Fig Trees: Pots vs. Ground - What's Best for Your Garden?

Q: Are Fig Trees Better in Pots or Ground?

A: The choice between planting fig trees in pots or ground depends on your specific circumstances and preferences. Fig trees planted in the ground offer a higher yield of better quality and better-tasting fruits. Therefore, planting a fig tree in the ground is the way to go if you have the ideal situation. However, growing fig trees in pots is an excellent option if you need flexibility, protection from extreme weather, or want to trial different varieties. No matter which option you choose, you can enjoy a delicious harvest of figs with proper care.

Related: Growing Fig Trees: Tips and Tricks for a Successful Harvest

Related: Why I Grow Fig Trees and Why You Should Grow & Plant Your Own

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Figs in Containers: Flexibility and Control

Fig trees thrive in containers, making them an excellent option for those with limited space. If you live in an apartment with only a balcony or reside in a cold climate where winter temperatures drop significantly, container gardening might be your best bet. Containers allow for easy movement, enabling you to protect your trees from extreme weather by bringing them indoors or placing them in a greenhouse.

Fig trees need protection from temperatures below 15F during the winter.

Related: Fig Tree Winter Storage - A Necessary Step Toward Survival & Fruiting

A well-maintained container fig tree can be quite productive. With the right care—proper soil, adequate moisture, suitable fertilizer, and sufficient sunlight—container fig trees can produce between 50 to 75 figs in a three to five-gallon pot. Larger pots can lead to even higher yields, but they come with limitations. Containers restrict the tree's root growth, limiting the available nutrients and water, which can impact the overall productivity and health of the tree.

Related: Potted Fig Tree Care: A Guide to Growing Fig Trees in Containers

Generally, the cost and work involved in maintaining potted fig trees is higher. Think of the annual cost of water, soil, fertilizer, and the pot itself. Whereas, fig trees planted in the ground can easily find these on their own once established.

Often overlooked is the need to root prune potted fig trees. Every 2-3 years, this tiring task needs to be completed which involves removing a third of your fig tree’s rootball, followed by adding new nutrient-rich potting soil giving your fig tree new space to grow, nutrients, and water to revitalize your tree. 

Related: Root Pruning Fig Trees: A Balanced Approach

Ground-Planted Figs: Abundance and Quality

Planting fig trees in the ground offers numerous advantages, particularly in yield and fruit quality. Trees planted directly in the soil have unrestricted access to nutrients and water, allowing them to grow more vigorously and produce more figs. Established ground trees, typically in their fifth season, can yield between 300 to 500 figs, a significant increase compared to container-grown trees.

Related: Planting Fig Trees: A Masterclass

Quality is another crucial factor. Figs grown in the ground generally taste better. This is partly because the soil moisture is more consistent and easier to regulate, leading to more consistent higher-quality fruits. While it's possible to achieve high-quality figs from container trees, it's often more challenging, especially in areas with high rainfall where controlling soil moisture in pots can be difficult.

Related: Fig Tree Watering | How Much Water, When to Water & Why Excess Water Leads to Watered-Down Figs!

The Breba Crop: A Valuable Bonus

An often-overlooked aspect of fig tree cultivation is the breba crop, which ripens on the previous year's wood about 30 to 45 days earlier than the main crop. This early yield can be particularly valuable, providing delicious figs before the main harvest. 

Ground-planted trees tend to produce a more plentiful and higher-quality breba crop compared to container trees. The fruits are more reliable, less likely to drop prematurely and taste better.

Related: Breba Figs: A Fig Tree's First of Two Crops and the Varieties That Produce Them

Growing Fig Trees in a Greenhouse: An Early Start

The most apparent benefit of growing fig trees in a greenhouse is getting an early start to the season. Figs are fall fruits, typically ripening between August and the first frost. Using a greenhouse will jumpstart the season to benefit growers in shorter-season climates that lack the 150 to 180 frost-free days needed to reliably ripen main crop figs. 

A controlled greenhouse environment allows your fig trees to awaken from dormancy well before their last frost date, thereby accelerating their ripening dates. Additionally, the stable temperatures and protection from unexpected cold snaps in a greenhouse create an ideal microclimate for fig trees, reducing the stress they might experience from fluctuating outdoor conditions.

To successfully grow fig trees in pots in colder growing zones, a small makeshift greenhouse might be all you need.

Related: Fig Tree Masterclass | Growing Fig Trees in a Greenhouse

Weighing the Pros and Cons

While ground planting offers superior yield and fruit quality, container gardening has its merits. Containers provide flexibility, allowing you to move trees for better sun exposure, protect them from cold, and trial different varieties before planting them in the ground. This trial period is beneficial if you're unsure about the variety's performance or if you have limited space and don't want to commit to a permanent planting.

Sometimes growers don’t have an option and there’s no shame in that. Growing fig trees is better than not growing them at all. Luckily, for all of us, they’re flexible. You can even see success in as little as 4 hours of direct sunlight or at temperatures close to 0F when planted in soil.

Related: Cold-Tolerant Fig Trees | A Hardy Fig Tree starts with the Variety