Three Dogs in a Garden

I bought a fig tree principally because of a short story.

I know, I know. It's a bit of a zany reason for a plant purchase, but let me explain.

I am a longtime fan of Stewart Mclean and his hour-long radio show on the CBC called the Vinyl Cafe. Of Stewart's many tales, my favourite, and there is no surprise here, is about an aging gardener and his fig tree.

I know it is a little sentimental, but I like the idea of having a pleasant reminder of a favourite story in my garden.

I sure you must be wondering about the practicality of growing figs in Canada.

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After all, fig trees hail from the Middle East and western Asia.

Well, I have it on good authority that it is indeed possible to grow figs here in my zone 6b garden.

Steve Biggs, author of Grow Figs Where You Think You Can't, has become a well known authority on the subject of growing figs.

But why bother to grow your own figs in the first place? In his book, Steve writes:

"A fig picked too early never ripens to perfection. It's just a corky, semi-sweet thing passed off as a fig. Contrast that to a truly ripe fresh fig, which packs a succulent burst of jam-like sweetness. That perfectly ripe fig is far to fragile to withstand long-distance shipping. And that means that many people living in colder climates have never experienced one."

Count me in amongst all those people who has never experienced a proper tree-ripened fig! I have eyed the rather sad, slightly shrivelled specimens in my local grocery and have always passed on buying figs. On the other hand, the "jam-like sweetness" of a homegrown fig sounds divine.

Curious as to where his interest in figs began, I contacted Steve and asked him a series of questions to help me get started with my first fig tree:

How did become interested in growing figs Steve?

"My first exposure to figs was to the dried sort. I don't mean to disparage dried figs, but they would not be reason enough for me to go to the effort of growing my own figs in my garden. When people say they don't like figs, I am immediately suspicious that they have only tried the dry ones...

My interest in figs grew as I watched neighbours grow figs. Then as a student I spent a summer working at a nursery in the UK that specialized in growing figs."

What types of fig trees are best adapted to life here in Canada?

"Some varieties such as "Hardy Chicago" can tolerate cold better, so are better suited for growing in the ground. Varieties that ripen 'main-crop' figs earlier are always a safer bet. And, varieties such as "Desert King", which have a heavy Breba crop (the early crop in July) are a good bet.

[Breba fruit grown on wood from the previous year, usually ripening in July; while main-crop figs are on wood from the current year, ripening late summer or fall.]"

I know absolutely nothing about growing figs. What can I do to get my fig tree off to a good start?

"Sun, heat and water are all important to actively growing plants. Unpruned, plants usually grow into a bush, but can be trained into small trees, if that's what you prefer."

How can I encourage fruit and get it to ripen before fall frosts?

"Pick a hot, sunny microclimate, such as next to a brick wall that radiates heat. Pinch out shoot tips after 3 figs form, so that energy isn't wasted growing figs that probably won't ripen in our climate."

What can I do to make sure my fig tree makes it through the winter?

"Fig trees lose their leaves after the first frost. They WANT to go dormant. That means you can keep them over the winter even if you don't have a bright, hot greenhouse. While they're dormant, they don't need light or much heat. Contrast this to lemons...

Do not put your fig tree in a sunny window. If it grows to much indoors it will get to gangly. It is also important not to overwater, as this can rot the roots.

If your fig is in a pot, move it to a cool, dark location such as a cold room; or an attached garage can work well too. A stand-alone garage tends to get too cold in extreme conditions.

If it is in the ground, bend over the shoots and insulate with soil and some sort of insulating cover."

Just to be clear: are you suggesting I bury it in the ground and then cover it over with additional insulation?

Many people do this, although here in the Toronto area, you can bend it to the ground and mulch heavily. No need to bury your fig tree!

What do you suggest I use as an insulating cover?

"Some people use leaves. One fellow I know uses an old door with a sheet of insulating foam on it. Your goal is to moderate the temperature swings, not to prevent it from freezing."

My hardy Fig tree, Ficus carica: Needs 3-6 hours of sun. Full height 8-10', Full Spread: 10-12'

USDA Zone 7-10 ( -18 degrees C)

My fig tree is far too young to produce figs this year, but if it successfully overwinters, I hope to enjoy its first figs next summer.

As Steve describes it,"The neck becomes soft, the fruit drops and becomes soft to the touch, and sometimes a glistening drop of nectar escapes from the eye."

I can hardly wait!

More information and Links:

Steve Biggs is an award winning journalist and author specializing in gardening, farming and food production. A life-long gardener, he favours a practical and fun approach to things. His book No Guff Vegetable Gardening, co-authored with Donna Balzer is a Canadian best seller. Grow Your Own Figs Where You Think You Can't is the winner if the 2012 Silver Award of Achievement, Garden Writers Association.

Steve lives with his family (and a couple dozen fig trees) in Toronto.

Watch a short video of Steve at Richter's Herb Nursery speaking on growing Figs.

Be sure to check out Steve's plans for creating a "Fig Patio Garden" inNiki Jabbour's new book Groundbreaking Gardens.

For those of you that live in the GTA, you can check out the new Fig Patio Garden at the Toronto Botanical Gardens.

Stewart Mclean is a best selling author, award winning journalist and humorist. The Vinyl Cafe stories follow the misadventures of Dave, the owner of the Vinyl Cafe (the world's smallest record store) his wife Morley, his daughter Stephanie and his son Sam. Find some of the most recent Vinyl Cafe podcasts here.

I did this post up for Hometalk and thought I might repeat it here as well:

Q: Squirrels are digging up and eating my tulips bulbs! What can I do?

There tend to be lots of squirrels looking for an easy meal in my backyard every fall. Here is what I have learned to do to prevent them from adding my tulips to the dinner menu:

1. Do not place your bulbs on the surface of the ground while you dig the hole to plant them. Squirrels have a good sense of smell. You might as well put up a sign, "Tulips planted here. Please dig." Instead place your tulips in a basket or plastic bucket while you work.

2. Don't make it easy for squirrels to dig up your bulbs. Plant tulips deeply. Forget the little hand trowel and go get a shovel. You are more likely to dig to the proper depth with a shovel. On average tulips should be planted to a depth of 6-8 inches. (As an added bonus tulips planted deeply are more likely to bloom reliably year to year.)

3. After you dig down and place your bulbs, backfill the hole and firm down the soil really well with your foot. Most squirrels will go for food buried just under the surface of the soil. If the little beggars do have the nerve to try to dig for your tulips, at least you have made it difficult for them by planting deeply and compacting the soil. Most squirrels will move on to much easier quarry.

4. Disguise the area where you planted your tulips by covering the surface with mulch or leaves as a final way to hide your buried treasure.

5. I have never resorted to repellents, but if you have squirrels that are determined pests, you may want to try an organic repellent (available at your local nursery). I have also read that red pepper flakes sprinkled on the surface of the soil are a great organic deterrent.

6. If all else fails, plant bulbs that squirrels don't like to eat. Examples include: daffodils, alliums, scilla and hyacinths. (Note: I have had squirrels dig up my daffodils and discard them uneaten on the surface of the soil, so I have also learned the hard way to plant my daffodils deeply.)

Do you have a great method of deterring squirrels from eating tulips bulbs? Please share in the comment section below!

Tulip 'Angelique'

Q: Last spring's bulbs produced only foliage with no flowers. Where did I go wrong?

1. Most tulips only bloom reliably for a year or two so you may have done nothing wrong. If you want a longer lifespan from tulip bulbs try Darwin or species tulips. Darwin hybrids not only have big, showy flowers, they are known to bloom from 5 to 7 years. And unlike their more flashy hybrid cousins, species tulips are long lived and will naturalize when planted in a sunny, well-drained spot.

2. Make sure to double check the light requirements before you plant your bulbs. Tulips, for instance, need full sun. Sunlight feeds the foliage and that energy is stored in the bulb to produce next spring's flower. If your tulips are planted in shade, the bulbs may not have stored sufficient food to make flowers.

3. Deadhead after flowering. If you don't remove spent blooms, tulips will put all their energy into producing seed instead of storing food for next year's flowers.

4. Do not remove foliage after the flowers fade. Allow the foliage to die down naturally so the bulbs will have a chance to store enough nutrients to produce next spring's blooms.

A mix of Daffodils and Narcissus from last May

5. Poor blooms on daffodils may mean that the bulbs have become crowded and need division. Dig up daffodil clumps following the spring bloom time, separate individual bulbs and replant them several inches apart.

6. As daffodil bulbs age the "mother" bulb multiplies each year. The mother bulb eventually dies and it sometimes takes the offspring bulbs a few years to reach flowering size. To encourage the young bulbs to mature, apply a granular high potash feed and liquid fertilizer each spring after flowering.

An Allium up close and personal

Q: Deer are treating my spring display of bulbs as an all-you-can-eat buffet. What can I do?

Try planting bulbs that don't appeal to deer: grape hyacinth, Siberian Squill, daffodils or alliums.

Q: What should I look for when buying bulbs?

Look for firm bulbs that show no signs of being shrivelled or soft. The larger the bulb the larger the flower- is a good general rule.

Q: When is it too late to plant bulbs?

1. Ideally, I think it is a good idea to get your bulbs planted in September/October. That being said, I notoriously snap up bulbs at clearance sales in late October and often get them into the ground as late as mid-November (my garden is Zone 6).
But when is a bargain not a bargain? Late fall weather is often unpredictable and there have been occasions when the ground has frozen before I could get my clearance bulbs into the ground. I learned to limit my clearance bulb purchases to only those I know I can plant immediately.

Q: Can I leave potted bulbs outside all winter?

This is another lesson I learned the hard way. Last year I left potted bulbs outdoors and by spring they all had turned into a soggy, rotten mess. In colder zones like mine, it is best to put potted bulbs in an unheated garage or shed. Keep an eye on them to make sure they are damp, but not wet. In warmer zones (Zone 8 or higher), you can leave them outdoors all winter.

Paperwhites

Q: How can I force bulbs for inside the house?

Paperwhites are one of the easiest bulbs to force and do not require a period of chilling. In recent years, I find that most other types of spring bulbs are readily available in stores and are so darned affordable that I don't go to the bother of forcing them myself. If you do want to try to force your own however, most bulbs can be forced if you refrigerate them for a period of 10-15 weeks in a paper bag. When placing your bulbs in the fridge, make sure your bulbs are not stored near fruit or vegetables which can emit an ethylene gas that is harmful to bulbs.

Q: Can I replant forced bulbs outside in spring?

Most forced bulbs won't bloom again as they have used up all their energy. I have however, had some luck with forced hyacinths purchased in late winter. I remove flowers when they fade, keep them in a sunny spot and continue to water the foliage. When the weather warms up to above freezing, I move the hyacinth pots outside and let them acclimatize to the outdoor temperatures. Then I remove the bulbs and plant them in the garden. Some have come back the following year. Have you had any luck planting forced bulbs in your garden?

Please share any other bulb planting tips you may have! We'd all love to know what has
worked in your garden.

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