Buying Fig Trees Online
Need some buying advice first? Click buying fig trees online.
Why Buy a Brown Turkey Fig Tree?
The fruit is the main attraction: large, sweet, rich-flavoured figs with soft red flesh inside that grows on the youngest of plants.[2][5][14][15] Fruit trials have proven it to be a strong, reliable and productive cropper which probably explains the RHS Award of Garden Merit.[1][3][14]
Being self-fertile, it will produce fruits by itself and is suitable for most UK gardens and pots.[1] This Brown Turkey fig tree hardiness makes it a reliable choice for UK growing conditions, as it is frost tolerant to approximately −10°C.[2] Pot growing or root restriction actually increases fruit production.[1][2]
Other Benefits of Brown Turkey
Brown Turkey fig plants can potentially produce two crops in a particularly warm year or when grown under protection, although one main crop is likely.[1][2]
The fruit is excellent eaten fresh and good for jams, preserves, chutneys, drying and freezing. You can peel them but most eat the skin and leave the stem.[1][5]
The tree itself is highly ornamental, with a strong spreading branch structure and large 13–25cm long, deeply lobed leaves that give it an unmistakably Mediterranean appearance.[5][14]
It can be grown as a deciduous free-standing bush, standard tree, container plant or fan-trained against a wall.[1][4] A full grown Brown Turkey fig tree has a mature size of around 4 x 4m in the UK, but it will tolerate hard pruning to be kept at the size you want.[2][4] Considerably larger Brown Turkey fig trees have been documented at 9 x 9m in warmer conditions.[5]
Established trees are reasonably tolerant of dry conditions, heat and *coastal exposure, while the fruit also provides food for birds and other garden wildlife.[5][6]
*Needs to be a sheltered coastal garden out of direct salt laden winds.[2][6]
What Brown Fig Tree Buyers Should Know
Brown Turkey fig harvest time in the UK is usually August and September.[3][15] Interestingly, these figs begin forming during the previous summer and remain on the tree over winter as tiny pea-sized fruitlets before continuing to grow the following spring.[1][4] A second set of figs can develop on the current season's growth, but outdoors in Britain these often do not have enough time to ripen before colder weather arrives.[1][4] The general rule is at the end of summer, any fruitlets larger than a pea, remove them as they won’t amount to anything.[1][4]
Ripe figs become soft and begin to droop downwards. A small bead of sugary liquid may appear at the eye of the fruit, and fully ripe figs may begin to split slightly.[1] Figs are at their best when allowed to ripen fully on the tree, when sugar levels increase and acidity falls.[17] If you notice the fruit skin starting to wrinkle, this could be a sign it needs watering.
Fresh figs are relatively perishable once fully ripe, so they are best eaten or preserved soon after picking.[1]
The milky sap can irritate the skin, so gloves are sensible when pruning.[1][4][5]
Are Brown Turkey Fig Fruits Healthy?
Brown Turkey figs are rich in polyphenols, particularly in their edible skin.[7] These plant compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and have been studied for their potential to help reduce chronic inflammation, protect blood vessels, limit oxidative damage to cells and support cardiovascular health.[7][8][9][16] For the greatest benefit, eat ripe figs skin and all.[7]
Figs in general have particularly good evidence for digestive health. Human clinical trials have found that eating fig preparations can improve constipation, including faster bowel transit, softer stools and reduced abdominal discomfort,[10] while another trial found improvements in several symptoms of constipation-predominant IBS.[11]
Planting and Growing Brown Turkey Fig Trees
For the best fruit production, plant Brown Turkey in a warm, sunny and sheltered position.[1][2] A south- or south-west-facing wall behind the plant is particularly effective in the UK because it provides additional warmth and helps the fruit ripen.[1]
Brown Turkey grows in a wide range of soils, including clay, chalk, loam and sandy soil, provided drainage is good. It performs particularly well in neutral to alkaline soils and prefers moisture-retentive but well-drained conditions.[2]
Avoid permanently waterlogged ground.[1][2]
One of the unusual advantages of figs is that root restriction can improve cropping. When the roots are allowed unlimited space, the tree may produce vigorous leafy growth at the expense of fruit. Growing a Brown Turkey fig tree in a container or a restricted planting pit can encourage better fruit production, making Brown Turkey particularly well suited to container growing.[1][2]
For a traditional root-restriction pit, the sides can be lined with paving slabs while leaving drainage at the base.[1] Container-grown figs need regular watering and benefit from a high-potassium feed during the growing season. Ground-grown trees generally require less feeding, particularly where the soil is fertile.[1][4] A mature Brown Turkey fig tree can have roots that grow well beyond the canopy.[6]
Avoid allowing the tree to dry out while fruit is developing, as drought can cause immature figs to drop.[4]
When planting beside a wall, leave a small gap between the plant and the wall rather than placing it directly against the masonry. Soil at the base of walls can be particularly dry because it sits within a rain shadow.[1]
Brown Turkey responds well to pruning and can be trained as a fan against a wall or fence. Fan training makes the fruit easier to protect and harvest while allowing the tree to be kept relatively compact.[1][2][4]
History and Interesting Facts
Brown Turkey has a remarkably long association with British gardens and was already regarded as one of England's leading figs more than two centuries ago.[12]
Despite its name, there is no firm evidence that the traditional British Brown Turkey actually originated in Turkey. Historical evidence points towards a European origin, possibly Italy, and old names for the cultivar include Brown Naples, Long Naples and Italian.[12]
Brown Turkey was also historically grown under glass, where Victorian gardeners valued it for early and prolific cropping.[12]
The fruit is botanically unusual because the flowers are hidden inside the structure that eventually develops into the fig, rather than being displayed as obvious blossom.[2][5]
Brown Turkey has even been the subject of its own genetic sequencing research, showing just how scientifically and horticulturally important this old cultivar remains.[13]
Brown Turkey Fig Tree Options Explained
Multi-stem / Bush : The main stems of the fig tree frame work start quite low to the ground and branch out sideways and then up to form an inverted cone shape. Forms an open canopy allowing more light and air in which is a good thing.
Quarter Standard : A single upright stem with side branches. The first branches occur roughly a quarter of the way up the tree. A pleasing ornamental shape.
(HS) : Half standard. Very similar to the quarter standard except roughly half of the lower stem is clear of side branches. Around 80-100cm of clear stem.
Single Stem: An undeterminded amount of clear stem.
Girth: Used to measure more mature trees. Each 2cm of girth represents around 12-18 months growth.
Brown Turkey Fig Tree For Sale
All our Brown Turkey Fig trees for sale are covered by our limited tree warranty and come with free delivery.
We will include a message card included at no additional cost if required.
What Our Customers Are Saying About Our Brown Turkey Fig Trees
Evening Alan. Just after I sent you an email this afternoon, asking if you had any availability on our (Brown Turkey) fig tree,I went outside and found our fig tree half way up our drive! Just standing there. Anyway, thank you very much. It looks very healthy and we shall plant it in its new home tomorrow. 0321
I think you are doing a great job and if anyone complains, they don't deserve the *fig trees. Even though I class trees as an essential item, I understood that in a global pandemic the supply chain and services would be a little slow. It only took 26 days to get my order when usual lead time was 15 days, plus I loved your updates on the website, very informative! I received my tree and it is gorgeous! thanks so much. Good luck over the next few months, keep safe. All the best, Sarah H****r 0620-26517
Hi Alan Just a quick note to say the fig tree has just arrived. Looking good with some new buds appearing. Regards Andy Smith 0121
Good morning, I hope you are well. I thought I'd just email to confirm receipt of the *Brown Turkey fig tree without any issue. We are really pleased with the tree. Thank you for your email on Friday, it was both I formative and out a smile on my face.I hope all goes well for you and your company during these difficult times.Kind regards, Tim 0620-26613
I bought a mature brown turkey fig tree from Trees Online and needed help with a couple of issues. I found their customer service to absolutely fantastic and very personal. There was even room for a good dose of humour in the process, which put a broad smile on my face. I now have a magnificent, tall fig tree making a statement on our roof terrace, and I can’t wait to taste the figs, which it came with and which are rapidly ripening. Thank you so much for excellent service and a fabulous tree. KMB, London. 0919 ...reply from Trees Online. Sorry to hear you have experienced unauthorised humour from the team, we shall downgrade the biscuit budget to non chocolate options as punishment.
Hello, Many thanks for my lovely fig trees. They arrived in perfect condition and I was thrilled to see they are already fruiting. They look beautiful in my new garden. I will happily recommend Trees Online to my friends. Best wishes Sharon 0818
Just a quick note to say thanks for the fantastic fig tree. Best wishes, Helen0818
Thank you for the successful delivery of my fig tree - looks great 0618
Evening Alan, So sorry I haven't been in touch to say: Thank you ever so much for the Fruit trees. They arrived safe and sound. Were planted the next day and look great. Thanks also for the advice and guidance! Genuinely appreciated. We'll be in touch with our next project soon :)Best wishes, Nicki 0118
Dear Senior Dogsbody, The Brown Turkey Fig tree arrived on time and to specification. It is a very healthy looking specimen and has been planted against a south facing wall. I am far too modest to enclose a photo but nevertheless thank you for your excellent service.Regards Chris Chief assistant to the Assistant Chief 0815
Hi Alan, Thank you very much - our Brown Turkey fig has arrived very promptly and we hadn't envisaged having to reach out from an upstairs window to pick the fruit - it's bleedin' enormous! I was in a panic when I went to the back door of the courier's van to see a mass of brown boxes and the tree thrown in horizontally near to top of the pile with a few 'light ones' resting upon it but your carton seems to have done it's job well and the tree seems in great shape even if the carton was feeling a tad crushed...but it still kept the cats amused for hours! Nick Bubb. 0615
Hi - a good-sized (Brown Turkey fig) tree was promptly delivered and the recipient was really pleased. It's already planted and late Spring will hopefully see it begin to come into its own. What a great alternative as a gift, which this is, to cut flowers which are gone and forgotten after a few days. I've already put a claim in for a sample of the first fig crop. Thanks for great service. Cheryl. 0315
Hi Alan, The Brown Turkey Fig trees arrived today. They are tall and look happy in their vertical coffins. I hope they will bring us many years of fig lovin'.Thank you for your great service, and outstanding sense of humour. Regards, Paul Harding 1114
Many thanks for your email. We would like to express our delight upon receiving the gorgeous fig tree purchased from Trees-Online. It arrived in superb condition, no doubt due to the excellent coffin-like packing, (which is quite apt because we live in a converted Baptist Church) nor can we fault the delivery company who arrived early in the morning and carried it carefully down the drive depositing it by the greenhouse, then knocked to get a signature. The tree is in excellent condition, strong and vigorous with small figlets already appearing. We were impressed to find all the information that we need to know about caring for our fig tree on your website. Many thanks for such an excellent service. Kind regards Sue and John Richardson 0314
Hi Trees Online, i am just replying to ur email , i would like to say that the Fig tree arrived on date given ,it arrived as it was packed (nicely packed ) courier tufnells very obligeing and helpfull, very pleased with the tree. Mr P. Young 0314
Dear Alan, 'Figgy' the fig tree (Brown Turkey) has arrived safe and well in its extraordinarily sized box. It looks wonderful, thank you, and will be going outside very shortly. We shall certainly be returning to Trees Online to add to our collection. Kindest regards, Ed O'Grady 0314
I would highly recommend ordering from trees online! Communication was excellent, and we received a very high quality healthy tree in a very good delivery time!Miss K Wood 1013
Just to say a big thank you for our Brown Turkey fig tree order - no complaints about trees or delivery. All excellent in, fact I have just ordered another Bramley, keep up the good work! Regards Jan Batchelor 0913
Thank you so much for the Browtn Turkey Fig tree and Wisteria - both presents for my sister in law and Mother in law. They took a little while to arrive (approx 8 days) so did not arrive for the birthday party as planned, but they were both impressed by the quality of tree / plant - which is the main thing! My Mother in law commented that it was beautifully packaged too - thank you! Kind regards Rachel Avent
Hello fig tree arrived on time, well packaged and in great condition. Thank you. C. Vibrans 0912
*Added for transparency and clarity.
Planting In The Corner Of A Garden
Air and light is reduced in this location which could promote fungus and bacterial issues. Corners of houses and fences can also suffer leaching issues so we advise against it.
Fig Tree Appearance On Arrival
We experience the same issues on the nursery as you will at home. Caterpillars and fig tree rust are two common issues. Manual removal or spraying with an insecticide is one option and a natural remedy is soapy water which doesn't kill them.
Brown marks on the leaves are nothing to worry about, this is when wet and warm conditions exist. It is purely an aesthetic issue and you will see it regularly. Water the roots, not the leaves and try to keep moisture levels down in the garden e.g. short grass. Prune to allow as much air and light into the canopy as possible. New growth coming through that doesn't have any marks also tells you the tree is fine.
Fig Tree Notching
This is a technique used to promote new side branching. Useful if you want more growing "real estate" or if you want to change the look of your fig tree. Cut a small notch above a dormant bud and ensure you get through to the white wood. Search Youtube for "fig tree notching" or "fruit tree notching" for a far better explanation.
Fig Tree Planting
Most fig trees thrive better in a sheltered but full sun position i.e. facing South or South West. For larger crops of figs, contain the roots because if allowed to grow uncontrolled, the tree will do a "Prescott" (Put all efforts into getting bigger). Fig tree roots are known to be wanderers and can travel quite a distance. Keep in a 45cm (18 inch pot) or more, which can also be buried for a conventional look. Do not fill with soil, leave at least 10 cm (4 inches) for compost which will be required every year or other form of feeding.
You can vary the size of the pot or other root restriction e.g a hole surrounded with buried paving slabs and broken brick on the bottom, the rule of thumb is the smaller the pot or confined area, the smaller the tree will be but pruning can also be used to restrict final size. We put ours in 80 litres containers and may take them up to 150-200 depending on their progress.
No need to worry so much about soil quality, Fig trees will thrive in most conditions, especially chalky. For legal reasons we should point out that a nuclear winter, meteorite strike and agent orange do not come under "most conditions".
White Marsaille, Bayernfeige Violetta, Ice Crystal and Brown Turkey are best for outdoor growing, most others would benefit from some form of shelter.
Planting Fig Trees Near Brick Or Concrete Walls
Generally this can be a good thing as they retain the heat in the soil which figs like. Be aware that brick and concrete walls can leach calcium into the ground making the soil more alkaline. Figs will grow in most soils but prefer a range of 6.0 to 8.0 PH, so If your fig is not performing as expected, check the soil PH. The warmth from the wall dries the soil out quicker so make sure your watering takes that into account.
Fig Tree Root Stock
Fig trees are one of the few fruit trees we sell that are not grafted (grown as Mother Nature intended)
Preserving Figs
If don't have enough friends to give them away to then try preserving figs in the drying cupboard. Rotate them daily and in 6-8 weeks you will have dried figs and possibly a lot of wet washing.
Not Sure Which Fig To Buy Online
Go for the Brown Turkey. Very popular and particularly suitable for UK climate.
Fig Tree Aftercare
As with all other restricted root growth or containerised trees, ensure you water regularly, especially in summer when 3 times a week in very warm weather maybe required. If potted, the smaller the pot, the quicker it will dry out. Although fig trees can cope with drought, it will cause the figs to drop prematurely and too much water will cause the fruits to split. As a guide, if the top 4-6 inches of soil are dry then time to water. Little and often in the mornings or evenings is easier and better than a lot in one go however we all have a life so don't loose any sleep over it. A mulch will reduce evaporation and therefore the need to water as much. We are experimenting by growing Red Clover at the base of our containerised trees. They are a green manure and should reduce the need for watering.
If the Fig tree is young, in a container or struggling e.g. leaves not so healthy, fruit production poor, our of breath when it climbs the stairs, then feed with compost/well rotted manure or fertiliser. In very early Spring you want to feed with high Nitrogen for the foliage. When the fruits start to show use one high in Phosphorous and feed again as the fruits start to ripen. Feed as per instructions or around every 2 weeks.
Some Figs are hardy down to -10 centigrade but the tips are vulnerable to frost and this is where the fruits will be made. If you live in a particularly harsh frost area or your potted Fig tree is the equivalent to Wilson the ball from Castaway and you take it on Polar expeditions with you then you might want to wrap it in fleece if planted during the frost season or move to a warmer environment if potted e.g. greenhouse or conservatory, even a shed or garage.
Fig Tree Pruning
Be wary of the white sap when pruning as it can be a skin irritant. If your fig tree is looking a little sorry for itself, hard prune and leave, it will produce new growth and recover. Try not to take more than 25% off if possible.
The best time to prune a fig tree is in Spring although removing dead or diseased branches can be done at any time. Cut out any branches that are crossing with others.
In early summer, shorten the new growth to 5-6 leaves to encourage new tips formation which increases fruit yield.
You can train your tree as a fan shape or as a standard "lollipop" shape.
When pruning your fig tree, aim for an open crown. This is when you allow the light and air into the centre of the fig tree. If you are going to remove a branch, ensure you leave a 2 inch or 5 cm stub.
Fig Tree Fruits
When the fruits start to appear, cover with a net to deter birds. The fruits are ready when they start to droop on the stalk with well coloured skin or the skin cracks.
In very warm climates and some greenhouses depending on location, you get up to three flushes of fruits.
Only the small embryonic fruits forming on last years growth will turn in to ripe fruits. A second embryonic crop may appear later in the summer and these are very unlikely to mature in UK so pick them off.
Green unripe Figs will not mature after they have been picked unlike some other fruits but those picked just before full ripeness will become sweeter when stored in a dry location.
Figs Not Ripening
This can be maddening and causes can be wide and varied. Stress is a leading cause of non ripening fruit and lack of water in high heat conditions will cause that. It seems one cold spring snap can also check fruit production long enough for a normal Summer to be too short and in extreme cases, it will drop the fruit. Other causes include lack of sunlight, too much/too little nitrogen, insect infestation and disease.
General Fig Tree Information
If you do not know what type of fig tree you have, give it a sunny and sheltered spot. If you have one of the hardy varieties e.g. White Marsailles, Brown Turkey, Ice Crystal and Bayernfeige then a sunny spot will do. If containerised, bring it into a greenhouse, conservatory or other protected environment (armoured vehicle?) during Winter. Planting close to a south facing wall will help but fan training it against a south facing wall will be even better.
Most fig trees can spread up to 3m if left to grow unchecked.
All cuttings will grow into female trees and bear fruit.
Figs are apparently good for treating warts!
Figs can be used as a laxative and are good for diabetics as they are high in sugar.
It is thought figs originated from Asia.
A maintained fig tree can crop for centuries if looked after.
