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Subject: How's everyones cuttings coming along? Replies: 86
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,057
 
My first try ever. I have collected cuttings from two different "wild" varieties in my neighbourhood (with consent) wrapped in damp paper towels and put them in a plastic lid box .
I check them daily for mold and humidity.
But it is too soon, they're in the box since 28 december only. I'm still a bit unsure about the temp though, I keep them in the kitchen but close to a cold window where the temp is around 65F. Hope this will work.

Subject: Dalmatie 2015 monsters Replies: 83
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,796
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pino
Stormy and Devin,
Dalmatie is a common type fig that is bifarous.  It can produce 2 crops, 1st crop (brebas) and the main crop. 
The 1st crop is produced on last year's wood and the main crop on the new wood grown this season. 
My goal with Dalmatie is simply to have it survive the winter (-25C) with as little effort on part as possible.  On the new growth Dalmatie produces a huge and consistent main crop that I am very happy with.  The figs are xlarge and consistent in flavour and super sweetness.  When I eat a plate of figs I save the Dalmatie for last.
I have other figs that produce brebas for me so I don't need to do the extra work to protect Dalmatie's new growth over winter. 
Hope I answered your questions.
Thanks
.   

Cristal clear explanation, thanks.

Subject: Dalmatie 2015 monsters Replies: 83
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,796
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DevIsgro
I am pretty sure I read somewhere that some figs produce breba on new wood while others do not, if this is correct maybe Joe can answer which group Dalmatie falls under?

Really, this would be new to me? But anyhow, the plant will develop its main crop faster and thus it will ripen better if it doesn't have to grow the breba crop first.
That's common knowledge in this fig community.

It's all about timing, especially in the northerly zones we are living in. 

Subject: Dalmatie 2015 monsters Replies: 83
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,796
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pino
Hi Stormy
Dalmatie does grow a little slowly.  If grown in tree form it probably stays smaller than most figs. 

I grow Dalmatie as a bush.  cut the fig back  2-3 feet high and wide for winter.
This year it produced many figs and grew 6 feet in diameter most branches 6 feet high with some branches 8 feet high.

By pruning you should manage the size quite easily.

Attached is a photo today most figs have already ripened.  There are a dozen or so left.


So if I get this right, you cut them back to a few feet every year, before winter? But then you lose the breba, or is that intentional? 

Subject: Dalmatie 2015 monsters Replies: 83
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,796
 
What maxium size can I expect with a Dalmatie in ground? I have read somewhere it doesn't get as big as other figs, is that correct?

Subject: Madeleine dds needs pollination? Replies: 18
Posted By: Stormy Views: 226
 
Sorry guys I'm a travelling right now. As soon as I can, I will post a few pics of my MDDS in pot.

Subject: Coll de Dame varieties Replies: 58
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,069
 
Baud will tell me, for sure! Or at least tell me it's not a CDD. Thanks

Subject: Madeleine dds needs pollination? Replies: 18
Posted By: Stormy Views: 226
 
OK, this takes away the doubts I was having about Mdds needing pollination. Thanks all for your replies.

I will certainly wait until next year to give it a rating and after all I got to taste a breba fig in July off a two year old plant.

The plant originates from Baud, through a local seller, so it would be surprising to see it was not properly labeled. But just to be on the safe side, I'll take a picture in the coming days and have you experts look at it.

Subject: Madeleine dds needs pollination? Replies: 18
Posted By: Stormy Views: 226
 
Don't know about that. Seems Desert King will only produce breba's without the wasp, to name one.
And I just got one breba!

Subject: Madeleine dds needs pollination? Replies: 18
Posted By: Stormy Views: 226
 
In don't think that's the problem here, all my plants are on a drip system. The water supply is very balanced without any peaks. Also the only breba it produced this year ripened to perfection.
Could it be the plant is too young, I only got it this spring and it produced at least 10 big figs on a single stem?

Subject: Madeleine dds needs pollination? Replies: 18
Posted By: Stormy Views: 226
 
Could it be that MDDS needs to be fertilised? As I removed a couple of figs, I noticed the interior being dry and white, they fell off after I barely touched them.
From Calgoni also, it seems "like this variety needs pollination". To me it does or it doesn't or am I wrong and can it depend on the situation?

Subject: Coll de Dame varieties Replies: 58
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,069
 
The cendrosa1.jpg  cendrosa2.jpg 
These pics come from their site, a striking ressemblence if you ask me.
They are labeled as "Cendrosa", nice name.

Subject: Coll de Dame varieties Replies: 58
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,069
 

To SAS and all others,
I start to think my reply is a bit off-topic. Confident about the true nature of this fig, my lovely wife bought it in a respected nursery about three years ago, I never asked myself if this could be a different type, until I joined this forum, silly me...:)
When we stopped by the same nursery just yesterday, I was struck by the sheer disorder in the different types of figs that they offer.
That's why I asked my wife to go back three years in time and try to remember where she picked it from. Now, at the time she came back home with just a picked fig, to let me taste it. The whole idea was if I would like it, then she would buy a tree from the same kind. I did like it, so about two weeks later, she picks up the tree, which she believes is a CDD, and brings it back home.
Since I still liked the figs that come off it, I am not displeased off course, but still, wanting to know the real type of fig I am eating has becoming a bit of a challenge actually.
And, I think I have found it on Calgoni. Now here are the pics from my alleged CDD.


3079155.jpg  3079157.jpg 



Subject: Peter's Honey 2016 Replies: 17
Posted By: Stormy Views: 491
 
To me this is a Marseille fig. Looks the same and apparently tastes the same as well.

Subject: Coll de Dame varieties Replies: 58
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,069
 
Hey all, as promised a few pics of my Col de Dame. In a few days I will have perfectly ripe figs again, with pics also off course. Indeed the best tasting fig in my collection.

I picked a nice ripe one today and added the pics here below. The more I read about the CDD, especially since this thread, the more I start to doubt that this is an actual CDD. It kind of misses the thick neck, which is so characteristic for the type.

IMG_0915.JPG 



IMG_0914.JPG 
almost ripe.jpg  leave.jpg  leaves.jpg  still green figs.jpg  color is changing.jpg

Subject: Coll de Dame varieties Replies: 58
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,069
 
" I've seen such colors with the Bourjasotte Grise. But it would be hard to judge a very young tree. The color of the fruit might change from one season to the next depending on the health of the tree among other things. Please post some pictures when available.

 I will in a few days, the color is much like the third picture from Mallorca.

Subject: Coll de Dame varieties Replies: 58
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,069
 
When referring to a feminin noun, the adjective should be put in feminin too, so the only grammitically correct way to put is a Col de Dame Noire, respective Blanche and Grise because fig in french is feminin.
You say "une figue".
On the other hand, IF the color refers to the neck (le col), which is masculin, you omit the e at the end of the words. But I doubt it refers to the neck alone.

About the colors of that strain of figs, I find it very hard to describe the right color.
For instance, the CDD I bought was labeled as a black one. When I just bought it, there was a single fig on that tiny busch which had ripened at the nursery and which was very dark. The taste was very rich.
Now three years later, the plant has trippled in size, it is in a pot in my greenhouse and it ripens the fruits very well each year but the color has never been as dark then when I brought it home the first time.

It is more like a mixture of green and purple. In a few days I will have some more ripe fruits and I will post a picture to clarify. The taste is always very good though, it really stands out from all the rest.

Subject: Top figs of 2016 Replies: 21
Posted By: Stormy Views: 735
 
By far exceeding in terms of taste is the Col de Dame. Could be a white or a gris, not sure about that.
Very prolific as well.
Second comes the EBT, followed by the Marseilles.
The other trees in pots are either too young, like the Barbentane and the Negronne or the figs aren't ripe yet, that goes for the Madeleine des 2 saisons.

Weird thing happened with the Madeleine. I just bought it this spring, it had one breba already which ripened early july. About 6 weeks later it had 5 fully grown figs on the new branches, which turned yellow and then fell off, the inside being dry and uneatable.
And guess what, now it seems to ripen another 6 figs. Looks like this fig keeps on producing!

Subject: identify this purple fig? Replies: 8
Posted By: Stormy Views: 207
 
Looks like Negronne to me.

Subject: Southern Spain holiday fig quest Replies: 3
Posted By: Stormy Views: 112
 
They sell the Verdal variety at the Mercadona market, we bought a few kilos, it's actually a dark fig they sell. The same at the local markets, great figs. Price at the markets is about 2Euro a kilo.

Subject: yellow fig ID Replies: 3
Posted By: Stormy Views: 155
 
Is there a way to be sure? In any case, it 's a keeper, the taste is great.

Subject: Southern Spain holiday fig quest Replies: 3
Posted By: Stormy Views: 112
 
We spent the family holidays in Andalucia, Spain where figs grow all over in the wild. My sons and I collected two different species, a green and a purple fig. Both were absolutely marvellous, the best figs we ever ate: crunchy, sweet and very fig like and they just grow there, uncultivated.
Any idea which kinds they are? IMG_0946 (1).JPG  IMG_0904 (1).JPG  IMG_0947 (1).JPG  IMG_0948 (1).JPG

Subject: yellow fig ID Replies: 3
Posted By: Stormy Views: 155
 
This fig was my first encounter with the fig species, unfortunately it is not what the seller has sold it for, a BT.
It has a great taste, must be a honey type, very sweet.
Anyone has an idea which one it could be? IMG_0952 (1).JPG 

Subject: How to recognize a caprifig? Replies: 16
Posted By: Stormy Views: 364
 
And in the midst of summer?

Subject: How to recognize a caprifig? Replies: 16
Posted By: Stormy Views: 364
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by alanmercieca
The only carpifigs that are edible are called edible caprifigs, most caprifigs are not edible. If they are edible, then they do not need the fig wasp for the first crop, the second crop may or may not be edible with the fig wasp. So in other words if you can eat a caprifig anywhere then it does not need the fig wasp.

Like was already said you meant smyrna figs. Not sure if there is a way to tell besides asking the locals, people or fig wasps. LOL


I understand that now, Smyrna is what I meant. Great, but since I will be going in August, the first crops will have been replaced by maturing second crop figs. I think the best option for me to discriminate between Smyrna and common type will be simply by asking the owner of the tree.
Have to dig that "Spanish for dummies" out of the dust!

Subject: How to recognize a caprifig? Replies: 16
Posted By: Stormy Views: 364
 
That's a quite impressive list you are showing. Last year I was on a local market near Murcia where I bought these wonderful dark figs with a delicious taste. And I bet there are dozens of those around the Almeria area where we will spend our holiday this year.
Got to figure out a way to escape from the house without my wife noticing when I will go fig hunting.

Subject: How to recognize a caprifig? Replies: 16
Posted By: Stormy Views: 364
 
Oh I see, got that now. But yes I do have a greenhouse, all my figs are in there. No way I can get them to ripen outside. To give you an idea of how "unfiggy" my climate is: we are having 16 degrees with heavy downpours for the last couple of days now.
In my greenhouse even my col de Dame is ripening, most of them in September.

Subject: How to recognize a caprifig? Replies: 16
Posted By: Stormy Views: 364
 
Actually, fig trees are around everywhere in that area! I just want to avoid starting from cuttings that will not produce in my area anyway because they need pollination.

Subject: How to recognize a caprifig? Replies: 16
Posted By: Stormy Views: 364
 
I will spend my summer leave in the sunny and fig friendly country of Southern Spain. Anticipating I will be seeing lots of fig trees and knowing myself, not being able to withstand the opportunity to take some cuttings after tasting off course, how can I discriminate between a caprifig and a fig that will produce in my northern climate?

Subject: What is wrong with my fig leavs? Replies: 15
Posted By: Stormy Views: 424
 
Did you have like real warm days recently with plenty of sun? Because that's what it looks to me.

Subject: the beauties of pinching Replies: 38
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,118
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiggyFrank


If you pinch an actively growing fig tree, a new branch (or branches) will sprout from a node somewhere below.  Thing is, it could be a fig, or it could be a branch.  Either way, it equals to more figs eventually.
So the tip that you just pinched will stop there.  No terminal bud.  Whatever branch(es) form thereafter will have your terminal tips at the end of the season.
I made a video last summer that might be helpful.


Great instructive video. I will certainly give it a try this year on my heavily pruned green fig, which is sprouting all over now, without figlets sofar this year.

Subject: the beauties of pinching Replies: 38
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,118
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeneDaniels


I pinch my blueberries, blackberries and raspberries too, does them wonders but like you said a year later. As for figs, it increases the fruit now because they bear on the first year wood.

A couple years ago I stared pinching my figs. At first I tried pinching some shoots and not others (on the same bush). The pinched ones fruited more and sooner. Of course this is not a proper scientific study, but I am fairly certain that pinching works. In places like here in zone 7, one of the big issues is getting them to start fruiting sooner. The sooner they start fruiting, the larger the overall crop will be by the end of the season.


OK, I see that. Assume I start pinching now, mid may, removing the top sprout from every new branch. In fact this is an early pruning aiming at a better fruit development.
Now, opposed to that, correct me if I am wrong, this branch will no longer terminate, let's say in august, in a nicely formed bud to start from next year.
So my question is, won't this delay bud break next spring, or is there still time for that branch to form new sprouts that will end in buds in august? Don't know if you follow me on this!

Subject: the beauties of pinching Replies: 38
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,118
 
How is that, do you mean you get more, bigger or better figs in the end? I'm trying to understand why I should do it you see.

Subject: Rust or something else? Replies: 2
Posted By: Stormy Views: 100
 
Looks like rust to me. Copper will help.

Subject: the beauties of pinching Replies: 38
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,118
 
Never pinched my figs before, are you positive it really makes a difference in numbers of figs developing or is it the rather them growing faster?
I noticed figlets on my col de dame, unpitched. In terms of branching, it makes a difference on my other trees and schrubs like apple trees and berries of all sorts. For instance when I pitch the blueberries end of may, resulting in more shoots appearing a few weeks later, I get more fruit the next year because fruit grows on one year old shoots.

Subject: Growing figs in a greenhouse Replies: 17
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,083
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkirtexas
I have had a small greenhouse for three years, I grew up in a family of contract growers in Florida with 5 acres of greenhouses and there is a single word that describes all the advantages and disadvantages of using/having a greenhouse....CONTROL!!

A greenhouse is basically a neutral environment that you can control all aspects of the growing environment.  A greenhouse will never be too wet, hot, cold, humid, dry, shady, sunlit, dark or anything else without your control.  I use my greenhouse as a shade house in the summer and as a hothouse in the winter.  If it is too hot, I open the windows and doors, if it is too cold I turn on the heat.  There is no water that I don't apply.

It is a wonderful tool that will pay for itself several times over, if you control the growing environment properly.  As to the pot vs in ground issue check out the espalier pictures posted on our forum, no problem with height.  As posted, I just bought a larger greenhouse and I can't wait to have more control over more of my growing environment.

Long answer to a simple question, but basically a greenhouse allows you to "have it your way"


I second that. As an example, check out the difference in growth that can be achieved in my unfriendly fig climate.
In just two months and after a heavy root pruning and a first time ever pruning of a ten year old green fig I manage to have dense foliage again on the major scaffolds, the last one is breaking dormant buds as well now.

Winter root pruning
root pruned.JPG 


12 March 2016
PRUNED.JPG 


12 May 2016

TWO MONTHS LATER.JPG 



Subject: Growing figs in a greenhouse Replies: 17
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,083
 
I keep all my figs in a greenhouse, in pots and it works out just fine. You have to be cautious about rust on some varieties, others don't seem to care about the higher humidity you inevitably have to deal with.
Outside I would never be able to ripen the col de dame for instance, not a single one, as my summer is short and fall can start as early as september.
I have another green fig, a tree of about 15 years old, which I bought three years ago. Unfortunately I can't determine which kind it is. Anyaway the first two years I kept it outside in full sun, but the figs didn't ripen. Now they do all, starting off first of august until mid october.
A week ago I also bought a madeleine, a noire de barbentane and a negronne but these are just young sprouts.
Off course watering them is crucial since they're in pots inside a greenhouse. In july temps can raise up to 45C, doors and windows open off course, humidity drops to nearly 20 % then.
The shading I use for the tomatoes and peppers are not needed to protect the figs, I have the impression they really love the heat.
You shouldn' t grow them in ground though, think about the ground water level that could rise during winter, I am not sure how they will react to that.
Another suggestion I read here to bring the figs outside during summer and move them back in at the end of summer should also work fine, I know of a local nursery that does that and they have great results.
In other words: to ripen the figs a greenhouse works fine as long as you ventilate, you will also have figs a month earlier!

Subject: Violette de Bordeaux AF Replies: 32
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,606
 
It just is unbelievable how many varieties there are!

Subject: Violette de Bordeaux AF Replies: 32
Posted By: Stormy Views: 1,606
 
Damned, I didn't know about this AF cultivar, I just got my regular Negronne delivered last week from Baud figues.

Subject: Brebas fall off. Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 243
 
I am not sure at all it really is a BT. Last year I managed to keep the brebas and this year they dropped in more or less the same conditions.
Could be a sudden temperature drop during night, although there is never any frost inside my greenhouse.

Hopefully, now it's in a bigger pot, they won't drop next year. And there still is the fall crop off course.

Subject: Share your Drip Irrigation Schedule- Pots , zone 10. Replies: 13
Posted By: Stormy Views: 255
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by elin
Stormy 5 liters per day (1.5 gallons)?  whats your pot size? sounds alot.

This spring for my 30 liter pots i am using :

4 liter-hour  drippers
 8 minutes a day- so each plant is using 500 ml a day.
In the summer i guess it will double.

BTW your drippers sound good.



They are in 40 Ltr pots, in average potting ground for any kind af plants. Works great.

Subject: Brebas fall off. Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 243
 
Actually I transplanted it after the fruit had dropped.

Subject: Share your Drip Irrigation Schedule- Pots , zone 10. Replies: 13
Posted By: Stormy Views: 255
 
Since I water in the scale, I set the system to a constant flow, not dripping. It works with small valves which are adjustable, roughly from dripping to spraying or sprinkling.
If you need more water, you can just add more sprinklers. I use two sprinklers and have them on for about ten minutes, giving about 5 lLtrs of water.Pic from the website:
 Instelbare watervereiste

Subject: Share your Drip Irrigation Schedule- Pots , zone 10. Replies: 13
Posted By: Stormy Views: 255
 
I don't live in your zone, but I grow my potted figs in a greenhouse. Temperatures can go as high as 42C, it happened today actually, off course that's in the full sun. A part of my greenhouse is artificially shaded, today's temp was around 30C in that part. That's wahere i keep my peaches.
My col de dame is in full sunshine all day long and it consumes about 10 ltrs of water per day now! The plant is about 1,5 m high. last year I had over a hundred ripe figs on that plant, from early sep till mid november.
I have an automatic watering system from Gardena installed and I set it to water twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
To my knowledge, it is also important NOT to water figs from above, so directly on the soil but instead you need a kind of scale, a recipient where you put the pot in and then water in this scale. The fig will have its water supply only from the bottom this way.
I know it is still far from the natural circumstances, but it is way better like this.
I have also learned that figs, when they start ripening require less water, but still in a steady way. Avoid not watering them for a while and then overdosing as to say by giving them a bucket full.

Subject: Brebas fall off. Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 243
 
Does anyone know why my BT in pot has dropped all its brebas recently? The plant is inside a greenhouse, it has not frozen at all. The figlets started off real good though, got bigger together with the opening of the leaf buds end of march.
I am starting to think that it needed repotting badly, because when I removed from the old pot, it was just a big chunk of roots with some dirt between them. I don't know if that makes sense.

Subject: Rust on potted BT in greenhouse Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 149
 
I have moved it outside, since the weather is real nice now. Finding the balance between keeping the warmth in and ventilating is not simple, especially with overcast weather. What is the best relative humidity for figs or better what is the highest acceptable level over a period of time?
Don't know if any figures exist on that.

Subject: bringing back cuttings from Sicily Replies: 31
Posted By: Stormy Views: 803
 
The world has become a great village, it is practically impossible to stop viruses and other pathogens from travelling around with us. I am in military aviation myself and go to central Africa on a regular basis. You would be surprised by the number of critters and bugs we sometimes discover in the cargo area after a few weeks of flying around in the bush area of Congo. And even after chemically disinfecting the cargo, we have found spiders that came out alive. Wouldn't be surprised that smaller organisms make it to the outside without being noticed.
And in civilian aviation it is even worse, since they don't disinfect as thoroughly as we do, they can't afford having a plane closed down for eight hours for disinfection purposes.
All this to say that it is very hard to avoid organisms from establishing in new areas. Prove is that in many countries, as you probably know, sometimes invasive new species have established, with or without intended human assistance.

Subject: Rust on potted BT in greenhouse Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 149
 
Liquid copper is still for sale in Belgium, in other European countries is has been banned. On an overcast day it will probably be safe to use it. Thanks for the tip.

Subject: Rust on potted BT in greenhouse Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 149
 
And it will not spread to the other figs? I could move it outside by now, since the cold days are past now and we are having early summer days now.

Subject: Rust on potted BT in greenhouse Replies: 6
Posted By: Stormy Views: 149
 
A potted Brown Turkey shows signs of rust after a late cold spell with temps just above freezing and high humidity two weeks ago. My figs are kept in a green house so I don't worry about cold temps, I also keep the frost out it with an electrical heater. So it really is the moist air that does it.
The question is, do I have to combat it (sorry for the word, I am a soldier...) or will it disappear when the air will get drier?
It is the only variety that shows this rust, all the others are perfect.