Hank, the knee is fine but after running up and down that hill carrying bags and other stuff my knee starts to really ache. I will be removing some swapping them for others. No winter protection this year though.

Hi Dennis,

What killed your black mission trees to the ground?  Did they freeze?  I ask because my black mission isn't doing all that great either.  We are in similar zones and, I think you have red clay soil also, don't you?

And would you post some pics of your orchard?  I'll be it looked great last summer.

Dennis,

That is amazing!!  It's my first time seeing this thread.  What a dream yard!  Did you get a nice harvest of figs in 2012? 

Very impressive.  Can't wait to see photos.

Hey Dave, you know that's a good question. I believe it froze to death. I bought 3 Black Mission trees all at the same time. Back then, they were everywhere and pretty cheap. So, I planted them in my orchard and left them alone. That summer I got a few figs. They were excellent. The following winter I did not winterize and we had a harsh winter with ice and snow. The next year, one flat out died. Another one just stopped growing. I got a few figs the next year but not many. Then one day, they just stopped growing and poof.....they were gone.

Today, I have several Black Missions. Last year, they almost out produced my Improved Celeste. Red Clay? You bet! However today when I plant my trees in the ground, I use my tiller and water saver (pine bark fine). We do get cold weather here but not like we use too. Temps only get down to 22 now. Last year our coldest days were in November and lots of bugs! So far, the same thing this year. I'll photo my orchard this Spring. I have to tidy it up a little first.

Frank, look here:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Your-overall-2012-experience-6032038

Dennis,

   I am glad someone brought this thread current. You don't need an "ataboy" from me, but holy smokes, you are ambitious! Accolades from this direction. Now don't hurt yourself again. Ask for help, if only on the premise the premise that good company enjoys good work.

Dale, I got 2 sons. But I wanted to do the work myself and I want to do it first thing in the morning. Sometimes it takes more time to tell someone vs just doing it myself. After I dug the holes, next came irrrrrigation. I did get one son to help with that. He put on his football cleets as I guided the trencher. Here is the thread: We were done in 20mins!

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Fig-Orchard-Irrigation-pics-5410087

Dennis, your orchard is amazing! I hope one day I have a home that I can have an orchard. You have given me a goal.
I would also like to have a grape vineyard, and blueberry orchard. Gonna need myself a big piece of land.
Hope yours is doing well and that this year brings you lots of wonderful figs. Also hope that knee doesn't act up on you.
Happy figging!

Dennis,

    Glad you had someone handy to hitch up to the plow. I am finding out I am not healing as fast as I used to and we can't afford to be out of commission too long.

Dennis, the orchard looks wonderful!!

How far apart did you space the fig trees? you might want to trim more sod off around the trees to make for easier mowing. I found out to use my mower I had to leave a 6' circle without grass (when i first tried my hand at fruit trees) to make sure i can make all the turns without missing a spot. Did you mix up your own dirt to fill in the holes or just used the dirt you have?

Thanks,

Jose

P.S. I'm now kind of glad it didn't go so well, I have more space for figs!!

Wow, that is crazy good.  I hadn't even seen this before you won the craziest fig fanatic.  You sure deserve it.   By the way, a couple of fabulous prizes are on there way tomorrow (anyways, I hope you think they are).   Thanks for taking the crown.  I'm so relieved it's not me anymore.  At least that's what I can tell my family.   You are!   Awesome job on the orchard. 

Jose, they are spaced 7 and 8 feet apart. I kept popping the 1/4in tubing because I never buried it. I finally dug a trench using a claw hammer and buried them all except a few. Then I built a 2 foot perimeter around each tree with 4 inches of mulch. I don't mix my own dirt to fill the hole. I just give each hole a 1/2 bag of soil conditioner and till it with my tiller. The tiller blends the soil so well and gives me plenty to back fill the hole when the tree goes in.

Thanks for choosing me for the prize figfinatic. I am curious what's in the package.

Let us know when you get it.

Do you think you will eventually switch everything over to only a few varieties that does the best?

I will but last winter I cut my in ground tree way back and my fruit production was very low. So going forward, I will only cut these trees every 2 years. But yeah, the plan is to cull the non-producers and only keep what grows happy in Charlotte.

Dennis!  Wow!  We are negotiating with the bank on 1.4 hilly acres. We just countered their counter offer. An auger is on our list, but we have huge boulders on that hill, and this might be tough!  Thanks for all the photos and advice.  May hire professionals do do the digging job. 

We have about the same amount of fig trees, but also 3 x that of wine grapevines. 

I loved all your pictures and enjoyed the saga!  Look forward to seeing the progress as it goes along!

Suzi

Hello Suzi, good luck on your purchase!  I would love to move to CA and grow my fig trees there.  But it looks like I will be retiring here. 

I didn't have to use the auger to plant my trees.  I wanted to use my tiller but it had a vaccum leak and did not have time to fix it.  It's fix now and lately I've been using it to make my holes.  BUt I tell ya, using that auger was a chore!  It was fast but I paid the price for the speed.  I would love to plant some grapes but can only grow them in pots which is not good. 

It's time to start doing maintenance again so I told my sons to get ready.  I'm gonna use their muscle power to wheel all my mulch up and down the orchard.  Hehehehe.  I already prepared them for the up coming work!  I've got a truck load of mulch coming from the land fill....the black gold stuff.  Not a bad price.....$23 buck for one pickup bed load.  Ill post some pic next month when it all done. 

cheers!

That's an awsome fig orchard Dennis.
 I wish i had irirgation in my fruit orchard .

Last summer was very hot!
I was filling the back of the pickup with about a  dozen 5 gal buckets full of water and hauling them to the orchard .
Two or three..... trips in 100f+ weather was......... Just Awsome!
I am going to get the city to put a hydrent in this spring .
Then i will be dragging a LONG hose around.
I grow apples ,pears , necariens , apricots , cherrys , plums ,kiwi , grapes , black berrys , respberrys, gooesberrys , currents .
I have more fruit trees orderd .
I am in zone5 S.E.Nebraska.


AUSTIN

Alright Dennis!
UCDavis fig photo update...done
UCDavis video blog...done
Once Spring springs, I humbly request that you post a photo update of your orchard.

Thanks Austin.

JD, I'll take some pics when I get back home this weekend. But I need to do some Spring cleaning first.

Dennis,
What a cool group of trees. Are there any that you think don't get enough heat? thx

Austin,
Look at drip. It's really cheap and works really well.

Very very impressive!

Michael, below is a list of what loved the heat and those that did not.  Petite Negra was the only one that drooped during high heat days.  Since I started this thread, I've added about 30 more trees like, Violete de Bordeaux, Negronne, Del as Senyora, Emerald Strawberry and others.  I'll have data on those later this year.  Also, these in the ground and comparing them to some others I have, I 've learned a few things.  Like I believe Byadi and Marseilles White are the the same tree....at least mine are.  The leaf patterns are the exact same and they fruit on cue exactly the same time. Plus they taste the same.  My trees are growing almost side by side and I know the labels are correct.  Also, some trees grow better in certain spots.  Some areas of the orchard are more compact with clay than others.  Those on the low end are growing extremely well.  It's not much clay there, just soft loamy soil.  So those in that area like Atreano, Kathleen Black, Martin's Unknown, Petite Negra, Pananas Purple, Don Fortis and Hardy Chicago explode with 5 feet of new growth every year.  Where as Black Celeste, MVS and a few others are just taking their time but puting out a lot of figs annually.  Now that these trees are in the ground, I don't fertilize them much.  Maybe a little bit of organic fertilizer twice a year is all they get.  Hope this helps!

Here is the other half of the list.