Spring Update from Ross the Fig Boss: Spring Fig Tree SALE, Common Questions, and Winter Hardiness Insights

Hey everyone, Ross the Fig Boss here with a spring update for all you fig enthusiasts out there! I’ve been getting a ton of questions lately, and I wanted to take a moment to address some of those while also sharing what’s in store for this season. Spoiler alert: I’ve been hard at work growing fig trees for you all, and I've got an exciting lineup coming your way this spring.

What’s Coming This Spring

Let’s start with the good stuff. Our annual fig tree sale is slated to kick off around May 17th, with an even bigger selection rolling out in June. This year, I’m aiming to have around 1,000 trees available—plenty of varietal options for everyone! Once the sale goes live, you'll be able to purchase your desired varieties first come first serve. For orders of 10 trees or more, pre-ordering is possible.

The sale page can always be found, here.

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Alongside the figs, I’ll also have some Salavatski & Sumbar pomegranate trees later in the season. For those of you in the Philadelphia area, I'm planning a local pickup sale where I'll also have native plants, beautiful ornamentals, and starts for your garden, so you can avoid shipping costs.

Details are still being ironed out, but mid-May is the target, and I’m working to make all this happen as planned. Stay tuned to the Fig Boss newsletter for definitive updates.

One more thing, feel free to subscribe at the top of the page if you haven't. I can't stand email spam, so seldom do I send out the newsletter and sometimes there are perks as a thank you from me. This year, there will definitely be giveaways given the sheer number of trees available to newsletter subscribers only.

Your Spring Fig Questions, Answered

This time of year always brings a wave of uncertainty—and a flood of questions! I’ve been hearing a lot about unwrapping or uncovering fig trees, dealing with winter damage, and late frosts, and figuring out when to move potted figs from storage to patios or permanent spots.

Soon, I expect the fertilizing and soil questions to roll in too. Here’s my advice: check out my Fig Tree Timeline. It’s an article (and poster!) I created it to guide you through every step of the season. Want a physical copy to hang on your wall? I’ve got posters available for purchase, here.

Related: Fig Tree Maintenace: The TIMELINE for Proper Fig Tree Care

Related: Unwrapping Fig Trees in the Spring | The Critical Last Step of Wrapping Figs for the Winter

Related: Fig Tree Winter Protection Uncovered: When Is the Right Time to Uncover a Fig Tree?

For more detailed spring tips, I’d also recommend my article on Fig Tree Maintenance in the Spring. It covers all the little things to watch for to get your trees off to a strong start. And if you’re wondering about transplant shock, humidity shock, or sunburn, I’ve written articles on those too—most of which tie back to the Fig Tree Timeline.

Dig in and explore by using the search function at the top of the page for any fig-related topics.

Related: Fig Tree Maintenance: Caring for Fig Trees in the Spring

Choosing the Right Fig Variety

At this time of the year, one of the biggest questions I get is, “Which fig variety should I grow?” I wrote an in-depth guide on this last fall (around the time of my cutting sale), and it’s packed with a solid thought process for picking the perfect tree.

For those of you wanting just one fig tree—tough choice!—I’d point you to three standout varieties: Moro de Caneva, Violette de Bordeaux, and Green Michurinska. These are fantastic all-around options. They ripen early, resist humidity, produce breba (early figs), and are hardy and delicious. Whether you’re in a hot, cold, short-season, or rainy climate, these three can thrive.

That said, I don’t really recommend stopping at just one variety. Figs (Ficus carica) offer incredible diversity, and growing three to five varieties is reasonable for most growers. In my guide, I suggest mixing it up with different flavor profiles and ripening times—think breba producers, early ripeners, and late-season stars.

With the right combo, you can enjoy figs across a wide window. Last year, Moro de Caneva and Green Michurinska ripened fruit on and off for about four months out of my six frost-free months. Add a few more varieties, and you could have figs nearly every day if you wanted!

Related: Choosing A Fig Variety For Incredible Figs: Comprehensive Guide

Winter Hardiness: Lessons from This Year

Speaking of seasons, let’s talk about this past winter. It was a real test for fig trees here in the Northeast, and I’ve got some updates to share. Lately I've been preaching about the importance of lignification—the process of hardening branches to boost cold hardiness. Because most fig growers in cold locations haven't given lignification enough thought, results from testing varieties have been skewed. I have a hunch that fig trees might be hardier than we think.

Related: The Secret to Cold-Hardy Fig Trees: Lignification Explained

However, this winter didn’t quite give me the extreme lows (below zero Fahrenheit) I was hoping to test that theory. Instead, we got nights of 4°F, 5°F, and 6°F, but the kicker was the duration. For three days, temps didn’t climb above ~20°F. That’s a long stretch of cold, and when you dip below 15°F for that long, I would consider that a real test for a fig tree's hardiness.

The results? Most trees took some damage, but a few—like Florea (aka Michurinska 10)—shrugged it off like champs. Florea’s breba buds are swelling now, and it’s proving to be exceptionally cold-hardy—more so than Hardy Chicago. If you’re in Zone 6, this one’s a must-have. Another standout is St. Martin, which looks untouched; reports of it surviving -7°F might just hold water.

In my Zone 7a climate, a mild winter is certainly ideal for fruit production sake. In growing zones 7b or warmer, most varieties thrive. Below that, your varietal options narrow, and you’ll want to lean on the hardiest varieties. Florea, for example, isn’t the tastiest fig (though I’d call it above average), but its reliability in cold climates is exceptional. In the coming weeks, I’ll write an article spotlighting the 15-20 varieties that impressed me most this winter. Stay tuned!

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

Wrapping Up

I’m planning on giving you a peek inside the greenhouse, where things are popping despite us being a bit behind schedule. (Side note: the commercial space I’ve been using for years, now has fixed plumbing). Big thanks to Marazzo's Garden Center and Chip (Sherwood Seeds) for access to this amazing space.

I’m thrilled to be growing figs and pomegranates for you all, and I can’t wait to see how this season unfolds. Keep those questions coming, check out the resources I’ve mentioned, and get ready for a fruitful spring.

I’ll be back with more updates—and those videos—soon! Happy fig growing,

Ross the Fig Boss