Greetings all

Just a few weeks ago I was worried that only a few of my HC would ripen this year, but two weeks of gorgeous warm weather has really turned things around.  Here's one pix of three ready to pick, but I probably have about 15-20 to grab today.

That's fantastic Mark, enjoy your harvest. They look delicious.

hi, mark. how old is your tree? my HC is in its first year, so, when can i expect figs?

Susie
You should expect some next year and more in the years that follow.
HC should not disappoint you in the 2nd year.

thanks, ottawan. i'm looking forward to next year. kinda wish i knew what ''some'' means.

Mark,
Thanks for posting pictures and commentary.
Hopefully I will be in your situation, if the weather holds out. Most of the figs on my tree are swelling now.

Susie,
With proper culture a 2 year old should produce a few dozen figs. My pictured 2 year old in a 5 gallon bucket is ripening over 4 dozen.

oh, pete! that is wonderful news! very happy making.
thanks so much.

Susie, yes, like Pete said, second year you should get about 20 or more, but really depends on the overall size of your tree as well.  This is our HC's third full summer and it is well over 15 feet tall with multiple branches, and sub-branches.  Bought it in a one gallon pot three years ago and planted in the ground, southeast side of our house.  It gets a lot of sun from morning until late afternoon.  I pruned it way back last Fall to about 6 ft tall.  Today it is at the 15 ft range, lots of branches, lots figs.   This year I did add a drip irrigation bubbler to my garden, potted figs, as well as this HC.  I'll be pruning it way back to the 5 ft height again his fall, covering in shredded leaves and wrapping in a tarp.

In summary as far as fig yield:

Summer 2011 - less tham 10
Summer 2012 - close to 100
Summer 2013 - still harvesting, and plenty more to pick

that's great, mark. but i can't see how my tree will grow like that. it seems determined to be a bush. a very pretty bush, but a bush. in stead of gaining hight, it put out 2 additional main stems just inches from the soil line. as they are at the 45 degree angle, i haven't planned to eliminate them. unless there's a reason i should?

Hi Susie

Here's a quick picture just taken to give you an idea about the height of our HC.

Close up pix of two HC ready to harvest.

mark, how can you bear to prune such a pretty tree back?

Hi

I pruned it back last year to a "main" trunk and three or four smaller main branches, and pruned off all the long branches so i had small V, or Y, or W shaped endings.   Needed to do all of this so i could easily pull the branches together, and wrap in preparation for  harsh winter winds, frost, and snow fall.  Will be doing the same this November or so.

wait! you gotta do all that in 7a? if that's true, i might as .well forget this tree inground. i'm in 6a.

i heard HC isn't all that hardy, but i thot it was ok to zone 6.

Greetings

Since I posted earlier that there was plenty more HC to harvest, I wanted to at least share a photo of the picked crop, since I can't share the figs!   

Susie, not sure if I really had to fully cover the way I did, but why not! When there's a bounty of figs waiting in September, why take the chance of losing the tree?

well, that sure makes sense. i guess i'll keep mine in a pretty pot. i'll get less figs but it's my showpiece tree. it was my first, picked up on a whim as a houseplant. 

that led me here, n all of a sudden i got a bunch of trees. i have no idea how that happened.