I've been lurking here for quite some time now and learned much from the other fig growers here, so I FIGured it was time I registered, introduced myself, and thanked everyone for the great info.

I'm located in Zone 10b (South Florida) and fairly recently have become a gardening enthusiast...ok addict!

It all started with a dabbling into Square Foot Gardening, which involves growing lots of plants in a small space.  That lead to an interest in fruit trees (of which I now have many, and almost all are in containers!).

It wasn't until last year that I started with my first figs - one Brown Turkey (yeah, I know!) and one Black Mission.  I've trained the Brown Turkey as a shrub and the Black Mission as a tree.  So far, the Black mission hasn't produced any fruit, although it grew to about six feet.  I've harvested about 8 figs, of varying quality, from the Brown Turkey and she's got about another six forming now for the next harvest.

At the end of December, I decided to top the Black Mission and try rooting the cuttings (again, thanks for all the info here!) and was able to get four of four to root.  Only one is questionable, but based on how well they do down here, I'm betting all four make it.

Of course, then I started asking myself, "why, on earth, do I want 4-5 Black Mission fig trees?"

So, I started doing some research on the best tasting figs (yup, thanks again!) and recently ordered a Black Madeira, Black Ischia, and an Excel/Kadota from UC Davis (uh huh...thanks again!) and just ordered a Strawberry Verte from one of Jon's stock (another thank you!).

I'm still looking for an LSU Hollier and maybe a Ronde De Bordeaux, and I believe that will be enough for the figs - at least for a while!

All of the recent orders were placed within the last couple of weeks, so none of the new figs have arrived yet.  I don't know if it was too late to get the scions from UC Davis this year, or they wait until next year to ship, but the website listed them as "available" so I'm hoping to see them soon.

I'll attempt to post some pics sometime soon.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

You're in a great zone for figs.  Happy to have you here!

Warm welcome to the forum.

welcome to the forum

Welcome Figaro

welcome to the group figaro

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!

Nice to have you here, Figaro!

Yeah, you got a good screen name. Hope you are growing mangos down there too!!

Thanks!  Mangos are about the only thing I'm not growing, since space is pretty limited.  I'm in one of those "zero-lot-line" communities you see everywhere in FL. 

But, in addition to the figs (and veggie garden), I have three different types of Dragon Fruit, four different types of Blueberry bushes, two TR Hovey dwarf papayas, a dwarf Cavendish Banana, a Williams Hybrid Banana, four Pineapple Guavas (feijoas), a Wonderful Pomegranate and a Dwarf Pomegranate, along with a few Blackberries that I'll probably end up pulling. 

Aside from the Dragonfruits, which are cactii and doing fine, the Blackberries are the only things not planted in raised beds or containers and they're not doing well since the soil here is horrible.  All of this is on about 1/4 acre, so there's not much room and the mangos get HUGE! 

I've been trying to grow as much of my own food as possible and, although I have a few projects I need to address first, in about six months, or so, I'm planning on setting up an Aquaponics system and raising Talapia so I can harvest some fish along with the fruits & veggies. :)

Hey Figaro welcome to the forum.
This ones for you !!!!   1:25 seconds

LOL!!!  Thanks!  I was always partial to this one:

Im only partial to mine because he actually sings it but there both classics and hilarious.

You're right!  Bugs was much better in Bunny de Sevilla! :)

LOL

Welcome!  Good luck with all your growing.

Welcome to this great wealth of knowledge where everyone is so friendly and helpful, I am new my self.

 

Welcome, Figaro.

I grow pitaya as well.

Welcome Figaro.  Zone 10b is similar to tropical or close?

Thanks for the new "welcomes"!

@ Harvey - The Pitayas are very cool plants!

@ Karima - Yes...technically, I believe it's considered "sub-tropical" but it is close!  I think the tropical zone begins right around 23-24* lattitude and I'm at about 26* lattitude.  Something like 20 miles South of me is tropical. 

Welcome to the forum.
Great Intro.

Welcome to the forum Figaro.

We used to live in FL in zone 10a and miss the mild winters. You are in fig heaven.

@ Beachwreck - Yeah, I moved from the northeast over 20 years ago and can attest that the rain shovels much easier than the snow! :D

Welcome!  You're in the perfect area for figs.  We got several Florida fig nuts here so they can give you a good idea what grows best for them.

I had promised to try to post some pics, so here are a few of my babies...

First, a group shot of Black Mission Fig, Dwarf Cavendish Banana, and Dwarf TR Hovey Papaya




Here's the Black Mission that just got topped about 6-7 weeks ago:



The Brown Turkey is much smaller but has been producing figs:



My Dwarf Pomegranate is only about 16" tall but has her first fruit:



Here's some of the Dragon Fruits...Probably another 6 months before any are big enough to fruit:



Here's that Dwarf Cavendish Banana, again:



The stalk is huge and you can see she has several "pups" sprouting:



Finally, another shot of the TR Hovey, which I also expect to start fruiting this year:



All of these are around a year old, or less and next round, I'll try to get some pics of the Blueberry bushes and smaller plants!