Finally...Figs!

Thanks for the responses. I guess I'm doing it right, I wrap the inground ones (usually with old over coats) and garage the potted ones. I did leave a young Hardy Chicago unprotected in the ground this winter and it is greening up. That one was my sacraficial lamb so to speak lol.

Lynne

Lynne: Unfortunately to wrap or not to wrap is a real crap shoot. I didn't wrap my tree for almost 20 years and it came back year after year until it got so big I had to use a ladder to get half the fruit. Then came the winter of 02-03 which was very harsh and it died completely to the ground. This past winter was fairly mild but be aware that if and when we get another very severe one most unwrapped trees will have severe die-back and young ones without an extensive root system will probably be gone.

Rich

Rich, I agree completely with you about the rough winters especially. I gambled on the Cape having had four very unusually harsh winters in a row. The last time that happened was in the 30's so even though I left the young one at natures mercy I still wrapped my "slightly bigger" plants. The winter of 03 was unheard of here, my brand new figs spent the winter in the basement that year.

Lynne

Sorry guys, Iv'e been away from this thread too long.

I had my Princeton figs unwrapped -- and they seem to have survived. I'll be there in a month to check.

But, we've been eating figs down here in Sunny Florida.

My "phig pharm" is one year old -- and growing. Luckily I have a southern facing wall that's a perfect backdrop.

I had bought three. A Brown Turkey a Gren Ischia, and a Violette. I got two cuttings from my Greek neighbor (he swears he brought them with him when he arrived in the USA.)

Here is the Greek White (my name for it.)

Here are the next two fruits for eating. They are the sweetest. We have had about a dozen, so far. waiting for the summer crop.

Here is the Greek Black.

And its ripening fruit.

The Brown Turkey. We ate its fruit last year (its first). The cage is for the little squirrel. He and I each wait for the fig to ripen before eating it. I have to be quick.

And the Green Ischia. We have eaten a few -- the new crop is ripening.

flyboyFL, hope all well with you now. glad to see you posting. My small potted fig is still in the storage room. It is too heavy for me to move and the fellow who works for me when he has time has been gone for past week. Hope he will be back Mon.

Your figs look so healthy and happy and good. DonnaS

and Philomel~

If you are still interested in pomegranates, This is what mine look like this year. (They are one year old.)

rutholive~

Hi Donna.

Nice to hear from you. Trust you are well. Don't pick up heavy things. Wait !!!

Be well

Brad

and Philomel~

The blossoms are gorgeous.

and the fruit is already setting.

Be well

flyboy
your figs and pomagranates look so healty.i have fig envy here.do figs take easily from cuttings or do you have to have a grafted tree. i would love a fig. which variety would you consider the sweetest.and pomagranat i had no idea they grow here i have to try one. i have a carambola, bananas, everglades tomatoes, and a mango.
the mango is so full now it is almost time for mangoritas!
cass

I have been watching this thread with envy and decided I should finally ask for some help. Growing up, we had a huge fig tree (Mission I believe) in the backyard of our California house. I loved it! My family and I bought figs all the time when we moved out. I now live in Oregon and the figs that show up in the grocery store here are pitiful. I tried growing a brown turkey fig in a pot a few years ago, and it did so so. I ended up with 3 "figs" after 2 years but they were the size of pencil erasers and fell off immediately. My husband and I just spent a year and a half in California and I became fig addicted again. Unfortunately, we just bought a house in Oregon again (though farther south this time - yay!) so I'm stuck trying to grow them myself AGAIN.

My question to you all...

I bought another Brown Turkey fig from an onlie seller. It's about a foot tall and I believe it was dormant when we received it. The main stalk is not doing anything, but it has already grown an equally tall new green stalk with a few leaves. Should I cut away the original stalk? This happened with my first fig and the original stalk eventually died away. Also, how large should the fig be before I transplant it into the ground in a Northwest climate? I will be quite unhappy if I never have figs again. I'd really like to make this work this time!

Maybe Brown Fig isn't the best variety? I bought it because it's supposedly hardy...

BTW - I'd love that pickled fig recipe if you're willing to share it! My mom does a lot of canning and pickling so if I ever do get figs, I'd love for her to pickle them for me.

candela~

They are a snap -- from cuttings. I( started both of mine (cuttings from my Greek neighbor) November 2004. They took, almost immediately. This year I have been eating figs from both. The bigger crop is now in figlets form. The white (see photo, above) is the most beautiful -- and the figs are huge -- green -- and sweet. It started from the smallest curtting.

I did buy a couple. Check with Sybil at Paradise Nursery. She is good -- and seems the most knowledgable. She ships when they are ready for YOUR area.

Hang in, if I am still around, remind me next October. Ill be proud to oblige with a couple of cuttings.

Be well

highbrassduo~

Figs. Try them, you'll love'em.

Sybil, whom I mentioned above, is the most knowledgable. And she ships fine stock.

I have a couple growing in a Northeast climate -- Princeton. This was my first year. I bought them from Paradise while still down south. I planted them up North last May -- and, unfortunately, they were probably confused and went to sleep after delivering a few figs. They did survive the winter (wrapped) and I am waiting to get back to them next month. They are Celestes -- and supposed to be prolific.

The important thing is a southern exposure. they love the sun -- require very little watering -- and love pelletized lime (in addition to slow release fertilizer.)

Be well -- and good luck

oh yes, Candela~

"Wonderful" pomegranate. That's the same variety you see in stores as juice and whole fruit. The company that produces them is "Pom."

: )

Ah, that's interesting - figs like lime? My soils probably on the acid side for them then, I'll find some lime to dress them with.

Thanks for the pomegranate photos flyboy. Mine is tiny compared to yours, but it's good growing weather here at the moment - so fingers crossed.
Lost my young white fig overwinter :(

philomel~

They are reputed to be an excellent source of calcium.

Too bad about the white. Mine is the greatest!

Good luck.

: )

Thank you flyboyFL! I'll have to check out which exposure it'll be getting. I'm such a novice when it comes to soil conditions - that may be half (or more) of my problem. If this tree doesn't succeed, I'll give a Celeste a try!

Good luck

: )

I look forward to the calcium rich pomegranates and some friends have just given me a bit off their fig tree ( a sucker) so that's going straight into the chicken run now - they'll eat any that fall :)

philomel~

Don't let them fall.

Any fruit started on the pomegranates, yet?

Be well

:)

Boy...I've had small crops in June before but this year it seems that the figs are popping out of the branches faster than the leaves. Sure hope it's an omen of a real good fig harvest to come this August.

Rich

ritchh~

I won't be seeing mine for a couple of weeks.

Hope they look as good as yours.

: )

I'm getting caught up on this thread. I received a couple fig-stick-starters last fall/winter and they didn't make it. I would like to try flyboy's recommendation "Sybil at Paradise Nursery". I would make room for a couple on the south side with the bananas and papayas and oranges.

Now...which variety?

My potted fig just got moved out to the deck where it grows in the summer from it's storage in garage area. First it was too cold then last week broke heat records, 95 degrees or hotter every day. Yesterday woke up to the wonderful sound of rain on the roof. So it is setting right now next to the house on the deck under my roll-up awning. As soon as it is aclimatized to the sun will move it to full sun. Today I must remove some of the old soil, replace with amended. It is quite well leafed out so hopefully there will be figs before summer is over.

DonnaS

soozer~

She likes Celeste. But talk to her.

The Brown Turkey seems the most prolific -- but my "white" (actually green, but huge) gives me the most pleasure..

Be well

:)

DonnaS~

Nice to see your name. Sounds like all is OK, so that's good.

There is nothing like biting into a fig off the tree. Hedonistic.

Be well

Brad

: )

Sure appreciate the suggestions...

:)

soozer~

Good luck

: )

aughh -- All the figs are Sold Out at Paradise Nursery!

:(

soozer~

Have faith. Next October I'll send you some cuttings. Remind me.

: )

That's something to look forward to. Thank you.
:)

richh, man you're killing me. Those are the kind of figs I remember as a kid. I've got two variety of figs, Brown Turkey and " white "(this was handed down from my dad). The Turkey is living in a container while the white is in my garden. I've had the white several years but haven't really had much luck with it. I bought the turkey fig last year and this year it has one fig. Lucky me! I'm seriously considering ordering Messenger, if it really works. What say you?

roose~

Wish I could definitely say.

I am trying it up here -- so, here goes.

: )

Hi roose: I had a white one that was planted in 1955 that always bore large numbers of fruit. Sadly it died about 15 years ago. The one I still have was also planted in 1955 by my late father-in-law from a cutting obtained from one of his Italian friends. No-one I have ever talked to or sent photos to can ID it. Keep in mind that many fig varieties bear 2 crops per year. Here in the Northeast the smaller crop is in June from fruit that forms on the tree soon after it leafs out. The figs for the main crop which usually begins for me in mid August haven't even formed on the tree yet so you may get many more than the one you have now. As for Messenger, I treated the tree with it 5 times at 3 week intervals as directed last year and while I had no untreated tree for comparison I do know, after living with this tree for 35 years, that I have never had a longer season of ripening fruit going into November instead of mid September. I would definitely recommend giving it a try and good luck with both trees.

ritchh~

I am now in Princeton. Two Celestes made it over the winter and are leafing out. But still no fruit. But they look promising -- especially with the Messenger.

: )