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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
So I've been driving past a few large fig trees right around the corner from my house for a year now.  I finally got up the courage to go talk to the owner and she's very nice.  What I originally thought was two large fig trees is actually 3 large fig trees.  The lady received them from her Aunt as three small plants from Italy.  They've been outside and unprotected (zone 6b) for approximately 30 years.  A few branches died back a few feet this winter but it seems to come bounding back.

She was so very generous and mentioned I could take cuttings.  I took about a dozen green cuttings and am attempting to root them through various means.  Unfortunately there was only about 1 ripe fruit and I ate it, so no fruit pics, but it's a smallish dark fig with a red interior, very sweet.  I do have several pictures of the leaves of the plants.  Unfortunately there's no way to know which plant is which now since they've grown into each other.  Definitely appears to be at least two unique plants at least from the leaf pics.

Any guesses or wild speculations as to an identification?

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jpeg IMG_0965.JPG (228.29 KB, 150 views)


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saramc

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 

No help on identification, but please let me know what you plan on calling these, because my "I love interesting leaf shapes" alarm is going off...bells and whistles.   LOL            Great find, and good luck with your rooting!
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Posted Reply with quote  #3 

I love that kind of story and I think that those are the best plants!
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Posted Reply with quote  #4 

I agree, these are the fig trees that have not been seen. Plus there is a story behind who brought it here and from where. Hopefully you will be able to get them to root and in time produce enough plant material to share.

 

                             luke

 
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Posted Reply with quote  #5 

cool story
timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Since I'm not yet very accomplished at rooting, I'm going to be taking some cuttings for folks on the forum from these trees on Monday (10/31).  I imagine with the pending northeast snowstorm the trees will go dormant.

If anyone is interested in obtaining some cuttings, I'd be willing to send some on the following conditions: you're rather experienced at rooting cuttings, you're willing to update the thread with progress on the growing trees.  I'm asking for experienced propagators simply because of the limited supply of cuttings right now.

It'd be an added bonus if you're willing to share any rooted plants with me, though that's certainly not a prerequisite.

I'm thinking of sending out 5-10 batches of cuttings in the USPS flat rate padded envelopes (unless someone would suggest another means of shipping cuttings).  I'm hoping perhaps half a dozen to a dozen cuttings per package.

Send me a PM if interested.
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GeorgiaFig

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Very interesting find.

Take a look around the base of the plant, and it is very likely that you can find a few rooted suckers growing there that could be easily removed with no harm to the mother plant at all.  So even if you aren't good are rooting cuttings, you can't fail with one that is already rooted.

Best wishes.

John
timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Very true.  Any harm in digging up a sucker after it has gone dormant then overwintering indoors?  I didn't see any small suckers but did see some rather large ones.
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GeorgiaFig

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
All of my figs are in ground, so I don't know about bringing figs indoors in pots.

But I would think that if you potted up the rooted sucker in some good quality potting soil, kept it in a place where it could get some chilling but no heavy freeze, watered it occasionally, it would do just fine and take off in the spring.

Nothing ventured nothing gained though.

Best wishes.

John
Boris

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 

It is too early to take cuttings. On the tree they can stay better than in refrigerator. To be on the safety side, you can take them from the tree when you will know that there is coming a freeze below 12F.

timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Really?  I thought that pretty much any time after the tree has gone dormant it's okay to take cuttings.
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hoosierbanana

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Cuttings taken in early spring, before bud break, have the highest chance of success. But, if the tree suffers winter damage it is best to take them in the fall.
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Good to know.  I'm thinking that fall or early winter may be the best time to take cuttings on this one due to the fact that it seems to have a bit of dieback on the tallest branches.
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nypd5229

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Even for you... take that cutting in April, right around Spring flush of leaves, stick in dirt. Keep well watered and it should take.

Old timers did it this way.
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
I found some root suckers and have a couple dug up and in pots with moist potting soil.  I imagine the fall, after they've gone dormant, is a good time to dig up suckers, right?  I'm thinking of simply overwintering them in pots in a cold cellar then taking them out and planting them in the spring.  Any drawbacks to digging up these suckers now?
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nypd5229

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Not really but it is better to wait for full dormancy- less stress on roots and plant.
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Dominick
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
What's the difference between dormancy (when the leaves die and fall off) and "full dormancy"?
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nypd5229

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Sorry I just say 'full' just to make sure they are hibernating. Dormancy is fine as a word. I'm too literal sometimes. LOL

All  leaves may fall off but wood may not have hardened off( completely dark). They may stay green a while before colder temperatures bring into what I call 'Full Dormancy' -No leaves, brown wood, and no sap running. It's basically like a bear hibernating.

In your section of PA, If your not already there, your only 1 to 2 weeks away at most.
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
Makes sense.  We had our first really good frost about a week and a half ago, and several since then.  The leaves on the trees are dead but we've had some warm days (high 50s, low 60s) so I suppose the sap could still be flowing.  

Does the sap begin to retreat as soon as the leaves die?  Does it continue flowing on warmer days and only retreat once temperatures are consistently cold (below some certain threshold)?
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nypd5229

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
I'm not really an expert and I won't pretend to be one.

From what I understand it has alot to do with the root mass and dirt staying cold that helps a tree go dormant and stay that way. Sap just naturally starts slowing down and retreating. It takes a bit longer for sap to slow down after leaf drop.

Same applies in the reverse- as root mass wakes in Spring, tree comes OUT of dormancy.
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Dominick
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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
Tim
Here are some pictures of the unknowns from Italy. They are doing pretty good. #3 is the only one giving me any problem. It is the fourth photo.

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jpeg IMG_0766.JPG (48.16 KB, 55 views)
jpeg IMG_0767.JPG (48.72 KB, 57 views)
jpeg IMG_0768.JPG (73.60 KB, 73 views)


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Charles
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
Nice!  Those are all looking really healthy, especially the second one!  I take it you must have started them soon after I sent them?

Mine (including some rooted suckers), are just starting to push out buds now.  Thanks for the update!
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navillus

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
Tim
I started them on 17 Nov 11 inside the house. The following weekend I started some in the garage and some in the yard. With some of the #3's giving me a problem, two weeks ago I started more of them using the improved baggie method. Today I took the inside gang outside for the first time. I BBQ'd ribs while they sat under the oak tree. It was 77F here today. I'll post more photos in a couple of weeks.
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Charles
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #24 
Great to hear Charles!

I've been rooting mine in a closed bin filled with damp potting soil (just plain old Miracle Gro potting soil, though I've heard others warn against anything with fertilizer).  I don't wash them or anything, just stick them flat in the soil, lay some dirt over them, and wait for roots to start to sprout.  It takes about a month for roots to start forming (perhaps due to the cool location?), but it's worked very very well.  I just potted up 9 yesterday and have several from weeks' past growing well under the grow lights.  I think the combination of a cooler rooting environment and less fussing over the cuttings made a huge difference.

I tried rooting in a peat moss container inside a plastic cup and that didn't go well at all.  I don't think any of these unknowns took using that method (though I've had success with some cuttings that were sent to me by Marius).

The root suckers are doing very well.  I have four of those and they all are showing good growth at this point.  One has even formed a breba.

Anyone else who got some of these have an update?  Oh and I wouldn't worry about sending back any rooted plants at this point...I think I'll have all that I can handle.

Tim
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afigfan

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Posted Reply with quote  #25 
Thank you again for the cuttings. I have several that are already into one gallon pots. I would love to see some pictures of the parent trees when they have leaves and fruit on them.
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Posted Reply with quote  #26 
Tim, glad to hear of your success. I haven't started any cutting yet but will be doing so soon. I had too many other projects to finish and I also didn't want to keep them growing in pots inside the house. I've solved that problem and I am now ready to start some rooting. Will keep you posted.
"gene"
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Posted Reply with quote  #27 

Tim,
    I just  found and followed your thread. It woudl be fun (for me) to know where in Italy your neighbor's aunt lived (actually,  where the figs lived). The region or the town. Lots of Italians in Pa. came from the Abbruzze-Campo Basso region.
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Posted Reply with quote  #28 

Tim, great to here that your doing good with your rooting efforts. In the weeks since my last post, I have potted and transfered eight of them outside. I also found that the number three prefered to be just completly burried. The two black pots in the third picture went through the winter outside that way. I still have a few inside and should be transfering them outside within the next few weeks. Overall I would say they are doing pretty good.

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jpeg Unknown_Itialian_1.jpg (144.97 KB, 42 views)
jpeg Unknown_Itialian_2.jpg (126.58 KB, 27 views)
jpeg Unknown_Itialian_3.jpg (115.81 KB, 36 views)


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Charles
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navillus

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Posted Reply with quote  #29 

Tim, update pictures on the three unknown Italians. They are all doing fine. I have added these three to my collection. 

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jpeg Unk_It_1.jpg (126.47 KB, 52 views)
jpeg Unk_It_2.jpg (126.06 KB, 43 views)
jpeg Unk_It_3.jpg (110.05 KB, 49 views)


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Charles
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Posted Reply with quote  #30 
They look great, nice job.



luke
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Posted Reply with quote  #31 

I have started my cuttings from Tim in April and they are doing well. I cannot see any difference in their leaves at this point though. Could it be cuttings of the same variety?

 

Tim, Charles, and others who are growing these cuttings-- do you see any difference in their leaves?
timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #32 
Thanks for the updates everyone! No huge differences in the leaves here either but time will tell. If any of my rooted suckers put on figs this year I'll be sure to post pics. My cuttings that I stored in the root cellar were the only ones I had separated out by plant so we'll see. I do think there are at least two different trees here just based on the width of the tree. Hopefully they're both different!

I've given away quite a few rooted cuttings so they seem to root rather easily
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navillus

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Posted Reply with quote  #33 

Boris, although still young the leaves of #1 and #3 look the same. However  #2 does look different. Time will tell as they age and when they fruit. 
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Posted Reply with quote  #34 
Tim, I just want to add my success to this list. Number one rooted best and I have several in pots. Number 2 and 3 are still in cups and developing more slowly but I think they will make it. Thanks for the cuttings and if you need anything let me know.
"gene"
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #35 
It's been a number of months now since my last update.  I didn't get a chance to check on the crop this year up close, but I drive by this set of trees every day and I believe I've saw some of the main crop ripening around the end of August.

The owner really hacked back the tree this year around mid-summer because it was growing over the driveway and out into the yard quite a bit.  Some of the branches must have grown 5+ ft this year.  I don't think the owner fertilizes at all and the tree isn't protected a bit in the winter.

How are the cuttings doing that I've sent out?  Did anyone allow them to put on figs?

I'll likely be able to get quite a number of cuttings again this year if anyone is interested.  I'm especially interested in trading for the varieties in my wish list but I know most of these have been pretty difficult/expensive to come by lately.

Overall though I'm mostly interested in seeing these trees spread around so that's my main intent in distributing cuttings.  PM me if interested.
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Boris

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Posted Reply with quote  #36 
Tim,
I ate 2 figs from a #3 plant. Small, blackish figs with red pulp. They were sweet and good. It is a keeper for me. I am not going to keep the plants unprotected this winter. But will expose them to the cold in the winter of 2013-2014. However, #1,#2, and #3 seam to be the same variety. The leafs are Hardy Chicago type.

I have as well extra plants or cuttings for trade or to sell. Will have to chop them severely for shipment, as they grew up 4-5' in height on my plot with good soil.
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Posted Reply with quote  #37 
Just posting to show I'm following and to bump the thread. I might just have to take you up on your offer.

Chills
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Posted Reply with quote  #38 
Hi Tim.  Sent you a PM last night.

Mike
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #39 
@MichaelTucson, got the PM, you should see a reply.  

Thanks for the updates and interest everyone.  I was able to get two ripe figs prior to the frost/freeze Friday from rooted suckers.  Like Boris said, they were similar to Hardy Chicago and quite good.  I'll be interested to see how they all produce next year.
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timclymer

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Posted Reply with quote  #40 
Was finally able to get some cuttings today!  First pic is a shot of the cuttings, additional shots are of the mother trees.  I've tried to conceal the house as much as possible in interests of the owner, so the shots of the trees are mostly of their trunks.  The trees themselves are probably 10-12' tall and are never protected.

Sorry for the quality of the shots, I was using my phone.  Cuttings should go out within a week to the interested parties.

Attached Images
jpeg cuttings.jpg (381.54 KB, 19 views)
jpeg tree1.jpg (426.21 KB, 19 views)
jpeg tree2.jpg (379.10 KB, 26 views)
jpeg tree2and3-1st.jpg (395.51 KB, 12 views)
jpeg tree2and3-2nd.jpg (408.41 KB, 18 views)


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