it's rather a big let down. i was looking forward to lot of different figs. and i did get good number of figs. i mean, the season is only starting here. 

but none of the figs 'wow' me this yr. VdB didn't have any of that 'wow'. Kathleen's Black definitely improved, but it was more of "ahhh" figs.. not "wow" fig. White Greek was good, but nothing spectacular. 

JH Adriatic also.. good.. not outstanding. Ischia White, Ischia Green... all just ok. good, but not something that came out of no where and smack me in the face good. 

i'm keep looking for another VdB from last two yrs and not finding it. 

still have RdB, Genovese Nero, CdDB, Black Madeira, Fig Preto and Longue D'Aout to go... i'm hoping one of them will be knee slapping good. 

did i say Paradiso Gene was the best fig this yr? like last yr, it's just amazing "ahhh..." fig. 

I'm anxious to hear how your LDAs turn out.  Hoping you get that experience you're looking for this year.

It's the rain, man.  Hasn't been raining this last week or so, but PN figs are splitting when they get close to being ripe, trying to be juicier than they are meant to be.  Crop is fairly staggered this year, so later on, some of these guys may hold till all the way ripe.  These last two years of drought busting summers have really sucked for figs...  

Me too. I had a VDB last year which was a wow, but I gave it away thinking I had spare trees but the spares turned out not to be Vdb. The only almost wow so far is strawberry Verte only because it is night and day from previous years.

Some of mine haven't been as good as hoped, either.  I think it's the initial cold plus 1 week of no water while they were stagnant. 

pete, to what do you attribute the lack of quality?  what were the conditions at your place?

Pete RdB may disappoint as well if those rains come with the ripening of them.
Black Madeira should fair better  - let us know please what happens when the time comes.

My RdB has held up fairly well with the rain, still good flavour so I hope the same goes for you.

Pete, I've been holding back on my posting and pictures. I'm sorry your figs are not giving you that wow factor. I had just the opposite affect. There were 4 that stood out for me.

First, the best fig I've eaten this year was Violet Sepor. It was good that I saved the other half to eat the next day!
1.25. Pasterilere Pass out Good!
1.5. Ischia Black. was so good it made me laugh
Second best was JH Adriatic. Man ole man was it good!
3rd. Vasilika Sika....long rich and better than last year.
4th. Peter's Honey.
5th Brown Turkey Not
6th. Melanzana Merdoscola
7th. Longue D'Aout
8th. LSU Black
9th Black Mission
10th. Green Greek
11th. Zembalis Black
12th. Marva Sika
13th. Tilsbury's Turkey
14th. Atreano
15. Banana Some folks figs are not producing edible figs, mine were excellent!
16. Kadota
17. LSU Hollier Early and great
18. O'Rourke
19. Improved Celeste
20. Big Al
21. White Greek
22. Mega Celeste
23. Latturula
24. Sal's Coreleone
25. Marseilles Black
26. La'Goccia D'Oro
27. Lyndhurst White
28. Smith
29. Piedmonte
30. Negronne
31. Pananas Purple
32. Aubique Petite
33. Hardy Chicago
34. Beall
35. Tacoma Voilet
36. Ronde de Bordeaux
37. Salem White

Holy moly Dennis!
I'm coming over!
I've eaten exactly 1/2 a fig this year.

I have to say, you've a lot of willpower.
I wouldn't be able to save a delicious fig, it
would call me from the fridge ALL NIGHT!

Wow Dennis that is amazing!! I See you have ranked RDB near the bottom. Sadly so far I have to agree with you. Pete, I've had a few wow figs this year too. Nothing quite like Dennis's year but I'm happy in spite of the late start. My VDB wowed me for the first time. It's always been a very good fig, but now it's become an excellent fig. Not sure why, but it could be that it is about 7 years old now and  age definitely does make a difference. Last year I potted my Vasilika Sika in the largest pot I had and this year it is throwing out quite a few large figs some of  which have been awesome, a few I picked just a tad early and they were decidedly less spectacular. My "White Madeira" (purchased as a Black Madeira) which I believe is actually Col de Dame blanc is a definite wow, Bisiri Large is a consistent wow, except a few watered down by rain, Aubiqua Petite was an almost wow, also about 7 years old come. Best one, geez that's hard to say, maybe a tie between White Madeira and Vasilika for the light fig and VDB for dark. Still to come that I expect will be amazing, Black Madeira, Black Ischia, Blanca de Maella, Preto, and Kathleen's Black. Of course a hurricane or continued rain could spoil it all and that is likely what's wrong with your figs Pete.

What is this...Zembalis Black you speak of, Dennis?

Hang in there Pete.  I bet you still have some nice ones waiting to ripen.  Hopefully the weather cooperates and you have an awesome September.

Earlier in the season I was feeling the same way about some of my trees.  The figs just didn't seem as good as last year.  But as the season went on and the trees got into full bore production mode the quality improved.  But then again all my trees that are producing fruit are in ground.  In ground trees really seem to improve as they mature.

Best luck Pete.

Zembalis Black is a long neck unknown black fig sent to me last year by a forum friend. There are a few pics here somewhere. It's going to be a good fig.

Dennis, where does your friend's black Greek fit into the ranking?

Pete, I've had the same meh year. My fave this year was the Sicilian black, all 6 figs lol.  Alot of my plants stopped growing mid summer. My RdB's are about to ripen. Blackjack again surprised me this year, very sweet.

Dennis,
you have a great collection ,Smith only 28?Can you please rate those figs from one to 10?I like to read your
posts ,let me know if you have the fig wasp there I like to send you cuttings of the best italian fig ,but needs
pollination from the wasp.Ciao,
Giuseppe

Hello Harvey! Black Greek this year was probably a 19.5 this year. I say "this year" because I only had a handful of ripe figs this year. And I let the weeds take over my orchard tree this year. So I know missed some good ones. Smith is still one of my favorites but this year, I only got 4 figs. Today, I have all my trees under control as for maintence is concerned. Smith just did not pop this year for me. I think it will be in the top 5 next year.

Some of my trees did not produce this year and some did not prduce last year. For example, last year I got zero Italian 258 figs. This year, my tree is loaded. This year I got zero Toni's Brown Italian. Last year I had plenty! Last year I got tiny no flavor Peter's Honey figs. This year I got huge honey filled figs that were to die for!

So, why the weirdness in fig production? It has to be the weather this year. Usually we have constant 90 degree temps in early, mid and late summer. That was not the case this year. July was mild and very rainy which through every thing off. Today, the weather is perfect and very dry. I got figs ripening every day, but I don't pick them every day.

There is one fig that I forgot about that came in at 1.25. And that fig was Pastilere. I picked another one this morning and it was divine! In previous years, the figs were tiny as a tack. But in the past 2 years is slowly starting to produce the correct size figs.

Giuseppe, send me an email and we will talk.