I have seen the many wonderful pictures you all have shared, and I always come up with one resounding question. Is it enough? 

With this question, I am inquiring about the volume of fig harvest.  Now this would be a question more geared to those who are mostly limited to growing their trees in pots, because those grown in-ground will obviously bear much more than pots. Take into account that I understand all too well the desire to have and to try new and different tasting varieties. Plus a grower has to sort of go through varieties to find those that they like the best and preform the best in their given environment. This also doesn't include trees that bear a scant handful of special fruit each season.

But still, how many mature potted trees does it take for a small family to have enough figs to eat plenty during the ripening season and yet still have enough to do other fun things like put-up half a case or so of jam? And by mature trees I am thinking at least 4 years old, probably more like 5 years. I also have to take into account that I live in a short season region, so I will get less figs than some of you green belt folks.

Martin, this would be a good question for you. Your fig..plot..seem to be rather similar to the direction I am heading, and your season is also comparable. Do you get enough figs, are you left wanting more?

And if your name isn't Martin, the question stands. Do you get enough?....FIGS!

LOL -- you're cracking me up laughing, Calvin.  No, not enough.  That goes for figs too.

Hi Calvon great question.
Yes i get enough as its basically just me eating them daughter in College and sharing some with next door neighbor to eat and for their fig bread.

Only time im wanting more is the offseason as im not too fond of store bought dried figs just cannot compare to
natural sun dried figs on patio table but most times weather does not co-operate .

it's never enough. i have 3 tree mature enough to provide enough fig for myself and my wife. that's about 200 figs per season. but now i have few that i know will produce amazing figs. i'm not sure what the production from those figs will be. it all depends on how many fig will satisfy your families need, and how much curiosity you have on what kind of new taste new fig tree will bring. 

i'm still looking for more trees, but limiting myself to known figs that will give good taste. today, i found that Niagara Black is just amazing fig. next yr, i'll find out what else will be good. then there are number of other fig trees i'm still looking for. 

of course, the cost of soil and pot adds up too. even if i go with 10-20gal tubs, they are not exactly free. 

I don't have 4 year old trees yet, but this year I did not have enough figs. I'm hoping for that to change next year as many will be moved up into 15 gallon containers.

Fortunately however it has been a good fruit year for other things besides figs, so there hasn't been a time when good fruit was unavailable. Off-the-tree oranges, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, apricots, pomigranates, and now dehydrating persimmons.

(When I first started growing blueberries, the recommendation I most often read was for 2 plants per person. How silly! I have 50 plants and that's just about right.)

Figs - Wait till next year!

I have 4 five year old trees growing in ground and a handful of juvenile trees. They don't produce nearly enough figs for year round consumption.  Its not how many trees you need but rather how many gallons of figs do you need to produce for the year..... Once you know that, you can back into the number of trees you need. Lets see, at minimum, to eat canned figs on average twice a month, I need 2 cases of canned figs, pint sized rather than quart sized now that there are only 2 of us at home. That requires around 4 gallons of fresh figs.  To put figs into trail mix and to eat as snacks, I need another 2 gallons to dry. I also need to put away about a case of fig jams for home use and presents which is another 1-2 gallons. Add another couple of gallons to test out new chutney and relish recipes. Then there are all those figs which will never make the house during the ripening months..... And then those to share with friends and family...... Upshot, I need many more trees and probably no matter how many trees I have, I will probably never still have enough figs. 

A wise farmer once told me to plant 3 x what I think I need and then to double that. His logic was plant 1/3 for yourself, 1/3, to share with family and friends and 1/3 to feed wildlife.  After that, double the quantity so you will always have enough to meet your needs in the poor growing years.  Guess I will be planting for a long time.

As for blueberries, we have about 30 plants and that just about meets our needs.

I enjoy from store bought dry ones when desparate.
Maybe next year ill have good enough production so i can dry them for winter usage

yupe. i get desperate and result to store bought dried fig often. but they lack the taste of fresh fig off the tree. i'm eating lot more fruits lately. used to not enjoy fruits much. fig changed that.

Thanks for the replies.  

Martin, I think I follow, but just to be sure..are you saying you dry your own figs on the patio table? If so, what is your method, do you split them or just leave them whole to shrivel and dry? Do these figs retain any of their unique flavors, or do they pretty much all taste like dried fig? I'm guessing they retain some unique flavor or else they would taste like the store bought dried figs you referred to. I say this knowing that almost everything you harvest and process yourself tastes better than store bought.
I went on an albacore tuna fishing trip that was pretty successful one time and ended up with way more than I thought I would. So I canned it because there was enough steaks in the freezer and I had already given out a ton to friends and neighbors. I remember before the trip thinking why would anybody go through the hassle of canning your own tuna when you can buy it for so cheap when it's on sale. After canning it, I don't know what they do to it at the factories..but it doesn't even taste like the same thing.  If anyone ever has the opportunity, can your own tuna!

Gina, I only have two blueberry bushes. Next year will be their 4th year in ground, Patriot and Spartan. Patriot was a year older than Spartan when planted so it started bearing it's second year(just a taste), and about a cup and a half this year. The Spartan was a twig when I planted it and it bore for the first time this year, also just a taste, but WOW what a good berry that one is. I can't wait to get more each year. I have a spot where a Peony is growing next them, I am considering moving it and adding another blue. Maybe Blue Crop, Elizabeth, or Jersey.

Marianna, I like the way you think. Sounds like you are busy putting up figs. Would you care to share your canned fig recipe with us? I have never had a canned fig, how are they compared to a dried fig? Do they retain more of a fresh fig flavor or something entirely different? At what state of ripeness do you pick them for canning?