Newbie: ID and growing tips appriciated

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jenhen

Registered:1402980949
Posts: 2

Posted 1402982810	Reply with quote #1

Hi, I ran across this forum in my search to educate myself about my new fig tree. We recently moved to Sacramento CA and have a beautiful fig tree in our yard. We moved in last Sept when there was still fruit on the tree - but it tasted bitter and not good at all. I figured it was just the wrong time of year for it. Well, summer is here (we've been having weather in the 90's and 100's F) and the old fruit has been dropping and the new fruit is starting to droop and become soft. I've picked some and it still tastes pretty terrible. I figured either I don't know when this fruit really ripens or something is wrong with the tree. I would love some advice as to the type of fig and why the fruit is never sweet (and what I might do to help that). Below are some pictures of the fruit and a leaf from the tree (since I don't know what variety it is).

armando93223

Registered:1318984112
Posts: 1,164

Posted 1402984343	Reply with quote #2

Some trees originate from a seed (through a bird dropping). Most of them will not produce a tree that gives great tasting fruit. My mom has a tree that gives figs that are dry and spongy and taste terrible. What I would do next spring is graft some varieties onto the tree. You can purchase cuttings on ebay and graft onto the branches not the main trunk. You will have to do some studying on of this subject on this forum. __________________ Armando in the Heart of California

lampo

Registered:1329071797
Posts: 2,062

Posted 1402994635	Reply with quote #3

Hi jenhen ! Welcome to the forum. Looking at your pictures, it seems that your fig tree looks a very healthy one but its fruit will probably not be edible at all. Looks to me that it is a wild/male tree, a Caprifig... which is not bad at all in your area . I would keep it! As Armando well said, you could be grafting a number of varieties of the BEST figs on it, when the time comes for that (February?) and this means that about a year from now you could well be tasting the first high quality fruit from your tree. A good deal of our forum members would love to have a similar tree in their yards !.. believe me ! Could you please post a couple of additional pictures .. - One showing a close-up of the fig cutaway to try and see the inside detail. If you can, select a fig still firm , cutting along the skin 1/8" deep and to open up with your fingers. Not a cut through the fig! - Another picture showing the full tree, so we can figure out what it could do on a grafting exercise. Look at this clip which shows the sort of grafting which could be used for your tree, next February. The fellow doing it is a professional but is not following the technique by the book... but I am sure it works! You shall have plenty time to prepare yourself and I am sure it will be fun! Good luck Francisco

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1403034669	Reply with quote #4

Hi Jenhen, Welcome to the forum. If you've got plenty of space, keep the tree, if not send that tree to fig-hell - that tree is not the first and won't be the last to be destroyed for lack of results. Get a new replacement fig tree. There are plenty of good strains that will grow in your area. Sometimes people take cuttings from unknown trees - thinking that like apple trees, the figtree will produce fruit. Unfortunately, some figtrees will never produce any edible fruit. People keep them as ornamental trees . Then someone ... and those trees are transmitted like that. You can consider the grafting, but you need the skills or the time to make that work ... not mentioning that you need to find some scions ! Do you have neighbors that have productive figtrees ? - For scions or cuttings or root shoots . __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

donpaid

Registered:1388952715
Posts: 216

Posted 1403054319	Reply with quote #5

Hi Jen! Looks to me that you have yourself a male, pollen producing, inedible caprifig! Female fig trees produce the edible fruits. I admire your attitude! I feel that if I ate a caprifig thinking that it was a fig, I would be quite reluctant to try a ripe fig later on...which by the way would be a terrible mistake! A ripe fig is an absolutely delicious treat! Welcome to the forum, best of luck.

jenhen

Registered:1402980949
Posts: 2

Posted 1403070202	Reply with quote #6

Thank you all for your replies! I love gardening, but I am new to fig trees so sharing your expertise is greatly appreciated. Here are some more pictures! The tree is staying regardless of it's fruiting capacity - we love the shade and love the lush looking foliage it adds to our yard. However, if by grafting I can get some tasty fruit - then by all means I'll give that a shot. It's something I've always wanted to try, now I just have an excuse! If it really is a lost cause for the fruit, please let me know before I go hunting for scions. Grafting Questions: Does it matter what gender the tree is for grafting, or is tree gender just a pollination issue? Also, are their resources for finding scions (we recently moved to the area so we don't know other fig tree owners yet)? The video above was great, do you recommend any other links about FAQ for fig grafting? If the grafting doesn't work out, I'll go buy this guy a better fruiting friend.

cis4elk

Registered:1347840383
Posts: 1,719

Posted 1403076892	Reply with quote #7

Google fig grafting, or just fruit tree grafting. Or use the search in the upper right corner and type grafting in there. There should be some good info and links here as well. I believe you can graft any fig to any fig. The sex of the root stock doesn't matter to the scion. Grafting figs is fairly easy, and your tree has plenty of room to make lots of attempts. In the fall, winter, and early spring it's pretty easy to get cuttings around here. Stick around, and welcome to the forum. __________________ Calvin Littleton,CO z5/6 Wants List: For everyone to clean-up after themselves and co-exist peacefully. Let's think more about the future of our planet and less about ourselves. :)

lampo

Registered:1329071797
Posts: 2,062

Posted 1403076907	Reply with quote #8

Hi Jen, Thanks for showing those additional pictures. No doubt! You have a good Caprifig, and ..... a fantastic source of FIG ENERGY and POLLEN supply, which needs to be driven into a selection of a number of top quality scions ... As a rule Caprifigs are ideal and robust root stock..I believe yours will be one of them. Grafting figs is very easy and like everything else you just have to follow simple techniques and have a small set of inexpensive tools. Timing wise, you could start immediately doing some 'T' and/or Chip budding which is simple and very practical...try YouTube and you will find good tutorials and guidance on how to do it Later on , as I said before you could do further grafting with different techniques like 'cleft grafts' , bark grafting, etc.. You will be able then to grow any type of Fig (Carica) - be they Common, Smyrna or San Pedro. I am too far away and not allowed to dispatch any plant material to the US.. Otherwise could send you at no cost a dozen or so of scions of the best world figs which in your climate would do great! I believe other fellow members will certainly be chiming in with additional ideas of what would be best for you and you could ask the forum for members with experience on grafting to guide you along Let me congratulate you for your move into Fig Paradise Please DO NOT destroy your fig Francisco Portugal

mgginva

Registered:1320266925
Posts: 1,857

Posted 1403156029	Reply with quote #9

Jenhen, I think you have already gotten very good advise from Francisco (lampo) so I'll just say "Welcome" and if you contact me after things go dormant I can gift you with some cuttings. Now all you have to do is learn the art of grafting and you'll end up with a beautiful and productive tree. There are few things that connect you better with spirituality then growing your own food. __________________ Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list: Perretta,

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