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Varieties that will ripen here

For Canada - Vancouver & Fraser Valley(Up to Chilliwack) zone these varieties have ripen with a
"happy" size crop for me are :

Desert King                LSU O'Rourke(M)                 Florea(M)                         Osborne Prolific
Gilette                       Longue d'Aout(M)                Granthams Royal               Salem Dark(M)
Latarrula                    RdB(M)                              Melanzana(M - Adriano)       

Notes : M denotes main crop
                            
The above are based on trials with trees grown in ground. My LSU O'rouke is grown in a a large
garbage bin on wheels. My Favourite for brebas based on the above re productivity & taste is Granthams Royal.
It is awesome. My favourite for main crop based on the above re taste & productivity would
be RdB followed by LSU O'Rourke.

Latarrula and Osborne Prolific gives me both good size breba and main crop. I do not grow
Gillete anymore based on less favourable taste. Both Granthams Royal and DK needs fig wasp for main crop
and there are no fig wasp here.

Valuable info!  RdB was one of the first to ripen for me.  Interested to see what it does this year, as it's still a young tree.

Frank, I get a productive RdB crop, more than we can eat.

Paul, have you tried Improved Celeste? That ripens very early, too.

paully22,
Are you protecting your inground figs in any way?
Are you using a greenhouse or hoop house to gain additional length of season?
And which main crop figs ripen the earliest - Florea?  Others that rate as very early?

Finally got a couple of ripe Improved Celeste last season as they have a tendency to die to the ground. Awesome
tasting though. Definitely a keeper. Looks like I will start my IC in the green house this season. Thanks for the
feedback Kelby.

Thanks for the report, Paul!
How close/similar is the DK to Granthams Royal?

By far Granthams Royal is superior in taste. We enjoyed GR so much & neglected DK. My tree came from
Jon and JRice told me he gave Jon cuttings.

Ah! How nice!
I visited R. Watts a few weeks ago and picked up a tiny GR in a cup. I asked him about a history of his fig and was surprised to find out that the GR almost originated from him (basically, it was discovered by a different gentleman but Richard sent it aroind). We are talking about the same GR, right?
I hope to taste it this season.

I think it was Jrice that named this fig Granthams Royal. He said he like it very much - based on taste, reliability, productivity and size. I trial this fig based on Jrice writings and we eventually got in touch as he wanted to know where my source. I have not heard from Jrice for at least 3 yrs. 

I visited R.Watts a few yrs back. He has an interesting collection and I would visit again if I am in LA area.
A must visit is Harvey -- he has a commercial farm growing chestnuts, sapote, and likely over 200 varieties of figs for commercial. Looks like before I visit Harvey, I got to place my fresh figs order in advance.

Hey Paul
Great info! 
Do you think this would also apply to Southern part of Vancouver Island as well (Victoria, Nanaimo)?

Thanks for the very helpful info Paul.
I always pay close attention to your variety choices.
RDB is one of the best for me as well , on the other side of the continent from you.
I need to try Grantham's Royal here.

Great Info Paul

Thanks

Great information! My brother bought a house on an island in Washington last fall, he said there was 1 fig tree on the property (I don't know what it is yet) and I've been wondering what other types of a trees I should give him so he has more. Thank you for narrowing down the list.

To all who wrote for GRANTHAM'S ROYAL cuttings. I have none to spare for at least the next 2 yrs.
 
I am currently sharing it with friends locally. Most likely my tree is the only one producing well in
Canada. I know of 2 other people having this variant and their tree is about 2 yrs old.

@ Pino
- This variant would do great in any zone where DK has done well. An experience fig enthusiast sample
GR figs off my tree last season and he acknowledges it is superior in taste over DK. 

Great info Paully. How does Lattarula stack up against GR, both Breba and main, how old is your RDB and do you still have a Brunswick ? I thought I read in one of your postings that you did. If yes how does it hold up and perform in your area? Sorry for the questioning! Your opinion is always very valeuable ! Thanks in advance!

paully22, do you have interest in doing more LSU figs?  It seems obvious to me that Champagne would work well, where you are and give you a flavor profile that you might be missing to perfect satisfaction...

@ChrisK -- I got rid of all my Brunswick but one manage to survive due to my procrastination. Last year we had
superb summer weather and my wife chance upon them and told me they taste very delicious. She cited that's the kind
of figs she likes. I sampled one reluctantly and came off much surprise how delicious it was, even as a breba. I am
planning to place a roof over my tree to prevent rain from rupturing the figs. I encouraged a fig collecter to sample
my Brunswick and he was surprise how delicious it tasted. It is a keeper even for the fewer delicious figs we get.

GR is better tasting than Latarrula. Some said it is Dauphine. GR does well for Jrice who hails from GA. RdB is 4 or 5 yrs old.

I have LSU Champagne -- from Jon.

Thanks very much Paully. Best of luck with the Bruns this year,definetly one of my favorite figs also.

Paul, all good info for folks in short season locations.   But look what you've done triggering a world-wide buying rush and resulting shortage on Grantham's Royal!  ;)

Thanks for the info. 

Paully,
You listed LdA as ripening main crop, but haven't really mentioned fruit quality at your location being good, bad, or otherwise. Can you expand on this variety? Or is your tree just young and you don't have much of an opinion yet other than it can ripen main crop?

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