Growing fig trees also has economic benefits, as they are hard to find and expensive at the grocery store, and the fruits, plants, and cuttings can command high prices as more people realize their amazingness.
Growing fig trees is an endlessly rewarding hobby that not only provides delicious fruits but also positively impacts personal growth by teaching about patience, hard work, and pride as you watch something you have nurtured grow and flourish.
As always if you want more fig-related content like this, feel free to subscribe to the Fig Boss newsletter at the top of the page.

Grow fig trees for nostalgia.
For many of us, fig trees hold a special place in our hearts and memories. Whether it was picking them with your grandfather as a child or growing up surrounded by them in your hometown, figs evoke a sense of nostalgia and remind us of simpler times.
Not only may have you been impacted by someone else and their love of figs, but now you also have the opportunity to pass that same nostalgic love for figs to someone else. That's what this blog is all about, isn't it?
As always feel free to subscribe to the Fig Boss newsletter in the bar at the top of the page for more free fig-related content like this.
Grow fig trees for the unparalleled taste of fresh figs by growing your own - a rarity to find in high quality at a grocery store.
Commercially grown figs are picked before they reach peak ripeness and are shipped long distances, resulting in a loss of flavor and a higher likelihood of spoilage or mold. By picking your figs at the perfect ripeness from your own tree, you can fully taste the full range of sweetness and flavor that nature intended.
When harvested for commercial purposes, figs are picked on average 40-60% less ripe than you could have picked your own figs off of your own tree.
Watch a fig-tasting video that I created during the summer of 2022 where I got to compare the size, colors, textures & flavors of different fig varieties:
Grow fig trees for an incredible eating experience.
Like drinking an expensive bottle of wine, growing fruit like the fig can be an experience that's worth paying top dollar for. The wide range of genetic diversity within Ficus Carica gives them a wide range of textures and flavors, and even unpollinated varieties can produce an incredible eating experience.
Imagine biting into a perfectly ripe fig plucked straight from your own tree and experiencing a burst of flavor that words can't quite describe. And when pollinated, some figs produce flavors that are truly out of this world and indescribable, with some varieties even tasting more like a fruit than that fruit itself.
And among all the fruits that can be grown in a temperate or subtropical climate, figs are the undisputed champion for taste and quality. Trust me, I've grown and tried them all, and only the persimmon comes close, but it is left in the dust when pollinated and grown in a dry climate.
Check out the Varieties of Ficus Carica Collage poster that I created below. It truly demonstrates the amazing genetic diversity of fig trees. If you want this beautiful poster for your wall, you can buy one here:

Grow fig trees for ease & versatility.
Fig trees are easy to grow and are what I would consider a reliable and healthy food source. In fact, in the world of fruiting plants, fig trees are one of the easiest. They are rarely bothered by pests or diseases. Take apples, pears, or stone fruits as an example. Here in the humid mid-Atlantic, I cannot harvest plums without spraying Surround for Plum Curculio. I also cannot grow pears if I'm in a high-pressure Fireblight area. And I cannot grow apples reliably without spraying if I have high pest pressure from other insects.
Fig trees can be attacked by birds, squirrels, and other critters during harvest time, but they rarely suffer from serious diseases. For most of us, the biggest pest to the fig tree is probably the fruit fly. That's quite easy to deal with compared to other pests.
Fig trees are also incredibly hardy and resilient plants. They can survive temperatures of 0F and also 120F. They don't require a pollinator or a dormancy period either. This allows them to be grown in a wide range of climates. Pretty much anywhere in the United States, fig trees can be grown in some form.
They also make great container plants for those that have no other option.
