This unknown is one of my top 5 tasting figs. The birds think so too.
Last year I did a poor-ass job of netting the tree resulting in a meager harvest for me but not for the birds. This year it will be a different story! 

...I hope....

Pictures are of last year's fruit and this year's caging effort. Wish me luck.

My goodness , that is one beautiful colored fig !!  Sure hope your cage works this year !!

Nice looking cage.  That fig's a brown turkey, isn't it?  ;)

Nice FMD.  That should get the job done.

Hey Bob, very funny with that BT crack. I guess that would be the ultimate insult thrown at a fig enthusiast. LOL.

Thanks Pattee and Joe. There are hundreds of figs developing on that tree and I aim to eat each and every one of them this year, even if it kills me. :))

Frank...3 out of 5 of my N.J. Red cuttings made it to one 1gal. pots and are doing well...after seeing your pics, I am more anxious then ever for them to mature and start fruting...at least 2 more years I'm sure.

Frank, good looking fig. Is this variant as good as your Alma.

Well unless birds learn how to tunnel I think your in good shape with that cage, very cool!

What is the name of this unknown fig???? :) :) :)

Seriously,

You have grown it out, looked at it and tasted the fruit so what are you thinking it may be?

With a top five ranking we need to try to figure it out.

Vince, glad to see this fig made its way to NJ. Keep me posted.

Paul, purely on taste alone, this particular fig is much tastier. Alma has other attributes. IM me if you would like to try it out in Vancouver.

Charles, the NJ Red Unk is in the same family as Sal's Gene, Hardy Chicago, MBVS but different, IMO. The tree is dwarfish. The fruit has a tight eye and does not split even after days of rain.

Thanks Frank,

In your top five for taste, tight eye, dwarfish and does not split. I can see why you like it.

How old is this fig and how big was it when you planted it? I am very interested in any that you grow and you would describe as dwarfish. I need those since I have a lack of space.

Hi Charles, I planted this particular tree 10 to 12 years ago from a shoot I pulled from the mother plant. The mother plant has gone to heaven. It currently fits in its 7'x7' cage quite comfortably. I did not prune it last year.
Let me know when you plan on visiting Tallahassee again.

Frank

Nice tree, and nice cage. Your efforts will be very rewarding. I have a peach tree next to the fence that I am going to have to cage once it gets big enough, or else the tree rats will take care of all the peaches for me.

Nice cage Frank. You should get your bounty on the NJ Red. You gave me a good idea for caging a few that are potted but close to my house. Thanks.

Frank,

That is good news. I'm trying to find great figs that take up a small footprint to plant in between my triangular 14' on center plantings of larger growing figs. By doing this I can increase my plants by about 50% or better. Ultimately I may end having to do yearly pruning or I may cull some unimpressive varieties to make more room for the stellar ones. Either way it should buy me about a  decade of time to decide who stays and who goes.

Frank I'll make sure to coordinate my trip with you and hopefully I'll get to meet JD and any others in the area this time.

Really interesting! Has anyone ever tried NJ Red in colder climate (Z5a) and would the figs get ripe?

Marc, this fig originally came from NJ. I grew it there myself before bringing it with me to Florida many years ago. So yes it will ripen. In Florida it is an early ripening fig ...late June through July. It will then make a second crop in late November.

Frank

nice cage for the gladiator  :)

Frank,

Your NJ Red has been growing nicely. Has put roughly 6" of new growth and started to branch out since I took it out of dormancy. This is good considering it is growing indoors at the moment.

I'm excited about this one and hopefully I can get it to fruit this season. But if can wait another season if I have to.

Will need to beat Jimmie with an ugly stick for sending me the wrong one though;)

Mine is growing well..put it in the ground last fall and still only a foot tall but it is picking up speed.  If it tastes half as gtood as it looks it will be awesome.

Frank how is your tree doing after the car incident? Soo looking forward to mine "coming of age "!!

How many figs did you harvest without protection? Last year I had to stay close to my tree and was competing with the birds as soon as a fig turned ripe I picked it. Sometimes I had to do it a little early.
You should call you cage Fig Knox! I wish I could have a cage like this, but the association would not allow it. It would need a building license.

It may not do very well because everybody that leaves New Jersey for Florida and other places south has some form of regret. For example " no good pizza", " no good bagels " "everybody makes fun of my accent ". I'm sure the NJ figs transplants have the same problems.

Patee, that tree took a  lickin' but keeps on tickin'.

Sas, the birds are obsessed with the NJ Red. Despite the Fig Knox cage, they found a way in and ate a good part of the bounty. I have thrown in the towel. The SUV knocked the cage down and I am not putting it back up.

Rich, no regrets leaving NJ. Fortunately, I was there for only 5 years, although it seemed a lifetime, so I didn't pick up many bad habits. The best thing about my stay there was the NJ Red fig. :)

That's a beautiful tree, I have not seen a red fig like that in nj before. Nice cage too!