A striking addition to the landscape, the Black Mission fig tree (Ficus carica “Black Mission”) produces delicate creamy figs with a black exterior and sweet pink flesh. The tree commonly grows between 10 and 30 feet tall. Fig trees, such as the Black Mission fig, are best for a Mediterranean climate with mild, moist winters and dry, warm summers. The Black Mission fig grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8a through 11. Fall is the ideal time to plant new trees but it is possible to plant container-grown figs any time of year. Select a sunny spot that is protected from cold winter winds.
Dig the planting hole the identical depth as the nursery pot and twice the diameter. Break up the soil in the bottom of the hole with a shovel to soften it.
Put the black mission fig tree on its side at the nursery pot beside the hole. Grasping the base of the trunk in one hand, then pull the pot away from the ball. If it doesn’t slide out easily, squeeze the pot or roll it up gently to loosen the roots from the soil.
Lift the tree by the root ball and place it at the middle of the planting hole. Backfill the hole with the soil from the hole and smooth it flat. Make sure that the base of the trunk is the identical thickness in the soil since it had been from the nursery pot.
Water the soil around the fig new right after planting it. Use a soaker hose and enable the water to seep all the way to the bottom of the planting hole.
Spread a layer of compost mulch 1 to 2 inches deep above the ground at the base of the fig tree extending from 3 to 4 inches from the base of the trunk out to this area under the outermost branches.
Water new trees as soon as the dirt begins to feel dry to the touch. Pull the mulch layer back and feel the actual soil. When watering, soak the soil throughly with a soaker setting on the hose. Water established black mission fig trees once a week or every 2 weeks in light weather.
Renew the compost mulch layer once a month from spring through fruit production in the autumn. The nutrients in compost provide fig trees with the nutrients they need. Figs planted in the backyard do not need extra fertilizer.
Prune black mission figs in late summer after the harvest. Eliminate dead wood or diseased branches and prune the tree to the desired shape. Established fig trees need only light pruning in summer season.
Harvest black mission figs in spring and again in late summer or early autumn. Fig trees produce two harvests each year. Figs are ready for harvest when they release easily from the tree.