Good day, deicded to check in on my winterized figs today.  With the big freeze coming tomorrow, I know I will lose some big ones outside, and that's OK.  I have some backups.  Temps in Charlotte are suppose to reach 9 degrees for Tuesday morning.  That's too cold for figs.  I'm letting mother nature do her thing.  I am not going to worry about something I can not control.  I got some newly rooted cuttings in my garage taking a sun bath.  I started them back in October and they are doing well in my 50 degree garage and basement.  Cuttings can be risky be we all do it.

However, it's a huge risk to start cuttings in the Fall because you so much caring and watching in the winter months.  I have acccess to a grow room and so far so good.  So I did start some cuttings just to play around the just about every one struck in 20 days; which totally surprised me.  I potted them up and placed them under 4 T-5s and they are doing fine. I have them on a timer that comes on every day at 6AM and off at 6PM.  Once or twice a month, I hit them with my garden hose...but not much.  I need to start some more cuttings but I'm in no hurry.  I'm going to enjoy this rest time now.

Normally, I would have started all my cuttings by this date.  This year, I'm going to hold off and wait till late March which is when I will have my new deck built.   And yes, my new tree will go there.   Last year was not a great year for figs in my climate.  Even though it rained so much in July ,I was still able to pick between 10 and 20 lbs of figs a day till September.  I can honestly say, I got tired of picking figs.  On some days, I just let the birds have their way and on those days, nothing was touched!  GO FIGURE!  Boy I made a lot of Fig jam!  A lot of my fig friends in the Charlotte area asked me for figs and jam.  Some ordered it by the case!  I sold a lot of figs last year too and some trees.  But this year will be better!

In my climate, figs grow very well with 4 full seasons.   Last year was one of the crappiest years though.  But I am convince this year we will have a year like 09 and 10 were we had 90 degree temps in March.  And the temps lasted all the way till October.  That was a great year!

Here are a few trees (67) I added to my collection last year.  There are a couple not listed here per the request of some private owners.  I know many of you have these but these are new to me.  I will be posting picture of these figs this year.  So, BOLO for them! 

Danny's Delite
Schar Isreal
Elana
Ruby 4
Armenian
Long Brown Honey
California Brown Turkey
Improved Brown Turkey
Red Italian
Yellow Portuguese
Antonio Black
Unknown Pastillere
Hmari
Rmali
Capelas
Caucasus 3
Sumacki
Haikel
Main Street Purple
Pananas Greek
Greer
Unknown SPain
Aana
Polacci
De Grossen (BC#102)
Dwarf Black
Yellow Neeeches
Shitt Berdy 3
Danish Delite (GM#99)
Goodleaf
Emalyn's
Qila Saif
Breva de Galicia
Monticello Purple
King Authur
St Rita
Violete Dauphine
Bakio
Chicos White (BC#?)
Carolina Dark
Black Greek (MN)
Black Greek (DJ)
Tommy's White Italian
Trianon Fig France
Blue Berry Hill
Hardy Jersey
Aida
Macchione
Olympia
Voiture 217
Bourjassotte Noire
Qalaat al Madiq
Troiano Calbrese
GT-10
Cosenza
Rubado
Patrick's Super Giant
Tony's Black
Valle Negra
Enano
Rockaway Green
Violette Sollies (Baud)
Pastiliere (Baud)
Goncalves #1
Italian 88
Potsdammer
Qudssaya
Izbat an Naj

HOW BOUT THOSE FIGS!!!!!!

How 'BOUT those figs is right!
Very impressive Dennis.
I hope you send some of those 90 degree days my way this March.

By the way, I think you're catching up with Jon!

Shitt Berdy 3 - cant wait to hear how this one taste on your palate.

That's a big addition list. I take fig donations, in the event some of these don't work out for you ;)

I must be out of the Loop, I only recognize a few.  Dennis is MY NEW FRIEND.......I am trying to do my homework and grow what tastes best......The Ruby-4 is something I will be lookin into getting in the near future. It looks Pretty.

Dennis, I'd like to know how your Cosenza "Chiappetta" grows for you.

Dennis.....man did you add some great Figs! Hope you have great luck with them! Dennis, I too,have cuttings taking a sun bath,have about 40 cuttings under 3- 4ft grow lights in my heated outside Garage. For the last 2 months I've had the cuttings under grow lights on 24 -7, and they have been growing like crazy. Should I put them on a timer like you? What is the purpose for cutting the lights off? I am very new at this and I surely don't want to do something wrong! Do you advise for me to put them on a timer? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

You have to water them more frequently the more light they get.  I wouldn't go under 10 hours for the health of the plant.  I've found 16 hrs requires me to water every day which I don't want to do.  I don't have room to move them into bigger pots.  you don't want them to get weak, leggy growth so there's a minimum amount of light you have to provide.  I had to keep them from outgrowing my space so I use 12 hours.   A lot depends on how much light you have to give as well.

Frank, Bob knows more about lighting than me so take his advise. I'm just trying to memick the sun by giving them lights. I got around 75 not listed above under the lights -- 3 four footers and 1 two footer. Those listed above are 2 yr old trees in 1 or 2 gallon pots. I haven't told you guys what I have growing under the lights! HA. Those lights do put out some heat. And the brightness it too strong for my eyes. But the little rooted cuttings are dark green and doing well.

I'll tell you later what I have growing under the lights later on this week. The wife's not happy with all the trees. But she's first in line to eat when the figs ripen! I'm not bragging about what I have. I'm just a man with a passion for figs. I'm not trying to get one of every fig. I just want to keep those that grow and taste well for my area. One day, I'll publish a list of my entire collection.

you got some nice trees there dennis. Qudssaya grows very fast. don't really remember what the fig tasted like. Pastiliere (Baud) also grows like a weed. you'll like St. Rita a lot. as long as i have lived in NC, never looked into Carolina Dark. might have to look for it soon. 

Pete keep in touch. I'm only 1.5 hour from you and will be traveling back to Chapel Hill this summer. My son has an apartment there near campus and I have to move him back to Charlotte. I'll bring you something when I come. It might be a Carolina Dark.