Hi Everyone,

A while back while my mom was visiting my garden and I was showing her the progress of the figs on the trees, she said something that stuck in my mind.  She said that I should never touch the young fig because that would cause it to stop its ripening progress.  Our family in the Middle East has been growing fig trees on their properties for generations. Even though the info stuck, I never really followed the advice because I'm amazed by the changes the fig goes through during its growth cycle and I cant resist.

While reading Eisen 1901, page 55:
"Care should be taken that the young figs are not injured or even touched.  If they are, they will not come to maturity."

Seeing as I am in zone 6, I have a hard enough time getting enough ripe figs as it is and it made me wonder if my fig touching is not helping my cause.

Can anyone confirm or deny these two sources of this information about touching young figs?

thanks
Nas

I have touched many of my figs and so far no problems with them getting ripe.
I grow the common type and not sure if touching the other type that needs the fig wasp would deter it or not as i have no experience in that regard.

Not including your hands, think of all the things that touch the figs while they are on the trees.  Bugs, Leafs, rain, frogs, dragonflys, birds, dust and dirt.  All the various sprays that you may use.  Im sure the list can go on so with that, im sure your hands will not harm the young fig.  My guess is its an urban myth that made its way into books.

 My Grandmother as well as your mother said the same thing nas33. Still to this day that pops in my mind as to Not touch them before ripe. I believe it and I think what it was meant was not to press them when we touch them?  I know alot of people go and give a little squeeze to see if they are ripening and this is what I won't do. I always just leave the fig alone and wait till it droops down then I go underneath and push up with my palm and it comes off. There is truth to this I think.

Botanical Bill, Nonna didn't read much books, but she knew this way back.

I have read somewhere about not touching the figs. Also, a friend told me about the relationship on touching the figs & not getting them to ripen thereafter. My wife have tells her friends to "hands off" with the same explaination and honestly most friends want to touch them especially to check whether they are ripe. I touch them and so far they have no problems getting ripe.

Yes, back in my childhood (oldie) home, I did get that "skin-itch" from climbing
big fig trees to the very top, to get otherwise not accessible good fruit,
and somehow contacting with that white-latex stuff.

However, here is another twist(ed)/story.

3-4 years ago, each time I went out to inspect my (NJ
back yard) fig trees, I ended up with a sudden itch
mostly on my (shorts-bared) legs. My first impression
was that I (getting old) was somehow getting MORE
allergic to them figs.

This happened without me ever touching any plant!
Was it the emitted gases??!! (contained/inside, they smell like cat-piss). 

One (famous) day the mystery was solved! It was the Newly
introduced foreign and very aggressive (daytime) biting Asian
(black/tiger) mosquitoes....