Below is my Chicago Hardy. I actually purchased it from Lowes and this is the second year that I have owned it. It jumped from 1 ft. to 5 ft. last year and has put on another ft.  so far this year and I pinched it and it is branching out. I am excited since I am new with figs and the tree has a number of figs on it. A number of people on this site have been helpful with advice and generous with cuttings. In another post I will provide some photos of cuttings that have rooted. Should I wait until it goes dormant to remove the suckers or should I remove them now. Or should I leave them there. One of the suckers does have figs on it. My plan was to place the tree in the ground when it goes dormant or next spring. Any advice would be appreciated. 


 

Here is a picture of the figs on the tree.

 

Dave, 

A nice Chicago Hardy - I plan on acquiring one this year.  I only hear good things about both the tree and the figs

Tad

I wish I could find some different figs from the big box stores or the garden centers. All I ever see is BT or Celeste fig trees.

SweetLou, 

Try Lowe's and you may be lucky to get some other fig varieties than BT and Celeste.  I bought my 4' tall black Mission at Lowe's.  They have a guy in the garden department who can order some other common varieties for you as a tree, not like a seedling offered on Ebay, at reasonable prices. 

Tad, Thanks.

SweetLou I agree with SChang you can get lucky and find different common figs at Lowes. I guess the major question is if the tree is true to the tag on the tree. I was also able to get a Olympian at a local Lowe's here.

SweetLou,

I know some people here in Cary, NC that have gotten some nice fig trees on Craigslist in the Charlotte area.  A few farmsteads where you can actually visit and select your own fig tree.

Also check out the local farmers markets in Charlotte.

Tad

Thanks Tad, I will have to look into that !

We'll don't cut off the bearing branch. ;)

I just took a sucker from an HC inground, and when it has good roots, you can replant it to make a separate tree.

Dave:  I have no doubt that the big box stores or some online sellers may mislabel the trees they sell either intentionally or by mistake. I had similar experience with one of the big box stores where I bought an Asian pear tree.  After two years the tree was fruiting but it is a sugar pear tree instead of an Asian pear tree.  I went to the store presenting my case with tree tag/receipt and the store refunded me.  I could have said that the precious time and effort was lost and worth it.  But at least I have no problem buying from them knowing that they honor their products/ads.  But it was not completely hassle free in my case because the store clerk asked me to bring that tree back for a refund.  You are talking about a 9' tree which I spent about 1.5 hours to plant it due to the hard clay soil and lots of rocks.  I was not going to dig it out for them so I told them to get someone to dig it out themselves due to their mistake.  That clerk could not handle it and called the store manager.  Let me just say that the tree is free for me and still stand because I did not have the heart to cut down a healthy tree, even though it is not what I intended to buy.

I am not sure about some of the online retailers, especially tree vendors though.  

Levi, Thanks. The suckers are about 3 ft tall and bending over. So do you think if I dig them out now would that damage the roots of the tree.  The tree has a number of figs forming.

I have two CH in the ground. I cut out suckers throughout the year as soon as they're big enough to take out. It's instant tree. Best way to propagate IMO. You should probably remove the fig as it'll need the energy for the move. 

Yesterday I stop in Loews for some planting supplies. And they had all fruit tree 25% off.  BT and Celeste fig trees were all they had, but for $17 I grabbed a nice shaped 3ft. Celeste fig tree. No will power !

You may want to wait a little longer...Here HD and Lowes discounted 50% of all their fruit trees already.  There are not many selection left though, but you may get lucky and find one you may not absolutely want to have, but why not...