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Getting Ready for First Fig Season as a Grower

ToddS.

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Jan 9, 2022
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Hello All
My name is Todd. I live in North GA (Cleveland) zone 7b. This will be my first fig growing season. I am starting out with 2 very small Brown Turkey trees, a Fred's Celeste, and a Smith. These trees are all in-ground since the end of last summer/early fall. I have a small I-258 in a container and I am trying to root a Chicago Hardy cutting. I don't know very much yet but I am really enjoying learning about growing my own. I look forward to all of the valuable information to be had here. Cheers!
 

Shaft

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Aug 30, 2021
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531
Welcome to the community, we're so happy to have you here! Have you had fruit from any of these yet?
 

ToddS.

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Hi Shaft. Thank you. I haven't had any fruit yet. I hope I will get some this first year.
How long have you been figgin?
 

Shaft

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Aug 30, 2021
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Hi Shaft. Thank you. I haven't had any fruit yet. I hope I will get some this first year.
How long have you been figgin?
Aw man. The new blood is great. Anticipation is the best flavoring :) Which variety of fruit are you most anticipatory of?

I've been doing this like... 13 months. I might've got hit by the bug, as I now am the proud owner of over 150+ varieties, most of which I haven't tasted yet. I'm right there in that same phase as you: I've got the trees, but not the fruit, and my mouth is watering. I'm most looking forward to Creme di Mango (I LOVE MANGO!), Smith (I've heard so many people say how good it is), Black madeira (it's the standard, right?)/craven's craving/figo preto (I have 'em all, variations of the same), and Col de Dame Rimada/Blanc/Gegantina (it's the first fig I fell in love with the idea of... it made me decide to buy another fig, and another fig, and another fig, astounded by each one's individual potential... it made me realize how individually distinct figs could be, not just another Brown Turkey).

Bear in mind, first year fruit is usually nasty. I've made myself a promise to not taste my fruit until year 3, unless I can't help myself: but all judgment comes then and only then, after three years. Before that, some fruits ARE NOT going to taste great. And since you lose a lot of vigor if you produce even a single fruit... nah... I'm sticking to vigor for now. Anticipation is the best flavoring afterall :)
 

jmrtsus

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Aug 31, 2021
Messages
59
Welcome......enjoy the crazy world of growing figs. Rooting cuttings indoors is a never ending subject on fig forums. You will find anything from stick a cutting in dirt or water to a full blown science lab stuff. Find what works for you. no right or wrong nor best and worse. We each choose our own ways in growing figs. Read and ask questions.

Plan what you want in a fig garden, do not plant in ground until you are sure it is a fig you want to eat and live with. Learn how to determine if a fig is best used as fresh eating, drying or processing and which work in your area. Learn synonyms of the figs you have so you don't get taken by sellers and buy a duplicate. As an example would you like a Lemon, Lattarula, White Marseille and Blanche fig trees in your collection? You only need one of them as they are all the same and other names but you will find all of them for sale, many on the same web sites.

The easiest source for fig info in general is from a man named Dr. Ira Condit who wrote two works of the most comprehensive studies on figs. Free online and will give you 50 times more info than you may need but you will have a good knowledge of figs with a few chapters. Hs Monograph will give characteristics and synonyms for hundreds of known fig types.

Fig on, learn!
 

ToddS.

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Jan 9, 2022
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Hello JMRTSUS. WOW, thanks for the info! I didn't know there were identical varieties with different names. I will check out Dr. Condit's fig publications.
 

Rigo007

Administrator
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Jan 4, 2021
Messages
127
Welcome to the community, Todd. Lots and lots of info out there for sure. Have all your inground fig trees survived the cold?
 

ToddS.

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Hello Rigo007. Thanks. Yes, so far they are all still alive. However, this weekend we are supposed to get several inches of snow.
Should I cover them? or will they be ok while dormant? The temp is supposed to get down into the mid-low 20s several nights next week.
 

jmrtsus

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Aug 31, 2021
Messages
59
Hello Rigo007. Thanks. Yes, so far they are all still alive. However, this weekend we are supposed to get several inches of snow.
Should I cover them? or will they be ok while dormant? The temp is supposed to get down into the mid-low 20s several nights next week.
Most varieties can handle that, some will freeze to the ground and come back from the roots to bear fruit if very young.
 

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