I must admit it, I'm a new fig addict.
I never did like figs as a kid. Too dang sweet, and not sweet enough in the same bite. Newtons rocked, though, and still do. Even though I disliked the fruit, black, purple, or green, I have always had fond memories of the smell of the giant fig tree at a house I played at frequently as a child. I have always wanted a tree, if only to enjoy that smell.
Unfortunately, I have little room, it seems, wherever I go. I used to have a yard, and there I had a dwarf fig just getting ready to rock and roll. Then I had to move, drat. This apartment has a tiny patio, and I have to be very choosy on what I buy. A fig was not in my plans, until I met Jolly Tiger, though it wasn't named as so being a box of fruit, in a little plastic box at the local grocery store. I am a HUGE sucker for anything variegated, and even though I KNEW that I don't like figs, I HAD to try these, just to satisfy my insatiable curiosity.
Oh, dear. I liked them.
I shelved the idea for a while, until I ran a random search on eBay for anything variegated. I found a cutting of Jolly Tiger by name, for a price I was OK paying. I looked up the cultivar, and saw that it's a shade lover, which is PERFECT for my little first floor patio. I get just enough light to keep my Sarracenias (though these do prefer full sun, they are doing well here) and other curiosities happy; I feel that this is a good fit. I was a little surprised when I got a tiny cardboard envelope in the mail, containing ..... a stick? Hmmm, expensive stick. Intrigued, I started by contacting the seller, who gave me some sound advice, a link to a great YouTube video, and a tip in this direction. I just finished the whole site From Twigs to Figs, and I feel pretty confident about the future success of my little stick.
I took the advice from From Twigs to Figs and the YouTube video, tweaked it slightly to work in the terrarium, namely adding ventilation to allow for the super high humidity, and stuffed the stick in a nest of damp Sphagnum moss. I grew the stuff myself, and am still very upset with the squirrel that dug it up and killed the whole mess of it.
Is it my imagination, or do I really already see little cracks along the bottom edge of the cutting? It's only been a couple days, geeeeze. It IS looking fatter now that it's been sitting in the moist moss, soaking up some nice distilled water. Pampered little bicolored twig.
Oh, yes. I do need a better avatar, but this will do for now. ;) I like Nixies just as much as I like variegated things and soft cheeses. I'll make an LS one some day. KT are my real initials.