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Subject: OT - Big Winter Storm coming to the Southeast Replies: 21
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 295
 
Six feet of snow is no problem but a coating of ice on branches. Ugh! Did not get my figs as protected this year as other years either.  Babies will be ok but in-ground trees are going to have to rough it.  Fingers crossed.

Subject: Remember figs4fun?Time to turn this bus around! Replies: 55
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 465
 
#26

Subject: Merry Christmas to all!! Replies: 32
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 336
 
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

Subject: Young plants and Dormancy Replies: 2
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 95
 
Cindi's question about dormancy and FiggySid's response brought up a question that I have had for a long time and that is whether the length of time for dormancy is built into a plant or purely a matter of growing conditions.

The last few years, I have ended up cleaning out the last of my cuttings from the fridge around late July or August. I hate throwing these out but at this point I either have left overs from my own trees or from successfully rooting multiple trees for the varieties I am adding to the collection. Usually I stick several of left over varieties in a pot and cover the top with a ziploc bag from which I have cut off the corners to allow a bit more air circulation.  I stick the pots in a shady corner, ignore them and most root and leaf out. This means at the end of our growing season, I have a bunch of trees 3-6 months of age which I know are too young to go through a dormancy period of 5-6 months duration. I have been bringing them inside and growing them under lights for the winter. My question is, if I were able to control growing conditions and postpone dormancy sufficiently that I could allow them to go dormant for a shorter period, say 4-8 weeks would they survive and wake up or is it a question of when a fig goes dormant, its sort of genetically built in that they stay dormant for X period of time.  FiggySid's response about dormancy in Hawaii sort of suggests that the length of time that a fig stays dormant may not be simply a matter of temperature and light.

Subject: Need Cuttings for Fig Class Replies: 7
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 269
 
Rcantor, PM me if you can use any Alma, Brunswick or Celeste cuttings.

Subject: Zone 7B Replies: 10
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 189
 
I am in 7a.  I also grow Celeste and Brunswick. And had one Mission Black die on me.  I now wait till a tree is either 2 or 3 years old before planting them in-ground. If the stems are about 1"-2" in diameter they seem to be able to handle freezes with less damage. I put in another Mission Black a year ago last summer and although it has proved a bit more tender than either the Celestes or Brunswicks, it made it through its first winter.  If your tree proves to be too tender for your environment, would consider replacing it with a fig from the Mt. Etna family.  I have about half a dozen different ones and they seem to handle our weather quite well.

Subject: Will figs that did not ripen stay for next spring Replies: 13
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 282
 
Richie, unripened figs make a good  chutney too if combined with a peach or mango.

Subject: i'm back.. sort of.. Replies: 42
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 688
 
Pete, Glad you are back. Have missed your posts. Very sorry about your collection. I don't have anything on your list to share but can say that everything I have in the Mt. Etna family seems to do very well in ground in our zone and seems to be very tolerant of being ignored for periods of time. Best wishes for good rooting and fast growth.

Subject: Chinese fig? Replies: 13
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 370
 
Beautiful fig. Hope it can be found here or makes its way here. Looks like a nice fig.

I have Sweet George and this fig does not resemble the fruit my tree produces....at least in a pot.  It goes in ground this spring so we will see whether it acquires a more vivid coloration when permanently planted in full sun.  Right now the fruit it produces are more of a non descript tan-yellow color with more of a cool amber center than the figs shown. For me its not a heavy producer and is sort of blah but it's a young tree so I should probably reserve judgment for another year or two.

Subject: Mushroom compost? Replies: 11
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 220
 
I up-pot well rooted cuttings into Mushroom compost and have had no issues.  It does hold more water but it also seems to allow for good air circulation. I do add a bit of lime and fertilizer about 7-10 days later and so far, so good. I have yet to loose a fig while I was loosing some using various potting mixes in the past.

Subject: possibly brunswick? Replies: 3
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 160
 
Putting up leaf pictures will help in identifying your fig. I am not identification wizard but I am growing Brunswick and my figs are more rounded than tear drop shaped or elongated like those in your picture. Also, flesh color inside tends to be a lighter and warmer colored amber. Leaves have very long fingers and the fruit grow on a short stubby neck compared to most of my other varieties.

Subject: Suggestions for my final two Replies: 32
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 520
 
Correction:  Its my Bryant Dark that is plum flavored.

Subject: Suggestions for my final two Replies: 32
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 520
 
I am also in 7a.  Atreano, VDB, Nero 600 have all done very well for me. Salem Dark (plum flavored INHO) is a Mt. Etna variety and it too has been a superior performer for me. The criteria for me has been wanting a variety of flavors and cultivars which will be hardy enough to survive in our climate in ground with a minimum of effort on my part once established.  

If space is an important consideration VDB, Petit Negri, Negronne seem to be more compact plants than something like Atreano or White Genoa which have proven to be very aggressive and spreading growers for me. Do not know how much space you are allocating per tree/bush but selecting some of the more compact varieties could mean having enough room for 3 trees instead of just 2 trees.  :)

Subject: Unknown Williams dark from Charlotte is a keeper.. Replies: 16
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 238
 
Mohan, if you are able to get more cuttings, please add me to your list.  I am 7a too.

Subject: OT - Fig chutney Replies: 3
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 71
 
Chutney is a great way to preserve figs that you have needed to pick a bit early because of splitting. I have 2 Brunswick trees which attract wasps due to splitting in wetter years. I pick them a bit on the green side to preempt insects and into the jars they go. Nice with curries and nice to use as a glaze on ribs or chicken. Had not thought of serving it with salmon and green beans, but it sounds great.  Looking forward to seeing Dennis's recipe.  

I do not have a real fig chutney recipe but adapted a peach/mango chutney recipe.  It worked well with the Brunswicks which tend to have a mellow melony flavor. Not sure how how it would work with more figgy or berry flavored varieties.

Subject: Alternative to Fig Wasp Replies: 7
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 289
 
Jsacadura,

Thanks for the clarification.  Was sort of confused by Johns post as I had not been aware of there being more than one type of wasp in the US. My immediate thought was that I had a huge gap in my knowledge and wondering where to look for more information on the exact type needed.

Hope you will be successful in the introduction of the wasp in your area. Sadly I think its an impossibility in our area since we get several days a year where the temperature will drop between 0-10 degrees Fahrenheit and a couple of months where temperatures in the teens can be expected. Think some people have been able to successfully establish a colony in a greenhouse but I am not sure whether that worked out to be a long term solution or not. Profichi is probably the only way to go.

Subject: Alternative to Fig Wasp Replies: 7
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 289
 
Dennis,  Not sure I have the patience for that now.  When I lived in NYC I had a 13' glass exposure with no blocking building and a deep window box.  I grew all sorts of herbs and hand pollinated my tomatoes but other than finding some wild pears and hanging clusters of flowers in the branches to pollinate some of my pears up north, I have not done any of that stuff in years. If I build a greenhouse, that could change.

The only fig I have which requires pollination is a Sarizeybek. It did produce fruit last year but all dropped before ripening. Sounds like its not just a case of finding a source for a wasp to pollinate this fig, its a case of finding the right wasp to do the job? Maybe the best course of action since it is a special tree in terms of family history is for me to grow the healthiest tree I can and simply to make scion wood available to people who live where a suitable wasp is available and they can grow the variety successfully. Its not a fig for everyone because it does tend to have a thicker skin than many figs but other than that, its a great fig and an especially beautiful one at that. Fruitful or not, it will always have a place in my garden.

Subject: Alternative to Fig Wasp Replies: 7
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 289
 
Was aware that some are hand pollinating and that some people have colonized a green house to solve the problem. Was hoping that someone might be working with an insect of some sort who might be able to survive in the wild given the presence of the right sort of figs.

Subject: Alternative to Fig Wasp Replies: 7
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 289
 
What is the coldest zone fig wasps have been found and is there any research going on to find an alternative pollinator to the fig wasp that might extend the range where figs needing pollination can be grown?

Subject: --- Raspberry El Molino Unk. fig (PIX) == Patlican Replies: 60
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 2,691
 
Igor, keep meaning to tell you the El Molino I started last year is now about 4' tall and pushing out all sorts of figs.  Have a while to go till they are ripe but really looking forward to tasting them.

Subject: Limited opts. Am I in, or out? Replies: 12
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 268
 
Violette de Bordeaux is a more compact tree than most of the other figs that I grow. Negronne and Petit Negri are also pretty tough little guys. Not sure whether they are all the same or just closely related. A thought I had is do you have the possibility of reflecting light from somewhere else in your garden at your tree? Know some people on the forum make use of that technique to increase growth on their starts. I have a raised bed near the white wall of my garage. It never gets direct sunlight because the house shades it out but it gets lots of reflected light. Things seem to grow pretty well there despite the lack of direct sunlight.

Subject: Making cheese with fig sap. Replies: 45
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 3,215
 
Back in the old days, people used to let the sap drip on little bits of white cloth. They would then let the clothes  air dry and store them in a jar.  Each bit of cloth contained enough sap to treat one gal. of milk. This allowed them to make cheese using fig rennet off season. Most of the recipes I have found claim that 5 drops of rennet are required to turn a gallon of milk into a cheese. For those who have actual experience making cheese, does 5 drops sound like the right amount (1/4 tsp)?

Subject: Snake bite today Replies: 83
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,243
 
Its been a while since I have looked at commercial snake repellents but last I remember the primary ingredient in them was Cinnamon.  You might want to see if that is still true.  If so a large bottle of cinnamon might be something to include in your potting supplies and sprinkled in and around pots to make the area a bit less appealing. If the figs are attracting small rodents, it might deter them too the same way mothballs do. Fewer rodents, fewer snakes. It should not not hurt your figs.

Subject: Snake bite today Replies: 83
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,243
 
Make sure you get a tumeric formula with black pepper. The pepper is needed to make the active ingredient in tumeric more available to the body. Not just good for arthritis but also very effective after knee surgery and similar surgeries to help with getting a full range of movement back.

Subject: Venomous Insects and Spiders? Replies: 31
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 359
 
We have all manner of poisonous spiders in SC and also small scorpions. Brown Recluse are small, Wolf spiders can be 4-6" in size. Widdows are mid-sized. I do not protect myself enough but between hiking backcountry and being allergic to yellow jackets I have developed a strong habit of never putting my hands or feet anywhere that I have not carefully scrutinized for a threat. Yellow jackets are a big problem in August and September when they become very aggressive. That's when you need to watch for traffic in and out of small holes in the ground around trees and bushes.  I use rimless pots w/o handles and wear leather gloves. I don't wear safety goggles but I wear glasses which offers some protection. If I am going to be working near any rough or brushy areas, I usually put on a pair of boots and wear long pants more for defense against poison ivy than anything else. Fall is when we see an invasion of spiders and rummaging around the garage or turning on a spigot can become hazardous activities. The best protection any of us can have is just being alert to our surroundings as we work around our plants.

Subject: Snake bite today Replies: 83
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,243
 
Dennis, Glad you are mostly ok and should have a quick recovery. Getting bitten by anything is no fun. Please excuse me for using your thread to pontificate for a moment. This is a particularly bad year for snake encounters and we are seeing more snakes of all kinds than we usually do. Hospitals and EMTs are seeing many more bites than usual. Most of us expect to find snakes in the woods but not in our yards especially if we live in a suburban environment. If a couple of minutes of cautions helps someone else avoid the encounter you had, its worth it. The next victim may not be as fortunate as you were.

Rattlesnakes and Copperheads are both pit vipers. A common anti-venom is used to treat both.  While its helpful to know what bit you, its not essential to know whether it was a copperhead or a rattlesnake. We do not have cotton mouths or coral snakes in our area so I am not sure what anti-venoms are used for them. I do know that not all hospitals have anti-venom on hand and it makes sense to go earlier than late as the hospital is likely to have to get anti-venom from another hospital and that hospital may be at some distance. Rough guess in my area of Upstate SC based on the lists we get, less than 1 in 10 hospitals has anti-venom on hand. Bites from larger snakes are generally less venomous than bites from smaller snakes. Older snakes generally do not release all of their venom while young snakes often do resulting in a more serious bite. A substantial amount of damage in cases of snakebite are the result of bacterial infections which means that a bite from a non-venomous snake can be almost as destructive as that from a poisonous snake. We tend to think of snakes as being ground critters but they are just as often found nestled in branches or on the side of trees as they are on the ground. In areas where there is a lot of pig activity, young snakes in particular stay high (chest to head high) to stay out of reach of the pigs which are omnivores. It may be worthwhile to scan your fig branches before reaching around pots. I have never encountered a snake in my fig trees but I have found them in my blueberry bushes. My first encounter was catching a movement above my shoulder while I was weeding under a bush.  I looked to see what had moved and it was a 6'+ black snake. Not venomous but it did have an impact when I thought what might have happened had it been poisonous.

Many of you are well aware of everything I have posted here especially if you live in a more rural setting however a lot of times people who live in urban areas don't really see themselves as being at risk for a snake bite. To that end, the snake bite capital of SC when you look at the number of copperhead bites per capita by geographic area is Hilton Head Island. One last thing before I get off my spiel, snakes inter-breed and that includes venomous snakes. Don't count on classic colorations to help you identify a snake. If the snake has a wide head vs a bullet shaped head or is thick bodied in the case of larger snakes, give it wide berth. Most snakes are good guys so let them be. If you are lucky enough to have king or black snakes, rejoice! They eat young poisonous snakes for breakfast and you are less likely to encounter a bad guy wherever they are found.

Subject: Fig varieties suggested for Atlanta area? Replies: 2
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 68
 
Hi Barry,

I live about 1 hr. north of Atlanta and grow most of my trees in ground. Celeste, LSU Purple, Brown Turkey, Hardy Chicago, Salem Dark, Sweet George, VDB, Dominic all do fine in Zone 7. If your friend is zone 8, you can add Mission Black to the mix. The advice I would give is that any of the Mt. Etna types or Brown Turkey relatives are great for his area. He should stay away from the open eye varieties unless he likes wasps. I do grow Brunswick which is an open eye variety and in dry seasons, its a heavy producer of good sized figs when other varieties don't do as well. In wet years I end up picking it before its fully ripe just to avoid the insects which get into the eye and souring. Brunswick and LSU Purple seem to require a bit more pruning than the others because they will put on a lot of sucker growth every year. About the only group that has not done as well for me are the Italian Honey's. They seem a little more tender if we get a cold winter.

Subject: OT: Peaches. What to do with them? Replies: 17
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 360
 
Mango Peach Chutney is very nice too. Very nice with curries.

Subject: OT: Peaches. What to do with them? Replies: 17
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 360
 
Fruit leather is another idea.  Cook with scant sugar, puree and then put in a dehydrator to dry until no longer tacky but not dry enough to crack.  No dehydrator, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and pour a layer 1/4" thick and set your oven to 145 degrees.  Dry for about 5-6 hours. Cut into serving sizes and roll in parchment paper.  Store fruit roll ups in a glass bottle.

Subject: Share 1 tip you've learned that you wish someone had told you in the beginning Replies: 43
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,079
 
Over the years I have learned several things. Don't wait till Jan. or Feb. in zone 7 to take your cuttings. Wait till they are fully dormant but take them in  November.  They  have more vigor and are more forgiving of newbie miscalculations.

Don't start them too early. Late Feb. through early April work best for the climate here. I can move them out in late April or early May and slowly transition them into full sunlight before it gets too warm.

Don't throw out the ones hiding in the bottom of the veggie drawer that you do not discover till August. They will start just as successfully. They may be too small to survive a long period of dormancy the first winter but they do well as house plants with a little light and some misting to supplement what mother nature provides. They take off like gangbusters when moved outside and may outperform their peers started earlier in the previous year.

The last thing for newbies is to never get discouraged. All of us are continually improving our skills and a rough start does not mean you cannot be successful. If you love figs, keep learning from your mistakes.  Start with common varieties suitable for your area and work toward adding more exotic cultivars as your skills increase.  Once you have your first tree or two going, normal pruning will give you plenty of guinea pigs with which to further develop your propagating skills. Most of the time when you give away a tree, a friend or family member learns about the joy of fresh figs.

Subject: OT - Southeastern Fig Festival - Charlotte, NC Replies: 116
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 4,407
 
I am in.  Glad to help prepare any way I can.

Subject: Who is Ebay seller valarie1582? Replies: 25
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 648
 
I am a happy customer too.  Picked up two varieties last year and bought a another variety this year. Good experience and very nice cuttings every time.

Subject: OT - Very painful injury Replies: 77
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 809
 
Take care of yourself and feel better soon.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,039
 
Wish I had discovered Valoze figs when I lived outside of Albany. I would have started growing figs much earlier.  

Anyhow, Valoze has a large nursery operation with outlets in both Cohoes, NY and Latham, NY.  My guess is if someone were to write to them and ask, some cuttings might be obtainable or possibly even a dormant tree. The south end of Albany had a large Italian population, I bet there are several trees in back yards that could be sources for this cultivar too. Sounds like it really deserves to have a higher profile than it does.

Subject: Show us your setup! Replies: 69
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,523
 
I appropriate the top shelf of my pantry to start my cuttings in 1/2 gal. square Juice containers.  Because its behind the gas fireplace it stays between 75 and 85 degrees during the winter months. The juice containers serve as individual hydration chambers as the pantry is dry.  As soon as leaves start to develop, the cuttings get moved out onto a repurposed computer rack that sits in front of a west facing window. Computer racks are like book shelves except that the shelves are much deeper and have a wire rail about 4" above and which surrounds each shelf.  I replaced the solid shelf part with wire laundry room shelving. I used 2 clip on lights per shelf which delivers about 2000 lumens of light per shelf (30 watts of electricity per shelf)  Each shelf will hold 12 one Gal. pots (3d x 4w) or 30 juice containers. Shelf height is adjustable.

I am just starting my cuttings now and will post pictures when there is more to be seen than the 5 figs which are wintering over on the top shelf.  After surviving a cat attack they all seem to be doing nicely and putting a out a new leaf about every other or third day.  They get watered from the bottom twice a week and misted every couple of days.  This is the first time I have overwintered figlets. These cuttings were started at the end of august and have multiple stems and are about 14" tall. It will be another 2+ months before they can go outside. Don't know if this is ideal growing conditions, but the leaves are glossy, leaf color is good, growth is regular and they are not getting leggy. They are growing at a pace that will allow them to go outside before they have outgrown the space available to them.  Its not an elaborate set up but I have space to grow to between 90 and 120 cuttings per year and to over winter a few youngsters. For the moment I am quite content to start 4 or 5 dozen cuttings a year.

Subject: Please Update Your cutting wish list Replies: 79
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 2,355
 
Very Generous, Dennis.  The Green Ischia I got from you last year is doing well. Looking forward to having it take off this spring. Here is my hope list for this year. Lebanese Red, Salem Dark, Smith, Adriatic, Conadria.

Subject: THIS IS WHAT THE F4F SHOULD BE ABOUT Replies: 28
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 893
 
Don't want to take anything away from Pete because he is a great asset to the forum and a great person but do not want to slight others either. I think most people on the forum are very generous.  Do think we have to respect that some members are commercial growers and make their living or at least support their fig habit by selling what they grow. With weather and water issues as well as high energy costs in the past two or three years, some members may not be in a position to be as generous as they have been at other times. I have only been a member or lurker of the forum for a few years but I have noticed that there is a high correlation between growing conditions in various parts of the country and the amount of cuttings sold/bartered/given away within the forum and offered for sale on Ebay. I buy from members on E-bay because I know that I will get what I have bought and it helps support both members and the forum because I know several contribute all or some of their earnings to the F4F Foundation. Member generosity within the forum takes a lot of different forms be it in sharing knowledge or cuttings.

Subject: It is NOT SPRING!!! Replies: 12
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 256
 
Its been so warm in SC (daytime temps in the 70's instead of the 40's) that I have several blueberry bushes in full bloom now. Some of my current bushes have begun to leaf out and fig buds are swelling. Beginning to think that any optimism for a better growing year after the last two severe winters is nothing more than a dream for this year.

Subject: OT- Super flooding in the Carolinas! Replies: 16
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 235
 
We have rivers running through our pasture and you cannot walk even on hillsides without squishing.We have had so much rain, the red clay has acquired the consistency of snail snot. Watched the horses slowly slide downhill while standing still and eating a bale of hay tossed over the fence because its too wet to get the big bales in. Half way expecting fig trees to slide downhill and end up on the driveway. Another inch or so of rain due today.  Noah, get out your Ark, SC is flooding too.

Subject: New USDA cold hardiness zones Replies: 42
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 1,657
 
Think I am one of the few whose zone got colder. Based on seeing some single digit temps in the past 2 years and a whole passel of temps in the teens, It fits pretty well. We went from 7b to 7a. Now if it could just be 7b temps in winter and 7a temps in summer, it would be great. Colder is bad for the figs but on the other hand, it will help bring back the trout population in our streams which have been suffering due to overly warm water temps.

Subject: Potted Figs Advice / Zone 6 unusual Warm Weather Replies: 5
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 283
 
Coming out of dormancy is my worry in zone 7.  Its been in the low 70's and high 60's for almost 2 weeks. Buds on some of my in ground trees are swelling and some of the more adventurous southern blueberries are actually blooming. Ugh.

Subject: Christmas Replies: 38
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 395
 
Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year.  My soldier is scheduled to get home around 4:00am Christmas Morn.  Psyched! 

Subject: Want to start my collection Replies: 12
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 352
 
Welcome to the forum. I am sure figs will find their way to you and you will get a good start on a fig addiction long before you have your own in ground growing space. 

Subject: Rum Chocolate Fig Cookies Replies: 6
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 132
 
Came across this recipe and its not bad. Changed it up a bit by spreading the filling over more of the dough and then rolling them into a log and cutting them up to form pinwheel cookies instead of bars for Christmas. Baked them on parchment paper.  Not a big fan of chocolate and think the recipe would work just as well without the chocolate.  Just don't see an Italian Great Grandmother or even a Grandmother baking with Chocolate Chips. Here's the link for those who may want to give them a try.

 http://www.jocooks.com/bakery/cookies-bakery/italian-fig-cookies/

Subject: You can stop people from offering cuttings here or you can encourage them to continue offering cuttings here. Here's how. Replies: 29
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 740
 
Rcantor, great points made.

Although I do not do mass distributions preparing even small quantities of cuttings does take time and effort. Courtesy is important because life does happen. If you are worried about whether your communication was received, its ok to check up on it but there are nice ways of doing it that do not put the person offering you the cuttings on the spot.

Much of what I am growing now is due to the generosity of members.  I take pleasure now in finally being able to do the same. Part of the pleasure I have felt is that sharing cuttings has resulted in my meeting several people which over time have become friends. Had my first experiences been poor, I would not have bothered and missed out on meeting some nice people.

Subject: The Free Figs of Matera, Italy & I Giardini di Pomona (Even more photos now) Replies: 39
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 911
 
super photo tour.  My mouth is watering. Thanks for sharing.

Subject: I have a fig tree? Story of a fig rescue Replies: 11
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 220
 
Whatever this variety turns out to be, it is hardy.  Its growing on an NW slope of Paris Mountain and has had no care for at least 9 years. Its borderline 6 there but mostly its icy.  We do not get snow and ice that frequently here but Travelors Rest, SC gets it every time that the rest of us slide by the skin of our teeth.

Subject: I have a fig tree? Story of a fig rescue Replies: 11
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 220
 
Meg, the fig brandy was home made by a lady of Japanese heritage.  We are hoping its not a family secret and that she will share it.  One thing for sure is that it has a high sugar content and I would rank it right up there with a fortified Glug for the ability to generate a hangover. If she does not share, I did find a discussion thread about fig wine and spirits on the web.  Food.com has 2 recipes and then there is this: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=731 . If it does not get shared, I see a reverse engineering project in my future.

Subject: I have a fig tree? Story of a fig rescue Replies: 11
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 220
 
Recently I was invited to dinner at the house of a new friend.  They had bought the house a couple of years ago and now were turning their attention to their yard and starting a garden for the first time in their lives.  They asked to look at their yard and see whether I thought the area they had selected was appropriate.  It was dusk when we went out and there in the corner of the yard was a large fig tree completely kudzu'd over in Muscadine vines. When I asked her about her tree, the reaction was Fig tree? We have a fig tree? I love figs.  The few leaves I could see were 3-lobed with ornately sculpted borders. I suggested that if she liked, I would return when the tree was dormant and help her liberate and trim the tree.  Yesterday, 4 of us started on the liberation of the the tree and taming of the the grapes.  When we finished we had a beautiful 20'-25' vase shaped tree free of all small suckers, crossed trunks and open to sunlight once again. I don't know what sort of tree this is but whatever it is, young growth is a lovely smooth chocolate brown color with small leaf scars.  Brought home some cuttings to root.  There is no ethnically interesting history to the house, so most probably the tree will turn out to be one of the pillars of the fig community in the SE, but who knows.  Its a fig!

My friend had some fig brandy that a friend of hers from Panama had made and which we broke open in celebration. The concoction was stored in a mason jar with several Celeste sized fruits floating in the bottom. It was a smooth as a good Cognac with a slightly fruity and figgy taste. We are going to see if we can get her to share the recipe with us. We are now having visions of all the new mischief we can get into with figs next year.

Subject: Celeste Cuttings for postage or trade Replies: 2
Posted By: MariannaMiller Views: 151
 
Yesterday someone relatively new to the forum posted a desire for Celeste Cuttings on a thread. Unfortunately I did not make note of their name and today I cannot find their post. I have cuttings to share. PM me if you are interested.

I do not know what strain of celeste my trees are, but they do not drop the first crop and produce a mostly red skinned fig with a bit of fruity spicyness to the skin. they seem to be a little slower to root than the general reputation for Celestes. Parent tree is growing in-ground with minimal protection.