Ep. 246 From Ancient Crop to Modern Gardens: The Fascinating Story of Figs | #GoodGrowing

Can you really grow edible figs in Illinois—or anywhere in the Midwest? In this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, horticulture educators Chris Enroth and Ken Johnson are joined by Dr. Elizabeth Wahle to dig deep into one of humanity’s oldest cultivated fruits: the fig (Ficus carica).

From ancient history to modern backyards, we explore how figs grow, where they originated, and why cold‑hardy varieties like Chicago Hardy and Brown Turkey make figs possible even in colder climates. You’ll learn what makes figs so unique botanically, why the “fruit” is actually a modified stem, and how fig pollination works—including the truth about dead wasps in your figs (don’t worry, Midwest gardeners are in the clear).

Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TiClnN6r_HI

Skip to what you want to know:

00:34 Hey Ken!   
01:36 Welcome Elizabeth!  
02:13 Updates from the cold snap on landscape plants and crops   
10:50 On to the main topic - edible figs   
11:37 What is the Fignomenal fig?   
12:51 What type of figs is Elizabeth growing in her garden?  
13:59 The history of the edible fig  
19:08 Where do we typically find fig production in the world?  
20:09 US Fig production  
20:52 Figs in the Midwest diet and have we ever eaten fresh figs?  
23:08 Learning about the edible fig plant (Ficus carica)   
23:36 Edible fig is a woody perennial   
25:28  What is the fig fruit?   
28:22 Edible fig pollination and are dead wasps inside our fig fruit?  
38:09 Can we get breba crops on our figs?   
39:29 For those wanting to try to grow edible figs in Illinois what are some of the site requirements? 
42:53 What can you do to protect figs during the winter?   
50:03 Pruning and sap causing injury on human skin   
51:42 Cultivars for planting in Illinois  
54:30 Fantastic Fig Facts  

Fig Resources
Growing Hardy Figs in Ohio https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1439

The Fig: Its history, culture, and curing, with a descriptive catalogue of the known varieties of figs  Published in 1901 and an interesting look at fig production over 100 years ago https://archive.org/details/figitshistorycul00eise/page/n89/mode/2up

The Fig: Botany, Production and Uses, edited by Ali Sarkhosh, Alimohammad Yavari, Louise Ferguson, published in 2022, (online book accessed via the library)

Contact us! 
Chris Enroth: [email protected]
Ken Johnson: [email protected] 

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