In February of 2013 I rooted around 15 or so varieties.  Some of these are still in containers and some have been planted in the ground.  All but 2 have developed (or are developing) figs.  The two that haven't developed any recognizable figs yet are Paradiso (Gene) and Battaglia Green.  The first four photos are of Paradiso (Gene) and the others are B.G.  (If you mouse over the file names it will indicated the variety.)  The Paradiso (G) is nearly 5 feet tall.  Both are growing really vigorously and are very healthy.  They are in nearly full sun.  So I'm wondering if this is a characteristic of these varieties, is there a fertilizer issue, or something else is going on (mislabeled varieties?).  Other figs  growing under exactly the same conditions are developing lots of figs at the same age/size. One of the photos shows a node with two bumps - presumably one is for a new shoot and one for an undeveloped fig. So far shoots develop but figs don't. For those of you who grow these two could you confirm that the leaves look like a reasonable match for these varieties?  If anyone has any other insights please let me know - thanks!

I just realized (for what it's worth) that the Battaglia Green was rooted Sept. of 2012 and was kept in a 1 gallon container over the winter in front of a south facing window.  B.G. is supposed to be a really strong grower but mine has an average growth rate among the figs I am growing.  I should also mention that neither of these figs sustained any cold damage this past winter - they were overwintered in a garage.  I guess I won't start thinking about taking extreme measures unless they fail to fruit next year too.  They are in primo spots in my yard and I won't wait forever for them to live up to their promise.

Steve,

For me Batagglia was one of the strongest growers and definitely the best producer by volume.  It went from cutting to 5' tall and yielded 25 or so figs in just 9 months.  

Wills do the leaves on mine seem similar to your B. G.?  Of course I have no reason to doubt the source of either of these trees.  Anyway, I'm jealous that you are getting fruit already - I've heard so many good things about this variety!  Of course others that I rooted back in March already have figlets on them - go figure.

Steve,

Here is a picture of the Batagglia that I posted on the board July 17 2013.  So 4.5 months after being planted.  It is the one to the right.  The picture further down in the post showing the unripe figs is the battaglia also.  Here is the thread  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/yet-another-update-6431700?pid=1278779552#post1278779552   

I took a lot of cuttings from it but it took off this spring and is covered in figs, will take a picture tomorrow and post it.  

 

Steve,

Here are the pictures of my Battaglia taken a few minutes ago.  Planted as a 1 gallon March 2013. 

 

 

Steve,
Where did you get your plants? I'm more then happy to give you cuttings of my BG and PG. Both of mine were a bit late compared to certain very early and productive varieties but I don't consider either to be of any concern. BTW -- a visit by you soon should get you a pretty good variety of figs to sample. The brebas are just about done and the first main crop figs are ripening up.

My paradiso is first year and has no figs. My BG is a second year plant, purchased from Bill Muzychko. It has 22 fruits maturing at this time. Can't wait to try them!

Wills, your Battaglia Green is doing great.  It looks very productive for you.  The leaves look similar enough to mine that I don't think a variety mix-up explains my issue.

Mike, very generous of you to offer the cuttings and the sample of figs.  I'll send you an email re. a visit.  The Paradiso was obtained through Gene and the B.G. was from Scott Smith (Baltimore) who got it some years ago from Paradise nursery.  It has done well for him - it is his favorite variety out of the ~ 5 that he grows.  By the way I vaguely remember that you got some cuttings from him too.  If so, do you know about their productivity?  I suppose I should start new versions of these varieties as back-ups in case neither of my in-ground trees produce fruit next year.  I wonder how common it is with figs to grow up a variety from a mother tree that is productive and then find that the new tree is not productive.  Out of 20 or so varieties that I have propagated from cuttings to trees mature enough to fruit these are the only two that I have had problems with.

Rafael - I wouldn't worry about your Paradiso yet - it will probably be fine.

Here's an update - I'm now convinced that there are tiny figlets forming on both the Pardiso (Gene) and Battaglia Green from branches that were pinched about a month ago.  They won't ripen this year but hopefully this is a good sign for figs next year.  I wonder if the level of nitrogen in the soil (which is fairly high as I put compost and other organic matter on every year) has something to do with the lush growth but lack of fruiting until now.  Maybe these two varieties are more sensitive to that because the other figs growing around them have a nice main crop forming. 

Steve,

On the nitrogen front I don't think so.  I push my plants pretty hard.  Weekly fertigations of 21-0-0.  It may be the pinching?  I pinch a LOT and perhaps that has an effect, though you could not tell by looking at my Kathleen Black which is huge, luscious and remains defiant to my urge for it to fruit.

Wills, interesting you brought up KB.  My in-ground KB is now my only hold-out for fruiting among my figs that were not rooted from cuttings in the last few months.  It did put on quite a few figs last year but too late too fruit.  This year I thought it is going to be in-synch with the seasons and  will start fruiting early enough to get lots of figs.  But it froze to the ground and the shoots that have come roaring back have resisted all my efforts to get it to fruit.  We'll hope for better next year.

This is a bit of an update on two of my in-ground figs: Battaglia Green and Paradiso (Gene).  Later last season (sometime in July) both figs set a large crop but it was too late for them to ripen properly although I did taste a Battaglia fig in November which was getting close to being ripe.  Clearly they are capable of being productive figs; it's just a matter of getting them to set figs early enough. 

Even with protection I lost most of the wood from both over the winter.  Each had about 1 foot of stump or so that was still alive.  So they didn't die to the ground but were extensively damaged.  Anyway, unlike last year, the Battaglia has set figs early enough I'm sure they will ripen this year!  My Paradiso (Gene) got a relatively early start breaking bud compared to my other in-ground figs and has put on a lot of foliage.  However, it hasn't set any figs yet, even with some pinching.  I guess it doesn't respond well (in terms of fruit production) to being cold damaged.  I'm curious if others have noticed this too.  This will be its 3rd season and still no figs.  I'll try to post photos tomorrow.

Both BG and Paradiso(G) are very late ripeners here. Without green house aid here, they
are not worth my while keeping. I am thinking of getting rid of them due to space issues
as I have good tasting varieties that ripens earlier like JH Adriatic, Norella, I258, Gypsy etc.

Thanks for your comment, Paul.  I chose these cultivars years ago because they have a proven track record in my area - the Paradiso mother tree was found in Wash. DC by Gene and the Battaglia mother tree was found somewhere in Virginia.  The only explanation for the Paradiso reluctance to set a crop in a timely manner is the recovery from cold damage.  That would seem to make it a hit or miss variety when grown in ground here though, admittedly, the last two winters have been way colder than normal.

Kathleen's Black is a similar animal.  A great reputation for the mid-Atlantic area and was also found growing in Washington DC before being distributed widely.  I've had this one since 2012 and haven't gotten any fruit when grown in ground.  It doesn't look like it will fruit this year either.  It always eventually sets fruit but too late to ripen.  Both KB and Paradiso(Gene) get around 10 hours of sun per day and are in primo spots in my yard.  Hopefully we will get a mild winter this time and they will respond accordingly.

My BG set fruit late for its first few years but this year it's already set fruit.  In previous years I'd taste 1 or 2 in Oct.  My JH was the same.

Bob - that's encouraging and is consistent with what I am seeing from Battaglia Green this year.

Hey Steve, I have both but in containers. Both will ripen fruit early this year. The Paradiso was a little slow out of the gate to set fruit, even with greenhouse head start, but I count about 10 fruits in its first year of production. I look forward to breba next year as well. Battaglia has slowed down and is not setting any further fruit. Strange.