my thanks to you jon, for this forum. i certainly agree with woody and others that it is great to have this place to share the joy of fig growing and get so much help from those who have more experience. it is great to have others with so much patience for us newcomers. i am glad that i do not know what problems you mentioned about other fig forums since i am brand new to forums. you will all most likely laugh at me several times because i don't really know what i am doing on a forum and will likely make a bunch of mistakes. so, just grin and gently tell me the correct way to do it and i will try to remember.
and woody, just as we enjoy figs, your wife gets joy out of glass collecting. i don't understand that myself, but my husband likes to collect black amethyst, so.... i too prefer things i can eat, like figs and tomatoes and sheep and chickens (eggs mainly). we live on a ten acre farm and i would rather be outside than inside unless it is scorching hot or freezing cold. our farm is about twenty miles east of Higginsville - north of I-70. i'd be happy to trade chicago hardy cuttings for your strawberry verte cuttings. i am trying air-layering, just because i like to try new things and also plan to try cuttings.
the fellow that got me interested in figs is near St. Louis and he takes cuttings just before a hard freeze and then plants them horizontally with only the tip out of the ground. i think he starts them inside his heated hoophouse and outside. he was building a second house while we were there and will fill it with fig trees as well. he sells fresh figs in the st. louis area. he only knew the name of one of his varieties and called it Chicago Hardy (i prefer to know the names of all my varieties). the fruit did not look like the one i have. mine has dark fruit, his was lighter. i would like to go see him again before frost, but not sure we will make it. his second house is heated with water running through underground tubes. the sun will heat the water during the day and the water will heat the house at night. what a system!
woody was wishing for more room for overwintering figs. i understand that. i would like to add on to my 20x36 hoophouse with another one the same size. the price went up considerably and so i must save more money.
thanks for letting me know the difference in growing in your region as opposed to our cold missouri climate in regards to when cuttings are taken. makes sense when you know the reason. i appreciate your patience in telling me as i expect you have told it many times before. i really enjoy your website and reading all the info on figs. but don't you think you have teased us enough with all the wonderful, juicy photos? kidding of course. makes my mouth water.
now, i want to start a new 'thread'? since i know so little, i assume that is another subject to discuss. so, i will see if i can do that. and i am another long-winded one, sorry.
elizabeth