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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > What point is too late for fruit to start to show?
 
 


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slingha

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I'm in 6a.  At what point should I turn off fruit production? What I mean is at what point will a fig begin to form but never get ripe before winter?  I'd rather not have the tree waste the energy for something i'll never get to sample. 

One of my HC and an unknown light colored fig are just now showing embryos. 
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
fig takes about 85 days to ripe. so.. if it starts to show now.. late sept, it should ripe... last year, i had a tree ripening figs in nov.

not sure about the HC or the unknow you have, but some are really late and needs heat to ripe properly.

pete
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Pete
Durham, NC
Zone 7b

"don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill
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***** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. *****
***** and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...*****
slingha

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Of first frost here is usually mid-late October. So I should maybe stop any new ones around July 15-ish
BLB

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Yeah Herman talked about this last year, you establish a specific date for your zone and just remove any late forming figs. Can't recall the date though, maybe he will chime in again, but I think for me it was July 30. I might be able to go a couple weeks later than you as I usually don't see frost until mid Novemeber. Any forming now are well within the ripening time frame for you and me.
slingha

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 

Barry- As always thank you
striveforfreedom

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Sling don't forget to pinch your tips. I count 6 leaves then pinch or clip if I let it go to long. That will limit your crop and help your tree set fruit faster so it has time to ripen. I just pinched mine a few days ago and barely noticeable bud have popped into half to 1 inch figs over the past week.
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Vince Russo
Norwalk, CT Zone 7A

Wish list - Any cuttings of the Col de Dames would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Chivas

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
The ones you get in october won't be as sweet though, I will stop any new ones around july 1st for me in zone 6 b
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Canada Zone 6B
BLB

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
The ones I get in November aren't very sweet, my October figs have been very good. Are you sure your zone is 6b all the way up in Canada?
yquemandfigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
I tend to want time the fruit to mature before the first week of october, for me in toronto.  I had fruit into November but it was not that sweet.  Also, everything grows slowly after the end of august because of less light.  i am pinching now.

I expect chivas is a week or two later in the banana belt.  :)
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Downtown Toronto - Zone 6a
Starting a Fig Forest in my driveway
Growing: Colisanti Yellow, Marseilles White, Niagara Black, Marseilles Black VS, Sals El, Noir de Carombe,2 Unknown
BronxFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
From what I've read...70-85 days from embryo figs to ripe figs...depending on culture and growing climate.  Pinch off anything that will not ripen.  Energy will go into ripening quality figs.  Why grow late forming figs that will not ripen?

On my trees, if they form after the first week in July, they get pinched off.  The curse of us short-season growers.  Better some, than none.

Frank
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Bronx, NYC
Zone-7
hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
zones for canada.
http://planthardiness.gc.ca/images/cfs11x8E.jpg
look at vancouver area
that is why they have fig trees growing unprotected
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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
I have also already started pinching

Grant
z5b
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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
BLB

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
I guess the map doesn't lie. Canada does indeed have zone 6 wow. That does explain some of the posts I've read in the past.
hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Canada has zone 8a in some parts of British Columbia
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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
Chivas

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
For me I have had figs ripening on 2 different trees mid october, one is about 40 years old in a greenhouse the other is my (now) 3 year old tree, it could just be the weather that year but I am going with what most of the Italians around here tell me which is if you haven't got them by October they aren't worth eating.  They still are but they don't have as much sugar as if it's August or September.  That is my personal experience, for point of reference I'm an hour west of Detroit.
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Canada Zone 6B
JoAnn749

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Isn't the hardiness zone based on the coldest temps, not the highest?  Looks like some might even be in 7b!  I can't imagine BC getting 90-100 degrees on any day!
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Jo-Ann DFW TX, Zone 7b-8a Wish List: Black Madeira,, Kathleen's Black, Malta Black, Marseille VS Black, White Paradisio, LSU Scott's Black, Conadria, White Trianna, Marttineca Rimada, Excel, Peter's Honey, Bebera Preta (Abebereira), Strawberry Verte
BLB

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
I can't imagine that either JoAnn, but the map doesn't lie. I do believe you are correct, hardiness zones are determined by the coldest temps
hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Yes cold hardiness is based on coldest temperatures and is
not really a good indicator of overall climate.
It does not take into account length of winter, or length of growing season or high temps in summer, or amount of sun or cloud.
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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
does it damage young tree's to pinch off figs?  I have several that have decided to pop out a crop of figlets.
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
JustPeachy

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cobb4861
does it damage young tree's to pinch off figs?


I wouldn't think so. If the plant doesn't expend energy into producing fruit it can better utilize it for building its core like root foundation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cobb4861
I have several that have decided to pop out a crop of figlets.


My Sal's was planted in ground back in August and I also have two tiny figlets on it! I left them on the tree 'cos I was so ecstatic with the growth. Tonight we are having a cold front move through so I'll probably go out tomorrow and nip them off for the sake of the tree itself. I'd rather have the plant focus it's energy on it's roots than on fruit production considering we are moving into the winter season.
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Sophie~

Sophies Choices: Sultane, Sal's , Hardy Chicago and varieties suitable to z7b...not too picky at this point since we are still a fig growing virgin!
cobb4861

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
They aren't putting on one or two, more like 10 on little 1 year plants just before winter.  Not to keen on that.  I'll follow your lead Sophie, tomorrow they come off.
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Meghan Cobb ~ Growing zone 9 Wish List: Pane e Vino White and /or Dark, De la Reina, Iranian mountain fig and anything else that is great to grow or at least try in the hot and humid Southeast Texas.
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