ok, i accept the fact that i won't be able to find any trees totally free of disease. and, there are  no nurseries that can supply trees virus free.

but, can i assume that reputable nurseries won't ship me plants that have VISIBLE signs of this disease?
i vaguely recall a comment about west coast nurseries having more problems than other areas.

is there an area of the country that will more likely send me a  healthy tree? shipped potted trees are not cheap and the idea of needing to burn a tree is repugnant.

any advice would be appreciated.

thanks, 

susie

It's a fact of life if you collect fig trees. There's no way to get around it that I know of. Most young trees will show some fmv but generally for me as the tree gets older most symptoms go away in the stronger growers.

There was only one nursery that I can think of that sold "near perfect" fig trees and that was Paradise Nursery.
Rob and Sybil took pride in what they did but there came a time for them to retire.

Other than that I say just go with the flow and deal with it. I have over 200 cultivars and almost each and every one of them has it to one degree or another.

Some are heavy infected, some medium and some very mild case.

You will soon learn to accept if when that first fig that you really really want becomes available and the FMV comes along as part of the package. No way around it.

Trust me, you are not alone. Many of us including myself sought after that perfect fig but you are more likely to find the Unicorn before you find that perfect fig. I quickly gave up and learned to deal with it.
And like most of us, you too will soon accept it.

Good luck

I used to have concerns when I first started. Not any more. The trees will do well if TLC is available. Not a difficult task to get the tree growing & producing well. Takes a bit of time. I had 3 trees that need working on this season. They are doing well(no FMV signs on fresh growth) & I want them to slow down their growing. I think if FMV has been a big challenge, commercial producers will likely cease their operations.

thank you, both jason and rafed. but the tree i got from hirts has no sign whatsoever of disease. i heard it wasn't grown from a cutting so it may be different.
the problem with hirts is limited variety. spending so much time here, i've developed particular wants.

there must be some way to get a healthy looking tree that performs well.

you guys have zillions of trees so 1 bad performer is no big deal. when i get my next tree, it will be 50% of my collection, so that's big.

susie

thanks, paully.

susie

you might try Almost Eden Nursery in La. I've ordered from them several times and they seem FMV free so far. Elizabeth.

thanks elizabeth. i've heard other good things  about them. i'm checking their site right now

susie

Hi Susie, I know exactly how you feel. Last Sunday, I drove to Edible Landscaping to buy the fig plants. By Thursday, the Osbourne fig was showing FMV signs on the newer leaves. It is in quarantine at the moment, and will be in the trash if it doesn't shape up soon. Elizabeth.

yow! it is an article of faith here that  fmv is no big deal, but i simply won't deal with it. i'm sorry for your problem elizabeth. i prefer fewer but healthy plants. if i can't have healthy figs, i don't need any.

susie

I was just looking at my trees thinking the same thing.   Each of my trees show it.  Not one does not. You either deal with it or throw them out and raise Chickens!

since my CH shows no signs whatsoever, i'm gonna keep it that way. i'm ordering some trees, but i have the firepit ready. if i see any fmv signs,i'll eat the loss.

susie

It really isn't a big deal. Most figs grow up big and strong and produce plenty of delicious figs. I can almost guarantee that if you took a cutting from your tree and rooted it. It will show fmv when young. I have many trees like that.

Someone on Ebay says their figs are grown from tissue culture , not cuttings, and are disease free.  I was sceptical but I'll see ifI can find that ad for you.

I have never gotten a fig tree from any nursery that was not infected. Paradise Nursery claimed that theirs were FMV free, but I got my trees from them before I even had heard of FMV, so do not know if they were clean when I received them. I do know that all trees from Paradise, after planting at my location are definitely infected and show symptoms. So, likely if you acquire a Paradise variety second hand, it, too, is infected.

Jon,

FMV has been in South Eastern Virginia for decades. So I would imagine they had FMV in their stock.  

susie, ignore FMV. once the tree ages a little, they will look better. if not and if it bother you a lot, you can start getting rid of them. most figs that're 1 yr old and out in my back deck no longer shows FMV. doesn't mean they don't have 'em, just means they will be hidden and they wont bother me. 

... To me it would seem that destroying a fig tree because it has FMV
is like performing euthanasia on a person because he has the common cold.

To me, FMV is herpes at best and HIV at worst. And they are contagious. Elizabeth.

figqueen and Susie,

Is there a reason why this virus bothers you ladies so much? As far as we all know is this virus is harmless to humans. Is there something you know and we don't? Or is it just a matter of personal preference?

Would you refuse to eat a fig from an infected tree?

Thanks

Hi Rafed. I think the issue here is more the just FMV. As of now, no one is 100 percent sure what really FMV is or does ,and that fine. But I think the nurseries should not be so laid back about it. Jon (Encanto Farms) is doing the ethical thing by letting the buyers know that his stocks are either infected or are exposed. When I went to the EL nursery last Sunday, I asked the lady about the virus, she looked uncomforable ,but said nothing. You can't sell a product and charge full price and not let the customers know. It's unethical. As a health professional, viral diseases is not something I take lightly.

"To me, FMV is herpes at best and HIV at worst. And they are contagious."

Pretty harsh. I'd compare FMV to CMV (maybe chicken pox at worse). Its childhood virus 90% of us get and a few parents notice mild symptoms. Only the most compromised from other aliments (such as HIV) ever have complications. You are correct about it being contagious. Only the very isolated will avoid it.

I appreciate your answer, figqueen.

As a backyard hobbyist there really isn't anything scientific I can tell you. I am a truck driver by profession.
But I hope the FMV issue doesn't scare you away. Because there are plenty of good tasting figs out there that carry the virus.

Good luck

there's no cure for virus. only cure is to get rid of the host. prevention is one possibility, but i haven't heard of FMV vaccine for trees. i'll keep on enjoying my figs, FMV and all :) 

I guess you can stop eating tomatoes and peppers too because many of them carry similar viruses too. Just a fact of life.