Hi,

The house we've been renting came with two fantastic fig trees. I don't know the variety, but the skin is green, sometimes with a faint red blush. The flesh is red, juicy and very sweet with excellent flavour. Only one crop per year, but it was enthusiastic and earlier than the other local figs. Possibly Desert King?

Would anyone in the area like a cutting? I'm taking a few for myself, but would love to spread this variety to other people before we have to move out in mid-Feb. And if you have a favorite to share I wouldn't say no ;-)

Location: North Burnaby (Hastings & Willingdon), BC

Cheers,
Chris

OK I will try it. If it is DK, I can always give it to friends
who need them. There is no shortage of friends who want
a DK tree. Any chance the 2 trees have suckers & are both
trees similar? Is tree productive & is fruit size small or larger than twonie?
I have Latarrula cuttings.

Chris  - I Would send private mail next week on touching base or I can send a Burnaby friend
to take cuttings & mailed Latarrula cuttings to you.

Paully
Chilliwack

Hi Paully,

The two trees are the same kind, but one seems to have a fungal infection with little orange/red spots on the bark of two branches so I wouldn't take cuttings from it unless someone can ID it as harmless ...? The healthy tree has some suckers on it from this summer.

Considering both trees were pruned back strongly a year ago, the trees seem very productive. Fruit size is about 1.5" in diameter, with an open eye when ripe that sometimes oozes nectar.

I've just gotten into figs (how could I resist after such an addictive crop?) and have much to learn :) What would be the best way to take cuttings? Short 8" pieces wrapped in damp paper & plastic and mailed in a envelope? Long suckers pulled off the trunk and picked up in person?

And yes, I'd love a Latarrula cutting :)

Cheers,
Chris

If  suckers are available, its best to take them. No need to root cuttings. Rooting cuttings can be challenging especially if you are new to rooting & moving. Of course I can root them for you and I go to Vancouver on a regular basis to catch up with friends.

8" cuttings would be good. However, I prefer them to be in the 6" range. Best to take them from lignified wood or wood that is at least a year older. Tender wood is more challenging in rooting.  When taking cuttings, take wood with intervals between nodes preferably close like just over an inch or less than 2" spread. In your case, since you are moving in mid Feb, I would suggest you take cuttings then or close to mid Feb. ---  I find cuttings taken closer to bud movement towards spring have good tendency to root easier.

Most likely I will be in Vancouver by end Jan or early Feb and  I will drop by if that is OK. Latarulla is one variant where you will get many figs to ripen. The other variant is Osborne Prolific. I can spare you an Osborne Prolific sucker if you like to try. If the variant on the property is DK, you have the best variant for your zone. There are lots of fig trees in the Burnaby neighbourhood. Other places where fig trees are found easily is in Vancouver itself, especially in East Vancouver. Most are DK followed by Latarrula.

Figging can be addictive and fresh figs taste is hard to beat. Its the number 1 favoured fruit in my household followed by water melon & fuyu persimmon.

Roaming... I contacted Paul to see if he would not mind getting an extra sucker from you for me.  Paul will be sending me plants in the early spring, and I would appreciate having one of yours in that shipment too.

I have a smaller collection than Paul, but I will put together my spares list shortly and see that you get it and can decide what I have that you might like.

John, no problems in piggy back. Got your private mail. Makes me hunger for fresh figs the very minute I know you are enjoying fresh figs off your trees NOW. Soon you can add fresh figs to your X'mas/New Year deserts. What a conversation piece at that time of the year.  I hope you take X'mas orders from me. LOL.

Was the YB awesome in taste under such indoor ripening conditions? I just can't wait to try them this year. I have a feeling you are going to get a bonanza crop of brebas & main croppers this year. Looks like your investment paid off handsomely.

My collection is getting too big & I am going to weed out the less favourite ones. Hard to get it smaller with friends like you, NAS, Adriano, Prof., Ottawan and many, many others in Canada & US striving to make mutual collections better.

Paul - drop in whenever its convenient, and I'd love to take you up on the Laturulla & Osborne Prolific. Thank you for the info on taking cuttings - much appreciated. And you're right - the figs are dangerously addictive. It got so bad, I bought and carted home a 10' pruning ladder on my bike.

Cuddywhiffer - happy to share, I just hope it doesn't disappoint. I hadn't thought that anyone other than locals would be interested in an unnamed variety but I'm glad to be wrong :)

For what its worth, I've also started collecting highbush blueberries (don't ask), so could share cuttings from some of those too later in the year ...

If you still have some cuttings available, I'd be interested. Can you send me what you would want to send cuttings to Oregon? Thank's, Gary

Roaming.... I also grow high bush blueberries.  At least I don't have to winter protect them or bring them in over winter.

Would Love some cuttings to root and try in the South Georgia, E-mail me at chatter_mam2000@yahoo.com with what you would need to mail me some wood.

Chatter