Hi y'all, I was wondering, did you guys get your first fig trees as potted plants or cuttings? Which do you prefer for getting new plants? Also, what (relatively common) varieties do you guys like the best, especially for hot climates? Thanks!

I started my first dozen trees from cuttings. First year all cuttings failed. In my third year now and have lots of trees but as of yet no fruit. Definitely start with cuttings AND buy at least one bearing tree.

First 2 trees from cuttings, 3rd from nursery, the next 1200 from cuttings and nurseries. Prefer plants, to save time, but the vast majority are from cuttings.

First few were "shovel propagated" from a mother tree that had lots of trunks and new suckers springing up.  After that a few trees bought from nurseries, a bunch from cuttings, and some more were given as gifts to me already rooted.  Mostly (more than three quarters) were from cuttings.  Most of them are in pots, but a few are in ground (with significant winter protection required in this cold climate).

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a

first 3 were potted trees. didn't know how to root back then and didn't want to wait too long to taste fresh figs off the tree i grew. rest of them are mostly ones i rooted from cutting. few others were air layer trades, and some rooted cutting trades. and then there are gifts.

My first trees were all at bearing age.  I would strongly urge any first time grower to buy the oldest, and, largest trees available.  Older trees will be quicker to bear figs and will be more forgiving of cultural mistakes.  Nurseries like ISON"S, sell "Instant Orchard" fig trees that will give you figs this year.  In my opinion, it's worth spending the extra money, and will shorten your waiting-time for figs by 2-3 years.

Cuttings, are a great way to acquire fig varieties that are not sold commercially.  To get some of the rarer varieties, you will probably have no alternatives to rooting cuttings.  Then you'll wait 3-5 years to taste a fig, and that's if all goes right.  The same with smaller, rooted plants.

I just ordered a 5-gallon "Black Mission" from Rabbit Ridge Nursery, and I received a 4-ft. plant with great roots.   It will probably bear figs this season.  I just saved a minimum of 3 years of waiting, and growing.  The tree, including shipping, was less than $45.00, and the nursery took all the risks.   My time is worth more than $15.00 p/year, and I'll get to eat some figs in August 2014-2015.

Also, don't forget about air-layering larger branches, off older trees.  You can get some fig-bearing  plants in one season, by using this method.


Just my thoughts.
Frank

my first one, which was and still is Unknown, is from a cutting, I took it from China Town, in end of March of 2013. There is a medium size fig tree I see every time I am at my accountant's office. It always has figs on it but I have never seen ripe ones and never tasted them, but they were purplish-green big size figs with red interior. So it's still growing in3 gal pot. Didn't fruit this year either...:/
the rest are cutting, all cuttings. I can;t afford plants , specially from Nursery.

My first ones were all cuttings.  The very first cutting was a broken limb from a tree at Home Depot labeled "Ischia".  (No!  I didn't break it off!.... . on purpose.....)  I'm assuming it's Green Ischia, but don't know for sure yet. Hopefully will find out this year.  It has woken up for the spring and looking good.

Last year I started several cuttings, a fair amount of them did well and with any luck I should get a few figs this year. But if I had to do it all over again I probably would have started with a fully grown tree. All of this waiting is killing me.

My first was a plant from Gurney's nursery.  After that, most are from cuttings with a few plants purchased here and there.

Suzi

Greetings all
I agree with all of the comments made by Frank @BronxFigs. I started off with a plain old nicely potted Hardy Chicago from our local Lowes. That same year we enjoyed a few ripe figs, the next a whole lot more, and our year three was wonderful! The fun of growing and then tasting our very own figs from an inground tree was wonderful, and got me hooked on growing figs. Once I knew that figs would easily grow and produce here, I started experimenting with cuttings. For a first tree, I'd vote for a nice affordable tree that will bear figs for u to taste quickly! Good luck.

Last winter, I bought a Blackjack from my local nursery. It was a Dave Wilson grown tree for $19. I planted it in a half wine barrel, and by late summer it was giving me some dark, delicious figs. I've acquired a few more since then, and am rooting many cuttings. Been told my area may not have enough heat for some, so I intend to find out  which will work here.

My first 3 came from Ray Gavin in 1997 when he lived in Georgia before his divorce....when he use to sell plants.

Bought two trees with figs on board last summer.  Both had fruit on them when purchased and they all ripened.  Only ones to drop where when they were ripe and I was not here at home a few days.  (bad time and no one watered the trees while we were gone, thought I had lost them when I got home but they came back)

Bought two small dormant Chicago Hardy plants a few weeks ago.  Will see how they do in containers this summer, basement dwellers next winter then see what I decide to do.  I ought to be more knowledgeable by then!

I broke off a small branch moving the two trees in and out of the garage, so have it sitting in some water on the kitchen window ledge until I can read up on what to do with it!

i held off on Hardy Chicago for yrs. i didn't go for common figs that were available online. then i kept hearing about HC. i found a source that had HC from Paradise Nursery and obtained the rooted plant. last yr for whatever reason, it didn't grow. this yr, it's starting do some amazing things. i'm looking forward to it. i hear it's like rib eye steak while others are more like.. dog food. 

HC in underrated .

Hi,
Always thought fig trees would not produce here.
Then I saw an unknown strain producing, after starting that ufti strain from a root sucker, I bought 3 other strains as the trees were rooted and not expensive - they had figs on them and produced 3 figs each.
I mostly go through buying trees at nurseries. This year I started 3 strains from cuttings.
Let's see which strain performs better - here !

Ok, it sounds like I should probably get a plant then, at least for the first tree. At my local nurseries it seems they have Kadota, Brown turkey, black mission and Celeste. Their are obviously more choices online but I am nervous about ordering a plant online and having it shipped. What do you thing would be best? In store vs online? Variety? Sorry for all the questions, thanks though :)

Thanks for all the stories also! I love hearing about how you guys got started.

Hi PatrickStar,
How much do those trees cost at your nursery ?
If you buy in a physical nursery, you could choose the tree yourself ...
So how big is the difference of prices between online and physical nursery ?

Well I could get Black Mission or Brown Turkey (maybe Kadota) for around $25 at home depot and Celeste or Kadota would be around $45 at a nursery. Honestly, I have gotten some nice trees from home depot so Im not too concerned about that. Im pretty sure online would be more expensive than that only because of shipping.

I started my first tree and subsequent 20-30 or so from cuttings.  Finally last year I purchased a fig in a 1 gallon container.  But starting with a decent size tree from nursery would definitely have it's advantages for a beginner as pointed out upthread!