Hi everyone, I am a Fig Nut at heart!!  I am a new member here and getting my first fig tree soon.  I grew up in NY on Long Island and had a fig tree in my parents garden,(right next door to may grandparents and yes-we had connecting backyards!!),my grandfather planted - family legend is he brought it from Italy in the early 20's. 

I don't know the variety, they are small (make a circle with your thumb and index finger), dark purple and loved them my whole life. The tree is still there - seems like it fruits well every other year.

I moved to Texas (about 20 miles N of Dallas) in 1992, rented a house and for the first time did not have a fig tree in my backyard :(  I finally bought this rental house 2 years ago and starting to landscape to my desire.  It's taken a while to get to this point but I made it!! 

I have a grand plan for my landscaping which will take time, but the main thing to do is get the spot for my fig tree ready!  I'm torn between Celeste and Texas Ever-bearing Brown Turkey.  I'd like to buy one ASAP while the selection is good (I was at the nursery a few days ago and they are in!!)  Also what shape would you suggest growing them in?  At the nursery they are set up for tree form, on some other sites, they recommend vase-shrub form. 

I am so excited about this tree it's almost embarrassing - after reading some posts here I know I found kindred fig spirits! 

I look forward to reading older posts and topics and getting to know other members.

 I will have a post on You know if you are a Fig Nut if...

Jo-Ann

Hi JoAnn. Welcome to the addiction! You will receive no help at all here to overcome it :-) !! We will enable you completey and with a smile ;) .

You've come to the right place.

Happy new year, Jo-Ann! Welcome. Are you still in Texas? Do you have your heart set on those two varieties or are you open to others? In TX, the multi-trunk open form is recommended due to freezes. 4-5 trunks at least 4" apart should work.

Thanks!  Yes - still in TX, over 19 years in the same house and owned it for 2.  I'm open to other varieties, some research I've done suggests those 2 are good for this area.  I don't have a lot of space so I want the first one to be THE one.

Also, when referring to size, what are the definitions of small, medium and large?  I've seen pictures on some threads where the size is Gigantic!!  This could add to my decision process!

You mean size of trees? Figs are considered "small" in botanical circles. Small compared to redwoods perhaps! Most figs can easily grow to 25' tall if left unpruned in TX. There are a few "dwarf" varieties that top off at 6-8'.

Sorry, I mean fruit size

Here is something that may help you http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/fig/fig.html .

I wouldn't pick either of those varieties. You will be disappointed.

Welcome to the forum! I recommend you post here to find out what would be best and most flavorful for you. You really cannot trust agricultural info these days, you definitely can't trust nursery folk to tell you straight, but you have a forum here full of fig junkies that push the boundaries that ag departments and nurseries will not to find the best figs for our areas - I can tell you the two picks you chose will grow well, but Celeste is only "OK" tasting (assuming the nursery even labelled it correctly) and generally anything with "Brown Turkey" in the name tastes like crap.

Welcome and congratulations on home ownership!

Between those 2, Celeste.

Welcome to the forum JoAnn.
If your family heirloom fig tree in NY still survives that would be a great start for you.

Joann, I am thinking along the same lines as Martin: It would be great if you could get cuttings from the tree you grew up with. Maybe the owners would send you some cuttings in the mail. You can learn how to root them on this forum and maybe even trade some cuttings. Lots of people are interested in trees that do well in cold climates...as well as trees brought over from Italy!

I'll have to call Mom to see what the condition of the tree is.  She told me they had very few figs last season - she was very disappointed.   Cousins a few doors down from her said they had a ton and didn't know what to do with them!  I'll ask Mom if she could find out what the cousins have and talk to her about her tree - make sure my family legend is correct.

Jo-Ann

Even if the legend is not exactly correct I think that it would still be fun to have the tree that you grew up with. ( my family has passed down japanese maples and madona lilies among other things.) I love heirloom plants! And with a fig, sometimes it has a poor year but next year might be great! You just need half a dozen pieces 6 to 10 inches long. Easy to send in the mail with a small piece of damp paper towel, wrap in a plastic bag, slip into an envelop and mail.

Jo-Ann,

It is very common for old fig trees to significantly reduce production. Often times, all they need is a good pruning to get them going again. Good luck!

Thanks everyone.  When is the best time to prune?  As far as I know, the family has always done it in early spring.  I have to admit, when I was young, I was more interested in eating them in the fall then what it took to get them there ;)

Joann, I think that when you prune depends on what kind of climate you live in and why you are pruning. A lot of people prune in the fall so that they can protect the trees. My trees are still pretty small and it isn't an issue for me yet. But I think that cuttings are often taken in the fall in cold areas before the wood has a chance to freeze back. It has been such a mild winter so far that it is probably still OK to take cuttings now. A tree that has survived the cold for so many years hasn't frozen back yet in this weather.

I should also mention that most people find this the best time to start cuttings. Fig cuttings are easy to ship when they are dorment and also easy to root.