I met Jon Verdick this evening and toured Encanto Farm Nursery. Jon heard me coming and met me at his door. He is fighting off a cold but soon into the tour he was talking about one of his loves - figs. I saw the New Baggie Method up close and personal as well as I was able to not only ask questions about but see cuttings at the various stages of growth and development. I was truly impressed by the original Raspberry Latte which is almost four years old with double digit year size when compared to other varieties of the same age...Wow!
The tour started amongst the towering banana, a plethora of healthy figs green with 12 inches of new growth and others with breba abound in nice hard plastic black 15 gallon containers. Citrus, avocado, mango, passion fruit, passion flower, pear and other plants are splattered amongst the fig and banana. This - the front yard of the nursery - sits on well weeded Earth comprised of layers of (city mandated) compost. The back yard of the nursery sits on two large adjacent lots on a sloped hill. Think fig orchard versus nursery in this area. If he doesn't prune religiously and vigorously, then the orchard will easily become untenable. That back area is the home of the drool inducing Unknown Pastillere. Other fruits like sapote, avocado, mulberry, and countless other that I have forgotten reach for the sky back there in Jon's sloped orchard.
As I sit in the San Diego airport waiting on my red eye flight back to the east coast - work brought me here - my carry-ons are empty. No purchase(s) and no pictures as I was just there to look and learn. My plan is to coordinate another work trip in late July/early August when the figs are ripe, and maybe I can taste a few and purchase a few. I'll be back.
Jon, thanks for the hospitality, the knowledge transfer, and the good will.
JD