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moving to zone 9

Hi all

I'm moving to Florida and was wondering what figs would thrive there?  in zone 9

Vito

Do you know how wet and rainy it is there?  Also soil type can make a difference as well as presence of root knot nematodes.

Hi Chivas
I don't know much about the area; we went to the Villages and loved the place;
I see there was oranges and lemon trees.
I don't know much more about the area.
Vito

Vito, you dog!  Can I come with you?  What part of Florida?  I would guess any of the lsu figs would work well there.

I don't know about fig varieties, but the U. of Florida has developed may low-chill blueberries you can grow. :)

Yes it does rain in Florida. I live close to Pensacola which gets Sunshine an average of 343 days per year and 64 inches of rainfall. Pick the right figs and you will not be able to give them all away. I am fairly new to this but my sister has many trees she gets more than 10 gallons (each)  off of per year. We don't protect figs here during the winter growing them in the ground year around. Most people grow only Celeste, but any closed eye variety should do quite well, they do for me. Blueberries are native. I have 5 acres loaded with wild blueberries and several hundred rabbiteye bushes (domestic varieties).

@ Ed yes you can come and visit! The area is Lady lake near Ocala.
jake and Gina thank you for your input.
Vito

Wow! from zone 4 to zone 9, Must be nice.

It's amazing how wide a zone can be in variations!  I am in zone 9 too, but Southern California, and it's defined as zone 9a, but Sunset Western Garden Book defines it as zone 19.  It's dry and hot in summer, and gets some rain and cooler temps in winter.  Figs love it here, but I doubt blueberries would.  I'm trying out blackberries to be planted this spring.  Citrus grows well here, in fact there are huge orchards in the valley below us.  This property has 6 thriving citrus trees, an Anna Apple, a weeping purple plum, a early Elberta Peach, and a Fuyu Persimmon.  I'll be adding figs, wine grapes, pomegranates, macadamias and olives to the mix.

It's so much fun to have new property.  Every single square yard of ours holds very exciting things!  There are flower bulbs popping up all over and scary footprints in the mud which the neighbor ID'd as a mountain lion, or that huge bob cat that hangs around!

Lucky me!  The former resident is a nice lady married to a nurseryman, and she loves to talk about what she put on this property.  She is anxious to come and see what we do with it, and gives me suggestions of what grows good where.  She is going to give me cuttings of her huge 50 year old black mission fig, and I'm going to surprise her with some non-commercial varieties she doesn't have.

I'm tempted to say if citrus grows in your zone 9, figs should too, but the humidity might be bad for them.

Good luck and have fun!

Suzi

Sounds nice Vito .

Congratulations!

I then suggest Col de Dama Noir or Blanca since you should be able to ripen them there in your zone and they should give you excellent tasting, but late season figs.

Suzi I think you are right about the humidity.
Chivas I have a Col de dame blanch that l will take.
Thank you all for your input
Vito

May I please move to zone 9???

no seriously... pretty please????



Why can't Canada own a tropical territory lol?????

Col de Dame(s) Grise/Noir/Blanc
Edit: "I would take advantage of late varieties"- I live in zone 6, I have all three but mine will be in a green house, if I had the long summers like you I would surely take advantage of your weather. But you should look for varieties that suit your taste.




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  • FMD

Vito, you are moving to fig heaven! The Villages/Ocala area will give you the Goldilocks effect of perfect winters for figs. I live in Tallahassee and I envy you. South Florida, not so good for figs. Congratulations.
Frank

Vito,

I am about 20 miles west of Lady Lake.  You will love it here.  

Vito,

One thing you need to know about traveling to Florida with a moving/rental truck is you will have to enter the Agricultrul Inspection Station. They will ask you if you have plant material and could look through your truck. I have traveled many times to Florida and have seen them going through the moving/rental trucks.
They do have X-ray machines too, been through them a couple times myself.

But most of the times they just ask you questions as to what you are hauling and sometimes they just waive you to keep moving. It's a hit or miss.

You might want to pack and mail your plants. Or if you are driving a car just put them with you and go on about your busniness.

Not trying to scare you but helping you from a potential disaster.

Good luck

Thank you Rafed for that help full advice, I will keep it in mind.
Vito

Take them ALL, and see what works.

Vito,
Well your plant growing options just opened up a bit. We talk about birds and coons, etc. eating our figs but now you'll have to watch out for alligators as well. Good luck.

And armadillos. have Coati hit Florida yet?

Quote:
Originally Posted by musillid
And armadillos. have Coati hit Florida yet?




Armadillo since 1924, Coati since 1928. Both were released species

Taking notes on locations  ; )

Don't forget the Love Bugs around June or July.

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