Scott:Your climate will only ripe a few cultivars.
Malta shown  has shown to be one of the earliest to form fruits .
It is early to ripe too.
If I was you I would give it a try.
rchukka
Your Figs are not B Mission and Black Jack

Thanks Herman, I bought them from Willis Orchard Company last year before I knew about this forum, contacted them, waiting for reply.

Herman, just wanted to bump this and say thank you. This will be my first year to harvest figs. I found this info so helpful this time of year

Bill

Surprise again ,Here:
This Spring,the embryos started to appear a Week later,compared to last year.
Last year I had new Embryos on May 25,this year,I had embryos,on my earliest trees on June 1st.
It seem the Spring was slower to start.

Great tree Herman!

Hi all...this is a very interesting read.  I have figs for the first time this year...had the tree for several years now.  Currently I have about 15 figs in what I would estimate as the Stagnant stage.  I have another 15+ that are in the growing stage. 

So...I live in upstate, NY...and I am concerned if I wait for the whole process to play out I may not get to the final fruit stage.  What would you all suggest I do going forward? 

Just a note: friends have told me to try poking a toothpick into the bottom of the figs with some olive oil on it (it works for them).  I guess the theory is you are damaging the fruit and it will speed up the ripening process?  The oil protects the damaged area.  Anyone hear anything about this?  Thoughts/suggestions?

Forget the oil. It speeds ripening but reduces eating quality. You're best bet next yr is to get the trees started growing as soon as possible.

The olive oil works, but only in specific window of time. The fruit needs to be close to being ripe >3 weeks from ripening naturally. The fruit swells and ripens faster than normal, 4-5 days vesus 6-8 days. It also has a reduced sugar content/flavor of 30%+.

So it would only be useful as a last resort. If the weather were predicted to get cold enough to ruin the crop in 10 days. You could rub oil on them now. Some may then ripen before that time, but with reduced flavor.

Hi,
Normally, you should have time. 15th of august has yet to come.
Because you're in Zone5, you may want to have a greenhouse, just like some do it for citrus trees in London.
What strains did you select ?
You probably are using pots, or ?

Thanks all!  Additional info - I have no idea what fig I have, a cutting was given to me by a friend and I am not sure they know what they had either.  I am from a town in upstate, NY that several Italians came to back in the early 1900's and they brought trees with them.  I believe all of the figs we have derive from those.  My tree is potted...so I can still move in and out when the weather gets worse. 

Fignutty - I got them out as early as possible this year...end of March.  I attribute the fact that I have figs at all to this...I usually wasn't great about getting the fig out at the right time or I put it in the wrong spot.  I think I have a system down now. 

Figgysid1 - thank you, that is good info!  So, you are saying just rub oil on them?  I was told to prick the bottom of the fig...I believe in an effort to damage the fig, the oil was just to protect the wound.  But...all this info in passed down through the years, so it is like the telephone game.  Not sure what is true and what is not...

jdsfrance - what is the reference to August 15th?  I do not have a greenhouse, and I only have 1 tree, so unless I take on more plants I am not sure that is an option right now.  Also, as I said above, I have no idea what strain I have...here is a picture of the tree if you have any idea let me know.
 

Hi,
From Herman's post#1 :
------------
Note:In order for me to insure my fruits will ripe in the Fall:I remove all fruits that are smaller than stagnant stage on August 15,as they will retard the maturation of the fruits that are already in the stagnant stage on that date.
------------
Good luck !

got it...thanks!

This explains it well.

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20150916/ARTICLE/150919611/2007020921