Finally...Figs!

Hoseshoe~ : -- gorgeous.

How large was the tree when you bought it?

and trois~: how does your fruit compare in size to horseshoes'?

Are they self-pollenating?


: )

My tree has had fruit every year. It was about 3 feet tall when we planted it, 4 years later it is about 7 feet tall with about 75 fruits. I only have the one tree. We will be getting more. It is self pollenating.
My fruit is round like a tomato and 2.5 inches across. I suspect either would be an excellent choice.

Sure wish persimmons were hardy enough for this area. I have tried twice and neither lived thru first winter.

My figs are looking good tho.

Donna

I will try to get one when I get down there. I'll report back.

Brad

I would plant a dozen if I could find them. I don't know why they are hard to find.

Tomorrow I'll make couple of calls -- and see whether they grow on my island, and if they are available.

flyboy, my tree was around 3 ft when I planted it. They grow fairly fast (for a fruit tree!).
And yes, I agree, trois...makes me want to plant quite a few more!

flyboy, I don't remember what zone Sarasota is but at the following link you'll find a variety of Oriental persimmons that are hardy ranging from zone 6 to 9 and one variety (Ichi Ki Kei Jiro) is rated to zone 10 . .

and ruth olive, also at that link are some American persimmons and most are hardy to zone 5. " Meader" is listed as hardy to zone 4...maybe that is the one you might wanna try and will have success with, eh?

http://eat-it.com/Plants/Persimmons.htm

Oh, and don't they have the most unusual and beautiful flowers! Love 'em!

shoe~

You've gotten my mouth watering (not puckering -- as I thought.)

hah! Yeh, I remember the 'persimmon pucker'! Got tricked into sampling a wild persimmon while out catfishing on the river once. Thought my mouth was gonna turn inside out!

The Oriental persimmons are not usually astringent and a great delight to eat! Hope you find one that is suitable for your area.

Shoe.

The only soil restriction I see is they don't like sandy or loose soils. It says well drained, which I don't have, but it is doing well. Good luck. It says they are hard to propagate, so are a bit more expensive.

Shoe, I have never seen flowers on mine.

We drool like an idiot when they are almost ready. We are having another for dinner tonight.
Drool.

Lucky you.

Shoe , Meader is the one I tried twice. Mayve didn't keep it wet enough, I planted it on my hillside.

Awww, bummer, rutholive.

Then that does it! If I get an exorbitant harvest next year I'll be sure to FedEx you a box! :>)

After following the fig thread which turned out to be persimmons, I went out to buy a fig tree and found a Brown Turkey in a nursery down by flyboy's area. Paid ony $15 for a four foot tree. Dug a large hole and put a couple of spoon fills of fertilizer at the bottom, added miracle-gro potting mix to the bottom, a generous amount and set it in the hole with more Miracle-gro to fill it to the top. Looking good so far!
YOU GUYS ARE CONTAGIOUS !!!!

Yep!

OK Tplant~

You're on your way.

Now get some pelletized lime. (Figs are a great source of Vitamin C.)

Spread a half cup around the base -- and scratch it in.

Stand back -- and line up some prosciutto.

: )

Will do flyboyFL ! I bought a box of brown turkey figs at my Publix today but forgot about the prosciutto. Dang !!! It's starting to rain just now, afternoon summer showers, but I'll spread the lime, I have dolomite lime, when the rain lets up. Planted it alongside my deck as I sit out there everyday and feed the birds. They have a feast at my place and will more so when the figs start coming in. As long as I get a few it's OK by me to share. I have mangos, carambollas,(star fruit), melons and tomatos most of the time so I have a lot of company. Only wish I could grow a persimmon. Can they be grown in the half wine barrels available at nurseries??

I dunno.

It's trois` who got me interested.

My problem lies in thefact that I am up North during the height of the summer -- so I try to grow only the fruit that, at least, ripens when I am in Florida.

I have Key lime, Persian lime, navel orange, grapefruit, kumquats (the sweet, round variety -- they're the greatest). figs and pomegranates. And, now I'm going to seek an Oriental persimmon.

I hope to know better about the persimmon when I get one planted.

Be well

: )

Why a half barrel? They should do well in the ground if in full sun. It says It doesn't like loose, sandy soil so that may be a reason for the barrel. I would think it would do well.

trois, do you think I could grow one to bearing the same way as I do the fig., by moving back and forth with the seasons in a large planter and in to my rarely heated area of garage addition.

Donna

Probably, as long as it gets plenty of sun during the growing season.

Yesterday it happened. The figs on my Celeste were plump and brownish -- so we made our first harvest.

Four of the most gorgeous, and sweetest fruits. We couldn't wait to take out the prosciutto, so we just bit into them.

They seemingly exploded with flavor. More on the tree. Wait.

: )

flyboy --- I'm drooling just looking at my twig of a fig tree just planted. There is a tiny fig developing at the very top! How about that?

tplant~

The reports on mine in Florida seem awesome. Sunshine -- that does it. Can't wait.

As long as yours has green showing, you'll be fine.

: )

Help.

Does anyone know how to get rid of squirrels?

I have one who has a contest with me -- waiting for the fig to get just ripe enough to eat.

He usually gets there first.

: )

Cayenne pepper, sprinkled over the figs. Wash them thoroughly before eating.

Thanks -- I'll try it

Brad

Has it worked?

I don't have squirrels to contend with, but if I don't keep close watch on ripening figs the birds will eat them. I had to move my potted fig into what I call my bonsai storage room, a couple of weeks ago. We have had temps. down to 13 degrees above. i don't know if they will continue ripening, about half had ripened which I enjoyed eating. I keep that insulated room pretty cool.

Donna

Sorry to report -- NO.

So I went out and got some peanut butter, and spread it on white bread. And dropped a couple of mini-sandwiches around. (It's called "chumming.")

When the little tormenter has eaten them I'll open my hav-a-hart trap -- and bait it with more of the stuff.

It's him or me -- the battle lines are drawn.

It's just that he waits until the figs are ripe. It's a contest. I tried to beat him to the punch -- but unripe figs don't taste so good,

: )

OK

Now for a roll of the drums.

I caught him.

It wasn't easy. I googled for the best bait for my hav-a-hart trap. White sliced bread sandwich, of peanut butter. First I chummed. With little pieces around the front of the trap. Then a couple of pieces inside. He kept coming.

Next a bigger piece squished onto the treadle (trigger). He wa smart, and carefully picked it off without triggering the trap.

Next I crammed a big chunk up into the upper corner -- where he had to stand on the trigger to reach it. BAMMMMM! That got him.

It took a while for me to find a good place to release him. We have a Nature Preserve, three islands away. He flew out of the trap.

Now, unless he can fly, or swim. he'll have to cross two big bridges and travel ten miles to find my figs, again.

I have replaced the trap, in case he has relatives -- but so far none has taken the new chum.

To be continued -- I hope not.

Brad

Hoooraaaayyyyy! Now come on over here and catch mine. He has evaded every trap and even has the ordasity to sit on my outdoor table and eat whatever in front of me! But I've come to like the little guy. My figs are far from being formed as my tree is quite young. We'll see what happens. So far he has not bothered my Star fruit tree. I guess it is only a matter of time till he gets to my mangos. But hey? How much can a 2lb squirrel eat???

You'd be surprised. They LOVE mangoes.

Try thr hav-a-hart with peanut butter sandwiches. Tease him a little, first.

Boy, I am glad that it was a small trap. Else I might have caught analligator.

This squirrel does have a funny face, with teeth -- and a hairless tail.

: )

Take him on down to the keys! That should be far enough. I've got them over here also plus fox and racoon. The fox don't seem to bother my garden. How that possum squeezed into that squirrel cage and managed to set the trap is amazing. Next come the Key deer!

well flyboy, in the event you do have actual squirrels (or rats or chipmunks) to contend with in the garden, next time try putting peppermint oil on some cotton balls and placing those in the areas you want them to avoid. The peppermint oil works wonders most of the time. It may save you some travel time with the trap.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/627924/
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/654903/

Tplant~

I take them three islands away. Hope that's far enough.

and, garden_mermaid~

I'll start searching out that peppermint oil. Sounds miraculous. Thank you.

Well I guess moving my potted fig into the storage room was too much of a change. Dropped all the figs that were left on it. We have only had a couple of nights or really cold, and I thought it would not be too cold inside for it but the fruit is gone and most of the leaves. Have to wait until next year now.

Donna

Donna~

As Scarlett said at the close of Gone with the Wind -- "Tomorrow is another day."

Another good tool for reducing your squirrel problems check out this site : http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=NFIXYGI4E4ETYCWQNWRCCNQK0BW0GIWE?id=0039859228160a&type=product&cmCat=perf&rid=0180101070502&xpid=k17401&cm_ven=Performics&cm_cat=Affiliate%2Dclick&cm_pla=Nextag&cm_ite=DDI%20Link&afsrc=1&_requestid=22533&_requestid=5874

Nick:

Thanks -- wish I had one of them when I was a kid.

Now -- the thirty pound pull is a deterrent. But, I've unwrapped my old .22 J.C. Higgins pump-action special (with scope.) That'll be a little easier.

Be well

:)