Climate Considerations

• Most fig tree varieties need a long or hot summer time frame to produce fruits. Some cultivars, like Chicago Hardy and Celeste, tolerant and survive cold winters. Figs produce fruits twice a year: once from flowers growing on year-old branches, and again in late summer on current year growth. In climates that yield temperatures between 10 and minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, figs severely die back and must rejuvenate from the roots each spring. This eliminates any first crop, but if the summer is too short or cool, no second crop is produced, either.
  
  

Improper Pruning

• In similar manner to a hard dieback from a bitterly cold winter, improper pruning can remove branches that would produce fruits. In late winter, only remove dead branches and those that are making the plant too dense and shaded. You want to retain some year-old branches. Once the growing season starts, you mustn't prune away healthy new shoots, as they will produce fruit later in summer. The best time to prune the fig tree to shape or thin its branching structure is late summer after the second and final fruit crop is harvested.
  
  

Types

• Most of the fig cultivars grown in the United States do not require pollination of the flowers for fruits to develop. Smyrna fig types from Asia, often sold as dried Calimyrna figs, do need a special insect to pollinate flowers in order for fruits to form. This tiny wasp doesn't exist in North America. Plus, male-gendered Smyrna fig trees, called caprifigs, must be grown nearby for pollination to occur. If you are growing a Smyrna type fig tree, you won't get fruits.
  
  

Cultural Issues

• If your fig tree is winter hardy and not a Smyrna type that needs a special insect pollinator, you may be doing things to or around the fig that inhibits fruiting. Fig trees have shallow roots and resent disturbance, damage or pruning. Burrowing rodents, such as gophers, eat fig tree roots. Fig trees also abort fruits if the soil is too wet or too dry. Gardeners usually mulch the soil around figs to keep the soil conditions constant. Lastly, birds will strip figs from a tree. To prevent this robbery, place mesh netting over the fig plant during fruiting season.