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PatrickStar

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Hi y'all, I was wondering, did you guys get your first fig trees as potted plants or cuttings? Which do you prefer for getting new plants? Also, what (relatively common) varieties do you guys like the best, especially for hot climates? Thanks!
cyberfarmer

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
I started my first dozen trees from cuttings. First year all cuttings failed. In my third year now and have lots of trees but as of yet no fruit. Definitely start with cuttings AND buy at least one bearing tree.
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pitangadiego

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
First 2 trees from cuttings, 3rd from nursery, the next 1200 from cuttings and nurseries. Prefer plants, to save time, but the vast majority are from cuttings.
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MichaelTucson

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
First few were "shovel propagated" from a mother tree that had lots of trunks and new suckers springing up.  After that a few trees bought from nurseries, a bunch from cuttings, and some more were given as gifts to me already rooted.  Mostly (more than three quarters) were from cuttings.  Most of them are in pots, but a few are in ground (with significant winter protection required in this cold climate).

Mike   central NY state, zone 5a
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bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
first 3 were potted trees. didn't know how to root back then and didn't want to wait too long to taste fresh figs off the tree i grew. rest of them are mostly ones i rooted from cutting. few others were air layer trades, and some rooted cutting trades. and then there are gifts.
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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
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** 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...*****
BronxFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
My first trees were all at bearing age.  I would strongly urge any first time grower to buy the oldest, and, largest trees available.  Older trees will be quicker to bear figs and will be more forgiving of cultural mistakes.  Nurseries like ISON"S, sell "Instant Orchard" fig trees that will give you figs this year.  In my opinion, it's worth spending the extra money, and will shorten your waiting-time for figs by 2-3 years.

Cuttings, are a great way to acquire fig varieties that are not sold commercially.  To get some of the rarer varieties, you will probably have no alternatives to rooting cuttings.  Then you'll wait 3-5 years to taste a fig, and that's if all goes right.  The same with smaller, rooted plants.

I just ordered a 5-gallon "Black Mission" from Rabbit Ridge Nursery, and I received a 4-ft. plant with great roots.   It will probably bear figs this season.  I just saved a minimum of 3 years of waiting, and growing.  The tree, including shipping, was less than $45.00, and the nursery took all the risks.   My time is worth more than $15.00 p/year, and I'll get to eat some figs in August 2014-2015.

Also, don't forget about air-layering larger branches, off older trees.  You can get some fig-bearing  plants in one season, by using this method.


Just my thoughts.
Frank
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Aaron4USA

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
my first one, which was and still is Unknown, is from a cutting, I took it from China Town, in end of March of 2013. There is a medium size fig tree I see every time I am at my accountant's office. It always has figs on it but I have never seen ripe ones and never tasted them, but they were purplish-green big size figs with red interior. So it's still growing in3 gal pot. Didn't fruit this year either...:/
the rest are cutting, all cuttings. I can;t afford plants , specially from Nursery.
DallasFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
My first ones were all cuttings.  The very first cutting was a broken limb from a tree at Home Depot labeled "Ischia".  (No!  I didn't break it off!.... . on purpose.....)  I'm assuming it's Green Ischia, but don't know for sure yet. Hopefully will find out this year.  It has woken up for the spring and looking good.
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DatesNFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Last year I started several cuttings, a fair amount of them did well and with any luck I should get a few figs this year. But if I had to do it all over again I probably would have started with a fully grown tree. All of this waiting is killing me.
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Drew
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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
My first was a plant from Gurney's nursery.  After that, most are from cuttings with a few plants purchased here and there.

Suzi
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Maro2Bear

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Greetings all
I agree with all of the comments made by Frank @BronxFigs. I started off with a plain old nicely potted Hardy Chicago from our local Lowes. That same year we enjoyed a few ripe figs, the next a whole lot more, and our year three was wonderful! The fun of growing and then tasting our very own figs from an inground tree was wonderful, and got me hooked on growing figs. Once I knew that figs would easily grow and produce here, I started experimenting with cuttings. For a first tree, I'd vote for a nice affordable tree that will bear figs for u to taste quickly! Good luck.
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Mark B., Glenn Dale, MD Zone 7a
figgary

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
Last winter, I bought a Blackjack from my local nursery. It was a Dave Wilson grown tree for $19. I planted it in a half wine barrel, and by late summer it was giving me some dark, delicious figs. I've acquired a few more since then, and am rooting many cuttings. Been told my area may not have enough heat for some, so I intend to find out  which will work here.
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Gary in CA 9A  Seeking: Bebera Branca*, Colonel Littman's Cross
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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
My first 3 came from Ray Gavin in 1997 when he lived in Georgia before his divorce....when he use to sell plants.
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Dennis
Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a 
KCMarie

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Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Bought two trees with figs on board last summer.  Both had fruit on them when purchased and they all ripened.  Only ones to drop where when they were ripe and I was not here at home a few days.  (bad time and no one watered the trees while we were gone, thought I had lost them when I got home but they came back)

Bought two small dormant Chicago Hardy plants a few weeks ago.  Will see how they do in containers this summer, basement dwellers next winter then see what I decide to do.  I ought to be more knowledgeable by then!

I broke off a small branch moving the two trees in and out of the garage, so have it sitting in some water on the kitchen window ledge until I can read up on what to do with it!
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Marie in Kansas City area Zone 5b or close to it
bullet08

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Posted Reply with quote  #15 
i held off on Hardy Chicago for yrs. i didn't go for common figs that were available online. then i kept hearing about HC. i found a source that had HC from Paradise Nursery and obtained the rooted plant. last yr for whatever reason, it didn't grow. this yr, it's starting do some amazing things. i'm looking forward to it. i hear it's like rib eye steak while others are more like.. dog food. 
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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
"the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher

***** 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...*****
Dieseler

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Posted Reply with quote  #16 
HC in underrated .
jdsfrance

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Posted Reply with quote  #17 
Hi,
Always thought fig trees would not produce here.
Then I saw an unknown strain producing, after starting that ufti strain from a root sucker, I bought 3 other strains as the trees were rooted and not expensive - they had figs on them and produced 3 figs each.
I mostly go through buying trees at nurseries. This year I started 3 strains from cuttings.
Let's see which strain performs better - here !
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Climate from -25°C to + 35°C
Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here
PatrickStar

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Posted Reply with quote  #18 
Ok, it sounds like I should probably get a plant then, at least for the first tree. At my local nurseries it seems they have Kadota, Brown turkey, black mission and Celeste. Their are obviously more choices online but I am nervous about ordering a plant online and having it shipped. What do you thing would be best? In store vs online? Variety? Sorry for all the questions, thanks though :)
PatrickStar

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Posted Reply with quote  #19 
Thanks for all the stories also! I love hearing about how you guys got started.
jdsfrance

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Posted Reply with quote  #20 
Hi PatrickStar,
How much do those trees cost at your nursery ?
If you buy in a physical nursery, you could choose the tree yourself ...
So how big is the difference of prices between online and physical nursery ?
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Climate from -25°C to + 35°C
Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here
PatrickStar

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Posted Reply with quote  #21 
Well I could get Black Mission or Brown Turkey (maybe Kadota) for around $25 at home depot and Celeste or Kadota would be around $45 at a nursery. Honestly, I have gotten some nice trees from home depot so Im not too concerned about that. Im pretty sure online would be more expensive than that only because of shipping.
kubota1

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Posted Reply with quote  #22 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maro2Bear
Greetings all I agree with all of the comments made by Frank @BronxFigs. I started off with a plain old nicely potted Hardy Chicago from our local Lowes. That same year we enjoyed a few ripe figs, the next a whole lot more, and our year three was wonderful! The fun of growing and then tasting our very own figs from an inground tree was wonderful, and got me hooked on growing figs. Once I knew that figs would easily grow and produce here, I started experimenting with cuttings. For a first tree, I'd vote for a nice affordable tree that will bear figs for u to taste quickly! Good luck.



Same here, my first two trees were from Lowes. (Hardy Chicago) They are great producers of good tasting dark figs. A couple months later I got cuttings from an unk. white fig. I stuck both cuttings each in a 5 gallon pot. They both rooted and growing nicely.
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GeneDaniels

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Posted Reply with quote  #23 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bullet08
i held off on Hardy Chicago for yrs. i didn't go for common figs that were available online. then i kept hearing about HC. i found a source that had HC from Paradise Nursery and obtained the rooted plant. last yr for whatever reason, it didn't grow. this yr, it's starting do some amazing things. i'm looking forward to it. i hear it's like rib eye steak while others are more like.. dog food. 


Hi Pete, last year was the first time my HC gave me any fruit, just a handful. They hung on the tree until slightly dehydrated. They were out of this world! My wife and I were both amazed at how complex the taste was, figgy, but more.
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Zone 7b (Central Arkansas) Seven trees in the ground: Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow.  Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
Rewton

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Posted Reply with quote  #24 
I started my first tree and subsequent 20-30 or so from cuttings.  Finally last year I purchased a fig in a 1 gallon container.  But starting with a decent size tree from nursery would definitely have it's advantages for a beginner as pointed out upthread!
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Steve MD zone 7a
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