One of the things that brings me joy is turning folks onto figs. As much fun as it is to give away cuttings and trade, for me the real joy is the faces of first time fig buyers. I thought I'd share a few. Enjoy.

This makes me happy. I love this. Thank you for sharing Michael.

Jennifer

Micheal,

Is this your property? You have a nice place if it is.
You deserve it.

Thanks for sharing.

Jennifer,
It's just fun when folks come by and leave with a baby or 10.

Yes Rafed this is were I live - for now - a farm is in the future I hope.

Michael, what wonderful photos!!  Is that your property?  It is beautiful!  that's the one thing I miss about being in Maryland or Indiana - all that lovely grass.  I have a teeny, tiny patch of grass here in S. Calfiornia.  Water is just too precious, so everyone here is eliminating their grass.  I especially love the last photo, is that your blue merle Aussie?  I have two Aussies, a red tri and a blue merle.  We have three grown daughters, and have replaced them with two boys <vbg>

Patty - yup my hovel. It's a liitle embarrassing that one person lives alone in that place. I've lived in LA by the Marina and in the Hollywood hills as well as Santa Barbaras. I like CA but it's just too expensive. I do love to have land. And to not worry about water as I use a well so whatever I pump up just filters back down. It's great.
My 7th aussie! Just love the breed.
I love the thought that just 2 aussies can replace three ankle biters.

That's awesome!  Looks like some happy people!

I hear you, sigh.  I do love the weather here, but frankly, the main reason we moved back was to be with our family.  My MIL, our last living parent, lives up in Newport Beach.  I would consider moving out of the state at some time in the future, because the cost of living is becoming unbearable here, sadly.  And, no need to feel embarrassed about having a lovely big spread.  Virginia is beautiful, and so nice you have some "elbow room".  Plus, bet your Aussies just love it!  I tell the girls that we finally got our boys.  They just roll their eyes.

Everyone in the photos look very happy.   Price-less!   Thanks for sharing.

Well done!

Nice and a bunch of happy folks.

Thanks for the photo montage of happy faces.  The joy on all their faces, especially on the faces of those kids, lifted my spirits.

Nice digs too.

Frank

Dan-thx
Dale - thx
Frank - thx
Martin see what light figs can do?

Wow!!  What nice happy faces! ;)  Of course they are - they have a fig tree or 10! 

Thanks for posting the pictures - it is a beautiful area with beautiful people.

Jo Ann,
Here's some bigger figs on a back porch. And my wild turkeys who like to scold me while telling me it's their yard.

Michael,
Your plants look fantastic!!!  Can you desribe you fertilizer program.  Things like what kind (liquid, granular, time release, etc), how often, what strength, what NPK ratio, etc.  I have a number of cups going to 1 gallon pots in the next couple of weeks and could sure use the advise along with a lot of F4F members as well.

They are beautiful!!  I love them lined up on the brick - and wild turkeys!!  They sound a lot nice then the opossum I had in the garage last spring or the coyote that stared me down during the hot summer nights while I watered the garden, and fig tree.

Michael - I love your property! 

Alan,
I'm afraid my program isn't very technical. First I over water my figs. I drench them every morning and walk around with 2 industrial type spray bottles constantly misting things. Because of this and because of the soil mix I use (fafard #51) I worry about all the minerals and micro nutrients leeching out of the soil. To counter this I add a product called Azmonite which is a clay from out west. It contains something like 80 minerals and micro nutrients. I also add a bit of lime just to keep things from going acidic. I fertilize with osmocote, but I also add anything out there I come across. Bunny poop is my favorite because you can make mistakes with it. It won't burn roots, etc. I also use fish meal fertilizer and seaweed extract. I'm very unscientific. If the leaves start looking "off" - I feed. Otherwise I just feed mild amounts whenever I remember. Because the fertilizer I use is so mild and because I use diluted forms of any that I can dilute, I feed about once a week. Because there is already lime , azmonite and osmocote (I use 1/3 of what the bottle calls for) in the soil (I add when up potting) I just suppliment with whatever organic fish or seaweed product is on sale.
In my 15 gallon pots I add composted manure when planting but I'm going to change that to bunny poo if at all possible. I don't use any dirt any longer as fafard #51 is a dirtless product. I also spray my trees with Serenade and various other beneficial fungi and bacteria in hopes it will help them with any disease vectors that come along. 

I will also add any really good compost if organic to my larger trees by just throwing it onto the soil in the pot.

There are a lot of folks on here that know a ton more about this then I do. If you want exact amounts and ratios you'll have to ask one of them.

This coming year I can get my soil tested for free as I will be considered a nursery and the state will let me do 20 soil tests for free or very close to free. At that time I will have to pay more attention. This last year I repotted 100% of my trees so I wasn't worried about any unbalances.

I used to live on an organic farm and my sig other was a master gardener. She beat the need for soil testing into me constantly and I actually listened.

So, for newly potted stuff I do what's laid out above. For trees that have been in their pots for over a year I will have the soil tested and see what the state lab recommends adding.

I have close to 100 plants in my house and I use azmonite on them as well. I'm really sold on this product and use in my garden as well. Look for companies on Ebay that buy in bulk and then repackage in smaller amounts to save money.


I hope this helped at least a little bit.

Very nice layout!!!
Ever think of Wild Turkey stuffed with figs?!!!

Jo Ann,
As you may know VA has a lot of land set aside in parks and national forests, -- huge tracts. I live in an area where we get bears, a mtn lion, bobcat, coyotes,foxes and all manner of smaller critters. I used to have a farm 10 miles from here and I had to buy a llama to guard my goats from coyotes. I love nature and am happy to give up a percentage of my figs and these dang turkeys are my favorite,but. . . . yes
Mario, wild turkey stuffed with figs and walnuts with a fig glaze on the skin --- mmmmmm mmm mm