Topics

What varieties shrivel on the bush?

Hi fellow fig lovers! I've only been growing figs a few years. Have a big greenhouse full of other fruits. My favorites are nectarine, apricot, and now figs.

The best figs so far in my greenhouse are Strawberry Verte and Paradiso. The later seemed to have a little bigger fruit size but more spoilage. What I like about these two are they shrivel on the bush to what seems like the ideal water content for best flavor and texture. I didn't like things like Black Jack that usually were too watery.

Given the above what other figs do you think I might like? Are only smaller figs going to shrivel much while hanging? Can I manage water better for things like Black Jack?

I'm reading and learning a lot. Thank you for all the good info to date!

Out there where you are you can probably air dry figs to whatever water content desired.  Here with our humidity and birds it is not wise to leave them on the tree.  I am now harvesting a black fig that I believe to be a Blk Mission and I am drying them in my dehydrator, they work wonderful at about 23-25% moisture, I don't know if that is accurate but a wise old man told me that was what he thought

Wish you were closer to Marshall for our get together.

Grise de St Jean Breba, Calabacita and Pajarero figs I know do but I don't know how they do in climates outside for western Spain and France.

I don't know if the Calabacita and Pajarero figs are the same, I can't find any evidence that they are the same but they look similar in pictures I have seen, I will have a better idea when I get some Pajarero dried figs in the next week or so.

Thanks Danny K, I wish I were closer also. Sounds like a good get together. Black Mission is one I want to try. I think they dry on the tree in CA commercial orchards.

Chivas thanks for those names. I'll investigate as they aren't at all familiar. There are so many names out there that it makes this all confusing and interesting at the same time.

Apparently, my Celeste.  :(

Bought it and a LSU purple form Ison's in January and put them in 20 gal pots.  They've both grown fine.. lots of leaves.  The Celeste put on about a dozen figs or so in mid June.  They grew for a few weeks to about the size of a nickel, then stopped swelling.  Now they are drooping, but are not soft and are still completely green.  They actually shrunk a little bit.  The first one dropped last night.  I think they started growing good in June when it was so hot, then July was rainier and cooler.  I think that's what did it.

The LSU Purple put on it's first fig about a week ago. We'll see how it does.

My cuttings from April are putting on more and bigger figs than these two big trees. lol


James: I've had no luck with Celeste outdoors or Blue Celeste in the greenhouse. They are dry small and tasteless outside. Blue Celeste in the greenhouse was still small but now watery tasting.

I tried in-ground in greenhouse but the plants were uncontrollable, sort of like grapevines, and didn't set much fruit. In pots they set fruit and are manageable. But Black Jack, Vista, and Brown Turkey were all watery. Only Paradiso and Strawberry Verte dry down enough to have a great flavor.

Reply Cancel
Subscribe Share Cancel