it seems there are two type of fig growers. ones who just want the figs, and others who actually enjoy growing the trees and if they get figs, great. if they don't, too bad. 

i enjoy growing the trees as much as eating the figs. yr like last yr pissed me off since figs were not that good, but it was still fun watching the trees grow and rooting new varieties. 

i'm sure most of the members are somewhere in between those two... which one are you? 

kinda in between.i love growing all plants, but i really wanna have all the figs i need.

without a yummie harvest the hobby will lose its allure.

I enjoy growing things, but all  the things I grow produce fruit or berries. So I think you would say that I am a fig first man.

I love growing them, but in the long run only the ones that consistently make great figs will stay.

Still new to figs, but in general I'm somewhere in the middle. I like the rewards of eating something you labored on for months or even years in the case of my fruit trees.

The foliage might be nice but.....

One word sums it up for me. FIGS

I enjoy growing and rooting just as much as eating them.

I grow for the figs. The trees are nice and enjoyable to have. But I've already pulled several fig trees that weren't productive enough or that had figs that i didn't really like. Its all about the figs for me.

All of the above.  I want FIGS.  But it doesn't mean I don't enjoy the journey.

Actually, I am both, but I think I enjoy the "growing" part more. In all honestly, I probably do not need to start any more trees until I get rid of some.However there is something I find relaxing,enjoyable, and fulfilling with starting cuttings and the whole process of turning them into trees over time. Last year, being sick and having to rely on family to water and take care of my plants, I did not get one fig to taste. But that was ok to me.
Although I do have to admit, if I see a squirrel stealing my figs, I get very angry! lol!

For me it is both, I like watching the trees grow and progress into their shapes.  If they don't produce the figs then I don't want them though, too much work for nothing, quality is important to me too, as long as I can get more than a dozen then I am happy as long as it's a great quality, so I will have to get rid of a bunch this year if winter hasn't done it for me already.

I love to grow things but I like to eat the fruit of my labour too.

Even with 47 acres, I have space limitations.  So, if the figs aren't "good" or better, I need to get rid of the tree and make room for something better.

I don't watch TV.  Okay, maybe an hour or two a year and maybe 6-8 movies.  I spend much more time just looking at my baby trees under the grow lights, lol.

I've been experimenting here and there growing figs from seeds, I know the odds of getting a viable fruiting plant from one is slim to none but at the end of the day I really could care less because I enjoy just watching things grow. So I'm going to say I'm in it for the growing, rather than for the fruit.

But then again being able to eat the fruits of my labor (literally) is the icing on the cake for me.

Initially I would have said I grow figs for the figs but after giving it a bit of thought, I enjoy growing figs just as much for the production process/cycle.  Its not unlike the process you go through in developing a custom software application from scratch. You start out with a problem to solve "need more figs", set a budget, start out with some tools and some creative energy.  If you do a good job at each milestone, you end up with trees and fruit and more cuttings with which to start another cycle :). Yeah, I'll admit it I up on a stepladder a couple times a day to check the rootlings growing on the top shelf of my pantry. I am thrilled when I first see roots and again when the rootlings start to put out leaves.  Sure beats ordering seeds from a catalog and then having to wait until the right time to start them. Growing figs provides a daily dose of anticipation and satisfaction.

I like to watch the growth, assist when I can, and enjoy the harvest.  I love to see roots appear on cuttings, but past experience with fungus gnats makes me want to set those babies out as soon as possible.  I like big trees, not contained ones.  Big trees = more figs!

Suzi

I have always gotten immense satisfaction over growing my own edibles - whether it is lettuce, tomatoes or peppers etc in the garden, or raspberries, apples, pears or peaches in the orchard.  Figs are my latest addition to my edible growing repertoire.  If I only was growing figs for the appearance of a tree or plant, it would be far less interesting.  My gardening is also my relaxation hobby.  My wife likes it because it keeps me out of trouble :)   She grows the flowers, makes the place look nice (I help some, of course, but that is her baby).

Figs are kind of neat in that they offer some interest and excitement of starting a little plant and making it take off similar to starting seeds PLUS the permanence of orchard trees.  And of course, the promise of a tasty reward!

well said, ed.

Growing... definitely growing.

In the end, I would love to get a few new varieties that are A+ producers. But in the meantime, I love history, culture, and academia of it all--and exploring figs is a great vehicle for learning about all sorts of other things. I now know where Malta is on a map; that the Abruzzi was once two sister kingdoms; that Versailles' gardener LaQuintinie used hotbeds to grow asparagus during the winter; that in India, air roots from strangler ficus are used to build sustainable living bridges. It's rich, y'all! Of course, I also love those rockstar cuttings that seem to burst right out of dormancy into little trees overnight! Man, that's satisfying!
 
photo: http://colinkaeppel.blogspot.com/2010/12/living-bridges.html

For me it's more about the growing I guess but the fruit is the ultimate reward. I look forward to every season because every season has it's own reason to get out there and get your hands dirty. There are some deep reasons why growing fruit is so appealing to us and I can't quite put my finger on it but when I watch my young boys graze like cattle in fruit trees I get a little closer to understanding

I love the whole process, from cutting to tree;
The struggle to root, to harden, to free.

But what I want most is the swell of the wood;
To eat of a fruit both abundant and good.

Aloha, everyone!

First post here on F4F Forums.  I've been creeping here getting some tips and advice, but finally got the nerve to join in on the conversation.
For me, I would have to say it's all about the satisfaction of growing something from seeds or cuttings, and tasting the fruits of my labor.  Sharing them is even better.  But ultimately, my therapist says that it's good for me to talk to other people instead of just my plants ;)

Nate

Welcome, Nate.  Good luck with your figs, book 'em!