Tag: Master Gardener Container Demonstration Garden atCocoa Cinnamon

The Budding Orchardist: Winter Pruning Little Miss Figgy for Spring

On By durhammastergardenersIn Cocoa Cinnamon Demonstration Garden, Downtown Durham, NC, Durham NC, figs, fruit in the home garden, fruit trees, pruning fruit trees, Uncategorized

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”

-Socrates

By Jeff Kanters, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

In February the Cocoa Cinnamon Demonstration Garden team was planning preparation of all the containers for the upcoming growing season. One task included the dormant pruning of the prized Little Miss Figgy fig tree located in one of the large planters. Deborah Pilkington, Master Gardener volunteer and leader for the Cocoa Cinnamon Demonstration Garden, reached out to me for guidance and assistance in winter pruning the fig. In preparation, the team re-familiarized themselves with the maintenance a fig requires, including general growth habits, and culture.

Two smiling individuals posing for a photo outdoors, with a blurred background showing a recreational area.
A hand holding six ripe, dark purple figs with a slightly shiny surface, set against a wooden floor background.

(Left) Master Gardener volunteers Jeff Kanters and Deborah Pilkington in February of 2025 examining and pruning the fig variety “Little Miss Figgy” (Ficus carica ‘MAJOAM‘), which grows in our urban container demonstration garden at Cocoa Cinnamon in downtown Durham. (Right) In July 2024, Little Miss Figgy produced delicious fruit during its third growing season. (Image credit: Allie Mullin; Deborah Pilkington)

Fig Characteristics and Growing Conditions

Figs or common fig trees, known as Ficus carica, are a woody, deciduous, multi-stemmed, spreading trees or shrubs grown widely throughout the United States. The plant is native to the southwestern Asia and eastern Mediterranean regions, known for producing the coveted delicious fruits or figs. Fig trees have large, hand-shaped multiple lobed leaves, almost tropical like. Some varieties can grow vigorously and become quite large, often reaching heights of up to 60 feet in some regions of the world. However, in the southeastern United States, the maximum heights are typically 10 to 30 feet tall. As with the many varieties of figs available, there are differences in growth habits and in cold hardiness.


Even though some varieties may be more cold hardy than others, most figs generally do the best in
warmer climates such as the subtropical southeast. Figs also need full sun (6 – 8 hours per day) for
optimal growth, health, and fruiting. Some varieties of figs produce two crops during the season. The first crop, called the breba crop, is produced on old wood and reaches maturity in the late spring. A second crop is produced on the new growth of the season and tends to be the heavier and tastier crop that reaches maturity by the late summer to fall.


If you need encouragement to try growing figs, note this: they an excellent source of antioxidants and nutrients. One medium size fig (approximately 50 grams) has 37 calories, 10 grams of carbohydrates, and 1.5 grams of dietary fiber, which is slightly more than an equivalent amount of banana fruit.

Little Missy Figgy (Ficus carica ‘MAJOAM’)  is a fig tree cultivar, specifically a dwarf variety known for its compact size and small, sweet, edible figs. This tree typically reaches a height of 4 – 6 feet. This fig also produces two crops of figs per year, one in spring and another in fall. It can be grown in USDA Zones 5 – 10. Given the smaller size of this fig tree, it is attractive to many homeowners to grow and manage if they have a more limited garden space. And as we are proving in our urban demonstration garden, this fig can also grow in a large container.

A close-up view of a fig tree branch featuring small green figs, surrounded by green leaves. In the background, urban elements such as parked cars and café seating are visible under a cloudy sky.


Little Miss Figgy’s first breba crop. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)


Of special interest, while some figs rely on the tiny fig wasp to pollinate to produce fruit, other figs, such as Little Miss Figgy, do not require wasps for pollination and fruit production. These varieties are termed parthenocarpic, meaning they can produce fruit without pollination. Most commercial figs are grown without wasps. Light pruning in winter is usually necessary for figs to maintain an attractive and manageable open shape, and size.

Steps to Winter Pruning Little Miss Figgy

Inspection

The team inspected the fig onsite, and here’s what we found. Little Miss Figgy, while leafless in February, displayed many unruly branches and suckers that had grown up from the base or lower limbs the previous year. Higher up, side branches were found crossing over other branches, growing inward and upward in haphazard fashion from seven main trunks, a few of the trunks crossing over and rubbing on one another.

Pruning Process and Materials
A dormant fig tree, Little Miss Figgy, with bare branches in a container garden, surrounded by other plants.
Urban garden scene featuring a dormant fig tree in winter, surrounded by modern buildings and landscaping. The fig tree has multiple branches and is part of a community gardening project.


(Left) Here is a “before” photo of the plant in February prior to late winter pruning. Note the sprawling suckers and crossing branches visible while the plant is in its dormant stage. (Right) After the pruning makeover, Little Miss Figgy is all set for spring and summer growth and fruit production. (Image credit Allie Mullin)


The team designed a 5-point action plan for pruning:

  1. Select the main core trunks to serve as structure. This would involve removing those trunks
    crossing over other trunks.
  2. Remove one trunk with a few of the outward branches that were growing out into the seating
    area next to the fig.
  3. Remove all the previous season’s sucker growth from the base to direct energy to main trunks.
  4. Open the interior up by removing all upward, inward and downward growing branches.
  5. Leave the remaining four trunks alone without any heading cuts at the top as each displayed a
    shortened dwarfing growth that would limit further elongation.

Tools the team used for the job:

  • Gloves
  • Small to medium sized crescent-shaped pruning saw
  • Hand loppers
  • Standard hand pruning shears or battery-operated electric sheers

The Results

The team completed the pruning according the plan. As Little Miss Figgy began leafing out in April, we nipped off new green suckers that developed at the base. This allowed the plant to direct energy to the main trunks and canopy for fruit development. A new and improved Little Miss Figgy was ready for the season ahead.

A healthy Little Miss Figgy fig tree growing in an urban container garden, surrounded by metal planters and residential buildings in the background.

Little Miss Figgy in April 2025 following the winter pruning. (Image credit: Jeff Kanters)

Resources and Additional Information:

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Give a Thought to the Pot

On By durhammastergardenersIn annuals, container gardening, Durham NC, gardening, gardening in pots, Gardening information, gardening NC, growing media, how to choose pots for container gardening, perched water table, potting soil, Uncategorized

By Deborah Pilkington, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Container gardeners, me included, give a lot of thought to choosing which plants will go into the containers.  But not a lot of thought is given to the containers themselves.  Yet, to have a successful container garden in full sun, shade, or anywhere in between, the choice of pot is as important as the choice of plant.  So, for the next few minutes, we’re going to look at factors that should be considered for container choices, especially in our newly-designated hardiness zone 8. 

Porosity

Examples of porous pots. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

Some containers, such as the familiar terra cotta (“baked earth” in Italian) are very porous, meaning the pot draws water from the potting media through its walls. Other porous materials include hypertufa, unglazed ceramic, and clay. Because of this, these porous pots may require more frequent watering, something to think about if they are going to be in full sun. Less porous choices would be wood or concrete, and the least porous pots are made of metal, fiberglass, plastic, or glazed ceramic.  That means they are going to help the potting mix conserve water.  

Size

The smaller the pot size, the more frequently it will need to be watered, sometimes more than once a day. A larger container is going to be heavier and less likely to tip over. Larger containers will require less frequent watering but can be a bear to move from location to location…unless you own one of these (see the photo below). And the cost of filling the container with potting mix is also a consideration.

The difficulty of moving very large pots! (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

Fragility

If a container is fragile and susceptible to cracking in cold temperatures, it will need to be moved to a sheltered area for winter.  Terra cotta, clay, unglazed ceramic, and hypertufa are all fragile materials. The sturdiest are metal, plastic, concrete and wood.

Heat Holders

Metal containers, and dark-colored containers are heat holders in full sun. They can even be hot to the touch! Potting mix in these containers can rise to well over 100°F. Keeping roots well-watered, unless you are growing cactus, is a must. 

Shape

If you are going to grow a shrub or tree in a container, at some point the plant will need to be lifted from the container to be root pruned—an onerous but necessary task.  So, for shrubs or trees you want to choose a container that is wider at the top (below on the right) rather than narrower (below on the left) to make lifting easier. 

(Left) This container is more narrow at the top and would make it difficult to remove a shrub that had grown in the pot. (Right) In contrast, this pot is wider at the top than the bottom and it would be easier to remove a shrub that had been grown in the pot. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

Drainage

Good drainage is a must in container gardening.  If the container doesn’t have drainage holes, you can add them using a drill and the appropriate drill bit. And to ensure correct drainage, don’t put anything in the bottom of your container but soil mix. Adding gravel or covering the hole with broken terra cotta not only defeats the purpose of ensuring drainage, but it also raises the level of the perched water table, moving the level of saturated soil even higher in the container and closer to the roots.

Drilling holes in metal containers at Cocoa Cinnamon Demo Garden on Geer Street. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

For gardeners with limited space, especially the newcomers to Durham’s condominiums and apartments with balconies, container gardening can bring some beauty and food to your home.  For urban container gardening inspiration, visit the International Award-Winning Master GardenerSM Container Demonstration Garden at Cocoa Cinnamon at Foster and Geer streets in Durham.

Get more ideas on container gardening by visiting the Cocoa Cinnamon Demonstration Garden at 420 West Geer Street in Durham, NC. (Image credit: Deborah Pilkington)

Resources and Additional Information

Check out the links below to learn more about plant hardiness zones including the history and factors used to determine the hardiness zone of an area. What does this really mean for North Carolina gardeners?

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Gardening Association of North Carolina – 2023 USDA Plant Zone Update (gaonc.org)

AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF AMERICA’S PLANT HARDINESS ZONES (With a Closing Look at North Carolina) | by Tom Packer

For more information on perched water tables and soilless media check out the below online guide about drainage for containers.

How to Improve Drainage in Plant Pots, The Proper Way to Do It! – Deep Green Permaculture

If you want to take a deep dive into the physics of water movement in soilless media and media components, visit the following links.

Growing Media (Potting Soil) for Containers | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)

Homemade Potting Media (psu.edu) — How to make your own potting media

Learn more about choosing pots with the in-depth article below.

Containers, Pots, and Planters: What Material Is Best? (gardenerspath.com)–

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