Lemon or Fig Tree?

[Paula]

We want to put a fruit tree in a corner of the garden. It will have some shade from a wall from mid afternoon. I want something that can be kept to a medium size, and doesn't require too much attention. What is best Lemon or fig? What are the fors and againsts on these anyone? A couple of neighbours have lemon trees, and they seem to be doing really well even though they get little attention as they are holiday homes.

[murbisa]

Neither of these need much looking after once they are established. If you like figs then the green ones are lovely. A fig tree will probably need less pruning. We have got 3 huge old lemon trees and seem to be forever pruning them into shape. If you don't like figs then go for the lemon. At least they are good for your G&T

[Paula]

I do like figs, only the green ones. And I do use a lot of lemons in the V& T's Can you keep a lemon tree small in a large pot? I ask because my friend has taken her small lemon tree out of the garden on her gardeners advice, he said it was getting too much water. She now has it in a large pot in the shade on the terrace, I wouldn't mind doing that with a lemon tree and planting the fig tree in the garden.

[murbisa]

I think anything you plant in a pot would stay much smaller as not so much room for the roots to grow. It sounds like a good idea having it on the patio. We have just planted a mandarin orange in a pot on the patio so see how it does. Anyway if you get drunk on all those V&T's you won't have far to stagger for the next lemon

[El Cid]

Go for the lemon but make sure you get a "Lunar" lemon as these produce fruit all year round.

Figs lose their leaves in winter and look scruffy. They produce fruit (usually too much) for a short period. They also grow very fast if they are cared for but they can be pruned vigorously and recover.

Lemons do not like too much water but in a pot you should be able to control this OK. In the ground a lemon will get very large and straggly. Our 5 year old is now 3m tall and wide.

You can't put figs in G&T's!

Sid

[Floriana]

You can get a lot of wasps around fig trees too...

[Paula]

I don't like scruffy, and I hate wasps, so the fig tree on reflection sounds like a bad idea. Thanks for the tip on type Sid, I would otherwise pick up anything saying lemon tree. Now its a decision as to whether to pot it or put it in the ground. If we plant it in the ground it will get fairly well watered from the irrigation system, maybe I had better go for pot. How often will it like watering in a pot?

[El Cid]

If you have the room, put it in the ground. Pots are always a second best alternative unless you are talking about flowering plants and even then they will suffer.

Sid

[Paula]

I have the room but really don't want it 3m tall Sid, will it stay happy if I keep it pruned to a couple of metres?

[El Cid]

It should be fine. Lemon trees get very untidy if they are not pruned.

Another alternative might be a lime. We have a nice one which fruits very well and is a lot smaller than the lemon.

Sid

[K chameleon]

Go mad, have them both. The fig in the corner of the garden and lemon in pot
I love my fig tree, looks like they'll be ready in a couple of weeks. Last year it was the end of July/August.

[El Cid]

What you have on your fig are "Brevas". These appear at the same time as the first leaves. Some fall off when they are small and a few survive to full size. Last year we had hundreds and none survived. This year we have fewer and I guess we will get a dozen ripe ones. Ours is a black fig.

After they have finished the main crop should appear and be ready in July/August.

Sid

[K chameleon]

Hope they hang on for our visitors to see.