Last year one of our customers, stopped by to pick up five more Hardy Chicago fig plants.

Since he and his wife already had bought over five from us, over the years, I asked him if they would like to try some of the other figs we sell. But, he said no, and that they thought our strain of Hardy Chicago produced some of the best fig candy they had ever produced.

That statement surprised me. Because I had always thought Hardy Chicago to be to juicy for drying. So, I never brought any into the house for drying. So, I asked him and his wife, "How are you drying Hardy Chicago, in a dryer or in a oven?"

His wife told me that they were using a dryer. But, they allowed the fruit to dry on the tree first. That reply confused me even more. Because I could never get the fruit on our Hardy Chicago to ever dry up, before rain would soak the fruit. After a little more asking questions, they explained to me they were using 32 ounce clear, slit soda cups to cover each fruit. I thought that was very time consuming. But, they said they together could do well over 500 fruit within an hour.

So, this year I decided to try the slit plastic cup trick on our Hardy Chicago. All, I can say is, "WOW!!!".
I like all fig candy. But, Hardy Chicago does in fact make some of the best fig candy, I have ever tasted.

Eight to ten years ago, we obtained our Hardy Chicago start from Michale at Edible Landscaping. After wards I had read that a lot of people thought Hardy Chicago from Edible Landscaping and Sal's EL, were the same. The ones that we have are in no way the same. Hardy Chicago is more spicy, when dried. Sal's EL is sweeter, with a more figgy taste. Plus, Sal's EL appears to be more cold hardy, then Hardy Chicago. 

Attached are pictures of Hardy Chicago fruit drying on the plant, using slit, clear plastic cups.
Additional benefits to using the slit clear plastic cups, was it also helped keep the morning dew from being absorbed by the fruit. Plus, there was no bird damage with fruit that was covered with the plastic cups.  

Bob @ T. Pine

Very cool. Thanks

That's nice Bob, I'm also glad to hear that you think your hardy Chicago and Sals el are different. I have some small sals that I just rooted and I have the HC from you and I was hoping they didn't turn out the same. Thanks for letting us know.

  I like your results but I cant gigure what you mean by, split cups.   Coul you please tell me how they are split?

Thanks for posting this tip, every time I get get them to start drying the bugs start eating them, will have to try this sometime.

Bob great post--I agree with your customers too! In my climate it seems like HC is the best for getting to dry on a tree. That last pic how they're hangin and raisin shriveled that's just how I like my HC :D. Haven't seen any other cultivar do it with as much ease yet.

So this means that the water uptake is through the skin of the fig and not through the roots.

Hi Bob,
Interesting about your Sal's EL and HC-from-Edible-Landscaping seeming noticeably different.  Just maybe a little bit ironic too, since Michael at EL is one of the guys who says they're the same.  I have those two also, and my plants seem very similar, with very slight variation in flavor being the only difference I can discern (which could be from other variables)  But who knows, maybe my HC is a different strain from yours.  I too have seen HC dry on the tree (at a friend's place who has his in a greenhouse)... and I've gotta say I agree 100% that when those figs are dried on the tree, they're really great!  I like them when they're just beginning to dry also... when the insides are just like a very firm jam consistency and the sugars inside are concentrated.  Gets a kind of nutty pecan pie flavor even (which I think comes from the outer part of the fig).  I've had a few do that here too this year, on a potted tree kept outside (no greenhouse).  But I didn't let them get all the way dried... just part way.  One that I tried doing that with during a rainy week got mushy and fell off the tree.  But a few others earlier in September got nice and partway dried (and I ate 'em then).  I'm going to try this "slit cup" method next year I think.  Thanks for the tip!

Dale -- I think it means that at least part of the water uptake is through the skin... doesn't necessarily imply that none is through the roots.  Or maybe it just means that wet skin soaks in deeply enough to prevent good drying.  :-)  My impression is that once the neck of the fig starts shriveling, it won't get any more water through the roots/stem, but up until that point it's still getting water through the stem.  Not real sure how to describe at what point the stem stops feeding the fig, but it seems like you can tell just by looking when the vascularity is done in, and it won't flow water or anything else.

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a

Ryan, the stock plants that we have of Hardy Chicago, and Sal's EL, came directly from Edible Landscaping, at the same time. Michael, once told me that he was purchasing some of his fig inventory from a wholesaler, in Tennessee. I also read were Mike at one time, had said that he thought that the two were the same.

My feeling on that subject is that some time in the past, Michael's wholesaler shipped to him his order of Hardy Chicago and or Sal's EL, together. But some where between the wholesaler's shipping people pulling Mike's order and Mike's people unpacking the order, some of the stock got mixed together. Also, if I remember right, a lot of nurseries buy figs from the same Tennessee wholesaler, that Edible Landscaping, and Millers nursery does. So, I would imagine there are years when that wholesale nursery, may have to get their cuttings from any where they can, just to fill all their orders. 

Soni, Maybe I should have used the word slit cup, verses split cup. I have inserted a picture of a slit cup into the original post.

Chivas, here figs have to be protected against ants, flys, and yellow jackets. If they are going to be allowed to dry on the plant. Especially here in the north, where fruit that sweet growing outside is not common.

Musillid, water enters the fruit through the plants roots and the skin. Also, here even when it does not rain for days on end, fig fruit will be cover with more water then you can imagine, from morning dew.

Michael, in my mind, that is why I feel the name of a fig is not as important as much as whether or not you like the fig's taste, and that it will grow well for a person. I my self, suspect that they are several different strains of Hardy Chicago, out there. Not to mention the fact that I suspect that figs can mutate a lot easier then most people realize.

Bob @ T. Pine

Hmmm, cool idea.

Doug

I have lots of 32oz clear plastic cups. I will give this a try.

I have dried Hardy Chicago before and its very good. Like was mentioned, I agree Sal's/EL taste sweeter, but Hardy Chicago is more flavorful.

Do you find that they ripen easier with the plastic cups? I would imagine they would help to protect against splitting as well, no?

Never had any fig to split when covered with the plastic cups.

Bob Harper @ T. Pine

I think you'd be better off covering the whole plant with a clear plastic bag if you want to ripen figs.  But it will delay dormancy so I'm not sure it's a good idea.  For the cup to work all the processes necessary to ripen the fig would have to happen inside the fig.  Since picked figs don't ripen I think it's unlikely that warming the fig on a cool plant will help a significant amount.

The original use was to allow the fig to dry on the tree in a wet climate, not ripen the fig.