Fig seeds do not grow true to form from the parent plant. The best thing you can do is order from a Canadian source selling small trees or cuttings which you can root. Try Adriano's figs, you can google them and see what he can offer you. He offers a large variety of figs there. You can grow them from seed but this isn't really recommended. There is alot of info you can get from here or else check out Encanto farms nursery, Jon and the rest have alot of info regarding rooting ect. Ciao, maggie

Here`are some good sources for fig plants in Ontario:

1. http://www.grimonut.com/catalog.php?catID=71
It is based in Niagra peninsula. It sells live plants (& ships too!!!). Limited varieties thogh.
2. http://www.adrianosfigtrees.com/
Sells both live plants as well as cuttings (out of Oakville near Toronto) but you have to be a bit patient. If you behave like myself, you go back to the back of the line. Adriano's Fig Tree has a bg selection and making it bigger.

3. Humber Nurseries in Toronto sells similar varieties as Grimo. I don't think they ship.

If you find another shipping source in Canada, let me know.

Send me an email. I am in Ottawa/Canada. I had a couple of cuttings of two varieties from other fig enthusiasts on one or the other side of the border. The first ones rooted OK with roots and leaves so I can send you my insurance ones that are in the fridge yet to help you start.
I am just helping Adriano because his mission is to have a fig tree in every household (and iglo) in Canada's North.

There are many threads on GW and good tutorial threads on FIG4FUN ( http://www.websitetoolbox.com/mb/figs4funforum) to help in learning how to root the cuttings. But since you are avid gardener, I am sure you will know how.

And will you, please, forget about growing fig tree from seeds in northern Canada. Try growing a "Date tree" from the seeds.

Now theres something I haven't had in a while, A Date!!
Ciao
P.S. I mean a Date from a date tree!!:)

Italiangirl
There could be 80% truth in the saying that "date trees" are planted for grandchildren while the fig trees are planted for fruiting in a year time (but not from seed though).

Dried Figs? Don't believe I have ever seen any in the stores.

And just HOW DO you start a date palm? Don't they grow from seeds? Are they as slow to mature as oaks? Google, here I come
Ox

Foo!
OK, date palms will grow from seeds but it is a very slow process and you may get half males and then not know the quality.

The usual practice is to propagate from suckers that grown on the trunks of the tree.
Ox

>>> Dried Figs? Don't believe I have ever seen any in the stores.

Look further in the dried fruit section of your super market.
You do not know what you are missing (taste/nutrition).
Caution! do not eat more than ~6 in one day, else you will
be pushing some unwelcome gases (disliked by most by
other people).

LOL, Gorgi:
and I just HAD to ask! Now I suspect that they will be found somewhere near the prunes.

Seriously though, I'll bet I have to go to a health food store here to find them. I've been doing the shopping now for five years (my wife was sick for a long time before she passed away) and I've never seen a fig in our stores, either fresh or dried. Dates, yes, every store has them, but not figs. I'll keep an eye out.

And by the way; have you noticed that Fig Newtons are not of the same quality they were when you were a kid? Dry, not as sweet.
Ox

OX, here Trader Joes has them, about 3 different types. Also, many of the Ethnic grocery stores also carry them. Walmart carries them in the fruit section near the nuts.

-loslunasfarms

Forgot to mention that at the same time of my 'fig-seedling'
experiment, I also tried seeds from dried (less tasty) CA
Black Mission figs. Although BM may be (wild &) flourishing
in CA, the batch I got were all DUDS, guess no fig-wasps
in that particular fig orchard they came from.

Fig Newtons: Yes, I ate some of them too, but not enough
to notice the difference between the old/new products.
Wonder if the seeds are viable... my next experiment,
just for the heck of it.

LosLunas:
No luck at Walmart, though a stocker said they did often have them. Gorgi, I don't think the seeds out of Newtons would germinate, having been baked. I have plenty of space and I thought I might try your dried fig experiment just for the devil of it if I could find dried figs.

Tell us how you planted the seeds, how deep, what kind of planting medium, etc???

It would just be a "for the fun of it" experiment; I want to get trees that will bear soon with no fooling around so cuttings are as far as I can stretch it. I've got some figs on order now.
Ox

Anyone looking for dried figs for eating (or seeds !?!) shuld look for it in the grocery store ethnic section or the dried fruit area such as walnuts, pistachio or dried apricots. Dried figs are packed either in ring form in a round package or in-line in rectangular package. They taste good, are nutritious and full of fibers (but can't substitute for fresh juicy ones).

I really dont advertise purchasing this fig, but this guy grew trees from seeds:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bareroot-Fig-tree-ready-to-plant-in-your-garden_W0QQitemZ370031013250QQihZ024QQcategoryZ42214QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem