How to Harvest Seed From Figs

Figs are commonly propagated from grafts, but it is possible to grow them from seeds. The ability of seedlings to produce fruits is variable, but it makes a fun project and is worth a try. Fig seeds are inside what is commonly called the fruit. The fruit is actually like an inside-out flower. Inside the fig fruit are the flowers which are all female in the common fig. These do not need pollination but other figs need a special wasp to pollinate them. The flowers become seeds inside the fig and range from 30 to 1,600 per fruit. You can harvest seed from a fresh fig or even dried figs.

Common fig
Knife
Bowl
Fine sieve
Spoon
4-inch pot
Potting soil
Peat
Plant mister

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the fig in half and squeeze the flesh out into a bowl. It really doesn't matter if you get every scrap of flesh since there are numerous seeds inside the fruit.
- 2
  Pour water into the bowl and let the fruit soak for 24 hours. Stir it up occasionally so the flesh can become exposed to the water and melt off easier.
- 3
  Agitate the water and fruit pulp one more time and then pour it through a sieve. Use a very fine mesh sieve to catch the tiny seeds. Place the sieve over a bowl and press the remaining flesh out through the holes with the back of a spoon.
- 4
  Rinse the seeds in the sieve several times until all traces of the fig pulp are gone. Place the seeds in a bowl of water. Save the ones that sink and discard the ones that float as they are infertile. Let the seeds air dry in the sieve and then plant them immediately.
- 5
  Fill a pot with half potting soil and half peat moss. Spread the seed on top of the soil and mist well. Place the pot in a warm place with bright light and ensure that the top 2 inches are wet until germination. Germination normally takes anywhere from 15 to 90 days.

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