Olympian
Fig in the US

Figs are a bit of a long game if you're starting them from seed, taking about a year to get to harvest, but it's proper rewarding. You'll want to sow your seeds indoors, about 1/4 inch (6mm) deep, in small pots with a good quality seed compost. Keep them nice and warm, around 70-75°F (21-24°C), maybe on a windowsill or a warm spot, somewhere bright. For us, general sowing is March to May, but your best months depend on your USDA zone; the GrowMore CookMore app has all the specific timings for zones 3 through 10, from late winter to late spring.

Once your little fig seedlings have a couple of true leaves, carefully prick them out and pot them on into larger individual pots. Keep them growing indoors, giving them plenty of light, until all danger of frost has well and truly passed in your area. Then, gradually get them used to the outside world – hardening off, we call it – over a week or two before planting them out. Figs love a sunny, sheltered spot, and they do cracking in large containers too, especially if you're in a cooler zone and need to move them indoors for winter. Give them a bit of space, like 6-10 feet (1.8-3m) if they're going in the ground.