How to Grow Figs in the Northeast

Choose the right fig tree for your needs. Some fig types grow well in the Northeast, such as Sal's Fig, a varietal produced on Long Island, New York, as well as Hardy Chicago or Brown Turkey, both capable of surviving down to zone 5 per the National Gardening Association. Dwarf fig trees, including Violette du Bourdeaux or Petit Negri, grow well in containers, and can be stored in cellars for cold winters.

Prepare for planting your tree in the late spring, so it can enjoy a long growing season before cold returns. Turn the soil over with a spade to loosen the earth, and break apart soil clods. If growing in containers, fill a 15-gallon container halfway with potting soil. Use only a container with drainage holes. Work 2 inches of either compost or manure into the soil in the ground or in a container, to enrich the figs.

Remove your fig tree from its container and massage the root ball with your hands. Gently unwind the roots before placing the fig in the prepared hole or the container so it sits at the same depth as it was planted. Fill the hole with soil or pour potting soil into the container, firming the earth around the fig roots and trunk, to complete planting.

Water your tree to saturate the soil. Thereafter, water regularly to saturate the soil when the earth feels dry to the touch or fig leaves begin to droop.

Fertilize your tree three times a year using 5-5-5 fertilizer, beginning in the spring and finishing by the end of August. Use the right dose range for your size fig tree.

Bring container-grown fig trees indoors for the winter, when temperatures fall to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Store the container-grown trees in an unheated cellar where temperatures range from 20 to 50 degrees F. Return the tree outdoors when warm weather returns. To protect in-ground trees, dig a trench in the soil on one side of the tree. Bend the tree over, taking care not to snap the trunk. Cover the bent tree with the earth to form a natural protection, then unearth your fig in the spring when spring weather arrives.

Prune fig trees in the late spring. Remove dead, diseased or damaged branches. Cut off suckers growing from the trunk, and clip branches back by one-quarter. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the fig tree's milky sap.