How to grow figs in a border
Q
I have a ‘Brown Turkey’ fig tree in a pot and would like to plant the tree in a border, but understand the roots can go berserk. What should I do?
Keith Green, via email
AIf you move your fig to a sunny, free-draining border, its roots should be confined, otherwise excessive root development will result in vigorous non-fruiting limbs. Do it now while the soil is still fairly warm.
Start by digging a 2ft (60cm) square hole at about the same depth, and line the sides with paving slabs.
Fill the bottom 1ft (30cm) with brick rubble and use a heavy pole as a ‘rammer’ to firm it into a solid, but porous ‘block’. The tree, when planted and confined, will respond by producing a mass of fibrous roots, but will not send out unwanted tap roots.
Continue by filling the hole with a mix of two parts loam and one part grit and set the fig at its previous depth. Support it with a stout cane.
In spring, when new shoots appear, behead them when each has formed five leaves. It will trigger the formation of twiggy fruiting side shoots.