Are you dreaming of fresh, juicy figs plucked straight from your own backyard? Look no further than the Brown Turkey fig tree a low-maintenance, high-reward fruit tree perfect for beginner and seasoned gardeners alike. This guide will equip you with the knowledge and tips you need to successfully grow and care for your Brown Turkey fig tree, ensuring a bountiful harvest of sweet delectable figs year after year.
Brown Turkey Fig Tree Overview: A Sweet Treat for Your Garden
The Brown Turkey fig tree is a beloved variety known for its ease of care, prolific fruit production, and exceptional flavor. This deciduous tree boasts lush green leaves that transform into a vibrant yellow hue in autumn, adding a touch of seasonal charm to your landscape. But the true star of the show is the fig itself.
Fruit Characteristics:
- Size: Up to four inches long, offering a satisfying bite.
- Uses: Enjoy them fresh, baked into delectable desserts, or preserved for later enjoyment.
- Color: Green skin when young, transforming into a deep, rich purple when ripe, with a vibrant orange-pink flesh that tantalizes the taste buds.
- Texture and Flavor: Soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a naturally sweet, irresistible flavor.
- Region: Thrives in the warm climates of the South and West Coast, adding a touch of Mediterranean charm to your garden.
- Hardiness Zone: Adapts well to zones 7-10, ensuring its suitability for a wide range of climates.
- Growing Season: This prolific producer delivers two crops a year, one in late spring and another in late summer and early fall, extending your fig-tastic enjoyment.
- Susceptibility: While generally resilient, Brown Turkey fig trees can be susceptible to fig mosaic, pink blight, leaf blight, rust, and fruit souring. Don’t worry, we’ll equip you with the knowledge to prevent and manage these issues.
Planting Your Brown Turkey Fig Tree: Setting the Stage for Success
Choosing the right location and providing optimal care are crucial for ensuring your Brown Turkey fig tree thrives and produces an abundance of delicious fruit.
Sun, Shade, and Soil:
- Sun-Kissed Delight: Brown Turkey fig trees crave the warmth of full sun, so select a spot in your yard that receives ample direct sunlight throughout the day. This ensures optimal growth and fruit production.
- Soil Versatility: Adaptable and resilient, Brown Turkey fig trees can thrive in various soil types, including heavy clay, limestone, and even light sand. However, they truly shine in well-drained soil with a high lime content. Aim for a pH between 6.0 and 6.5 to create the perfect environment for your fig tree to flourish.
- Salty Soil Tolerance: This adaptable tree can tolerate slightly salty soil, making it a great choice for coastal gardens. However, avoid acidic soil, as it can hinder growth and fruit production.
Fertilizer:
- Less is More: Brown Turkey fig trees are naturally low-maintenance and don’t require regular fertilization. However, if you notice your tree’s growth slowing down (less than 12 inches in a growing season), you can give it a boost with a half-pound of nitrogen supplement. Divide this into three or four feedings, starting in late winter and continuing until midsummer.
- Mulch Magic: A two- to three-inch layer of mulch around the base of your tree can work wonders. It helps retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperature, creating a haven for your fig tree to thrive. Just remember to keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent moisture buildup and potential bark decay.
Watering:
- Hydration Essentials: During the first three months after planting, your Brown Turkey fig tree will need regular watering, twice a week. As it matures, you can reduce watering to once or twice a week, providing approximately 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. To ensure your tree is getting the right amount of moisture, check the soil by sticking your finger two inches deep. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. Wilting leaves are another sign of thirst.
Hardiness Zones:
- Climate Compatibility: Brown Turkey fig trees thrive in zones 7-10, making them a perfect choice for gardeners in states like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona. If you reside in a cooler climate below zone 7, don’t despair! You can still enjoy the delights of a Brown Turkey fig tree by growing it in a pot indoors.
Planting Your Brown Turkey Fig Tree: A Step-by-Step Guide
When you order your Brown Turkey fig tree, you’ll likely receive a bare root tree dormant and ready to be planted in its new home. The best time for planting is either early spring or late fall, when the tree is dormant. You can choose to plant it directly in the ground or in a container following these simple steps:
- Location, Location, Location: Brown Turkey fig trees can grow to an impressive 20 to 30 feet wide and develop deep roots, so choose a planting site that’s far away from your house and other plants to avoid any future conflicts.
- Digging Deep: Prepare a hole that’s a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots. This ensures ample space for the roots to grow and establish themselves.
- Planting Position: Gently place the tree on a small mound of soil in the center of the hole. Carefully spread the roots outward, avoiding excessive bending.
- Depth Matters: Plant the tree two to four inches deeper than it was in its original container. Look for the soil line on the trunk to guide you.
- Filling the Void: Fill the hole with soil and water it thoroughly, ensuring the water reaches the root system.
With proper care and attention, your Brown Turkey fig tree will start producing fruit within three to five years. And the best part? This resilient tree can live for up to 200 years, so you’ll be enjoying its delicious bounty for generations to come.
Tolerance and Susceptibility: Protecting Your Fig Tree from Potential Threats
While the Brown Turkey fig tree is generally a hardy and adaptable variety, it can be susceptible to certain diseases and pests. However, with proper care and preventative measures, you can minimize the risk and keep your fig tree healthy and productive.
Common Diseases:
- Fig Mosaic: This viral disease manifests as a yellow-spotted pattern on the leaves and can stunt both foliage and fruit growth.
- Pink Blight: A fungal disease that starts as a white or pink velvety coating on sick or dead branches, eventually spreading to healthy areas and hindering growth.
- Leaf Blight: This disease causes yellow, water-soaked spots on the leaves that spread and dry out, leaving behind a papery surface. In severe cases, it can cause holes in the leaves and even kill the tree.
- Rust: Another fungal disease that causes leaves to turn yellow or brown and drop prematurely.
- Fruit Souring: Caused by yeast, this issue results in the delicious figs souring on the tree, oozing or bubbling liquid with a distinct fermentation odor.
Wildlife Threats:
Insects are the primary wildlife threat to Brown Turkey fig trees, as they can spread the diseases mentioned above. Some common culprits include fig mites (responsible for fig mosaic), vinegar flies, and dried fruit beetles (contributing to fruit souring).
Prevention is Key:
- Natural Defense: Neem oil, horticultural oil, or insecticidal soap can effectively prevent these pests naturally. Apply them regularly to keep your fig tree protected.
- Feathery Friends and Nocturnal Visitors: Birds and bats can be attracted to the ripe figs during harvest season. To protect your bounty, consider using wire baskets around the tree to deter these feathered and furry thieves.
Brown Turkey Fig Tree Care: Essential Tips for a Bountiful Harvest
With proper care and attention, your Brown Turkey fig tree will reward you with an abundance of sweet, juicy figs for years to come. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind:
- Pruning for Perfection: While Brown Turkey fig trees don’t require extensive pruning, removing dead, dying, or crowded branches during the winter can promote healthy growth and maintain the tree’s shape.
- Watering Wisdom: During the first three months after planting, water your fig tree twice a week. As it matures, reduce watering to once or twice a week, providing approximately 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. Check the soil moisture regularly to ensure your tree is getting the right amount of hydration.
- Fertilizer Frequency: Brown Turkey fig trees are low-maintenance and don’t require regular fertilization. However, if you notice slow growth, you can give it a boost with a half-pound of nitrogen supplement, divided into three or four feedings between late winter and midsummer.
- Mulch Magic: A two- to three-inch layer of mulch around the base of your tree can work wonders. It helps retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperature, creating a haven for your fig tree to thrive. Just remember to keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent moisture buildup and potential bark decay.
Frequently Asked Questions: Addressing Your Brown Turkey Fig Tree Concerns
Do I need to prune my Brown Turkey fig tree?
While Brown Turkey fig trees don’t require extensive pruning, removing dead, dying, or crowded branches during the winter can promote healthy growth and maintain the tree’s shape.
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- 22 reviews
s shown may be of mature plants.
- 22 reviews
Easy to Grow Fig Tree in your Own Backyard!
- Produces up to 2 pounds of fruit a year!
- Brown sugar sweet figs!
- Figs the First Year
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| Soil Type | Adaptable |
| Sunlight | Full |
| Drought Tolerance | Good |
| Mature Height | 20-30 Feet |
| Mature Width | 15-20 Feet |
| Fall Color | Yellow |
| Shipping Restriction | AZ, CA, GA, OR |
One of the sweetest fig tree varieties available is the Brown Turkey Fig Tree, which can produce nice brown sugar sweet figs right in your backyard. Enjoy fresh fruit right off this fig tree.
Brown Turkey Fig is a fast-growing tree that can reach heights up to 18-25 feet tall. It will also produce 2 rounds of fruit per year. It doesnt have to be used as a specimen tree. You can also use it to screen your neighbor and enjoy fresh figs at the same time. You will have figs in the first year.
- Fresh eating
- Fig cookies
- Preserves
- And much more
Brown Turkey Fig Tree FAQ
Is This Fig Tree Self Pollinating?
This Fig is a self pollinating tree that produces 2 lbs. of sweet figs every year.
How Fast Do These Fig Trees Grow?
These fig trees grow quickly, reaching heights of 18 to 25 feet and spreads of 15-20 feet.
How To Plant
Brown Turkey Fig trees should be planted in grow zones 7–11 with full sun exposure and some protection from freezing winds. They can withstand a wide range of well-drained soil types. Brown Turkey Fig Tree Care.
Harvesting Advice: Wait until your figs are ripe, which will be indicated by a deep purple or brown color and a fruit that has some give. Once picked, figs stop ripening. Figs also do great when grown in containers.
For additional options, be sure to browse our Fig Tree, Dwarf Tree and Fruit Trees collections.
Make sure you select the ideal planting site and environmental conditions for your Brown Turkey Fig tree to ensure its success. Spring and fall are ideal times to plant. However, you can plant this fig tree practically any time of year if you stay away from freezing temperatures and intense heat.
Fig trees can tolerate a wide range of soil types as long as they drain well, and they grow best in full sun.
Water deeply when planting and twice weekly for 3 months while your tree is establishing. After the establishment period, in most areas you will only need to water during dry spells.
But, during the summer, you might need to water your fig tree a few times a month if you live in an exceptionally dry and/or hot climate. If you see wilting leaves, your Fig tree needs more water. Adding a layer of 2 to 3 inches of mulch is highly recommended for Fig trees. Mulching protects those shallow roots from drying out. Do not allow the mulch to touch the trunk as this increases the chances of pests and disease.
Fertilize in spring to give your tree a boost. Choose a slow-release, balanced fertilizer like the one we carry to feed your fig. Once established if your tree is growing and fruiting well, there is no need to fertilize. Because nutrients leak out of the pot when you water them, fig trees grown in containers require fertilization three or four times a year.
Prune your Fig in late winter to remove any dead, dying, or crowded branches and to maintain size.
The best way to prevent disease and pests is by providing the appropriate care for your plants. Proper location choice, watering, and fertilization are the keys to your success. Scale and Mealy Bugs are insects that can affect Fig trees. You can treat these pests naturally with horticultural oil, neem oil, or insecticidal soap. For severe infestations you can use a pesticide like carbaryl, also known as Sevin. Fig trees can encounter fungal issues. Treating an infection after it has occurred is generally not very effective, so if you have issues every year, use fungicides to treat early in the spring to avoid infection. Neem Oil is an organic method of treating and preventing some fungal diseases and pests. It may work, but the tree has to be completely covered for this technique to work.