I was in Lowes getting a few things and of course, I had to stop by and look at the new figs they got in for spring.  They had a bunch of Green Ischias and Brown Turkeys and in the midst of all the Ishcias, I saw this one with 4 few nice little figs.  The biggest is about the size of a nickel.  That was the only plant sprouting figs.

Mind you, I already have a GI that I bought from Lowes this past fall, but I this is my first year growing figs and I don't know if I can wait until this summer to get my first figs from the few plants I already have, so I bought it.  

Is this unusual for a plant this small to have fruit?  It looks like the thing was just propagated from a cutting.  

 
  

not unusual, but the question is if that tree can support the figs.

Time for hard love.  I'd remove those figs if I were you until the tree gets a little bigger.  Or at the minimum, remove all figs but the largest.

Why should I remove the figs, because the plant's energy will be put into growing the figs and will stunt the growth of the plant?  What is the likely outcome if I leave them on?  Say I let this plant produce these 4 figs and then pinch off any fruit after that, with the long growing season in Florida, will that be a problem?  

I am just being a little impatient with wanting to try my first home grown fig.  

leaving one or two figs on won't hurt too much. but leaving more than it can ripen will suck up all the resources. in some cases, leaving on too many figs than the tree can handle can stress the free to a point it will die, but rarely. some times, it will affect next yr's fig production.

it's completely up to you. i usuallly knock off all the fig on first yr, but last yr, i didn't get to some. i'll see what happens this yr.

Hi
I know it's hard but listen to the experienced folks here. I would also get rid of those figs too. In the long run it will be better for your tree as they probably won't ripen anyway. It only hurts for a moment

Or, fertilize it and see how it grows.  If the vegetative growth is vigorous you can leave the figs.  If not, take 1 or 2 off and see what happens.  Lather, rinse and repeat.

Mike, if you didn't pay much for the plant, let it do it's thung... enjoy what comes out of it... just keep us posted ;)
Personally, I am very curious to see how the tree is going to carry itself through the ripening of all this figlets.

I think you should just leave them on for a while if you want.  If the vigor remains good enough, leave them on.  So far, it doesn't seem to be hurting the tree.  If it slows the tree down a little it will only be temporary anyways.  Enjoy the figs, if you can. It's nice to see it fruiting at every leaf.

Hi m5ammen,

Are you planting the tree in the ground ?
If so, then leave the figs on , and they will ripe for you.
A friend have done so with such a little tree - but in ground - , and he was able to eat the 2 or 3 figs that came.
Of course, the growth was a bit delayed due to the tree having to make roots and feed the figs .

I personally would leave them on !

Of course, the fruits might not be as good as they should due to the size of the tree.

If you leave the tree in the pot, you will have a hard time watering it properly enough but not too much ... and I at least up pot the tree .
OF course, if at your location, you still have snow, you should wait until planting it in the ground !
Plant it when night temps stay above 10°C - or the leaves will fry .

Here we can as well buy trees like that with fruits hanging on the trees (but by Mai/June), but they are raised in fig paradise - Mediterranean belt- and send to fig hell - Eastern France- ...
And people are cruel enough to buy them ... I'm a monster :) ...

I say let it grow.  As others mentioned, either up-pot it or put it in the ground.  Based on your reasoning for the purchase, it's worth a shot.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.  If this were a rare/expensive variety that I was planning on keeping around for a long time, I would pinch off the figlets.  Like I said, I already have another Green Ischia that I bought this past fall, it is in a 16" terracotta pot and is twice the size of this plant. 

So worst case scenario - the figs grow, they stress the plant and it dies, then I am out $8, not the end of the world.  I have my other GI the fall back on.  I do kind of want to use this plant as an experiment. 

I was wondering if I should pot up now to 3 gal or wait until these figs are done ripening (if they make it that far)?  This little plant is not root bound at all.  I am concerned that the stress of re-potting might stall the progress this plant is making on growing these figs.  I am relegated to container gardening becauase I am renting at my current place.   

I threw a little bit of 10-10-10 fertilizer on this plant and put on a thick layer of mulch.  Right now, conditions are perfect for growing figs - 75 and sunny with low humidity, upper 50s/low 60s at night. 

I won't give advice on up-potting now or later, but based on my experience, I had a 2yr old tree I up-potted in the middle of the summer while it had several figs about the size of yours and they didn't go through any shock.  All 7 figs ripened and tasted great.  Just my experience though.  If you decide to up-pot now, try not to disturb the roots during the transplant.

The tree in that pot is older than it looks!  If you pull it out of the container, you will notice a massive rootball.  If it was mine I would remove it from the pot, dip and let soak for 30 mins in some rooting/transplant liquid horemone like Fertilome, then repot with fresh mix in a pot 4 times its size.  Those figs will ripen but may not taste that great.  Next year, they will taste much better and you will have alot more figs to eat.

I agree about up potting.  Is it in a 1 gal now?  If it is then after it outgrows the 3 gal pot in a couple of months go to 7 gal.