Amazing fig tree sprouts for another tale of "Compost Surprise"
My gardening friend Melissa McCue came to visit me last week at my Pine Giant Eagle Market District appearance. We both have a love of dahlias and she brought me a wonderful selection from her garden. Well, we started talking and she told me about a fig tree that sprouted from her compost pile.
Here's the story-
In a nutshell, the compost was started around 2004. I always put stuff in but I’m not real good about taking it out so who knows when we ate a fig or two? I was amazed last year when I did see the fig tree growing out of the plastic compost slat. First I was surprised that it had found its way out of that half inch slat and secondly, I did wonder when had those fig/figs been tossed into the compost. I wondered how long it had taken it to grow.
Since last winter didn't kill it, the part outside died back but then this year when it got warm again, it started growing again. The branches (for lack of a better term) are a pretty good size – you can see. I had been checking it over the summer for an actual fig but didn't see one until about 2 weeks ago. It is small, but it is a FIG!! That’s exciting.
Maybe next year, if it makes it though the winter I may actually get a fig I can eat if it develops sooner.
I will have to leave it there since the roots are on the inside of the compost bin and the rest of the plant is on the outside. So, unless I break open the plastic bin (which I’m not going to do) it won’t go anywhere.
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