I only had two figs from this variety this year and one disappeared so I brought the tree into the greenhouse.  I still have some ripening Black Madeiras so I treated myself to a couple of those too.

They look delicious! I'm sure you enjoyed them. mmm mmm good!

Tom thanks for the video,.
Ndc grown here also and had some that ripened this season.

Agree about the madeira fig 100%.

Tom: Your figs are so gorgeous and very tasty. Thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

Tom,

Maybe I missed it but I can't tell if you preferred the Black Madiera or Noire de Caromb? I've heard that Black Madiera is usually not a good producer but you say on your video that it was a good producer for you. Is the NDC worth it?

Thanks for the great video,
Did you try any of the breba crop ?

Kathleen's Black looks more and more like NdC.

i don't have NdC to compare and confirm. but just from the look of the leaves, and figs.. they are very close. i think herman only grows Kathleen's Black since he is certain that they are same, if not very very close.

So, is the jury still out with the "Noire de Caromb" vs. "Kathleen's Black" possibility?  I've been reading some older threads on both fig forums and the evidence, and consensus, seems to be mounting that these figs are either the same, or so close, that there's hardly an observable difference between these varieties.  I have noted that Herman thinks they are the same variety.

Has "Noire de Caromb" also been noted to be as temperamental as 'Kathleen's Black" to produce figs?  Do the main-crop figs ripen around the same time in the season for both of the varieties in question?  If yes, that's more evidence that these two might be the same variety, but if "Noire de Caromb" matures and produces figs at an earlier age....maybe these two are different. 

I would love to see side-by-side comparison-photos of leaves and fruit, and a few shots of the whole trees.

Frank

bump. by the way, trick to KB is.. pinching. 

Pete-

.... "the trick to KB is pinching"....

Do you mean, the conventional, pinch back to 6 leaves, method?  And is this pinching method to be used as a regular routine with this variety....or, just until the tree is well established, and up to speed, production-wise?  If you can, please be more specific re: "pinching"..

Many thanks.



Frank

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I'd love to see, some photos of full-size, well established, "Kathleen's Black" trees.  Does anyone have a tree older than 5-6 years, or are most of us  just growing "trees" barely past the rooted-cutting stage, by a few years?

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frank, i only had to pinch once in early spring last yr. since then KB put on good number of brebas and main crop this yr without further pinching.

i'm rooting some KB this yr to give as gift to few friends and to put in ground next yr. will have to see if new trees will behave the same. it seems some members never had any issue with KB.

Caromb is a village in the mediterranean cost in France.
The leaf of your tree looks like the normal "noire de caromb".
It is apparently not cold hardy - but I never tried it.
How do you find it ? cold hardy ?

For comparison: http://vincentbey.perso.neuf.fr/NoireCaromb.html
Baud.com has references on that tree saying it would grow up to 5 meters tall - and that variety is bifera.

Found pic of mine yes even Bauds has FMV but this one is doing much better with it as it grows, first figs it bore
last season reminded me of mission type figs.
Needs to be much better tasting on palate next season compared to others in our yard.

I only have a 2 year old tree Martin, but I had a few figs off mine this year and I agree it was alright but it may not get to see next winter if it doesn't improve next year.

I have gotten two NdC cuttings and some KB cuttings from a couple kind members. Both of which are rooting right now. So provided they both make it I willl be able to compair the two side by side.

I got my Kathleen's Black in 2007.  It is more cold sensitive than most of my other figs.  My original tree has also taken until this year to start producing - though not much, even though it was pinched.

However, a young KB had a couple of branches that were loaded with figs.  Both branches were growing downward at about a 135 degree angle with the trunk.  KB is very vigorous putting a great deal of energy into growing.  Vigorous branches on apple trees are often trained down into a 45 degree angle with the trunk to encourage them to fruit.  It looks as if that might also work with vigorous figs.

Fignut, you have a lot patience!  Did you get KB back in 2007 directly from Gene?  Where are you growing it if you don't mind my asking?  Are you growing it in-ground?  This is the first winter out-doors for my in-ground KB.  I have it wrapped but it will be interesting to see if I have any die-back.

Figs looks great and great narration.

Rewton, I got my Kathleen's Black directly from Gene.  He considered it his best tasting fig and he knows a lot about figs - so I'm not giving up on it.  The figs I got were OK, but no WOW! - yet.  It is growing in a 15 gallon pot, but the pot has been put on the ground the past couple of years, and roots spread into the ground.  I cut the pot loose and store it in an insulated, unheated garage.  I haven't had trouble with the top dying back, but it seems as if the roots were damaged last year.  This year I gave it a warmer spot in the garage.  It appears to be in the Black Mission family and gets root bound quickly.  It's just so vigorous.  I think trying it in the ground is a good idea. 

I have both, Noire de Caromb and KB, and neither of two has produced any fig yet. Despite KB has several years and 7 ft high.
I will remove it this year. I like easy figs, not this one.

It is interesting what P. Baud says about NdC in his book "Figues":

"Elle n'a cependant pas une grande productivité dans toutes les regions et présente un "effet terroir"."

Translated: "However, it doesn't have a big productivity in all regions and it has an "Effet terroir".
"Effet terroir" is a French saying to name the different behavior of a variety in different environments, sometimes not easily identifiable the cause.

It is the only fig that P. Baud says this.

In my case, it has a marked negative "effet terroir".

KB isn't easy. i took me 3 yrs of waiting before i decided to pinch it. once pinched, it produced figs in matter of weeks. i pinched it in spring. first crop of figs weren't that good. then the taste improved over the course of that same yr. this yr was its second yr producing the figs. no pinching was needed. it put on good amount of breba and main crop. not as productive as VdB or Paradiso Gene, but still enough. the figs are still improving. i also got the KB directly from gene and i read his statement saying this is one of his best. the main reason why i picked this try instead of name that i did not recognized, Col de Dame Gris... 

i would imagine this trees will need few yrs of cont. production of fig to improve enough to be good. but i have also heard some members indicating their KB was good from get go. 

my first yr KB was all wrong. the main thing that really got me was the texture on the first few figs. they were just weird. sweetness was there, but it was like eating something that was rather gritty. it didn't have that fig texture. but toward the end of same yr, that texture has gone away. this yr, figs were fine. it tasted rather nice. 

it's definitely not a "wow" figs. it's not CdDB. but since gene h consider this as one of his best, i'm keeping it for the long run. actually rooting handful this winter for my son's science project. once done, some will go to friends and others will go into ground for testing. 

very very vigorous tree. it's roots like crazy, and grows like crazy. heavy vegetative growth. 

My KB is also from Gene, it is the true KB without doubt.
The time and my patience for demonstrating anything has ended for my KB.
I don't doubt that it is a good variety, but not for my climate.

axier, more than likely yes. weather must be playing into way KB is behaving. i know some figs that will not do well up north does just fine down here.