Wondering how to tell if a fig is ripe? These 5 tips will help you get the timing just right!

Every year people ask us how to know when to harvest their fig tree. Since figs don't ripen off the tree it can be tricky to know when to pick them. The following 5 tips will help you to pick delicious & ripe figs every year!

Here are 5 ways to know if a fig is ripe:

1. Look at how the fig is hanging on the branch. If it is perpendicular to the branch, stiff, or in any way resisting gravity, then it is unripe. A ripe fig droops at a 90 degree angle or creases even beyond that.

2. Look at the opening at the bottom. The hole should be slightly open, or it might have cracked open or be dripping juice.

3. Look at the colour. No matter what the variety, there will be a change between unripe and ripe. For example these Desert King figs go from dark green to a light greenish yellow. You can often see cracking and stretch marks in the skin. If you were to cut it open, you would see that the skin of a ripe fig is very thin and there is no milky white sap coming out.

4. Feel the fig. Is it soft to the touch? Could you easily pierce the skin if you squeeze it? If it is firm it is not ripe.

5. Taste it! Does it taste sweet, almost like honey? If it tastes a little bland and almost cucumber-y, it is not ripe. The texture will be gooey and soft, not firm or even slightly crunchy.

Note: In colder climates like here in Victoria, BC, you will only get the “breba crop,” or the figs produced on last year’s branches. All the little figs on the new growth will fall off over winter. This makes the figs we do get even more precious!

Wishing you riper, sweeter, and juicier figs!

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Want to get involved?
Sign up your tree for gleaning or volunteer at www.lifecyclesproject.ca

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