One of my first "fig sightings" after I got hooked was this fantastic tree in a corner lot on my way to and from work. The light at that intersection is always red when I hit it, so almost every day I get to admire this giant tree, and I was really looking forward to seeing it leaf out and grow this year.

So I'm on my way home from the hospital yesterday, sitting at the light at that intersection, thinking about how little time I have to let the dogs out and get changed to meet my husband, and I notice this strange thumping noise. I look over at the house and see some guys working in the yard, and it takes me a second to realize the fig tree is gone and they are hacking at the roots! At this point, the light turned green so I drove around the block and parked in their driveway. The lady of the house was home, so I introduced myself and explained how much enjoyment I got out of seeing her tree every day. She sighed sadly, and told me the tree had died. She was very upset because she really like the figs it produced. I voiced my disbelief, and asked if she would mind my taking some of the tree to try and grow it, which she agreed to. We walked over to where the workers were hacking away, and sure enough there was a ton of new growth coming from the bottom! I pointed it out to her, and said that even with the damage the workers had caused, she could probably just cover the stump with soil and the tree would likely grow back. One of the workers tried to cover himself by saying, well, half of the tree was dead. Oh, the look she gave him... Anyways, I grabbed what little I could, threw it in my trunk and then let some of the roots soak in a sink full of water with thiamine. I wish I had taken the time to ask her more about the tree, I don't even know what color fig it produces. I'm not entirely sure to do with the chunks I have now, I guess throw them in soil and see what happens?

I know the feeling. there was this amazing fig tree, I saw and one day.. got completely, the stump and all, nothing left for cuttings. awful.

Sad to think of how many heirlooms go this way, after their owners move on.  Great of you to save what you could!  Good luck with the pieces you have!

wow, what a story Tamar... made my blood boil really... 

Once you get a few growing, offer one to the lady.  That'll be your chance to ask more questions about it :)

Good luck!

i'm thinking more and more that our inaction is causing those trees to disappear. when we see an interesting trees, we should go and ask for the cuttings before things like this happens. not that we have lot of fig trees around my area. but there are few i'm keeping an eye on. one in a church about 30 min away, and in the same area another one. i might drop by with some of my 1 gals and tree to collect some cuttings.. 

Tamar,

In response to your request: "I'm not entirely sure to do with the chunks I have now, I guess throw them in soil and see what happens?" Will you please describe the chunks? If you can post a picture, then that will be 1000 words without typing a word. And you will likely get helpful unconditional advice.

Meanwhile, first thoughts:

• Ground Chunk. Sure. Plant a chunk in the soil. When you wrote soil, I presume you mean...in the ground,
• Pot Chunk. Planting at least one chunk in a pot with potting mix (a more controllable environment), and/or
• T-Y Prune Chunk. If your chunk is think and log like with limbs sticking out of it, then consider pruning to create a T-shaped or Y-shaped cutting to plant in the ground and in a pot. Older/mature wood for the base to be buried and the younger wood as the new trunk.

Tamar, I hope it all works out for you and the lady, and that you're able to regrow it from what you received.


I remember getting an email from a childhood friend:

"Remember that big old fig tree below the house...with the great tasting figs? Well, yesterday we had it removed. I was thinking about you as it was being cut up and hauled away."


Well, he knew I had been in town for several days so I told him "I sure wish you had told me BEFORE you had the work done, because I would have loved to get some cuttings and grow it."


Now, this guy has managed to get through life without really getting his hands dirty, so I know it wasn't an impulsive "I have an axe and pick, so I will go and chop it up".

He had hired a crew to do the work, which would have meant scheduling it at least a day in advance. 

I drove by and sure enough, every last twig from that magnificent tree was gone. It had been there at LEAST 50 years. Sigh. 

Had he told me, my pop or anyone else in my family, one of us would have collected a lot of cuttings.

@pete, I'm not even asking anymore, LOL
carry my own very sharp cutter in the glove compartment and snip snip and I'm gone with the wind.

This is the best piece that I grabbed:

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have a good place to put it in ground, so I'll see how it does here. Any other tips? Also, what kind of timeline have you all had noticed with these kinds of cuttings?

Aloha, Tamar!  Good luck to you and the tree.  I, for one, am hoping you get it going again.

Pete & Aaron:  I'm about to go rogue on a certain tree...

Nate

Tamar,
I like Martin's summer time guesstimate.
Good work on planting your fig log/boulder.
I have two considerations for you: 1) straighten the trunk protruding from the soil. I think that will allow other potential trunks to sprout from the three or so other limbs/roots shooting out of the log lower down and to the right (top view of your first picture) and 2) make a clean cut on the top of the trunk (the piece sticking out of the pot). Thus less surface to dry out and/or rot. It looks like the top of it was broken off.

A very good fig story! I how that it ends well for everyone.

Thanks for the advice! Hopefully I'll have some good updates in a few months :-)