1 gal. Desert King Fig Tree - Strawberry jam flesh, heat and drought resistant

No. Most figs grown in home gardens are common figs, the type that sets fruit without any pollination. One tree fruits on its own.

Most figs start bearing in the second or third year after planting, and some take four years or longer. Figs want full sun, at least 8 hours a day in summer.

Most figs die back to the ground around 20°F, and hardy types, like Chicago Hardy, usually regrow from the roots in spring. In zones 6 and 7, mulch the root zone heavily and wrap or cage the stems with leaves or straw. A fig that froze back may still fruit on its new shoots, but much of that fruit may not ripen, so protecting the stems gives a better crop.

Often, yes. Many figs set a light early crop on last year's wood and a main crop on the current year's growth. If winter kills the stems back, that early crop is lost.

Yes. Figs are one of the few fruit trees that do well in containers. Use a pot of at least 15 gallons with drainage holes, filled with half compost and half potting mix. A fig in a pot needs more care: more watering, and the nutrients it would otherwise pull from the ground. Every few years, prune the roots and change the soil, or move it up a pot size. Roots in a pot are less hardy than roots in the ground, so after the leaves drop, move it to a cool, sheltered spot like an unheated garage. It will fruit, but not as much as a fig in the ground.

It's the size of the nursery pot the plant ships in, not the plant's height. A 1-gallon plant ships in a 1-gallon pot. The plant itself varies by variety and by season.

A few days in a dark box is stressful for a leafy plant, and some yellow or dropped leaves are common. Water it if the soil is dry, give it a few days in bright shade, then move it into more sun over a week or two. New leaves usually follow. If it looks damaged or unhealthy beyond a few leaves, contact us that day with photos.

Plant when the ground isn't frozen, and not during a heat wave. Loosen any roots circling the root ball, and set the top of the root ball level with the ground or slightly above it. Water it in well.

Check the soil every few days for the first few months. A new plant's root ball dries out faster than the ground around it, so feel the soil at the root ball itself, not only the surface. Water when it's dry, and let it drain.