Figs

[Angi]

I know its a bit early to ask this, but how can I tell when my figs are ripe. We've had a very mild winter down here, and lots of my figs have overwintered (not the tiny ones which are just forming now, but the biggish ones). Now that I've written this, it does seem like the answer is obvious, ie, when they're soft, but I'm going to ask anyway!

[Primrose]

I'd also be interested to an answer to this question because in a previous year my small container grown fig plant had several medium sized figs left on it to overwinter which I'd left on when they were unripe in autumn. However, I'm unsure whether unripened figs left on the plant over winter ever ripen the following year and seem to remember reading somewhere that they should actually be removed.

[PAULW]

ANGI
According to the book you should remove everything bigger than a pea in the autumn, I would leave everything on the plant now it would be gutting to start to thin out the figs only to lose what is left from the June drop, I had over 20 fruits last year then the June drop left me with 4.

[longpod]

I am not sure I can be awfully helpful when in comes to container grown figs, because we live in S/W France, and have three big fig trees,I never touch them, the figs grow big and purple, if not picked they split, which is when they are at their best, but the wasps and birds love them well before then. You will probably get better figs, since before Easter, the UK has been having consistenly better weather than us, and we can probably export water!!
Jeanne

[TonyF]

I agree with Jeanne, live in same area as her and you can see when the figs are ready - for a start, they will come away from the branch in your hand, may need a small twist. Look at the base of the fruit, if there's a small whitish star/cross shape forming, it's where they will split and time to pick them.