Hello everyone,

We started this discussion in another thread, but I thought a new thread might help delineate things.   At any rate, here's my proposal:

I live in an area (northern California) with an abundance of "wild" fig trees, all over.  I just did some home visits for work and saw roughly fifteen "abandoned" fig trees on public lands or vacant lots (I was seeing literally a new tree every two minutes or so).  I'm going to try and root some cuttings, and that's where you come in.

If you're interested, I'll send you some cuttings, free of charge.  I'm thinking three cuttings per variety per person, of three different trees (nine cuttings total).  I'll even pay postage.  The only thing I ask is that you give me an update when/if you get fruit.  How it grows, how the fruit tastes, etc. 

I think this would be a really fun experiment for us as a group.  I'm not sure when I'll be taking the cuttings, hopefully this month; we haven't had our first frost, so everything here is still green (some of the trees even still have figs).  Let me know if you are interested in participating.  Suggestions and input are welcome!  Please add your name to the list:

1. garden_whisperer
2. Frankallen
3. cyberfarmer
4. 

Tylt33, I live a bit south of you and have the same fig situation. I think if you want to see the figs, just make the same trip in July-August. This way you will see sooner what's growing than waiting for people to tell you. Also, the figs on the trees in your area might be slightly different from the figs collected some place else.
I discovered that 90% of the trees are Black Missions.

Greenfig, that's a good point about checking the figs on the trees during fruiting season. Would tell us a lot - a lot sooner. That being said, I'm still willing to grow out some cuttings. I enjoy the practice, and worst case, I'll give the tree away or plant it in the wild. Also, the trees may produce different figs with care and feeding compared to wild conditions.

I can also see wanting to take cutting if these are places you may not go again... my husband is a triathlete and we go all over for races and man when I see a fig tree and know i wont be back in that area again it drives me crazy.
I look forward to hearing how all this goes.

Ok, I have the first three trees picked out. I'm going to start local with those trees, and then make a day trip and hopefully collect a dozen more. I will send cuttings out in waves and people can opt in or out as they desire. I will document location, pictures of leaves, and keep a spreadsheet of who gets what. Hopefully people have fun with this :)

1. garden_whisperer
2. Frankallen
3. cyberfarmer
4. Jake
5. Petechanr

I'd definitely be interested in helping with this 'experiment'.

I keep dreaming of coming across a fig tree growing somewhere, but I don't think it's so likely here in Ohio.

Great idea!

Jeff

I also have cuttings of VdB and Strawberry Verte if any of you subscribers want some :)

1. garden_whisperer
2. Frankallen
3. cyberfarmer
4. Jake
5. Petechanr
6. farowyn

Wouldn't mind a few verte. Ill have to send you a sal"s G air layer come spring to make up for it. Still don't know if I'm going to take cuttings yet from it. Would have to darn near cut the tree down for that. But I am tempted to.

You can count me in if you have enough.

I might be interested. Would it be at all possible to get pictures of the leaves and trees?

If you have enough, count me in. I am always interested in seeing how varieties from the North fare in my climate!

If everyone who hasn't would PM me their address, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Ok, here's the final list for now; me and nine others.  It's going to be a lot of cutting and mailing to take on, don't want to take on more than I can handle.  I've started a spreadsheet, and will keep track of what everyone gets sent, along with their locations.  If anyone else is interested, PM me and I'll add you as an alternate, in case someone drops off the face of the earth or bows out.

I'll be (hopefully) photographing the first trees this weekend and will post pictures and brief descriptions here.  Cuttings will hopefully go out Monday of Thanksgiving week.

For anyone who is interested, here are two of the fig trees that cuttings will be going out from.  Pardon the poor picture quality; light was fading, the trees will be dormant soon, and the pictures are from my phone. 

Fig 1 is a random seedling as far as I know, against a wall behind a sandwich shop I go to every Saturday with my family.

Fig 2 is from a tree that is down the street from my parents; it is at least 30 years old and is more than likely more in the 60 year old range.  

I'll get pictures of the leaves from the other two trees this weekend.

Ryan.....Thanks a lot for posting the photos.

Just an update, the shipping boxes have been ordered! I took some more photos, I don't know if anyone is interested, but I think it's neat. These photos were taken about 60 miles away from yesterday's trees, and will likely go out in the second batch of cuttings.

The first picture is from a tree across the street from my work. The second is from a tree right next to it. Same tree maybe, just immature versus mature leaves? The next photo is one of the larger fig thickets in the area, I parked by it for reference. Then, up close photos of that figs leaves and fruit, which is the second if not third crop of the year.

I am very interested in some cuttings and will be glad to show how the trees do in zone 7 thanks for your generosity. I will gladly pay shipping costs as well

So, were any of those fruit ripe?

Yo estaria interesado en formar parte del experimento en un suelo subtropical.

Alright everything is pretty much dormant. For those of you participating my question is...

1. Would you prefer cuttings this dormant season, with the possibility of receiving capriifigs?

OR

2. Should I save the list, take note of which are fruiting next summer, and send next dormant season?

I vote for sending next dormant season, that way there would be no caprifigs. Thank you so much for your efforts!
Have a Happy Holiday Season!
Rich

I would take some cuttings now if you send them.Rex.