This was probably answered already but will we be notified when the plants are shipped for July delivery?

Sorry for the delay in responding to comments/questions in this thread.  I used to get email notices whenever someone would post in this thread, but I don't seem to get them regularly anymore, not sure why.

The trees all continue to grow, and grow well.  A lot of the 1st generation mothers are around 5 feet tall, and there's a lot of lignifying going on now, which is good to see.  I recently started rooting 2nd generation cuttings (which is the generation that will get shipped out to everyone), and they're rooting/leafing out well.  It's too bad that Black Madeiras don't grow like Conadria--I got several hundred cuttings just from the Conadria trees earlier this week! 

We're now just a couple of weeks away from the July 1st estimated delivery date, and I can see that the trees won't be ready by then.  It's looking like the project is about a month or two behind schedule, so I'm thinking it may be late August before they're ready to ship out.  I'm very sorry for this delay.  I think that not getting grow lights cost me a month early in the project, and not buying/building more greenhouses soon enough this spring probably cost another month.  I had been trying to conserve as much money as possible so that if anything were to go wrong I could refund everyone, but as it turns out there weren't any major problems, and all I did was slow down the project unnecessarily. 

I posted a generic pic earlier of the new 50' shade house that I bought to help transition the plants out of my greenhouses, and now I'm also adding a big commercial-size tunnel with roll-up sides to help hold everyone's figs.  That'll give me 6 greenhouses (5 permanent and 1 seasonal), which should be enough to comfortably hold all the trees until they're shipped. 

Thanks for the update. Trees are worth waiting for!

Hey James, thank you for letting us know the situation! I have no problem waiting an extra 2 months on my trees. I had rather you take care of them so they will be strong and bigger when you ship them.

Frank from Bama

Thanks for the detail & your honesty, James. I appreciate it very much! Yes, worth the wait!

Thank you for the heads up James!!!  I'll be ready when they are ready.

No rush. You are a superstar for doing this.  Thanks!

Thanks for all the nice comments, everybody.  My stomach was in knots about falling behind schedule.  

I'm disappointed about missing the July 1st estimate, but I'm also pleased with how much progress has been made, and how well the project is progressing overall.  The schedule has gotten a little behind, but the project is looking like it will definitely be a success :) 

Hey James no worries on doing a great job of expanding our Fig collections (at least mine) exponentially! Ditto on appreciating all your hard work, the updates and info on the process. Looking forward to some amazing varieties because of you! Best Jodi

James, can't tell you how much we appreciate your efforts.  Thank you!

Thank you, James, for keeping us all posted.  Last pictures of your project looked pretty awesome!  Can't wait for the trees when you're ready to ship them!

Any Kona Pineapple pics or growing tips?  Thanks!!

I personally rather get them around the month of September.
Yesterday, due to my light neglect , I almost lost majority of the plants in pots. I was very close to having a heart attach. Worked on them all day by re-hydrating them and watering them gently every few hours. Was a bad day. The heat way in LA was very harsh and sudden.
Thanks for the heads up James.

Thanks for the update james, the figs look great. 

Are the trees in the pics above your future mother trees, or are these the ones that will be sent out to people?

Those look amazing James! Bananas as well :) 

OT idea: the tender, red terminal bud would taste great sliced thinly crossed-wise and mixed in a shredded barbecue chicken and fresh herb salad, dressed with a squeezed lemon and its zest. James, try it sometime; It's mouth-watering good.

Thanks veggie_girl, and thanks for the tasty idea, Dan :)

As for an update:  Today was a big day!  I hired a work crew to help with all the work that needs done, and today was their first day.  My toes, hamstrings, and biceps are all cramping as I sit here, but we got a lot done, so it was worth it :)  I'm also bringing in a construction crew to put up a large new steel-framed tunnel with roll-up sides, so hopefully they'll get that done soon while the work crew and I are busy working on the orchard (mulching/planting/irrigation/etc) and the figs (up-potting, rooting, air-layering, irrigating, etc).

My outdoor figs are absolutely thriving!  They ripened their first figs in early September last year, and they look to be a month or more ahead of that pace this year.  The most impressive thing about them is that they didn't start growing any earlier this spring than last, it's just that they've been growing so much faster than last year that they've made up time.  I think I'm going to have my first really nice outdoor harvest season this year, and should have tons of cuttings as well.  (Generally speaking, the outdoor in-ground orchard is primarily intended for producing cuttings and whatever ideally-ripened fruit harvest I can get, whereas the figs in the tunnels are dedicated to the propagation project, though I will pull from outdoors to help with the project whenever necessary.)  I'll post some pics later after I recuperate a bit. 

WOW... All sellers on eBay, Amazon, Facebook and such are done and gone. Who wants to buy cuttings now if you can get starter tree for much less?
Thank you GreenFin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

waiting for your figs is like making yeast bread.   You know its going to be outstanding but not instant.    And nobody phones Santa and asks him to come a couple weeks early.  LOL    So hot and humid here I am glad you are running a little behind.  Keep up the good work my friend and "fig elf".

Can anyone give me some advice on how to care for these small trees after they are delivered?I ordered these as gifts and the beneficiaries probably don't have experience with figs..or bare root trees.Will a good potting mix work?Maybe a Promix? Light and airy,and easy on the water?

These will also arrive pretty late in the season.Should they be potted up and then hardened off gradually,and then be put out for the remaining couple of months?Would they be better off just put under lights until next season,and then hardened off etc?These will be going to Southern Oregon,and also Humbolt county.If lights are the way to go,what would you recommend?Cool white floro tubes?

Thanks.

Trop

Thanks for the update, James! As with all things tested, the results is what counts! September sounds good!

Glad you got some help!

Best,
Meg