OT: Figs

Re: OT: Figs

Keith L Newton

Oh Man, That looks delish! We had nice clump of fig trees in our yard when I was a teen. Mom usually made a lot of preserves from them. One year she forgot they were boiling until they were candied. I declared them the best she had ever made.

Re: OT: Figs

John K Jordan

I thought the leave and developing figs on ours were gonners when we had a late freeze and I failed to cover them. The existing leaves and developing fruit withered and dropped away. But the plants bounced back stronger than ever!

One of the trees was here when we bought this place in 2003 but it was embedded in overgrown evergreen shrubs and got no sun. It hung on and produced a fig or two over the years then appeared to die. When I found a single green sprout the next spring I dug the whole thing up with the backhoe and moved it to a sunny spot. A few years later and it's now thriving and producing.

When I thought it was a deadI bought two more small plants from the nursery and planted those in full sun. Those are thriving too! One is at least 12' high now and loaded with 100s of figs.

JKJ

Re: OT: Figs

H Bruce McCrory

About forty years ago, the first I saw figs growing in the Puget Sound area (and, ate--mmmm, pure honey) were set against a white house wall facing south. The owner grubbed out older shoots, grown like a large shrub, and freeze damage in spring.

I think he tied up individual fruit in plastic baggies to ripen faster and keep out ants and wasps. I see them in nurseries but survival is the exception in this area.

Re: OT: Figs

Yonak

John, that picture and your description alone put 10 more pounds on me.

Re: OT: Figs

Steve D, CT

John, where are you located? We have a fig tree that is several years old and never produced. Apparently there are different varieties with varying degrees of winter hardiness but I don't know what I have.

In the Hartford area there is one homeowner who has trees near a screen porch but doesn't do anything special with them in winter. I have yet to find them in the yard on my walks. They are full of figs at the time.

Our tree is finally back in the ground after a house renovation and it's looking good. Maybe next year.

Figs in TN

John K Jordan

>>>John, where are you located? We have a fig tree that is several years old and never produced. ...



Steve, I'm in the eastern part of Tennessee. I know others who have figs in this area, some in great abundance, some from quite large trees. I saw one a month ago that must have been 25' high and heavy with developing fruit.

From what I found with a Google search, we are on the edge of what will grow easily in warmer climates. There are several varieties recommended for TN but even some of those require some special treatment.

One thing recommended here is plant in full sun on the southern side of the house where it will be warmer earlier - planted close but far enough away to allow space when fully grown. Mulching is recommended. Some may need covering in the winter. Some people apparently bend and tie the branches down and cover with mulch. A late cold snap can set the plants back or kill them without some protection. My largest and best producer, Celeste variety, lost all it's early leaves and starting fruit with a late cold snap this spring, however it came back nicely. I have one smaller plant that has only a few figs and this is its third year - it may not be suitable for this area. I'll be sure to cover all of them next spring when needed.

One article I read described varieties that could be grown in even colder areas, you might check. If I remember correctly, the climate in CT is milder when you are close to the coast which might make a difference. There are also apparently small varieties suitable for planting in a large pot that can be taken inside in the winter. A friend of mine does this with a variety of fruit trees - in the winter his garage is filled with orange, lemon, and other trees that otherwise don't have a chance in this area!

I also read that some varieties are self-pollinating while others are not. If you have one of those you might not get figs. At least one variety apparently requires a small wasp which may not live everywhere.

I like to buy plants from a reputable supplier who keeps up with what grows well in this area. After years of buying and killing blueberry plants I found the large company selling them sold the same stock all over without regard to what was best for this area. I buy from someone else now!

JKJ

Re: Figs in TN *LINK*

Steve D, CT

Thanks for the reply, John. I am 40 miles or so from the coast and the tempering effects of the ocean are mostly gone in our area.

My cousin gave me our plant from cuttings and he has a tree around 10 feet high and just as wide. It was very prolific and then stopped bearing fruit 4-5 years ago.

I think I'll take a ride here and check out the offerings. They have a few varieties to choose from.


https://www.logees.com/edible-figs.html

Re: Figs in TN

Steve D, CT

John,

I went for a walk today and included the fig house on my route. I was luck in that the homeowner was on his porch and I struck up a conversation on the figs.

It turns out he doesn't cover them in the winter, they are on the south side of his house and near the foundation. He said the variety is Chicago Hardy, which is OK down to zone 6. The variety is based in Sicily and has the reddish color of many of the homegrown figs I've eaten.

He's going to grab a shoot for me in the spring but $20 seems to be the going rate for a mail order plant.