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Are there any tips on helping all these green figs ripen before frost here in Ontario? Pruning or pinching or feeding or moving into hotter sun? Right now they get some full sun but not all day, as temps here have been up to 40 degrees for days at a time. I've got about 10 potted Chicago Hardys at various stages of size, from 7 feet tall to 3 feet.
You still have lots of time with hardy Chicago type figs.In the early summer you could have pinched the tips so the plant can focus more on producing figs rather than growing bigger branches.At this time I would remove any tiny figs towards the end of the branches and this will allow the better developed green figs to get bigger and ripen faster. When it starts getting colder (<15C during the day and 5c during the nights) they will benefit if you can put them in a greenhouse or do the fig shuffle with them and move them in and out of the garage during the cold periods.There are also oiling techniques to hasten ripening but I haven't tried them since they may affect the taste. All these methods have been posted here and you can find more details using the search function.Hang in there you should see the figs swelling and colouring pretty soon. I am a little south of you. My in ground trees started ripened figs end of August and container figs before that.
Drop of olive oil on the eye. Suppose to work. Give it ago.
Hey RichieThat sounds like something to try! When is the best time to apply the oil? Does it matter what kind of oil?
I'm definitely no pro lol, but I read the oiling technique must be done when the temps are high to work properly.. Maybe wait for a stretch of hot days in the forecast to apply the oil? Pino I don't believe the type of oil is very important from what I read, but you may want to choose a mild tasting oil in hopes of not altering the taste very much? Just my 2 cents though :)
For oiling, I think the fig has to have begun the final ripening process. The olive oil on the eye does not seem to have any effect on an unripe, 'green' fig'The oil speeds up the ripening process, but does not initiate the ripening process.
Thanks Jamie! We are having another heat wave this week and very dry. So watering is important to ripen the figs.I noticed the in ground figs slowed down ripening this week since the ground is completely dry.The container figs are all colouring fast but not swelling very much so some ripe figs are smaller than usual. I had the smallest Sal EL and HC ever.The oiling I was thinking of using on the late ripeners. For the next week we have the heat but those figs haven't swelled yet. Does the oiling get them swelling as well?
That makes sense Grant!Thanks
See this
Thanks Sas for a good video, I removed all suckers, some new branches, some leaves off (not all leaves) 1 week ago, "Hardy Chicago" is ripen/enlarge its figs quickly, I ate my 1st "Hardy Chicago" fig yesterday.