Hi, I'm new to this forum, and have recently (2008) started by growing a few fig trees (White Genoa(?) & Calimyrna(?)) from cuttings; I'm based in Malawi,on the lake. It is 480m above sea level, at 14 degrees South of the equator. We get about 1000mm rain, concentrated in 4 months, with about 50% falling in February (So VERY wet then!) Soil on my property is either pure (almost) sand, or clay, with little in between to choose from. Minimum - absolute - reached about 6-8 nights a year, is 15C, with average minimum around 22C; Maximum around 37C, with average max around 34C.
Question: What type of varieties would you think could do well? I'm thinking something with a breba crop that ripens fast (August is about our 'Spring" time, with temperatures peaking in October, before the rains start in November - so before Mid-Dec or 110 days from first flush; Otherwise, second crop that will develop after March?
Anyone else on the forum that have tried anything but Ficus sur & Ficus sycamorus in this environment?

I've attached two shots of the figs I have in their first season in the ground

Welcome  nyasagold. Nice plants.

Fig trees should do well in your place. I send 2(Negronne & Longue d' A'out) to Malaysia. They took off and in less than a year they were
fruiting. Approx height  now is at least 5ft tall with aid of pinching to keep it low. They never stop growing in tropical/equatorial regions. I send
others this year & reportedly they were taking off like crazy.

I've received a nice lot of cuttings, 8 cv's in total, from a friend in USA; They travelled for a month to get here - and developed nice roots and shoots in the mail! Looks like I'll have at least 1 of each var. surviving. I also got some cuttings from South Africa, and hope to have a lot of fun seeing how they develop this next season (My winter starts now and ends in 6 wks time;-) The plan is also to grow a lot of Ficus sur/Ficus sycamorus and try them as rootstock - anyone tried that?

Welcome Pierre.  Nice pics.  What varieties are they?  Have you tasted any figs yet that you grew in Malawi.  Let is know how the ficus sycamorus as a root stock experiment goes.

Hi C.H., Thanks - I'll add a photo of the cuttings now, and a bit later today hoefully how they look now! I'm very pleased with how they've grown. First photo is  the cuttings in their breadbags ( with the Lakei the background), and then two f the Sycamore on my property

Yes, I've had 6 of the 9 figs off the "Calimyrna" in November 2009 - not sure if that is the correct name; The other I believe to be a White Genoa, as these are commonly sold in South Africa in the Summer Ranfall areas. There's 5 figs on the way there, and I hope they will ripen soon: Seems I should be able to produce something most months of the year, if I can get hold of the right varieties!

 I cut some Ficus sycamorus cuttings ths morning; The tree is in active growth, and full of figs that should ripen in about 2 months. I also girdled a few branchelets to set airlayers on in a few weeks.

If you'd like monfo on the Africa figs, a good website is
http://www.figweb.org/Ficus/Subgenus_Sycomorus