Figs: Planting, Ripeness, and Jam Recipe

Fig Jam Recipe

How To Make Fig Jam:

1. Add the figs and water to a large saucepan and bring to boil.

2. Remove from heat, cover and let stand to plump up the figs.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove figs and reserve liquid.

4. With kitchen scissors, cut off the stems from figs and discard.

5. Chop the figs and set aside.

6. Add lemon juice, sugar, and reserved liquid to the saucepan, boil to dissolve the sugar.

7. Add the chopped figs and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened.

8. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

How to Plant Figs

Fig trees can be planted in outdoor settings in USDA Zone 8 and warmer. If you are in a zone where winter temperatures dip below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, hardier fig varieties are preferable. You can also plant them in containers and bring them inside for the winter.

Container fig trees are grown in a soil-based potting mix. Add fine bark chips to improve drainage. Trees are kept in full sunlight during the summer. Add a high-nitrogen fertilizer in the spring and summer. Water it moderately. Move the tree(s) indoors and keep the soil moist.

Outdoor fig trees are planted in the spring or early fall in full sunlight. Fig trees can grow in most soil types provided that the soil is well-drained and there is lots of organic material. Trees should be spaced 20 feet away from buildings and other trees. Figs put down deep roots when it is possible to do so.

You can also plant container-grown fig trees in the ground. Remove the plant from the pot it’s been grown in. cut off any circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and using shears. Dig a hole a few inches deeper and wider than the spread of the roots and set the tree atop a small mound of soil in the hole’s center. Spread the roots away from the trunk without excessive bending. Plant the tree 2-4 inches deeper than it originally was in the pot.

How to Tell if Figs are Ripe

There are several ways to tell if a fig is ripe:

1. If it’s droopy and hanging low.

2. If the fig is a light greenish-yellow

3. If it is thin-skinned and gooey and pink inside

4. If it tastes honey-sweet.

5. If the opening on the bottom is dripping juice

Citations

1. Nyswonger, P. (2021, July 10). Fig Jam (with dried figs). Savor the Best. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://savorthebest.com/fig-jam/

2. Figs. (n.d.). Almanac.com. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://www.almanac.com/plant/figs

3. 5 ways to tell your figs are ripe. (2021, September 13). LifeCycles Project – Victoria, BC. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://lifecyclesproject.ca/2021/08/11/5-ways-to-tell-your-figs-are-ripe/#:%7E:text=Ripe%20figs%20are%20soft%20and,fig%20is%20not%20quite%20ripe.