Why I have only 3 Fig Trees

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Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1421953061	Reply with quote #1

In a previous thread, ohjustaguy asked for a photo or tour of my fruiting plants. I moved to my current home in April 2013. It needed a lot of work, most of which has been completed now. Here's a photo from July 2014 showing a portion of my tree collection in 25-gallon pots. Many of them are in the ground now: I really like figs, but that's not the end of it. Here's a list of the perennial fruiting plants I am cultivating. I had to narrow it down for space considerations. Apple, Gordon Apple, White Winter Pearmain Apricot, Gold Kist Aprium, Cot-N-Candy Avocado, Holiday Avocado, Reed Blackberry, Arapaho Blueberry, O'Neill Blueberry, Sunshine Blue California Huckleberry Cherry, Holly Leaf (CA native) Cherry, Minnie Royal Cherry, Royal Lee Cherry Of The Rio Grande Citrus, Grapefruit, Rio Red Citrus, Kumquat, Seedless Citrus, Lemon, Eureka Citrus, Lime, Bearss Citrus, Lime, Kaffir Citrus, Mandarin, Frost Owari Satsuma Citrus, Mandarin, Gold Nugget Citrus, Orange, MidKnight Citrus, Orange, Sanguinelli Citrus, Orange, Washington Fig, Janice-Kadota Seedless Fig, Panache Fig, Violette de Bordeaux Grape, Black Manukka Grape, Gold Manukka Grape, Southern Home Green Sapote Jaboticaba Java Plum Jujube, Li Kei Apple Konkerberry Loquat, Big Jim Mango, Valencia Pride Mulberry, Persian, Black Musa, Brazilian Musa, Mysore Musa, Namwah Musa, Pisang Ceylon Naranjilla Nectaplum, Spice Zee Nectarine, Snow Queen Passion Fruit, Frederick Peach, Mid Pride Persimmon, Izu Pineapple Guava, Nazmetz Pitaya, American Beauty Plum, Beauty Plumcot, Flavor Grenade Pomegranate, DPUN 0139 (Myagkosemyannyi Rosovyi) Raspberry, Bababerry Shisandra Vine, Eastern Prince Strawberry, White Alpine Surinam Cherry White Sapote, Sue Bell __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

tyro

Registered:1305930864
Posts: 230

Posted 1421953912	Reply with quote #2

Beautiful stuff Richard.365 day a year harvesting,welcome to the forum. Paul __________________ Paul.Simi Valley,Ca.Zone 9a/Sunset 18

GreenFin

Registered:1331268315
Posts: 684

Posted 1421954122	Reply with quote #3

I recognize that yard! Welcome aboard, Richard! I know your yard space is spoken for, but I see an entire roof that could be covered with figs :) __________________ James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile http://www.FigCuttings.com

COGardener

Registered:1357441505
Posts: 814

Posted 1421954235	Reply with quote #4

Looks great Richard, very nice list. Welcome to the forum. Scott

waynea

Registered:1362316304
Posts: 1,886

Posted 1421957610	Reply with quote #5

Nice variety, welcome to the forum Richard.

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,727

Posted 1421960450	Reply with quote #6

Welcome! Congratulations on your orchard! You can still graft things so you can have lots of varieties of all the fruit you've planted. __________________ 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.

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1421964073	Reply with quote #7

Thanks Bob, I don't graft multiple varieties onto a tree. If I'm going to have a cultivar of something I want a harvest, not just a few samples! Now James has suggested that I put potted plants on the roof. If it snowed here the house might have been built to take the weight but no ... On the otherhand, I'm considering the spare 1/4 acre in front of the house across the street!! __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

greenbud

Registered:1397009790
Posts: 230

Posted 1421966883	Reply with quote #8

Hermitian, that is really an impressive undertaking! Have any started fruiting? Did you plant dwarf apples for economy of space? What did you add to amend the soil? Any access to supplemental water? I plan to get the Thai lime from a California nursery this late spring for cooking and cleaning products... Being in zone 4 it will have to be brought into the basement in the fall...

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1421969720	Reply with quote #9

Thanks greenbud! Yes I had harvests on most plants in 2014. The weather here has interesting effects on some fruits for example I had 3 crops of apples, 3 crops on the VdB fig, two crops on the Plum, 3 crops on the Arapaho blackberry, and the Bababerry raspberry has been fruiting continuously. :) Many of the trees are on semi-dwarf if available. I am an aggressive pruner, keeping overall height on most varieties to 8 feet. My father owned Sanford's book when I was a kid, so I've been following it since the 60's. In addition I do a summer pruning after harvest on a tree to control height. The figs though, I follow Jon's advice for San Diego county and cut them once in January waist high and perhaps thin a few unruly canes in the summer. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

GreenFin

Registered:1331268315
Posts: 684

Posted 1421975885	Reply with quote #10

Quote: Originally Posted by Hermitian I'm considering the spare 1/4 acre in front of the house across the street!! That lot would look pretty good with 100+ fig trees... __________________ James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile http://www.FigCuttings.com

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1421976757	Reply with quote #11

Pretty awesome

Otmani007

Registered:1404531079
Posts: 573

Posted 1421976994	Reply with quote #12

Nice place and impressive collection you have, Richard. Welcome to the forum. __________________ Dallas, TX - Zone 8a Wish List: Col de Dame Blanche, Brogiotto Bianco, Sicilian White, Panache Otmani

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1421978729	Reply with quote #13

Yeah James, 1/4 acre with on average 12' spacing would be about 300 fruit trees. The installation cost for automated irrigation would be about $3k. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1422027324	Reply with quote #14

Hi Hermitian, Nice grow list. Citrus, orange and bananas are on my "to grow list" for somewhere in the futur... A dream for now in Zone7 . If you're looking for ideas, you could try to add Tayberry and gooseberry "Golden drop" to your list . I'm growing those two :) __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Hershell

Registered:1396922438
Posts: 650

Posted 1422028392	Reply with quote #15

That is a very impressive list. Welcome! __________________ Hershell Zone 8. Ray City, Ga.

GreenFin

Registered:1331268315
Posts: 684

Posted 1422041439	Reply with quote #16

Quote: Originally Posted by Hermitian Yeah James, 1/4 acre with on average 12' spacing would be about 300 fruit trees. The installation cost for automated irrigation would be about $3k. That sounds awesome. Maybe you could continue your miniature golf course over there :) Would you have use for 300 more fruit trees, or would that be more than you'd want? Is there an upper limit to what you'd want to manage? __________________ James, zone 6a Kansas (zone 10 greenhouses); wish list is in my profile http://www.FigCuttings.com

elin

Registered:1360863025
Posts: 1,272

Posted 1422046999	Reply with quote #17

Those pots must be hot in your zone. Maybe the 25gal are not getting hot as fast as smaller ones? __________________ Eli ,Israel ,Zone 10? Too humid and hot, yada yada yada https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1298814119 Growing: Sbayi, Hmadi, Black Portugal, Black Brazil,Excell, Flanders, Hmari , RDB, Niagra Black,Natalina, CDDN,Maya, Preto Torres, Preto Arge

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1422052535	Reply with quote #18

James: the real limit is what we can eat and the cost of operations. Water would be $80/mo., fertilizer about $12/mo., pesticide $60/yr., grove maintenance -- if I hired someone -- about $1600/yr. Now before you mention selling the fruit to offset costs, I'll point out that the annual cost of the licenses in CA would make that mute for this small of an operation. Eli: I am in zone 10b but the the weather here in western Vista CA is unlike that of other 10b regions in the U.S. In comparison -- our humidity is remarkably low, our winters warm (it's currently 78F outside), our spring is cool, our summer is moderate, and our fall is warm. So no, the trees in the 25 gallon pots don't get particularly hot and neither did the smaller pots which were 15 gallon. Here's a screen shot of yesterday's weather and humidity. Notice at 2pm some clouds came in off the ocean and dropped the temps by 10F. If they hadn't, the temperature would have been back down at 70F by 4pm. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424739266	Reply with quote #19

The figs they came a one by one ... Today I transplanted Janice-Kadota Seedless from a 25-gallon pot into the ground. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

cyberfarmer

Registered:1293483474
Posts: 544

Posted 1424756058	Reply with quote #20

Quote: Originally Posted by Hermitian James: the real limit is what we can eat and the cost of operations. Water would be $80/mo., fertilizer about $12/mo., pesticide $60/yr., grove maintenance -- if I hired someone -- about $1600/yr. Now before you mention selling the fruit to offset costs, I'll point out that the annual cost of the licenses in CA would make that mute for this small of an operation. What kind of license would you need? Not challenging your claim. I'm just interested in knowing. I tried doing a Google search and struck out finding any real facts. Mostly, I found stuff about the California Home Food Act. Under that new law, I could make things like preserves or dried fruit in my own kitchen and sell them directly yo consumers (such as at a farmer's market) with no license, as long as my annual take is under $35K. Common sense tells me that if I am allowed to sell processed foods, there are generally less restrictions on non-processed foods, so there should be some way to do it. Also, my local grocer keeps telling me that when my figs are ready, he would like to sell some. Maybe he is assuming I have some sort of license. Anyway, I'm rambling. Please enlighten me because I was hoping to peddle some fruit in my retirement someday. __________________ Paul the Fig Tree Destroyer in Fallbrook, CA (Zone 10A )

ohjustaguy

Registered:1294505489
Posts: 324

Posted 1424758224	Reply with quote #21

Nice bump, not sure how I missed the original post as I asked for it! Nice list of varieties. I'm growing a number of the same varieties up here but you can get more tropical down there, jealous of those :) You hand watering all those trees? Installing a drip system isn't that hard and will save you a lot of time in the long run. Also mulching the trees will conserve water and improve the soil. You can call a local tree trimmer and they will dump a load on your driveway for free. Looking forward to the in ground pics from this growing season.... __________________ San Jose 9b http://www.kevinsedibleyard.com/

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424762331 · Edited	Reply with quote #22

Quote: Originally Posted by cyberfarmer What kind of license would you need? ... Mostly, I found stuff about the California Home Food Act. Under that new law, I could make things like preserves or dried fruit in my own kitchen and sell them directly yo consumers (such as at a farmer's market) with no license, as long as my annual take is under $35K. ... The Home Food Act doesn't except you from Health Department licensing and inspection. If you are growing food for public consumption of any kind you'll need an Ag License from the CDFA. If you are using pesticides of any kind you'll need a site license and operators license. If you are going to try and claim organic then you'll need USDA NOP certification. Quote: Originally Posted by ohjustaguy ... You hand watering all those trees?... I have an automated irrigation/fertigation system that is just about complete. Quote: Originally Posted by ohjustaguy ... Also mulching the trees will conserve water and improve the soil. ... After the first watering, I add about 8 cubic feet of mulch to the basin. There's currently about 10 yards of it sitting in my driveway. :) __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

shah8

Registered:1339623766
Posts: 657

Posted 1424765669	Reply with quote #23

too many citruses...not enough mangos. If you like grapes so much, it's probably a good idea to have jaboticabas. Plural. Cherry of the Rio Grande is inferior to Grumichamas, if you're into that sort of thing. Jujube will sucker. If you're going to grow it, try for one of the nice varieties. Might want pollination company. So does feijoa and loquat. Will fruit, but likes company. Loquat is easy, just graft a different variety for that task. Imbe is troublesome in that you need a male and female, but it should be a better fruit than Kei apple. Or the more exotic garcinias like the one from Mexico or the usual Rheedia sp. if you're ambitious. Lastly...Cherimoya is one of the great fruits. How come no cherimoya? Jackfruit and sapodillas are possible, too. __________________ Especially desired figs: UCD 187-25, UCD 200-48, UCD 157-17, UCD 309-B1, Princesa, Black Madeira, high quality sugar fig that ripens Sept-Oct. Probable desired fig: Smith, St Jean, JH Adriatic, CddB, Gulbun, Pastilliere, Sucrette Rooting: Smith, CDDB--this pretty much means I have my fun tries (tho' important since they are truly desirable), and only interested for this year: Gulbun, BM, 187-25, or something wildly exotic or precious that nobody has any good reason to send me.

DesertDance

Registered:1247674606
Posts: 4,518

Posted 1424790571	Reply with quote #24

You are lucky your land is flat! Ours is 1.5 acres full of boulders sloping down to a seasonal stream and halfway up the next hill. Part has irrigation. Part does not, but we do have a variety of figs and other fruit and nuts. The macadamia is my pride and joy. It's very happy in it's spot next to an Anna Apple. It's on the South side of a big boulder and the heat from the boulder keeps it sheltered and happy during the nights. It even snowed here and stuck for 6 hours, but it didn't miss a beat. Growing as it should. Still, my figs are my favorite and I'm going to experiment on the East facing opposite hill with NO irrigation. I'm going to use cuttings froim MY trees, dig a slant hole under a boulder which will provide moisture and shelter, and see what happens. Good luck with all your trees and happy eating! Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424799086	Reply with quote #25

Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 too many citruses...not enough mangos. The Citruses provide year round fruit. Mango produces once per year. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 If you like grapes so much, it's probably a good idea to have jaboticabas. Plural. No more room in that location. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Cherry of the Rio Grande is inferior to Grumichamas. Grumichama struggles in my microclimate. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Jujube will sucker. If you're going to grow it, try for one of the nice varieties. I'm growing Li. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Might want pollination company. So does feijoa and loquat. Will fruit, but likes company. I've never had production problems with Nazemetz or Big Jim. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Imbe is troublesome in that you need a male and female, but it should be a better fruit than Kei apple. I love the flavor of Kei Apple both for cooking and fresh eating. Never grown Imbe - I'll check into it. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Or the more exotic garcinias like the one from Mexico or the usual Rheedia sp. if you're ambitious. The fruit quality is poor when grown in my location. I can get better quality imported from Mexico at the local market. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Cherimoya is one of the great fruits. How come no cherimoya? The Annonacin level is too high for my preference, and the amount of denial from the growers association reminds me of the tobacco industry. Quote: Originally Posted by shah8 Jackfruit and sapodillas are possible, too. I can get better quality imported from Mexico at the local market. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

elin

Registered:1360863025
Posts: 1,272

Posted 1424799825	Reply with quote #26

Richard thanks for your reply regarding the heat on pots. I would like know if you have any info about airlayering apricots? Thanks __________________ Eli ,Israel ,Zone 10? Too humid and hot, yada yada yada https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1298814119 Growing: Sbayi, Hmadi, Black Portugal, Black Brazil,Excell, Flanders, Hmari , RDB, Niagra Black,Natalina, CDDN,Maya, Preto Torres, Preto Arge

shah8

Registered:1339623766
Posts: 657

Posted 1424802157	Reply with quote #27

Coooool. Awesome response, thanks! __________________ Especially desired figs: UCD 187-25, UCD 200-48, UCD 157-17, UCD 309-B1, Princesa, Black Madeira, high quality sugar fig that ripens Sept-Oct. Probable desired fig: Smith, St Jean, JH Adriatic, CddB, Gulbun, Pastilliere, Sucrette Rooting: Smith, CDDB--this pretty much means I have my fun tries (tho' important since they are truly desirable), and only interested for this year: Gulbun, BM, 187-25, or something wildly exotic or precious that nobody has any good reason to send me.

Gina

Registered:1330452963
Posts: 2,260

Posted 1424803955	Reply with quote #28

That is a very impressive set up! Wish we had more flat ground for more trees. __________________ WillsC's new fig forum: http://www.Ourfigs.com (and blueberries)

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,713

Posted 1424808491	Reply with quote #29

Very impressive, Richard. That's how you take advantage of living in your zone! __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424809762	Reply with quote #30

Quote: Originally Posted by elin Richard thanks for your reply regarding the heat on pots. I would like know if you have any info about airlayering apricots? Thanks Nope, sorry. But in my experience cuttings are easy to root or graft onto suitable rootstock. Here's my reference for propagation: "Plant Propagation" ed. Alan Toogood. You'll discover it is published under two different covers: one from AHS and the other DK. Inside they are identical. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424819051	Reply with quote #31

Quote: Originally Posted by Gina That is a very impressive set up! Wish we had more flat ground for more trees. Hey Gina, how about I drive over and move those boulders out of the way! __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424819440	Reply with quote #32

Another day, another tree planted. Here's my Panache, just transplanted from a 25-gallon into this basin. Behind it you see the Janice-Kadota I planted yesterday. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1424999218	Reply with quote #33

We three figs of ... Here's the Violette de Bordeaux in the ground -- that's 3 out of 3! __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

JoAnn749

Registered:1325443625
Posts: 1,184

Posted 1425004772	Reply with quote #34

WOW!!! I have never seen a home project like this before. I am looking forward to watching it grow and mature. __________________ Jo-Ann DFW TX, Zone 7b-8a Wish List: Black Madeira,, Kathleen's Black, Malta Black, Marseille VS Black, White Paradisio, LSU Scott's Black, Conadria, White Trianna, Marttineca Rimada, Excel, Peter's Honey, Bebera Preta (Abebereira), Strawberry Verte

DesertDance

Registered:1247674606
Posts: 4,518

Posted 1425007856	Reply with quote #35

Funny! We filled our holes with water... well, we tried to, but somehow a gopher tunnel broke through. OMG! Two hours later, no water in that hole! We let it all go. Shrugged, filled the hole with soil, put it on a drip, and the tree is now 5 times the size it was when we planted it. Gopher tunnels go forever! Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Hermitian

Registered:1421904752
Posts: 135

Posted 1425017308	Reply with quote #36

There's no gophers or voles on my property. They have no way to tunnel in. If they try to scamper in they risk death by several predators. If they do make it in my dog will remove it. So far, only one made it in last year and didn't dig more than a few inches before it was nailed. __________________ - Richard Vista CA, zone 10b

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