Question:

In cool, short-season areas, e.g. the North-East; NYC; and similar Zone 6-7 climates, it is customary to pull all breba figs off the tree to prevent the main-crop figs from developing too late in the season to properly ripen.  Pinching techniques will also help set the main-crop figs to ripen earlier.

However, if all breba are nipped off, but I let only one, or two, breba figs develop on only ONE selected branch, will the main-crop figs still be delayed?  To be clear...I am asking if all main-crop figs on all the branches will be delayed...including the main-crop figs on the "breba-branch"?

I want to taste the breba figs on a "Black Mission" fig tree...but also don't want to sacrifice any of the main-crop figs that will sprout later this season.  Should I just forget about letting any breba ripen?


Opinions, advice, speculation, experiences, welcomed.


Frank



(EDIT:  I forgot to mention that trees are grown in large 18-25 gallon containers).

Not in container culture i do it at times to taste a few out of curiosity in my cold zone. Dont get a lot of breba here and usually there knocked off.
Most recently last season with a mission breba that ripened June 24th here.
Tree produced over a 100 main crop figs and was discarded.

Thank-you Martin for the quick answers...maybe allowing even a few selected breba to ripen is still not worth the bother.

I'm confused......"Tree produced over 100 main crop figs and was discarded"...  Why?  "Black Mission" is supposed to be one of the best...what happened?

Just curious about your answer.


Frank

Martin...not sure why the tree was dicarded after 100 main crop figs...was it the taste that was not good?...or was it a dying tree?...or you do not like Mission variety?

Probably tasted like a light fig :)

Martin....

You got some 'splainin' to do.  Vinny and I need to know why you dumped the "Black Mission".  Give us a hint.

I'm so confused!


Frank

I been downsizing last few years , it was good fig gave many away to neighbor for fig bread and made several loaves ourselves plus ate many.

But now i just keep the excellent types no longer good types make the cut with 1 exception for JT cause of its beauty.
I still more than plenty fruit to eat and dry and for bread.

Thanks Martin.  Now we know the rest of the story.

One small favor...can you post a short, updated, list of your best figs...you know...the ones that you find exceptional?  I am interested to read what great fig varieties will "work" in short, cool-summer climates.

Thanks,

Frank

I'd like to know too, Martin.  The Franks are listening...

Frank and Frank taste is subjective and some cultivars although same name may be somewhat different depending on how and where they are grown.

Take Pizza for example there different from one joint to another and folks even eat them different as i notice in New York many favor the mushy thin crust and fold it like a taco and eat no ?
Minga you call that Pizza ? lol just my personal opinion my Dad owned a pizza joint back in the 60s.

These all have a different distinctive taste and yes EL.Sals and Hardy Chicago do not taste similar least mine do not.

Hardy Chicago
Violet de Bordeaux
Ronde de Bordeaux
Madeira Black
EL.Sals
Negretta

There are others also and also others im still trying to get enough of to gauge there taste so i then know whats what cause i will not keep them all .

Take with grain of salt what i enjoy were all different .

Back to Breba ; )

Here 2 hardy chicago breba in back to back years one looks large but because camera was close up and last picture of 1 mission breba .
 click thumbnail to enlarge.

i like your taste...have three of them growing now ....Hardy Chicago, Ronde de Bordeaux,  Violet de Bordeaux, wont get any figs this year but i have my fingers cross for net year...
x

Thanks Martin.  I know what you mean.  ;)

I would recommend trying a few breba.  Chicago is not like NY.  Your results may be different.  At least then you'll know.

Martin, what was your father's pizza like?

Thanks for all the breba information.  I think I will let just a few breba grow and ripen, but on just one branch, just to see what's what.

Martin....

Thanks for the Summa cum Laude, fig list....Martin's Honor Roll.... and, for not deleting the photos.  Yipeeeeee!!!!  At least I/we, got to see your figs again..... : ))

As for pizza...NYC pizza has changed over the last few decades into something that tastes very different than the pizza I knew when I was a younger man.  Back in the day, NYC pizza actually had an "Italian flavor"...garlic, olive oil, oregano....now, the pizza is bland, usually too limp, and slathered with raw tomato sauce that gives you agita...heartburn!  Also, sadly, few Italians actually make the pizzas anymore...and, they all taste the same.  Another part of New York that's just a ghost of what it once was.

The "Bensonhurst Purple" aka "Hardy Chicago" seems to be on the "must have" list.  That's good...and it seems like it's being sold by many nurseries, unlike some of the other, rarer, fig varieties on the above list.  Now everyone can have a shot at growing a great-tasting, hardy, fig.  Good news!


Frank

Did someone say pizza?  And figs?  How about fig pizza... 



It's called the "Figgy Piggy" at Pizza My Heart in San Jose, California and it was my dinner tonight...  thought of you Dieseler!  Enjoy :)

Interesting not sure how that would taste.
Did the flavors go well together or whats your take on it.

Martin, did your father pass on the family recipe to you?

What recipe  ?

I loved the taste of the fig pizza... it's got figs, bacon, feta cheese and fresh sage on a thin, crispy crust.  And really, who doesn't love bacon??  The sweet and salty combination, plus the tang of the feta, made for a surprisingly enjoyable flavor.  It's Saturday's slice of the day so I'm definitely heading back there for more.