Hello Figs4Fun Forum!

Who knew there was a whole forum dedicated to figs?!  I am so thankful there is....

I have a question, which I am sure has been asked before, but I thought I'd give it a shot...

I live in Queens NY, very close to Long Island, NY..  depending on which hardiness zone zip code website you put my zip code into, it sometimes comes up as zone 6b and some some 7.

After a lot of research, on both Sal's and Chicago, those are the two I have narrowed it down to.  Clearly the Sal's will be a lot more difficult to source it seems like.  I have very limited space, it will be going into the garden in the apartment complex I reside in, as I look after the gardens here.  There is room for one large tree, but I don't think two, otherwise I would just try out both varieties.  Forgive me in advance for my list of questions, I haven't been able to find much information comparing the two, and what better place than a fig forum to ask! 

1. Which variety would you recommend and why?

2. I will be putting it in the ground and not a container, so should I start with a larger tree, and if so, how large?

3. Which variety if any, would I be able to expect fruit the first season?

4. Can you recommend a seller and where to purchase? 


Thank you all again for your help!

Joe

A good Hardy Chicago stain is you best bet. Even better is to get cuttings from your neighborhood just look around or go to a Greek/Italian/Portuguese neighborhood like Astoria 

1.) Hardy Chicago. Because it tastes great, grows great, and is readily available. Also because I haven't tried Sal's Corleone, which is rumored to split with rain; oh, and we got a ton of rain last year and my HC's didn't split and were still flavorful.

2,3,4) If you want fruit, get as large as you can and you will get at least some fruit this year. Jon at Encanto may have some. I got mine from Hartman's nursery(they have a website) and it is very healthy, grows good, and made about a dozen figs in it's first year. I bought the medium size that they offered. If you go with them and they don't have more than one size offered on-line, give them a call and ask, they are very helpful.

http://hartmannsplantcompany.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BU-R-0400-0025&Category_Code=OS-R&Store_Code=HPC

If you click in the tab that says select one, they have a 1 gallon plant offered. That is the one I bought.

Haha Ekierk, trust me the thought has gone through my head many many times (walk the neighborhood with pruning shears..no fig tree is safe...lol) ... even to just go to any one of my family members back yard and snip away... (and I probably still will), but I want to put something in already rooted, so it has the entire season to fill in.

cis4elk, thank you!  great advice!  I wonder if there is anyone in my area that has both and can weigh in! 

I am amazed at how quick you fig guys reply!  I am a member on many garden boards, I can sometimes watch paint dry quicker than get a response.. LOL

I have both and I have to agree with the choice of Hardy Chicago. Tastes great , cold hardy and prolific . I got mine from Lowes ! It was either in a 3 or 5 gal pot . You can ask if they will/can get some in.
The larger you get, the sooner you'll be eating figs !!

Sal's Corleone does split with rain.  

Oh and welcome Joe ! Good luck with your quest.

Hardy Chicago, you won't be disappointed. It is great tasting fig. I plan to eventually have 2-3 of them.

awesome!  Pattee, I see you're in LI, is there a specific Lowes you recommend? 

No specific Lowes . Hit the garden dept and ask for the person who orders their stock.   

alright cool.. thank you!

You're welcome - good luck

welcome. when living in flushing, never recognized any fig trees. then again, i wasn't looking at trees.

Hardy Chicago would be better choice from readily available trees.

LOL @ Bullet, I think it depends on where in Flushing you look... Flushing North, closer to Whitestone, you're sure to spot lots! 

nah... right near the main st. and franklin before the whole area was taken over by our chinese friends. 

tho i remember ton of mulberry trees in kissena park. used to climb those things and clean them out.

I was a Junior Park Ranger at Kissena Park, starting at 10 years old, until I was 17... LOL.  I even received an award from the Mayor for my dedication to Urban Park Service haha.  I am now 30, and those mulberry trees are still there! 

Welcome to the forum Joe.

Norhayati

Thanks Norhayati!

Yeah, Amazing, that was some quick responses.  I am here on the computer because its raining outside....LOL    Welcome to the F4F Forum Joe.

Sal's C, Sal's EL, and Hardy Chicago are all different, similar but different. there has been number of threads discussing this exact subject. do google on it using following string.

site:http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com sal's

junior ranger at kissena park :) that's cool. when i was living in flushing.. i don't think they would have offered me the job. i went to IS-237 and went to manhattan for hs short time. then moved down here in the middle of sophomore yr. that was back in 84.. i think.. wow.. that's 30 yrs ago now.. geesh.. now i really feel old. need another pint of jack and coke. 

anyway, i'm not sure what kissena park looks like now.. last time i was there, it was back in 86 or so. when i was growing up there, they used to have a big pond in the kissena park. around the pond where the mulberry trees. we would climb the tree and eat mulberry all day long. there were so good. and fish now and then. catch and release... poor fishes. it's not like they have some other places to go. "look! worm!"... "oh crap.. they hooked me again". 

velodrome wasn't so far away either.. back then they were all broken up. i heard now it's fixed and being used. 

hawaiian punch and funyuns when sun is up.. screwdriver and beef jerky when sun goes down.. i had some great memories up there. 

Welcome-  You'll have fun here.

Try: Edible Landscaping for  "Hardy Chicago" ....3-gallon/on own roots.  A plant this size may be very near, or at, bearing age.  Buy the oldest, and largest trees that you can afford, especially since the tree will be planted in the ground.  Protect the tree for the first few years until it gets woodier, and grows thicker roots.

Additionally....try: Bill's Figs, Flemington, NJ.  He has many varieties of figs that will probably do will in our cooler, short-season climate....and you might be able to buy larger trees.

Also, try Lowe's in Valley Stream, NY.  They have stocked "HC".  Maybe they will have this variety again, this year, for sale.

"Sal's Corleone" has been known as a splitter.  It may also be known as "Schar Italian"...(unconfirmed information).

Good luck.



Frank

Hardy Chicago -- hardy, reliable & more productive than SC. Another great one is Dark Portuguese - Reliable + productive + hardy.