Looking for Zone 7b Fig Advice

[CyntheB]

Very good for the 2nd winter in the ground, also it certainly sounds taller than it was spring 2018.

Yes, there is much more growth on both trees that survived our cold winter.
~ Dominick's has quite a few 12in stems and the main trunk will also be 12in if I were to cut back all the reddened wood (but I'm waiting to see which buds break, first). This compares to freezing to the ground the prior winter.
~ Aldo's which is planted nearer the house, is even taller. If I were to cut off all reddened wood, there would still be a main trunk almost 20in tall.

Because our month of May was unusually cold, both young trees are at least a month behind (or more) with showing new growth compared to last year.

Glad to hear you have had a mild winter and great spring for your figs! Hope your breba crop is delicious. How soon do you think they will ripen?

[alanmercieca]

Very good for the 2nd winter in the ground, also it certainly sounds taller than it was spring 2018.

Yes, there is much more growth on both trees that survived our cold winter.
~ Dominick's has quite a few 12in stems and the main trunk will also be 12in if I were to cut back all the reddened wood (but I'm waiting to see which buds break, first). This compares to freezing to the ground the prior winter.
~ Aldo's which is planted nearer the house, is even taller. If I were to cut off all reddened wood, there would still be a main trunk almost 20in tall.

Because our month of May was unusually cold, both young trees are at least a month behind (or more) with showing new growth compared to last year.

Glad to hear you have had a mild winter and great spring for your figs! Hope your breba crop is delicious. How soon do you think they will ripen?

They usually take about 90 days from first sight of tiny figlets appearing to ripe fruit, so some time in June we should start to have the first ripe breba crop. I believe mid June, yet I forget when we had seen the first tiny figlets show up this year, they showed up sometime in March though.

I still have not 100% decided what fig varieties I am keeping that are in the ground, I am still trialing them, yet even ones that I had thought I'd need to get rid of because of cold sensitivity, have gained lots of cold hardiness and proven themselves cold hardy enough, at least most years, it doesn't hit 3 degrees Fahrenheit that often here, that is a real test. Also some years they keep coming out of dormancy over and over again before last frost, if that happens and it gets colder than a certain temperature then that is a real test as well.

It's not just about the cold hardiness either, like our Peter's Honey is still more cold sensitive than I'd prefer and so far is low production. This year being so mild I will see if that helps to up production much and I will see how the cold hardiness is for a few more years. So far most if not all the fruit goes to the pests not us.

We also have two that only have a first crop, I am still wondering how big in production those first crops can be, and if we'd have them every year. Also how will they adapt to too much rain, and adapt to it changing from too wet to, too dry constantly, they seem to be adapting so far.

[CyntheB]

Mid-August Update: Won't be seeing figs this year. May was too cold to let the young trees get growing fast enough. They look very healthy with multiple stems like fig bushes. The main trunk of 'Dominick's' never sprouted. The main trunk of 'Aldo's did. Dominick's in front is a bit taller than 'Aldo's' in the back of the bed.

eFIGtrees-3rdSummer_4471.jpg (620.2 KiB) Viewed 2904 times

How have your figs done this summer? Did you get a breba crop? Were they tasty?

[alanmercieca]

Mid-August Update: Won't be seeing figs this year. May was too cold to let the young trees get growing fast enough. They look very healthy with multiple stems like fig bushes. The main trunk of 'Dominick's' never sprouted. The main trunk of 'Aldo's did. Dominick's in front is a bit taller than 'Aldo's' in the back of the bed.

How have your figs done this summer? Did you get a breba crop? Were they tasty?

Here last winter was the mildest most gentle winter that any of our fig trees have seen, since I had starting planting fig trees in the ground in 2011. I expected way more pest problems this year because of that, yet this year has been a record low for pest problems so far. First the squirrels were stealing them, yet they found things that they were more interested in, then the mocking birds (which love figs started to attack the figs), yet there are a lot of other pests that usually attack the figs that are not attacking them this year, we are getting most of the figs.

Before this year only one of our fig trees gave us any first year figs, this year all of the in ground fig trees are giving us/gave us first crop figs, most of them are still pushing out first crop figs, I am starting to wonder if we will get any ripe second crop figs this year. Time is running out this season, yet to be honest I am not seeing any quality difference between the first crop figs and the second crop figs, and the first crop figs can be bigger. The fig growing season this year kept going back and forth between severe heat waves for weeks and heavy rain for days, or even a week, which makes the fig trees grow like weeds and makes them produce more heavily. In a few hours yesterday I picked 32 figs. Over 41 figs in a 24 hour period, I am loosing count. We have 3 new varieties of fig trees in pots, two of them are producing figs this year as well, first crop figs. Most of the fig trees are growing much bigger this year.

Climate effects the overall quality of the figs as the growing season is moving on this year the quality of the figs is going up and down, most parts of the USA have a varying climate throughout the growing season, unlike the more predicable climate in parts of California and in the desert of Arizona, yet most figs from a fig tree are not bad figs, we just can not expect the very best quality all of the time. Making fig jam with them, that always turns out great, still not the same as fresh.

Souring bugs sometimes put yeast in the figs if they split open, or butterflies put eggs in the figs when they are are soft, and figs can be disgustingly overripe as well. It takes a while understanding when to pick figs, I have learned that you need to pick figs at least twice a day, because a few hours later more figs ripen. Sometimes they seem too hard to be ripe and they are ripe, that happens after heavy rain, that's when you have to be careful because even when they are ripe in such a case they leak a white sap, that can cause a severe allergic reaction, the same sap can leak were a leaf stem came off. People have said that they showed no signs of an allergic reaction to the sap for a long time then all of a sudden they developed an allergy to it and they are rushed to the hospital the next time some of the sap touches their skin. Also the leaves rubbing up against the skin can cause a rash or bumps that look like insect bites. So be covered up well when handling figs, and walking around them, and wear gloves when handling the figs.

At this point I am only sure that I will keep 3 out of our 7 in ground fig trees. The two that have been the highest production fig trees for years. Also the one that appears to be the 3rd best in production, yet I can not know how well it will produce in the long run for a few more years. Some fig trees take longer to prove them selves than others, like we have a fig tree that is in it's 9th season in the ground, it's still low production, yet it had a larger crop this year than other years, I hate the thought of getting rid of it, it's looks so nice and big, so I will give it 4 more seasons to prove it self.

Hmmm your climate reminds me of New England in a way, some years anyway, as the fig trees age they should produce earlier in the year, and need less heat to do so, as the roots get more developed. Make sure to fertilize them each spring to help them start out growing.

[CyntheB]

The fig growing season this year kept going back and forth between severe heat waves for weeks and heavy rain for days, or even a week, which makes the fig trees grow like weeds and makes them produce more heavily. In a few hours yesterday I picked 32 figs. Over 41 figs in a 24 hour period, I am loosing count.

WOW! We'd be delighted to have a harvest like that. Took a trip to CA in late July and bought some delicious figs there. With climate change shortening our growing season, now I'm wondering if it will even be possible to harvest figs here? How many years on average do figs take to produce a crop?

At this point...I will keep 3 out of our 7 in ground fig trees. The two that have been the highest production fig trees for years. Also the one that appears to be the 3rd best in production, yet I can not know how well it will produce in the long run for a few more years. Some fig trees take longer to prove themselves than others, like we have a fig tree...in it's 9th season in the ground, it's still low production, yet it had a larger crop this year than other years. I hate the thought of getting rid of it, it looks so nice and big, so I will give it 4 more seasons to prove itself.

Interesting to learn you've been growing the trees as an experiment. I had assumed you were a fig collector and were planting the trees you are most interested in. I would have a very difficult time destroying an established tree in the ground. Goes against my nature.

Hope the rest of your summer is nice. Six weeks into our monsoon season, rainfall has been very meager. Less than .75 inch of rain in July (compared to 5.68 inches last year) and only .87 inch so far this month (compared to 2.33 inches to this date last year). Am feeling concerned.

[alanmercieca]

We have 7 in ground fig trees, I just picked 29 more figs today, I will likely find more later today, and most of those figs are coming from two trees. Here I find that change in climate is not really as permanent as people think, we are getting a lot of heat waves from early spring, to some time in the autumn, to an extreme not seen before yet how much that happens does vary from year to year, some ways it's warming up in the winter too, yet we still break winter cold records too, I consider it zone 7a where I live because it does hit such temperatures every so many years, even though we rarely see under zone 7b here, this year was a 8b winter, yet we certainly will get 3 degrees Fahrenheit again. They can produce the same year planted, they can produce the second season, one of our in ground fig trees did not produce until the ninth season in the ground. It's hard to predict.

Mainly I tried getting the best that I thought would do best in my climate, varieties known to be very rain tolerant, that was my main concern, yet no matter how well a person does researching, it's impossible to know for sure how a variety will do in any location, unless it's been trialed there. Actually one of the points of fig collecting is trialing to see what grows best in the area, that is why a lot of fig collectors have over 100 varieties of fig trees. Yet I figure why bother with something that can not handle all the rain we have well enough to have at least half decent fruit. I would not destroy any of them that I'd get rid off. I'd offer the tree(s) to someone in a less rainy/warmer climate willing to take it/them away in a truck, possibly giving the top part of the tree(s) away as cuttings. Making it easier for the person with a truck to take it away. There are people from south of the Carolina's that come up for fig gatherings.

[CyntheB]

Hi Alan ~ Another 5 weeks since I wrote last. Both trees are growing well. Not quite as tall as they were last year, in September, but much bushier.

Dominick's has at least four upright stalks loaded with figlets. If our first frost is delayed 'til early November as I saw on one long term forecast, we might have 41 days left for them to ripen. How warm does it need to be in your experience for figs to ripen? I know they need about 100 days, but I didn't take note when the first figlets were obvious...so I'm not sure how many days old they are?

Aldo has teeny 'bumps' in the leaf axils, but not real figlets...so maybe next year. Is Dominick's a more mature tree than Aldo?

So how has late summer / early autumn been in your garden?

[CyntheB]

Alan ~ Well, we had our first freeze (27F) on 10-10-19. So no hopes for a harvest this year either. Most of the fig leaves are blackened and dead. Leaves closest to the ground are still green and alive. The weather has warmed up with lows in the low 40's-high 30's. Not time yet to erect a frost tent to protect the trunks.

Am hoping you will have time to read this and my prior post. Looking forward to your comments.

[alanmercieca]

Hi Alan ~ Another 5 weeks since I wrote last. Both trees are growing well. Not quite as tall as they were last year, in September, but much bushier.

Dominick's has at least four upright stalks loaded with figlets. If our first frost is delayed 'til early November as I saw on one long term forecast, we might have 41 days left for them to ripen. How warm does it need to be in your experience for figs to ripen? I know they need about 100 days, but I didn't take note when the first figlets were obvious...so I'm not sure how many days old they are?

Aldo has teeny 'bumps' in the leaf axils, but not real figlets...so maybe next year. Is Dominick's a more mature tree than Aldo?

So how has late summer / early autumn been in your garden?

When I got the Aldo it was a tiny twiggy thing, the Dominick is actually younger yet since the cutting that was rooted for the Dominick was much thicker it had a much greater head start.

When fig trees have dieback, they grow back bushy. That is their nature. Sounds like they are doing great. Your area was cooler than normal this year, it's the heat that makes them grow the most. Fig trees do not need heat for the figs to ripen, we are still getting ripe figs here, although heat does start the figs producing earlier in the year, and if it's cool enough that slows down fig production and makes their peel thicker as well. You do have a shorter growing season than we do, and this year you had a less ideal growing season than usual, ours was better than usual.

Here we have had the largest fig crop ever, all our in ground fig trees produced this year. Most of our fig trees are doing very good. We had hazelnuts for the first time. We had plenty of plums, bell peppers, tomatoes and so on. We had a very poor peach crop this year though, and no almonds yet again.

It appears that it will take you 4 or more times longer to have strong fig trees than us. Your shorter growing season and maybe even your elevation as well. As long as you have the patience required you will be fine.

The following are quotes of what I already e-mailed you, so that other people can see what I know.

'I have discovered that weather can make figs ripen faster and slower. The dryer it is, the longer they take to ripen.'

'I have tried different things to speed up ripening. Nothing helps to speed things up very fast. Yet taking all the leaves off manually just before natural leaf fall 'at the right time' is the best way to speed it up. The problem with that is if you time doing so wrong, then you are just wasting your time, yet it does not hurt to experiment trying it.'

[CyntheB]

When fig trees have dieback, they grow back bushy. That is their nature. Sounds like they are doing great.

So...we have already had very cold temperatures for a short time, mid-teens to high 20'sF, at least three different times this past month. The cold came early before the trees had entered dormancy, so it's been a shock. The tops of the fig tree trunks show cold damage (reddened bark). Since we're just entering winter, should I wait to prune them?

Also, how much protection should I plan on giving them this winter? Would you advise piling the soil with pine needles again to protect the root zone? They are much too tall to cover with garbage cans as I've read some other forum participants do. I could construct a frost tent again, but as I said there is already bark damage. Thanks for any suggestions.

Fig trees do not need heat for the figs to ripen, we are still getting ripe figs here, although heat does start the figs producing earlier in the year, and if it's cool enough that slows down fig production and makes their peel thicker as well.

'Dominick's' produced 31 very small figs, 7 more than last year. One was soft enough to eat, but had tough skin as you mention and no flavor. I'm assuming this is because our season was short and far from ideal, and the tree is still young.

In studying the branches, it seems the figlets form towards the ends though they start ripening down low. Since the ends of the branches are damaged first by the cold, I'm not sure we will ever get a harvest from the prior year formed fruitlets?

It appears that it will take you 4 or more times longer to have strong fig trees than us. Your shorter growing season and maybe even your elevation as well. As long as you have the patience required you will be fine.

A new acquaintance said her 'Brown Turkey' fig in a large container produced its best crop this year. She thinks it was 8-years-old before it really began fruiting regularly.

'I have discovered that weather can make figs ripen faster and slower. The dryer it is, the longer they take to ripen.'

'I have tried different things to speed up ripening. Nothing helps to speed things up very fast. Yet taking all the leaves off manually just before natural leaf fall 'at the right time' is the best way to speed it up. The problem with that is if you time doing so wrong, then you are just wasting your time, yet it does not hurt to experiment trying it.'

We, of course, have extremely dry conditions here except during summer monsoons, which did not materialize this year. It was our area's 13th driest summer since records have been kept. Hoping for a wet winter and good monsoons next year.