While gazing upon my lovely little Celeste today, I was dreaming about another tree or 2 or......   and a thought crossed my mind.  Is it possible for me to get sick of figs?  I admit I thought about it for a second then quickly dismissed such a blasphemous thought as the most ridiculous thing that ever crossed my mind.

What was I thinking!

JoAnn....

Who could answer this question?  It is interesting to wonder about though.  In my particular case, I would say yes, but then again, maybe, no.  Why?

First, my growing conditions are lousy.  My short, growing-season, eliminates all but a few fig varieties that will ripen over a short, hot, summer.  All other varieties are off limits, or will not ripen properly.  Winters are too cold, and figs must be protected...a pain in the caboose.  So, in-ground  trees are out, also.  More work.

Second, my growing space is tiny compared to the huge gardens other members have.  I have room for only maybe two-three small trees, if I push it...5 trees that I could overwinter in my small storage shed.  I grow in containers, so it's always constant care.  At this point, I don't mind doing this routine, I only have 4 trees.  If  I had a huge collection, in containers...I would mind.  I love figs, but I am not a fanatic about collecting, and growing every variety.  For others, that's fine.  Do what ever makes you happy.  Now, if I were able to grow, in-ground, and my growing conditions/climate were better, then, yes, I would have a very large collection...in-ground growing, is almost care free growing.

But to answer more accurately, getting sick of figs, no.  Getting sick of the work involved...in my particular situation, yes.  I'm not getting younger, and schlepping around heavy containers is the work for a young man!  I discovered that, me, myself, I,  could grow fig trees, came too late, and it was only in 2007, after a trip to the now lamented, Belleclare Nursery, that I learned growing fig trees in containers was possible.  The rest is history.

I'll stop, when I drop...and when I do drop...I'll have a fig in my mouth!  : )  Just some musings....

Frank

Nope as i eat them by the plate full and have no ill effects afterwards like some do by running to the bathroom.

One thing i get sick of is root pruning them, but little by little as i taste the new types i grow as they produce im getting rid of ones that are not up to par taste similar etc etc.

From the time I was a child I've had a great love of fruit trees and edible crops. It's deep in the blood. Fig mania the latest manifestation of that.  Will I still be trying to start 200 cuttings at a time in 5 years? Most likely not. (Maybe only 20.) By that time I hope to be watering and appreciating and fussing-over and pruning and eating from my several in-ground fig hedges and various potted figgies.

I enjoy growing the tree itself as well as eating the fig. It's not the work that bothers me so much as lack of time. With the family, and my other hobby, time is in very short supply.

I still have couple of cuttings coming in, and I need to set up air layer. Not to mention moving the rooted cuttings into 1 gal pots. I came back from MD last night at 0230 hrs. It was 22.5 hr day with 15 hr ride for 3 min competition. I moved 7 rooted cuttings into 1 gal pot today, still have 11 to go before I'm done.

Pete

No way. I wish I had strike el dorado lottery. I will have a fig house and invite fig friends to come over for pow-wow fig talks over boil cajun food like the way Gene does it.

Paully - Count me in! 

I know my self by now and how I can get carried away with things.  I used to grow bonsai trees, has saplings and a few beginner to intermediate trees.  The amount of work and time I spent was and wasn't worth it.  We had moved to TX and that first summer I couldn't keep up with watering and they weren't even in the small pots yet!  Then the root pruning and branch pruning, wiring etc.  Then a bunch were stolen and the few remaining bit the dust the following summer.  I realized growing bonsai in TX was more for the retired age group to be able to keep up with the constant maintenance of pruning, re-potting and watering.

I've learned to "rein" myself in to not get in over my head - the reason for 1 tree now with plans for a few more which may become a fig hedge of my own.

Frank, I'm from LI NY and my family and most people I know with fig trees have them in ground - could you possibly put them in ground, keep them on the smaller size where you could cover them for winter instead of doing the big fig shuffle?

My families tree is quite old - 80 or so and has gone through a few transformations over the last 20 years (was told this).  I'm hoping for a cutting or 2 or 3 soon so I can have my family tree with me.

I don't think I could get sick of eating them - I have quite a few years of catching up to do!

JoAnn...

I'm seriously thinking about sinking my containers half-way into the ground and mounding a loose mulch around the containers to conserve moisture.  Then, in early winter, lifting them, for storage.  Right now, my trees get moved around by dollies.  Saves me from double-hernias.

Did the bonsai-routine also.  Constant work.  Nothing more than pets with sap!

At this point, I still really enjoy the whole growing process, and will continue as long as my attitude doesn't change.  However, I always keep the future in mind, but live for today.

Thanks for the thought-provoking subject.  Enjoy reading the interesting, and varied responses.

Frank

If you like the bonsai look consider trying it with succulent plants. They are much more forgiving about lack of water and don't grow very fast hence less pruning. They need very little or no root pruning depending on what you are growing.

Sick of figs- No. But, sick of root pruning them for sure. 

Honestly I do get tired sometimes of the mess I create with fig tree pots in the backyard until I see fat figs on the plants and the anticipation of ripe figs makes me perk up and get going until the end of the season.