Waddell, AZ is hot & dry (6-7 inches rain/year), Zone 9a or 9b. The Maricopa County Cooperative Extension says that since hotter temperatures are the new norm, some experts want to raise it to Zone 10. We have about 4-5 frost warnings per year in December or January, so insects easily survive over the winter.
I'm new to figs. We have a Kadota White fig growing in our flood irrigated orchard. The fig's flavor is so-so, good for jam but not so great for eating out of hand; the fruit's light colored skin shows every bump & scratch, and even though this fig is supposed to have a closed eye, the fruits get infested with fig beetles. A local friend grows Tiger Panache which tastes delicious and looks beautiful, but he is discouraged because its fruits also have fig beetle problems.
I'm attracted to smaller or dwarf varieties because our Kadota has grown to more than 20 feet tall. The figs at the top of the tree attract birds. We plan to shorten it this winter. Does any one have experience reducing a fig tree's size? How much can we cut it back without hurting it?
I have a Nixon Peace/China Honey fig scion growing in a pot since February. I plan to plant it in the ground when the temperatures drop below 100˚ later this month. I bought a 1 gallon Little Ruby fig from the AZ California Rare Fruit Growers Club this fall. Should I keep that in a pot to encourage it to dwarf or will it stay small if I plant it in the ground?
Flavor is all important to me, insect resistance is second, and appearance is third. Are those varieties good choices for a hot weather climate? Please suggest fig varieties for this climate and any fig beetle control or fruit protection methods that have worked for you.