Hi all,

Just recently I tried fresh fig for the first time and fell in love. So I did some research and stumble acrossed you guys. Very useful, informative, and friendly forum!

Anyway, I ordered my first fig tree on line, LSU gold and Celestial. LSU gold is supposed to be 4-5 ft and celestial 2-3 ft.

I received the tree yesterday and I was so excited and plant them in the pot immediately. and what a nice surprise that LSU gold I received came with 2 trees instead of one!! The root system looks pretty good.

Now, the plant I received are leaf-less. Will that be a problem planting a leafless plant so late in in the season? Do I need to move my plant inside in winter? (I'm in North Carolina) I plan to just cover them up, but since they are so new, will they die? I have them in 20" clay pots and it's very heavy.

I'm also confuse about the 'parthenocarpically'. is it specific to the type of fig,  for example, all LSU is parthenocarpically, or it depends on the tree?

Anya

Sorry, English is my second language, hope you understand my questions!

Welcome!

Hi Anya,
Celestial or Celeste usually do very well in NC, unless you are on  top of a mountain. LSU gold might freeze in the western and north-western part of the state, but it will re-sprout and fruit on new growth. Would you plant them in five gallon plastic pots, moving them to a garage in the winter could be easier. Anyway, you will have to plant these particular varieties into the ground next spring.

Thank you for the reply nypd and Boris!

I live in the triangle area so quite in the middle of the state :)

Why do i have to plant it to the ground next spring? I thought fig does well in pot?

So you dont think the leafless trees I recieved are out of ordinary? and they will be fine?

Also, how do I know if my fig trees need pollinate or not?

Thank you!
Anya

Hi Anya, welcome to the forum.

If correctly labeled, your trees do not need pollination.  Did you buy your trees from a nursery?

I would call the nursery and ask why the fig trees didn't come with leaves....in August.

anya,

i live in triangle also. the fig tree will do well in container. all of my 3 trees are in 10 gallon pots and i had my first riped fig few days ago. you just need to move them into garage or something once the temp drops.

i would call the nursery and find out why the trees do not have leaves.

pete

Thank you for all your input!! I just sent email t the nursery, hope they can give me some explaination.

Unfortunately I do not have a garage, but will think of something :(

I'm glad to know that my tree should not need pollination!! It's been something I was afraid I got it wrong when I did some research.

The topic "Best fig at your location" gave me some eye opening of how many type of figs there are and which should be good here in NC.

Anya...out of curiosity what was the name of the nursery?  And welcome to the forum...you are in the right place for all your answers.

The nursery is Willis Orchard Company in GA.

Thanks for that info.   Group, for some reason I recall that Willis is associated with TyTy....am I right?  

Edit: here is the link to a site that you can check out most online vendors before you purchase, it just happens to be the link to Willis Orchard Co:
http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/6348/

And I stand corrected...no confirmed association BUT Willis and TyTy have bad, bad reputations.

Some think so but not positive. Heard mixed reviews for them ( WO). Have not ordered from them.

Willis is sketchy and has screwed several members here.  I'm sorry to tell you this, but the varieties you received are probably mislabeled.  I'm also sorry to say, a little research on your part would have shown the problems with both Willis and TyTy.  I think it is sad that anyone needs to do research on a nursery, but that is the reality these days.  I also hate to say, "never trust a Georgia nursery", because there are a couple good ones like Ison's and Johnson.... but it seems many of the worst nurseries happen to be in south Georgia.

As I said, Willis has screwed so many members I've talked to on this forum sending them mislabeled figs.  So ... before you trade any of your cuttings or believe that the names are correct, wait for your trees to fruit and bring pictures here for the experts to judge.

I wouldn't buy from Willis again.

Ouch!!  the lady that I talked to sounds really nice! I researched only on the fig but not the nursery, crossed my mind I should but didnt get to do it. I was only looking for the nursery that has both plant I wanted. I really hope I got the right fig :( paid quite a lot for a 'trial'. There 'feedback' page was not available but there website looks pretty good. If I got screwed then it's on me for not doing mroe research!

Who is Ty Ty?

anya,

here are some good nurseries for the figs.

encanto farm nursery (which this forum belongs to)
http://www.treesofjoy.com/
http://www.durionursery.biz/
and others..

also, there are number of forum members who sell cuttings and trees on ebay.

all my trees are from another nursery, but they are no longer doing fig. one of my tree is from one of the forum member.

pete

After reading all the review, I'm about to cry.

Thank you Pete!

I'm already decided to chalk up my impending doom trees and get the new trees so I dont waste my time on who know what variaty or if it's going to survive.

My husband will not like it but oh well, I'll just have to eat ramen noodle for a few week to cancle the cost of my impending lost.

By the way, I'm in Durham too!

Anya

Anya,
TyTy is a Georgia nursery with a horrid reputation. They have many spin-off companies (Aaron's) also selling the same plants.  Their websites tend to look the same,etc.
    Moving forward, I would recommend use the Dave's Garden link to research nurseries, check with the Better Business Bureau, but the easiest thing to do.....check here on the forum.  You can use the search feature at the top of the page, and just type in "willis" for example, and see what comes up.   This group is quite experienced, and we have had good and bad experiences with nurseries.   Even when you purchase plants from big box stores you are at the mercy of their labelling system.   Please know, there are NO stupid questions on this forum.   You may get responses guiding you to posts where your question has already been addressed (that is why learning to use the SEARCH feature is so very important). It is a great forum, good people, a lot of knowledge.

I also like Edible Landscaping, Rolling River Nursery, Joe Morle @ FigTrees.net, and we cannot forget James Robin, Sr(JR) --call him 337-407-0188.  If you order from JR he will ask you send him payment for the trees, and then in November he sends them to you and asks you to send him payment for the actual shipping after you receive your trees.  He is in Louisiana, a good man---uses a lot of the funds from his fig tree sales to help care for his ailing wife.  Many of us have purchased from him.  He does not have computer business, just over phone.  He is a hoot to talk to.  And, I suspect he has the Celeste and the LSU Gold that you are seeking.

anya,

i heard fig trees are hard to kill. if you have room and extra pots, maybe put them in a pot and see what happens.

i heard from the forum members about the trees that's been destroyed to the root coming back next spring. if the tree is not totally dried out, and if the root is still alive, you might want to give it some time to see what happens.

pete

Thank you Sara. Due to the excitement and my 'I have to get it now' mentality last week, I leaped too fast.

This time it's going to be similar but better equipted information :)

So I got the reply from Willis as why the trees are leafless -


"They remove the leaves because of the heat wilting them.  Plant and water and it will releaf."

So I think I'm pretty doom? The trees look quite healthy actually. The normal trees, if get some water, the leaves would come back up. This sounds like the leaves are to the point of no return and they didnt want me to see? Oh I dont know what to think at this point.

Not doomed. The trees will absolutely come back.  Water them and keep them in the shade for a couple of weeks while they leaf out and build some new roots.  They'll be fine.  You still may not know what they are, though ;)

PS - Anya, where are you, and what are some of the varieties you are interested in? 

Hi Jason,
I'm in Durham, NC. I dont have particular interested, anything sweet and delicious and easy to grow in my zone, I guess. I bought Celestial and LSU gold, hoping it's a good for a newbie like me :)

I'm hoping I didnt spend money in vain, I'm keeping those fig and hoping for the best. I'm interested in getting more and sent email to Encanto and Durio farms, but I'm started to have some reservation to go through with it (personal reason)

Anya

Hang tight and look around at some of the varieties people will post pictures of over the coming weeks.  we are making our way into ripening season the next 1-3 months.  Wait and look for things that interest you here, then keep your mind open, make a list.  Then hunt in the fall, to start in spring.

I have a dear friend in Durham.  I wish I made it up that way.  If I ever did, I would totally bring a tree or two to give to you.  Stick around, I think you'll find some kind people here.  Sorry to hear you may have gotten burned on your first order.  It's most unfortunate.