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Suggestions for my final two

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Originally Posted by greenfig
Don, There are different Zingarellas floating around, one is a Mt Etna type and another from Richard Watts that looks like Grantham's Royal, it is not berry fig . Not sure where the confusion started


Thanks for the clarification.  I had crossed Zingarella off of my list because I have enough Mt Etnas but Zingarella RW sounds interesting.  

Here's a post with some history on the Zingarellas:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/is-zingarellagypsy-the-same-as-sals-corleone-7116381?highlight=zingarella+rw&trail=50

I guess it would be good to figure out which Zingarella you have Spiff if you don't know already.  It seems the sugar one may be referred to as Zingarella RW.

Every fig has at least two names and every name has at least two varieties.  Gotta love them figs.
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There are two figs with very similar
names......Zingarella (mine) and Zingerella which is also called Gypsy and
isn't nearly as good. Mine came from Italy, went to Switzerland then to
Adriano in Canada. It is excellent......in the first year in my yard it was
already in the top 5


I'm not sure I agree with that characterization of the differences based on spelling.  About a month ago, Harvey was selling a tree with the title below.  I'm not sure why ebay can't load the old listing, but it was definitely there and I lost the bid :)

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Zingarella+Gypsy+Fig+Tree+Italian+origins+tasty+fruit&_itemId=272231371422&_trksid=p2047675.m4096

'Zingarella' ("Gypsy") Fig Tree - Italian origins, tasty fruit

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Originally Posted by spiff2
Rhode Island may be a little rough for in the ground.


For sure.  Theoretically, I'm borderline Z6-Z7.  But the winter low seems pretty reliable at -5F more or less, which I think is Z6b.  But is that very different for you?  Don't get me wrong -- I hope so, for your sake.  Also, the tendency for the variety to emerge from dormancy quickly when weather is temporarily warm (e.g., March thaw) may be more relevant than the capacity to endure cold when fully dormant.  So you may have to worry about variability of late winter temps as much as the extremes of cold.

I'd love for somebody in Z6-Z7 to test Smith outdoors.  If there's success, I'd plant it in the ground here in a heartbeat.        
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If it went -5 in South Carolina the governor would have to declare a state of emergency. But we do have the same problem almost every year where things bud out and then a cold snap to bite it.
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Originally Posted by spiff2
If it went -5 in South Carolina the governor would have to declare a state of emergency. But we do have the same problem almost every year where things bud out and then a cold snap to bite it.


The only difference may be that we have that problem two months later! 

I sometimes think that my winter cover is more important for how it protects the plant from unseasonal warmth than for how it protects from seasonal cold. 
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Well I finally pulled the trigger. My 6 varieties will RDB, VDB, Strawberry Verte, Zingarella (which ever kind it is), Peter's Honey and Smith.

Now to wait 3 or 4 years to see if they produce in this area. If not dig them up and try something different. This is not what you would call a weekend project.
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Can you find a ~2-3 year old plant to buy?  You'd have figs that year. 

Also, fwiw, I've seen amazing growth on cuttings started this winter.  I'm pinching baby figs off most of them.   I left a few that I fully expect to ripen.  I'll be very disappointed if they don't bear fruit next year.

Do you really think you'll have to wait years?
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You probably won't have to wait years to get figs. As a matter of fact I have figs on the ones I put out this spring but they are small and I doubt they will mature. I have read on this forum that most if not all varieties are not very tasty the first couple of years. So I will give them 3 years before making a final judgement of yea or nay.
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