Why can't I stop looking on this site or searching for figs? Though I've had figs for years I've recently added a lot of plants. They are great...and I tell myself that I should be satisfied. But I keep looking. Problem is I don't really know which way to go next. There are so many varieties and my knowledge on figs is limited. Here is what I have so far:

Violet de Bordeaux
Tacoma Violet
Marseilles Black VS
Petite Negri
Conadria
Chiapetta (AKA: Consenza)
Hardy Chicago
Binella (Dottato)
KRMK Light
Desert King
Southern Brown Turkey
Unknown Mt Etna variety

So what should be my next additions??? Can some of you pros throw me some ideas. I'd like to get a nice collection going - including figs that you don't see everyday. I know it will take a while but that will be the fun part for me and my kids (they are also obsessed). Any suggestions on my next 3 "must haves" would be appreciated. I'm open to anything light or dark. But please keep in mind I'm in western PA. Thanks..Tony

Are you growing them in pots or in ground?

Well, you need something cold hardy.  So how about Verte (tastes like strawberries), and Ronde De Bordeaux.  Those are two I'd add.  They have reputations for being cold hardy.  I'm kind of clueless on that topic because I live in a very Mediterranean climate.

Suzi

Good point. All in pots. I will cold store them in a shed with enough heat to keep them from freezing. I'm also in the process of building a greenhouse. Thanks..Tony

You have a great start.  I don't think you need to add any.  Ronde de Bordeaux, JH Adriatic, Battaglia Green and Salce are ones to consider.  There are some great long season ones like Panache, the Col de Dames and Marseilles Black VS that you might want some experience before getting.  Maltese Falcon, Maltese Beauty and Sunfire are super premium figs but I don't know how long they take to ripen.  St Rita is an amazing fig and it does fine for me in Kansas City.   I don't know how long and hot your summers are so it's hard for me to tell. 

There are several people near you and you'd get their attention faster if you put, "Western PA" in the title.  Eit your first post, hit, "go advanced" and you'll be able to edit the thread title.

Some of those should be ok in ground if that's an option for you. As far as adding, I'd just wait until something catches your eye instead of just buying more for the sake of having more. I'm also in western pa

I would get Florea and try in ground. Maybe some hardy unknowns from your area

Travis: I've had figs for about 15 years. Until this year they were all brown turkey (I think - they were passed down from family) and I kept them in ground. I always winter protected them either wrapped or in ground (mostly buried). This winter converted me to pots only. I lost almost all my trees. When I decided to get some replacements it sparked a real interested in different varieties. Both my kids and I are having fun with it too...so I'm going to keep going. Also, we are really close. I'm in New Kensington.

Yep, I'm in cheswick right across the river, so you had all brown turkeys before and this past winter did them in? I'm planning on putting a few varieties in ground next spring.

Yep Travis. It wasn't a happy day. Fortunately a couple survived.

Tony I know what you mean about this forum, it seems like you got to have a look for just a second but you end up reading everything. It's like heroine, very addicting. I think Jon needs to make a rehab forum.
A few figs you might want to add, they're not all rare but they'll give you a variety of tastes;
RDB
Qalaat al Madiq
LSU Tiger
Malta Black
Any of the Cole de Dames
Preto

If you knew me last year I could of given you almost all of those but I lost just about everyone of my spares from this past winter. I had a heat failure and didn't notice it until a week or so later. Too busy plowing the driveway almost daily. Hoping to move south some day to get away from the white stuff!

Tony, I've been really happy so far with my Negronne. The breba crop was delicious, and all of the branches are really full of clusters of main crop. Seems to grow very well in pots. It's a keeper.

Thanks.  All good ideas.  I know I don't need more plants right now...I just want more.  I guess that's part of being nuts.  I'm sure some of you guys with 100, 200 or more plants got hooked at some point?  Anyone else have an opinion on good additions?Thanks..Tony

Hi ajv73,
How are you going to get them ?
At this point, I would advise you to take what your hands land on, except for the smyrna and caprifigs types.
You could even start some unknown - as long as the order is trustable and says his tree is producing, or you can see the figs yourself.

You could try "Dalmatie", "Sultane", "Pastiliere" , "Ronde de Bordeaux" ... lots of names that mean nothing if you don't have a source for ...

I would like to try tena and brunswick but so far was unable to get my hands on them. The only 2 brunswicks I saw were stunted, so I'll wait for a better looking figtree.
Surprisingly, I've never seen a "Tena" .

Also, you're not all that far from Trees of Joy, seller of some very unusual fig varieties.  Not far by West Coast standards, that is  :)

Thanks for the suggestion Bob.  I did see an article about "Bass", as I see him referred to on this forum, that was done by NPR.  I found his website and he does have a great wealth of info and a nice selection.  But the website says nothing is available.  I sent him and email a while ago and didn't hear back.  Maybe I'll try again because I do think we are relatively close - about 2 hours.  Might be a nice field trip for me and the kids. Thanks..Tony

Correction I must have put the wrong thing into Google maps.  Bass is closer to 5 hrs way.  That might be a bit of a stretch.  

I'm still a relative novice at figs, but I found this thread to be very helpful:

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/mountain-figs-cold-hardy-early-ripening-6533258


Of course there are plenty of Unknowns and newly named varieties not on this list, but I think it's a great starting point.

Thanks Kelby.  Great list.

I second the notion of container growing.

You'll get your figs faster b/c there's less temperature stress on them during the early spring, you'll be able to grow more varieties per square foot of space, and you'll never have to worry about die back.

Nice list there.  All of the fig varieties noted below are moderate to significantly cold hardy.

Tony I may also have something to trade next year, ill keep you in mind.