There are numerous references on both forums to many difficulties with fig crops such as souring/splitting, varmints (including kids), and failure to ripen.  That led me to wonder what an average harvest is for most of you.

1.  Of the fruit that sets on your trees, what percentage do you manage to harvest?

2.  What percentage is lost to each or the elements listed above, i.e., souring/splitting, fruit drop, varmints (including kids) and failure to ripen?

3.  Do you harvest enough to satisfy out-of-hand eating and still have fruit left over to store in some fashion?

4.  If the answer to #3 is yes, how large is your immediate family, how many trees do you have, and how many pounds do you harvest on average?  What is the high/low range in pounds?

5.  What is the average age of most of your trees.

Inquiring minds want to know.

Thanks.

C.J.

I am in Zone5:
1. 10% & increasing
2. (100-10)=90% & decreasing
3. No
4. Not applicable
5. 2 trees are 4yrs; 3 trees are 3 years and the rest are 2 or less. So the average will be < 2yrs.

1. Normally about 70% This year we had a drought with lots of fruit drop on my young trees.

2. 30% (Birds are my biggest problem--Hurricanes Rita and Ike decimated the squirrel population)

3. Yes, but could always eat more fresh.(Still have 19 Pints of preserves in the pantry and as many that were made into strawberry fig jam, which I don't like, so probably will discard later). All off 1 huge Celeste. Part of the reason I started this was to have figs ripening at different times, extending the harvest.

4. 3 people, only I eat figs. I have no data on pounds(never took the time to weigh). Most figs I got this year came off 1 huge Celeste(did not drop fruit during drought). Tree is at least 35 years old. My other 30+ trees are < two years old, so only got samplings here & there.

5.Average age for most are <2 years.