Hi. I have so obtained, from Big Box Stores and one online, one each: Viollette de Bordeaux, Negronne (which I know is suppsed to be VdB but leaves are different), and a Black Mission. I got the BM because I wanted a faster growing tree and was hoping that I could see some difference in progress. I pretty much like all figs though I never tasted the very sweet ones. I have easy ones, I guess. How do you start a collection? What is important? Is it important to add one or some that hard to find to maintain their cultivar locally?

I live in Sacramento, CA if that helps.

What I look at is what will grow well in my zone. Where you are you should be able to grow just about anything I would imagine.

I need to have figs that taste good and ripen for my climate. For those who live in fig heaven, which sadly I'm not a member of, you just need to concentrate on which ones you like the taste of. Talk to the locals and see if you can try theirs that way you don't waste years of growing only to find that it's not as good as others, especially if you have limited room.

VdB/Negronne is one of the first fig tree to get. easy to grow. produce good number of figs. and tastes great. if you are in hot and dry climate, almost every fig will do well.

Ok. I do not know anyone who grows figs here. I moved from Santa Cruz, CA a few years ago. Franky, I might move back in a few years. But I do like the growing weather. My back yard has a large White Mulberry tree that grows roots everywhere and shades the back of the house. I rent so I cannot do too much about it but cut limbs here and there. I like the fruit. I have seven types of brambleberry canes growing in the areas where the sun lights through the trees. All my plants are in pots. I noticed that the larger the pot, the more blackberries I get in case you need to grow in pots. I have a dozen blueberry plants in front and back. Front yard faces mostly East so that gets morning sun. Back gets morning and evening in the areas the sun shines through.

My potted fig trees are on my South side porch. There are trees in my neighbors yard that steal the morning sun until 10am-11am then there is sun until evening when the mulberry steals the late sun.

The pots are on concrete against my house wall. Sometimes the leaves get wilty looking and I give them a drink and they are fine. I thought that the heat wave would really cause them to wilt but they look pretty good and I have not had to water too much. It seems the heat warms the humidity in the soil and it does not so evaporate. I can probably have 3-5 potted trees on my South side porch. But the ones on the either edge will not get as much sun as the ones in the center.

I plan to look at homes with a lot more sun the next time I move but for now, I am collecting small fruit trees--mostly citrus, guava and now figs.

So, my trees are getting maybe 6 hours or less of full sun, but partial sun before and after, and it is hot here most of the time. With the potted plants on the South side, they keep each other warm in the winter although there is not much of a winter.

I think I need fig trees that can handle partial sun to full sun and constant heat in the day.