New figgy from across the Atlantic

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Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454437072	Reply with quote #1

Hello there, I am Stormy from rainy Belgium (zone 6 I am afraid) and I keep my figs in a greenhouse. So far my collection is still very modeste: one confirmed Col de Dame, one BT and one unknown green fig. They are all kept in pots and do very well actually. Keeping them in an greenhouse allows to extend the season quite a bit off course resulting even in the very late Col de Dame ripening all of its fruit. Here are some pics: Unknown green fig early June Col de dame figlets Unknown fig ready to bud Dwarf nectarine fantasia and peach babygold Breba from unknown and BT __________________ Stormy

FiggyFrank

Registered:1347560723
Posts: 2,713

Posted 1454438390	Reply with quote #2

Welcome to the forum, Michels! Those are very nice pictures. __________________ Frank zone 7a - VA

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454439491	Reply with quote #3

Oeps, my signature should say Stormy, I changed that now. Thanks, actually I love gardening now matter, figs is just one of my interests. I have apples of different kinds, pears, plums,blueberries,black and red currants, raspberries,... and also grow part of the vegetables we need year round. Here are some more pics: __________________ Stormy

SoniSoni

Registered:1362273241
Posts: 777

Posted 1454441971	Reply with quote #4

AWESOME figs and veggies!! and greenhouse of my dreams. __________________ Soni GA. 7-8. seeking Galicia Negra, Bianchi Guido, Violette de Sollies, Emerald Strawberry

DesMoinesWAfig

Registered:1399158808
Posts: 92

Posted 1454442485	Reply with quote #5

Welcome! Agree with Soni. AWESOME figs and veggies! Very nice greenhouse. __________________ Shirley - Zone 8b - Des Moines, WA 60 year old Desert King - (started the fig addiction) Wish List: Maltese Beauty, Saint Rita, Emalyn's Purple I am shikei53 on eBay

Timo

Registered:1439198835
Posts: 117

Posted 1454443516	Reply with quote #6

Welcome, nice to see someone else from Belgium on this forum!

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454444076 · Edited	Reply with quote #7

Thanks, it was a gift of my wife. Not sure she doesn't regret it by now, seems I spend to much time in there. :) Anyway, in the open most of the figs, if not all, didn't ripen. I have tried to find out on the net what kind of fig the unknown one is, but still I don't know for sure. Was guessing Marseille fig or something alike. Next month I will stop by at a nursery, which is specialised in mediteranean plants an buy a few more, probably Negronne and Grise de St-Jean. I will try the Negronne outside but will definetely keep the GsJ in the greenhouse as it is pretty cold sensitive. The Brown Turkey will be out this summer, I don't like the taste of the figs and to me it is all about taste. Belgium lies in zone 6, our climat is caraterised as a moderate sea climate, I think pretty much as the PNW. Temps rarely go below -5 C in winter time, summers mostly are cool and can get wet. Heat spells may occur though, temps can go past 30 C for a few days, mostly followed by much cooler weather. We see some change now in the climat: the winters are getting warmer and wetter, summers are becoming drier wit more frequent heat spells. Climat change... __________________ Stormy

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454444760	Reply with quote #8

Quote: Originally Posted by Timo Welcome, nice to see someone else from Belgium on this forum! Hello Timo, didn't realise there were any other Belgians on this forum. Great! Do I read that right, you have a Desert King? Where did you find it? __________________ Stormy

Timo

Registered:1439198835
Posts: 117

Posted 1454445654	Reply with quote #9

I'm not sure if it's a Desert King, but it looks like a Desert King and it behaves like a Desert King (San Pedro type). I started a topic about the mother tree some time ago: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/unknown-fig-tree-7566128?pid=1289388809

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,727

Posted 1454467862	Reply with quote #10

Welcome! Your green house is beautiful! __________________ 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.

padsfan

Registered:1315885369
Posts: 205

Posted 1454470492	Reply with quote #11

Welcome to the forum! __________________ "Padres Fan" San Diego, California USA Sunset Zone 24- coastal So. Cal

Smyfigs

Registered:1443660141
Posts: 1,658

Posted 1454477678	Reply with quote #12

Welcome and wow!! Your greenhouse is nice. That fig tree is pretty big. Nice job :-)! __________________ Meg-Hardiness Zone 10a Looking for... Socorro Blk Wuhan Jolly Tiger Lamperia Preta Herschtetten St. Jean Black Ischia "The best way to show my gratitude is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy." ~ Mother Teresa "Do not pass by a man in need for you may be the hand of God to him." ~Proverbs 3:27~ "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." ~Job 5:4

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454497315	Reply with quote #13

It is not that big anymore now since I gave it a good trim, both branches and roots. That's what it needs every couple of years if you want to keep figs in pots and also to bring new vigor into the root system. This is how it looks now with the roots trimmed. I have planted it again in a much bigger pot now. __________________ Stormy

Jerry_M

Registered:1427223807
Posts: 344

Posted 1454505071	Reply with quote #14

Welcome to the forum. Nice greenhouse setup. __________________ Jerry Canyon Lake, TX 8b Wanted: Cajun Gold, Louisiana Honey, Schar Israel-114 grams

Jodi

Registered:1443230258
Posts: 343

Posted 1454520311	Reply with quote #15

Yes beautiful figs and greenhouse. IT is really inspiring to see how we can adapt to our climates with structures and practices that allow us our hearts desires with plants, food and connections. Welcome and thank you for the great pictures. Best from Arizona. __________________ In the book the "The Meaning of Trees" it is said the fig regulates the heart and that the true essence of Figs is...food for the soul. Daisy's IBT cuttings will be available in January/February along with a few Lampeira Parda. Wishes for Martinenca Rimada, Black Ischia, I258, CddRoja, Jolly Tiger, Your favorite Figgy! Zone 8a Camp Verde AZ

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454523479	Reply with quote #16

It is, if the sun is missing, one needs to be a bit inventive and helps those poor figs out so they don't get cold. As a matter of fact, I have mislabeled my zone as being 6, I live in a zone 8. But the thing with plant hardiness zones is that it can be pretty confusing in terms of suitability for figs. Example: the most part of France lies in zone 8, like mine. Only the very southern part is zone 9 and a small portion is zone 7. This system is based solely on winter temperatures and doesn't take summer highs into account, nor the length of summer, amount of rain, overcast days, etc. The city of Lyon lies in zone 8, most of the varieties described by Figues Baud, will prosper in that area. However, in my region only a few will thrive and will ripen their fruit, mostly only the breba crop. In my climate it is not the winter temps which are decisive, because they rarely drop below -5 C, but often the lack of heat and sunshine which makes a certain variety less appropriate for this climate. __________________ Stormy

Jodi

Registered:1443230258
Posts: 343

Posted 1454557970	Reply with quote #17

I agree the climate zones are pretty misleading. I'm in zone 8 also and we have 110' days the same day as a 60' nite! Really stressful for a lot of plants. It is a question of trying the plants out in your microclimate really. And I am dreaming of a greenhouse myself. Have you heard of the climate battery? The book "The Forest Garden Greenhouse" is really cool. Lots of great ideas and practical info. Best of luck with the growing things. ;-) __________________ In the book the "The Meaning of Trees" it is said the fig regulates the heart and that the true essence of Figs is...food for the soul. Daisy's IBT cuttings will be available in January/February along with a few Lampeira Parda. Wishes for Martinenca Rimada, Black Ischia, I258, CddRoja, Jolly Tiger, Your favorite Figgy! Zone 8a Camp Verde AZ

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454575503	Reply with quote #18

Never heard of any climate battery. Have noticed though some people are trying to build the ultimate greenhouse, allowing them to grow vegetables and fruit throughout the year. I guess it's all about retaining heat and creating a viable environment for plants. Must be a real challenge in boreal regions. Mine is just a greenhouse, freezing temps are not really a challenge here. __________________ Stormy

rafaelissimmo

Registered:1335639347
Posts: 1,473

Posted 1454594022	Reply with quote #19

Welcome, very nice greenhouse. Looks great! __________________ Zone 7b, Queens, New York

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1454605235	Reply with quote #20

Hi Stormy, Welcome to the forum ! Nice greenhouse indeed ! You can get the col de dame to ripen ... That's amazing ! That strain is not available here in my Zone7 ... because the fruit wouldn't ripen, in a standard year. __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

LJFiggy

Registered:1448185688
Posts: 145

Posted 1454652039	Reply with quote #21

Welcome to the forum, Stormy... Your greenhouse is just wonderful and plants obviously flourishing! Your unknown fig tree is beautifully pruned, too. It looks almost as nice without leaves as it will fully decked out. Thanks for sharing your inspiring photos with us :) __________________ ~New to growing figs, I currently have tiny fig plants which are supposedly Little Ruby, Violette de Bordeaux, Desert King, and Petite Negri. I hope these were accurately labeled! Now rooting LSU Gold and Purple, Celeste, Panache, Peter's Honey, and Unknown Varieties from cuttings, thanks to generous forum members. Figs on my current wish list (along with any others recommended): Osborne Prolific, Battaglia Green, Smith, Kadota, Italian Honey, Atreano, Verte or Green Ischia, Panache, Peter's Honey, Black Madeira, Smith, Noir de Caromb, etc. ~

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454761818	Reply with quote #22

It's actually the first time I'm getting into this so I don't really know what the outcome is going to be. Since I am replacing the old dirt and roots with new fresh soil, I'd expect it to be invogarating and bring new balance into the plant system. Because I also trimmed the branches quite heavily, roots and leaves have to be in balance you know, I also expect the fig to bud break much later. In fact there are no buds left on the plant now... This is a variety that produces no breba or virtually none, so that part is covered I guess. Typically I can eat the first figs in the first week of august and it continues to produce ripe figs until the end of september and they really taste jummy. __________________ Stormy

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454928802	Reply with quote #23

Thank you Lilly. Discovered this weekend that the buds on my other figs, a BT and the col de Dame, are showing the first signs of swelling! Curious to find out, if this trend is continuing, how this will affect the crop of this year and more importantly how I can avoid any negative temps that would eventually still set in later on. Thus far, the first of march has been the earliest date I noticed spring had arrived in my greenhouse! __________________ Stormy

Paul

Registered:1375739814
Posts: 61

Posted 1454930908 · Edited	Reply with quote #24

I see new interested Fig Varriity; -Palmata Variity -Wild Figs from Asia and Kaukasus -Kultur Figs from Xingjiang -Kultur Figs from Afghanistan. Kultur Figs from Afghanistan very Winterhard and very beautifull. I have beginn with the Selection from new Varrietys. In 4 Years i can more say about this Projekt. I buy the dried Fruit from Pamir Import in Hamburg. i eat the small Fruit and make from the Seeds from the big Fruit Seedlings. The biggest Seedling from the last Sommer are 40 cm hight. __________________ excuse my bad english - i am German and live by River Lahn Zone 7

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454936671	Reply with quote #25

Hi Paul, Fabulous, would be wonderful if these work out in our conditions. Roughly, how far away are you from Brussels? I have been in Afghanistan myself in 2009, but at that time I wasn't a figgy just yet so I didn't pay attention to local varieties. But my guess is, since the climate can be harsh over there, they most be pretty hardy. I remember the temps in Kabul would get to a scorching 40 C day over and drop to just 15 C at night. In summer it hardly ever rains and winters can be cold with freezing temps for weeks. __________________ Stormy

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454942779	Reply with quote #26

Is your cave temperature influenced by outside conditions then? Mine is pretty stable all your round. __________________ Stormy

Stormy

Registered:1453914706
Posts: 71

Posted 1454959744	Reply with quote #27

And this will only get worse! Same situation here: 5 days of light freezing temps, much of rain for the rest. I will probably see the first flowers on my peach trees as early as next week. Normally I wait to prune my pear trees until the last week of February, but this year I will have to do it this week, because I can see activity starting in the buds here as well. __________________ Stormy

MStanleyross

Registered:1451670149
Posts: 108

Posted 1455030986	Reply with quote #28

Nice, great job. Good gardening skills are showing through your plants. Labor of love. __________________ Wish List: Sodus Scilian, Dall' Osso, Kathleen Black, I-258, Malta Black, Ischia Black, Persian White, Native de Argentile, Lampeira Preta, Sofeno Petro and any LSU or any duplicates you may have. Zone 7 East Tn.

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