The Triumphant Fig

Over the summer I was given a potted fig tree from Mary of the Italian Garden Project. This was a very exciting acquisition for me, given my longterm hopes of having a plentiful homegrown fig supply. The little cutting was from Mary's grandfather's tree in the old country, so it's pretty special even though I don't know her grandfather and have only met Mary on a few occasions at the market when she hosts workshops. The tree sat on our front steps until the cold weather required me to transport it indoors for the winter. Within a few weeks the leaves began to drop, much to my dismay and concern, but the three branches remained green. After over three months of this, though, with no visible change whatsoever, I decided to relocate the pot to our bedroom where the light is best. I don't know if it's the improved light source or its close proximity to the humidifier, but a new leaf has unfurled itself - with another just behind it - in only a couple of days. Amazing. I'm thrilled about the potential of this little plant!