🍈 When to Plant Figs
Hardy in zones 7+; grow in large containers in colder zones; harvest when fully soft and colored
📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone
Figs is a warm-season crop — plant it after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, and start seeds indoors a few weeks ahead for a head start. Find the exact start-indoors, transplant, and direct-sow dates for your USDA zone in the table below.
Select your zone to highlight your dates. All dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates — see how we calculate them.
| Zone | Last Frost | Start Indoors | Transplant | Direct Sow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2A | May 30 | — | May 16 | — |
| Zone 3B | May 15 | — | May 1 | — |
| Zone 4A | May 8 | — | Apr 24 | — |
| Zone 4B | May 1 | — | Apr 17 | — |
| Zone 5A | Apr 25 | — | Apr 11 | — |
| Zone 5B | Apr 18 | — | Apr 4 | — |
| Zone 6A | Apr 21 | — | Apr 7 | — |
| Zone 6B | Apr 10 | — | Mar 27 | — |
| Zone 7A | Apr 5 | — | Mar 22 | — |
| Zone 7B | Mar 28 | — | Mar 14 | — |
| Zone 8A | Mar 20 | — | Mar 6 | — |
| Zone 8B | Mar 12 | — | Feb 26 | — |
| Zone 9A | Feb 28 | — | Feb 14 | — |
| Zone 9B | Feb 15 | — | Feb 1 | — |
| Zone 10A | Feb 1 | — | Jan 18 | — |
| Zone 10B | Jan 15 | — | Jan 1 | — |
| Zone 11A | Jan 1 | — | Dec 18 | — |
Figs are rewarding, low-maintenance fruit trees that thrive in warm climates and can be grown in containers for cold-climate gardeners.
Top Growing Tips
- Hardy in-ground in zones 7+; grow in containers and overwinter indoors in zones 5-6
- Produce two crops: breba (on old wood in spring) and main crop (late summer)
- Prune lightly — heavy pruning reduces fruit production
- Ripe figs are fully soft, slightly drooping, and may have a drop of nectar at the eye
- Harvest within days of ripening; figs do not ripen off the tree
Companion Planting
Good companions: rue, comfrey, aromatic herbs
Avoid planting near: Wet, poorly-drained soil — susceptible to root rot
Harvest Timeline
Year 2-3 after planting; harvest when fruit is fully soft and has a nectar drop