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iamkaki

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Hello!
I was so happy to find this forum today.  I have been wanting a fig tree for a while now...ever since I tasted my first fresh fig.  Just this past month I found some at our local nursery and bought two, a Brown Turkey and a Celeste (now I know there are many more varieties out there!). 

I happily planted those two trees and they are doing well, with figs already showing.  So I am excited to see the fruit. 

Yesterday I was perusing Craigslist under farming and came upon an ad for a semi local guy saying he had over 100 varieties and he was a hobbyist on the fig plant.  He is selling his two year old plants.  I am excited to go over there today to see what he has. 

Since seeing that ad I started looking around on the net and learned how to grow figs from cuttings...then I learned people selling cutting on Ebay....and then I found this forum! Who knew all this was going on? I can easily see myself getting carried away and before you know it I will have an orchard of figs in my back yard...many even merging into the front. 

I live in VA, near DC so am eager to learn which plants grow best in the area and how to take care of my plants when winter arrives. 

Also would like to know what you do with all the figs when they are ripe.  Recipes? Freezing tips etc. 

Thanks!
Kaki

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bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
welcome to the forum. that's the way to go, getting the tree that's ready made and will be giving you figs soon. you can work on cuttings and other stuff later when cuttings season starts :)
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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...*****
iamkaki

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Thanks Pete!
rcantor

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Welcome to the forum!  We're all enablers here.  May as well plan on using the whole front yard.
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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.
garden_whisperer

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
welcome to the forum. hope you dont have addiction problems because your about too :)

I started with a celeste and pete' s honey a few years ago then added a hardy chicago. over last winter i rooted alot of dif kinds. I have right now 19trees in ground and 7 potted. and am inventing room for more. so i am going to take what Bob said a little farther. plan on the back yard the front yard then you will start moving to friends and families yards. :)
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Dave Zone 6b Illinois

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
newnandawg

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Kali, welcome to the forum. It's sounds like you will soon max out your back and
front yard and start looking for a place to move to. LoL
Rewton

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Welcome to the forum from another fig fanatic in the DC area!
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Steve MD zone 7a
BronxFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Welcome....there's plenty to learn here from past postings covering all subjects, even the subjects you mentioned above, to the actual culture used for fig trees in various sections of the country.

Take a breath, and don't buy trees on impulse.  Read first, buy later. 

By this time next year you will have many, many more fig trees.  Very difficult to find the discipline to resist buying yet another tree.  There's always room for another tree.  You are hooked....like all of us. 

Wait until you taste a perfectly ripe fig that you have grown!  Have fun.


Frank
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Bronx, NYC
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Pattee

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Hi Kaki and welcome ! I also started out with 2 trees and my collection has increased to about 30 trees in a short time - various ages and about 30 +( maybe more - but who's counting ) cutting starts from this past fall and spring . This year I should be getting a fair amount of figs at least by the baby figgies showing up. I'm excited to grow new varieties all the time. All mine except for one are grown in pots.
There are members here who's collection is in the hundreds and a couple members (maybe more) w/a thousand + 

I made a fig pizza last year that was delicious. Use the search feature above , there are recipes posted , even a web site was posted with loads of great recipes.
Happy hunting and growing !!
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7a & 9b ►I assume all my figs carry FMV ◄

Seeking :  Italian 376,395 , Galicia Negra, Negretta,UNK Pastilliere ,Pananas Purple,  Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud)


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-  Gandhi
Allora

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Hi Kaki.  Welcome.  When I get alot of figs, I give them to friends, cousins, neighbors, etc.  Last year I cooked some figs into a jam consistancy and used it to make a crumble type cake.  This year I want to make an upside down cake using figs instead of pineapple.  You can cut them in half and grill them.  Or bake them in the oven with a little honey. 
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Valerie
New York, zone 6b
javajunkie

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Welcome Kaki,
I only started in March and I have over 50 varieties now :) OOpps
We're all afflicted with a touch of madness when it comes to these trees.
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Tami
SE Texas
MichaelTucson

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
There's a good chance your craigslist seller is on here.  At least one member on here is in northern VA and sells trees on craigslist.  (Probably more than one).  Welcome to the forum, and welcome to the hobby.

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a 
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Pauca sed matura.
Dieseler

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Welcome to forum from near Chicago.
iamkaki

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Thanks for the warm welcome.  You all make me laugh.  I am in deep trouble aren't I???
Charitup

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
I'm so happy your here for some reason it makes me feel like I have less of a problem everytime a new addict is identified.  I am feeling much better now so again thank you.

goss
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goss
North Ga.
zone 7
memphis_fig_grower

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
That's the way I started.  Two trees last winter and now I have 22 varieties and still looking for more. In all I have approximately 60 fig trees in pots and five in the ground. Like you I'm looking for places to put figs in the ground and now I'm starting to think about the front and side yards.

Growing figs becomes an obsession not a hobby. What starts out as a hobby quickly outgrows your pocketbook for the desired next fig tree.


Enjoy your addiction and welcome to the forum. I saw one of the contributors tell you that we are enablers and that is so true. A lot of the guys here are responsible for helping me get my start with a few cuttings and advice on how to grow them. Just ask, and you will get response and help from everybody. Enjoy!
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Bill
Memphis TN, Zone 7b/8a
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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
Hello Kaki,
Welcome to the forum community...
Lots to learm, Many to help.
And Yes its addictive.
Good Luck.
omotm

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Kaki,

You are in more trouble than you know.  Welcome to the group.
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Steve
Houston, TX
Zone 8b

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Zingarella
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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
Welcome. I just started myself and it is an addiction!!
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Greg North West Arkanasas Zone 6b
Wish list: any SPECTACULAR cold hardy figs, and/or perhaps a Niagra Bl., Laradek EBT, Kathleen's Bl, Hunt, a great UNK or anything anyone wants me to have???
garden_whisperer

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
oh yeah. i started with a few and now my collection is growing rapidly. some nice oned too but nothing to fancy as of yet. im already planning on plantin 30-40 more on a friends farm. and another spot on another farm along a pond.so as long as i get all these spots filled i will have loads of cuttings to share.
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Dave Zone 6b Illinois

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Allora

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
Yes you are in trouble.....but you are in good company!!
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Valerie
New York, zone 6b
BrianDC

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
Hi, I live in Alexandria, VA. I have a Celeste as well. It does well in our area. My only problem with it is that it will drop figs if it gets too dry and hot. So my advice is to water it well if we start to get a dry spell in the summer while the figs are maturing.

Also squirrels are a problem but I don't have any advice about them.
HarveyC

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allora
Hi Kaki.  Welcome.  When I get alot of figs, I give them to friends, cousins, neighbors, etc.  Last year I cooked some figs into a jam consistancy and used it to make a crumble type cake.  This year I want to make an upside down cake using figs instead of pineapple.  You can cut them in half and grill them.  Or bake them in the oven with a little honey. 


My sister just sent me a link to this Fig Upside-Down cake posted four years ago on a recipe site.  I checked to see if maybe someone had already posted it here but I found only your post here, so here it is:

http://www.grouprecipes.com/73251/upside-down-fresh-fig-cake.html
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Harvey - Correia Farms
Isleton, CA (Sacramento County) USDA zone 9b, Sunset zone 14

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Maro2Bear

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Posted Reply with quote  #24 
Big Welcome to the Forum Kaki

As others have said, you are off to a good start with your recent fig tree purchases! Something to observe and take care of daily in your garden in between reading everything that you can here on the forum. Plenty of fig fanatics here in the greater DC area.
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Mark B., Glenn Dale, MD Zone 7a
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Posted Reply with quote  #25 
Welcome to the forum. Be prepared to be overwhelmed by the kindness and knowledge that this forum contains and good luck with your coming addiction to figs.
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Wish List:St. Rita,LdA, and any unknown heirlooms
figqueen13

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Posted Reply with quote  #26 
Hi Kaki, welcome ! I f I see any fig recipes, I'll send them your way.:) Elizabeth.
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Elizabeth, Richmond, Virginia zone7a . 
ForeverFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #27 
Welcome to the Forum Kaki...the Celeste and Brown Turkey are two good choices to start off your "collection"...I'm sure there will be many more varieties in the future...good luck with your new hobby.
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Vince
Edison N.J.
Zone 6b

Wish List: LaRadek's EBT
Allora

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Posted Reply with quote  #28 
Harvey - thank you for the link to the fig upside down cake recipe.  Looks really good!!
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Valerie
New York, zone 6b
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Posted Reply with quote  #29 
Welcome and enjoy the figs and fig folks
MariannaMiller

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Posted Reply with quote  #30 
Welcome Kaki,  Keep reading posts on the Forum and you will find lots to do with figs. Celestes dry well and lots of varieties especially some of the smaller to medium sized varieties can be easily canned in a light syrup and are great for a breakfast treat or winter desert. Not sure you can ever have too many figs :)
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Wish list: Patlicans, Adriatic, Salem Dark, Lebanese Red, Conadria
In Ground: Alma, Brunswick,Bryant Dark, BT, Celeste, Dominic, HC, It. Honey,LSU Purple, Mission Black, Sarizeybek;  
In pots: Ashlan, Atreano, Blk Bethlehem, El Molino Unk.,Excel, DK, Gr. Ischia, Kadota, Lattarula, Nero 600, VDB, Olympian, Petit Negri, Unk. Plainfield, Unk. Slidell Blk, Sweet George, Unk Portuguese Purple, Unk. It. Yellow, White Genoa, White Tx Everbearing; Madison SC 29693 (7a/7b)
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