Hello all! I am a new member to the forum and slowly catching the bug that everyone keeps talking about. For five years I have enjoyed my genoa white tree that I bought from belleclare nursery before they closed up.(trunk as thick as a beer can now). I have also been playing around with cuttings from neighbors and friends trees with good success thanks to all the great information provided here by the members. Although my wife often complains I spend way to much time on figs, she takes it all back when the first bunch ripens for the season! Tonight @ 12:01 I will broaden my collection and hope to obtain the following cuttings from jon. I know its a trial and error thing but i'm having good fun doing it.
violette de bordeaux
desert king jn
chicago hardy
marseilles vs bk
sultane
maryland berry
gypsy
rasperry latte
italian everbearing
Long Island ny 11762

Welcome & have fun at the fignuts forum ce4656. Good choices but not sure some will ripen for you. There are forum members in your zone and they could be a great help.

welcome to the forum we have a few members from the area that will offer great advice.

welcome to the forum!

why is it that i have it stuck in my head that "gypsy" fig is smyrna type and requires pollination?  i also have it stuck in my head that "gypsy" is a synonym for "zidi", doesn't 'zidi' mean 'gypsy' in one of the mediterranean langauges?

Are you thinking of Zingarella?

Also a word about the desert king it will only produce a breba crop in our climate we do not have enough heat units in the northeast to ripen the main crop. It stillis a nice fig just wanted to let you know about that cultivar.

Thanks all for the feedback. Ive been going over everyones top picks for their area and then figured I would pick a few odd balls off the variety list. I just hope last years long hot summer will repeat itself in 2011! Thanks again all, looking forward for the snow to melt!

That's pretty much what I did with my UCD order this year.  I hope I get everything.  I must have exceptional taste also, because everything I want is a Z or X this year, which makes ordering pretty tough!

Any "must have" varieties for my area that I should add to my order?

Negronne
Hardy Chicago
Violette de Bordeaux

These are three I can think of that should do well in your area.

Note that "chicago hardy" in your list is probably a misnomer, "hardy chicago" came first.

NE newbie, you are right about only breba crop ripening here for desert king but not because of heat units, its a breba only crop here due to pollenation issues.  Nonetheless I consider desert king a must for long island.  Ce send me an e-mail if you want to do any cuttings trade.

Ed

thanks Ed i was under the impression it would not ripen main crop figs because of the heat units never even thought it was a polination issue. We all are constantly learning.  Sorry if there was any confusion. I just rescued a desert king tree late last year from VA. and I am experimenting with this tree in new jersey so I am still learning about this cultivar.

Hi ce4656
are you growing in containers, i ask cause i did not see that mentioned  or missed it.
If so you can get many different types to ripen this way like some of us do in the cold area's by jump starting them a little.

Inground and grown in containers each have there advantages although thats just my personal opinion.

I would say if inground - grow what is known to do well in your area or have fun and experiment for yourself if you like.   ; )

I say Desert King,is positivelly a container fig on the east and north coast.
I grew it inground with no success,because the fruits buds Breba,freeze and fall every Spring,if tree inground.
And then comes second crop that falls out from lack of polination,and you are left with nothing.
But if grown in pot and taken inside you will be impressed by the quality of fruits and early too.

I have a bunch of unidentifieds in containers dormant in the garage. The only in ground is my genoa white, but I have a perfect spot to plant a dark fig this summer. Not sure what yet.

Welcom  ce4656
Natalina ripens for me in the northeast the same time as Hardy Chicago (+/- a couple of days).

Welcome!  I don't have any real growing knowledge, but I've eaten my share off of others trees.  I would say that if your in zone 6-7 then your weather is close to mine down here in Virginia. The best I've had was violette de bordeaux, but celeste can be quite good.  I tend to like dark figs better.  The worst I've had was a tree a little old lady called brown turkey.  I wish I was confident enough to try my luck with rooting cuttings.  I'm trying it now with some free stuff to see if I can, but I'd rather pay a little more and get a plant with roots. 

Brian

Brian, I started cuttings the same way(experimental), but if you take the methods everyone in the forum talks about you will be surpised at your success. Its fun trying anyway! Good luck! Chris