Grow Figs Where You Think You Can’t

Tips, techniques, and anecdotes—along with the insights of fig experts in North America and the UK—make fig growing easy for people who live in places where they think they can’t grow figs.

Award-winning: Silver Award of Achievement, Garden Writers Association

What You’ll Learn

This award-winning book gives you what you need to know about growing fig trees in Canada. (And harvest figs!)

• Choose the right location for your fig tree

• Prune like an expert

• Water and feed so it thrives

• Propagate it so you can give your friends olive trees

• Conquer winter (you don’t need a greenhouse!)

• And, most importantly, find out what your fig tree needs so that you get some olives as a reward for your effort!

Who This Book Is For

This book is for home gardeners living in cold climates, where it’s too cold for a fig tree to survive without a bit of extra TLC.

Why This Book Is Unique

Interested in growing fig trees in Canada? Author Steven Biggs is a horticulturist and expert on growing exotic plants in cold climates. He harvests figs from potted and in-ground fig trees in his Toronto garden. He regularly gives classes on growing fig, and interviews fig enthusiasts far and wide. This is the original book about growing figs in cold climates.

From the Book

I thought I was an eccentric fig-growing nerd. But I realized I wasn’t alone when I gave a talk about growing figs at a Seedy Saturday gardeners’ event. I brought a couple of extra fig trees for the draw. The winner of one of the trees came up to me afterwards and said that she had multiple offers to buy the tree. Hmmm, I thought, maybe figs are more popular than I realized. So here it is, a book to egg on all you eager fig pigs in coldish climates.

Believe me, it’s possible: In the late 1800s, fig orchards could be found on the outskirts of Paris, France—well outside boundaries dictated by the practicalities of climate. The Parisian demand for fresh figs—and the fact that ripe figs quickly spoil—made it worthwhile for farmers to go to great lengths to supply the French capital. Yes, you can supply yourself with fresh figs too!

Readers Say…

“So I am now blaming my fig obseesion on you as I now have 7 fig trees with 8 more on the way.”

Edy, Ontario

“Love your book and all of its practical advice that goes against what we were told. My two young fig trees bore 70 figs this year and I’m still picking them. So thank you!”

Grant, Canada

Book Details

Page count: 60

Paperback

Full colour throughout

ISBN - 978-0-9868144-1-9

Published by No Guff Press, 2012

Printed in Canada

BISAC Codes:

• GAR027020   GARDENING / Climatic / Temperate

• GAR005000   GARDENING / Fruit

• GAR010000   GARDENING / House Plants & Indoor

No Guff Press books are made in Canada. That means written in Canada, edited in Canada, designed in Canada, and printed in Canada. By Canadians.