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brettjm

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Well, I guess it's official.  I have a fig problem.

I thought I was bad about the number of tomato varieties I grow each summer (saaaay...like 12-15).  Figs might turn into a whole other monster though.  Every time I go to Lowes or Home depot, I check out what they have in stock (why do I even bother?  It's brown turkey, celeste, or chicago hardy every time).  I finally gave in, and decided to be done with it.  After researching a bunch of varieties that should do well in my region (8a), I placed an order for UCD, knowing full well that I won't be getting cuttings from them for 9-11 months.  But hey, at least I can quit researching until next year, right?

Here's the list I requested.  I decided no more than 10 varieties (seeing as how it's a free service, and realistically, what on earth would I do with more than 10 fig trees?)

Adriatic
Black Madeira
Barnisotte
Celeste
Verte
Panachee
Black Ischia
Green Ischia
Violette de Bordeoux
Alma

It was my dang LSU Purple that started this.  They were too tasty to NOT look into getting more varieties.  Hoping I covered my bases well on flavors, colors, and styles of figs.  Now I just have to wait a year for cuttings, get them to root, grow them, and wait until they're 3-5 years old to taste their fruit....yeah...  I'll be back in 5 years...
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In GA, Zone 7b/8a
 
Wish list:  more space to put in figs.
schaplin

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
You won't have to wait that long for fruit.  You'll be back a lot sooner than you think.  I do the same with tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.
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Wish List: @Hmari, @Maltese beauty, @Col de Dame Grise, @Bryant Dark, @Lynhurst White, @Melcedonia Dark,  @Panevino Dark, @Paradiso
indestructible87

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
I wish I had a picture of it but last year my mother had well over a 100 tomatos most of them rotted and she didn't get too many. I had one tomato plant and she ended up asking me for fresh tomatos. As far as figs, you can never have too many
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Travis Pittsburgh, PA
donpaid

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
This is an affliction shared by all of us on the forum, in a good way though. It's not a problem, it's a blessing. Don't fight it. ;) welcome and best of luck!
javajunkie

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
If you have the self control to wait until you get your UC Davis order to get more figs I'll eat my mouse!
You would also be the ONLY person on this forum with that kind of self control.

We're all a little mental but we're lovable.
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Tami
SE Texas
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
problem is not so much as how many varieties you have.. it's all those duplicates and one that doesn't taste so good, but hard to just dump 'em. there was time when i had 3 trees.. just wanted 3 more.. then.. then.. they are like rabbits. they breed themselves. i don't know what happened, but now i have over 100 trees. all in containers. 
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Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
PhilaGardener

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
There are a lot of worse things out there :>)
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Philadelphia Gardener Near Philly, but winters still feeling like Zone 6!
GeneDaniels

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Yeah, fig addiction is a pretty mild problem, that is as long as you have enough land to keep planting more, or a garage to store them in over the winter. I have carefully thought through my yard issues and I can still plant 5-6 more if I keep them small. My problem is the West side of my back yard is a bit soggy and shaded by a huge tree across the fence. That leaves the best spots all on the high side. But I already have 4 figs + raspberries, blackberries, and the garden on the high side in the back.

Hummm, maybe its time for raised bed fig plantings?
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Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow.  Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
jtp

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Sorry to tell you that it seldom gets better. I started with just two trees. I think to myself, "They're trees. I can't have more than a couple, even in pots."

Soon thereafter, I hit the 100 tree mark, and swore I would cut back. Sure, I got rid of a few extras; that was progress, right?

I just started around 25 new varieties, thanks to my enablers (you know who you are). It's like in "The Godfather III": "Just when I think I'm out, they PULL me back in."

You are in good afflicted company. Besides, you can't eat most other vices.
brettjm

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Yeah, I doubled the size of my garden this year to about 650 sq ft, plus added 2 new blueberry bushes (in addition to my other 2).  Also added 4 blackberry and 4 raspberry plants.  Now I'm going to be having 10 fig cuttings that may or may not come in triplicate.  My love of growing things is...well I'll just listen to you guys...we'll call it a healthy addiction. 
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In GA, Zone 7b/8a
 
Wish list:  more space to put in figs.
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
yupe.. fig is just a start. after awhile, it down on me that i can grow other stuff.. so i got 6 blueberry plants, and few more i'm thinking of, some blackberry, raspberry, mulberry.. i'm planning on persimmon, pomegranate, and few others. not that i have land, but i found out most everything can be grown in containers :) 
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Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
ako1974

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
haha, this is funny. Growing does just spiral. My entire front lawn is a veg garden, plus an apiary, plus a potted fig orchard. my backyard is mostly for my kids, but there is a container herb garden as well - yes, I did need to grow 5 different kinds of basil this year. (I'm thinking it should also have chickens, but I'm just not sure...) But to mirror the sentiments of those in this thread, my mother-in-law always tells my wife, "at least he's not spending his time in a bar or just staying out all night." My wife doesn't mind, but my house has plants in every corner of it for germination, etc.

Happy growing to all.

Arne
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Arne
Zone 6a - NJ
brettjm

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Arne,

Ahhh bees, my other potential project was to start a colony.  My new property has the space, but I found out that between collecting honey, maintaining the hive, etc, plus startup, that it would cost me about 75 bucks a year over 5 years or something like that.  I couldn't justify it vs. other hobbies.
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In GA, Zone 7b/8a
 
Wish list:  more space to put in figs.
ako1974

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
In terms of finances, you're right. I read an article years ago by a beekeeper who said the average beekeeper, if diligent, won't reap a profit until year 5. That's the average beek. I know some who immediately turn a profit - the key, to me, is time. You need to get in there an make it work. I commute 4 1/2 - 5 hours per day, so my time is limited during the week.

As for me, a definite loss :) But I'm having fun. Who knows? Maybe this year I'll make something.
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Arne
Zone 6a - NJ
needaclone

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Brettjm,
  "and realistically, what on earth would I do with more than 10 fig trees?"
Haaa, haa, haa, haa, haa. 
That was a rhetorical question, right?!?!
That's a really funny quote...for reasons you will soon begin to understand as your "affliction" progresses.
Jim
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Clarksburg, NJ - Zone 6b Wishlist - A wise man recommended: Nero600M .  Malta Black . Tacoma (Takoma) Violet . Gino's . Adriatic JH  . Vista Mission . Florea . Atreano .  ...also...RdB, Bethlehem Black, Negronne, Grise de St. Jean, Livano, Col de Dame Blanc/Gris/Noir, Vasilika Sika, Longue D'Aout, Italian 258, Pennsylvania 6-5000
Joe_Athens1945

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bullet08
problem is not so much as how many varieties you have.. it's all those duplicates and one that doesn't taste so good, but hard to just dump 'em. there was time when i had 3 trees.. just wanted 3 more.. then.. then.. they are like rabbits. they breed themselves. i don't know what happened, but now i have over 100 trees. all in containers. 


I have a solution for my fig habit: I simply donate the healthy growing cuttings to the Plant Science Center here at the Univ. of Georgia for sale to the public at their Spring plant sale/fund raiser. That way, the fig buying public gets a chance to try cultivars other than Brown Turkey, Celeste and Hardy Chicago, the South's "Big Three" fig trees. It gives me a warm feeling and I am happy to donate the young trees.
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Athens, GA USA
Zone 7b

My young trees in the ground and in pots: Brown Turkey, White Triana JM, Magnolia, Strawberry Verte, Violette de Bordeaux, Panache, UK Brooklyn Dark JP, Ronde de Bordeaux.
 
Wish list: St Rita
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
Quote:
Originally Posted by brettjm
Well, I guess it's official.  I have a fig problem.   ...  Now I just have to wait a year for cuttings, get them to root, grow them, and wait until they're 3-5 years old to taste their fruit....yeah...  I'll be back in 5 years...


See, THAT's your problem.  You'll be 258 years old before you figure out which varieties you want.  If you want to be enjoying the best figs in 5 years you'll have to trial a few thousand varieties NOW, so you can start whittling down in 5-10 years.

Welcome to the mad house!
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Zone 6, MO

Wish list:
Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.
brettjm

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe_Athens1945
I have a solution for my fig habit: I simply donate the healthy growing cuttings to the Plant Science Center here at the Univ. of Georgia for sale to the public at their Spring plant sale/fund raiser. That way, the fig buying public gets a chance to try cultivars other than Brown Turkey, Celeste and Hardy Chicago, the South's "Big Three" fig trees. It gives me a warm feeling and I am happy to donate the young trees.


Joe,

No kidding?  I am in Athens and I check out the plant sale every year.  I've never found anything other than the Celeste and brown turkey.  They must go quick, because I usually get there pretty early.  Then again...I only check out 2 of the 3 sites.
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In GA, Zone 7b/8a
 
Wish list:  more space to put in figs.
Joe_Athens1945

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
Quote:
Originally Posted by brettjm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe_Athens1945
I have a solution for my fig habit: I simply donate the healthy growing cuttings to the Plant Science Center here at the Univ. of Georgia for sale to the public at their Spring plant sale/fund raiser. That way, the fig buying public gets a chance to try cultivars other than Brown Turkey, Celeste and Hardy Chicago, the South's "Big Three" fig trees. It gives me a warm feeling and I am happy to donate the young trees.


Joe,

No kidding?  I am in Athens and I check out the plant sale every year.  I've never found anything other than the Celeste and brown turkey.  They must go quick, because I usually get there pretty early.  Then again...I only check out 2 of the 3 sites.


Well, this is only my second year here and this next Spring, I am hoping I will have a greater supply of donated figs. Last month at Plantapalooza, I watched someone who had driven all the way from Ashville NC buy pretty much all of my donated plants plus a tall Celeste.  We shall see how next year goes! For all I know all of my plant babies will die and I will have nothing to donate. Keeping fingers crossed, however! Of course, this is Spring '14 and I am not even thinking about dormant cuttings .  :-) 


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Athens, GA USA
Zone 7b

My young trees in the ground and in pots: Brown Turkey, White Triana JM, Magnolia, Strawberry Verte, Violette de Bordeaux, Panache, UK Brooklyn Dark JP, Ronde de Bordeaux.
 
Wish list: St Rita
GeneDaniels

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bullet08
yupe.. fig is just a start. after awhile, it down on me that i can grow other stuff.. so i got 6 blueberry plants, and few more i'm thinking of, some blackberry, raspberry, mulberry.. i'm planning on persimmon, pomegranate, and few others. not that i have land, but i found out most everything can be grown in containers :) 



I've got 6 blueberries, 2 blackberry patches, two raspberry patches, 4 clove currants, 3 gooseberries, 1 mulberry, 1 pear, 1 Asian persimmon, 6 elderberries and 6 figs. I've just about exhausted what I can grow, in ground, here in Central Arkansas. I am still thinking about paw-paws, but I was not real impressed with the ones my Dad grew so I am undecided.
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Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow.  Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
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