Another one down, due to fignorance

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tamarness

Registered:1370283511
Posts: 131

Posted 1397769288	Reply with quote #1

One of my first "fig sightings" after I got hooked was this fantastic tree in a corner lot on my way to and from work. The light at that intersection is always red when I hit it, so almost every day I get to admire this giant tree, and I was really looking forward to seeing it leaf out and grow this year. So I'm on my way home from the hospital yesterday, sitting at the light at that intersection, thinking about how little time I have to let the dogs out and get changed to meet my husband, and I notice this strange thumping noise. I look over at the house and see some guys working in the yard, and it takes me a second to realize the fig tree is gone and they are hacking at the roots! At this point, the light turned green so I drove around the block and parked in their driveway. The lady of the house was home, so I introduced myself and explained how much enjoyment I got out of seeing her tree every day. She sighed sadly, and told me the tree had died. She was very upset because she really like the figs it produced. I voiced my disbelief, and asked if she would mind my taking some of the tree to try and grow it, which she agreed to. We walked over to where the workers were hacking away, and sure enough there was a ton of new growth coming from the bottom! I pointed it out to her, and said that even with the damage the workers had caused, she could probably just cover the stump with soil and the tree would likely grow back. One of the workers tried to cover himself by saying, well, half of the tree was dead. Oh, the look she gave him... Anyways, I grabbed what little I could, threw it in my trunk and then let some of the roots soak in a sink full of water with thiamine. I wish I had taken the time to ask her more about the tree, I don't even know what color fig it produces. I'm not entirely sure to do with the chunks I have now, I guess throw them in soil and see what happens? __________________ -- Tamar Atlanta, GA Attempting to grow: LSU Purple, Genoa White Honey, Kadota, Alma, Lyndhurst White, Adriatic JH, Desert King, Sal's, Salem Dark, Improved Celeste, Celeste, Marylane Seedless, Panachee, Marseilles Black VS, Sal's Corleone, Kalamata, 135-15s, Negronne, White Marseilles, Beer's Black, Norella, Monstrueuse, unknown cultivars... yeah, the list is too long to update anymore.

Grasa

Registered:1347083219
Posts: 1,819

Posted 1397769597	Reply with quote #2

I know the feeling. there was this amazing fig tree, I saw and one day.. got completely, the stump and all, nothing left for cuttings. awful. __________________ Grasa Seattle, WA

PhilaGardener

Registered:1389014416
Posts: 199

Posted 1397777153	Reply with quote #3

Sad to think of how many heirlooms go this way, after their owners move on. Great of you to save what you could! Good luck with the pieces you have! __________________ Philadelphia Gardener Near Philly, but winters still feeling like Zone 6!

Aaron4USA

Registered:1375832059
Posts: 2,969

Posted 1397788303	Reply with quote #4

wow, what a story Tamar... made my blood boil really...

DallasFigs

Registered:1358877623
Posts: 990

Posted 1397793613	Reply with quote #5

Once you get a few growing, offer one to the lady. That'll be your chance to ask more questions about it :) __________________ James - Irving, TX - Zone: 8a Follow me on EBay Wish List: 187-25 · Ice Crystal · Maltese Beauty · Maltese Falcon

IamKriya

Registered:1382711126
Posts: 254

Posted 1397818051	Reply with quote #6

Good luck! __________________ Zone 9a, Central Florida "Be the change you want to see in the world" ~ Gandhi ebay ID: churl82

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1397818896	Reply with quote #7

i'm thinking more and more that our inaction is causing those trees to disappear. when we see an interesting trees, we should go and ask for the cuttings before things like this happens. not that we have lot of fig trees around my area. but there are few i'm keeping an eye on. one in a church about 30 min away, and in the same area another one. i might drop by with some of my 1 gals and tree to collect some cuttings.. __________________ 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...***

Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1397834607	Reply with quote #8

Tamar, In response to your request: "I'm not entirely sure to do with the chunks I have now, I guess throw them in soil and see what happens?" Will you please describe the chunks? If you can post a picture, then that will be 1000 words without typing a word. And you will likely get helpful unconditional advice. Meanwhile, first thoughts: Ground Chunk. Sure. Plant a chunk in the soil. When you wrote soil, I presume you mean...in the ground, Pot Chunk. Planting at least one chunk in a pot with potting mix (a more controllable environment), and/or T-Y Prune Chunk. If your chunk is think and log like with limbs sticking out of it, then consider pruning to create a T-shaped or Y-shaped cutting to plant in the ground and in a pot. Older/mature wood for the base to be buried and the younger wood as the new trunk. Rooting logs this way has been very successful for me. In this thread, there may be some helpful information: figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/rooting-large-cuttings. Attached Images socorro_black005.jpg (438.77 KB, 14 views) __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

paulandirene

Registered:1264433694
Posts: 398

Posted 1397846037	Reply with quote #9

Tamar, I hope it all works out for you and the lady, and that you're able to regrow it from what you received. I remember getting an email from a childhood friend: "Remember that big old fig tree below the house...with the great tasting figs? Well, yesterday we had it removed. I was thinking about you as it was being cut up and hauled away." Well, he knew I had been in town for several days so I told him "I sure wish you had told me BEFORE you had the work done, because I would have loved to get some cuttings and grow it." Now, this guy has managed to get through life without really getting his hands dirty, so I know it wasn't an impulsive "I have an axe and pick, so I will go and chop it up". He had hired a crew to do the work, which would have meant scheduling it at least a day in advance. I drove by and sure enough, every last twig from that magnificent tree was gone. It had been there at LEAST 50 years. Sigh. Had he told me, my pop or anyone else in my family, one of us would have collected a lot of cuttings.

Aaron4USA

Registered:1375832059
Posts: 2,969

Posted 1397847644	Reply with quote #10

@pete, I'm not even asking anymore, LOL carry my own very sharp cutter in the glove compartment and snip snip and I'm gone with the wind.

tamarness

Registered:1370283511
Posts: 131

Posted 1397847846	Reply with quote #11

This is the best piece that I grabbed: Unfortunately, I don't have a good place to put it in ground, so I'll see how it does here. Any other tips? Also, what kind of timeline have you all had noticed with these kinds of cuttings? __________________ -- Tamar Atlanta, GA Attempting to grow: LSU Purple, Genoa White Honey, Kadota, Alma, Lyndhurst White, Adriatic JH, Desert King, Sal's, Salem Dark, Improved Celeste, Celeste, Marylane Seedless, Panachee, Marseilles Black VS, Sal's Corleone, Kalamata, 135-15s, Negronne, White Marseilles, Beer's Black, Norella, Monstrueuse, unknown cultivars... yeah, the list is too long to update anymore.

FiggieFive_0

Registered:1392277468
Posts: 259

Posted 1397851900	Reply with quote #12

Aloha, Tamar! Good luck to you and the tree. I, for one, am hoping you get it going again. Pete & Aaron: I'm about to go rogue on a certain tree... Nate __________________ Nate Faith, Family, Friends, and Figs (not necessarily in that order).

Registered:1252379847
Posts: 1,162

Posted 1397855253	Reply with quote #13

Tamar, I like Martin's summer time guesstimate. Good work on planting your fig log/boulder. I have two considerations for you: 1) straighten the trunk protruding from the soil. I think that will allow other potential trunks to sprout from the three or so other limbs/roots shooting out of the log lower down and to the right (top view of your first picture) and 2) make a clean cut on the top of the trunk (the piece sticking out of the pot). Thus less surface to dry out and/or rot. It looks like the top of it was broken off. __________________ jd \| tallahassee.fl \| zone 8b

gorgi

Registered:1188888396
Posts: 2,864

Posted 1397855383	Reply with quote #14

A very good fig story! I how that it ends well for everyone. __________________ George, NJ_z7a.

tamarness

Registered:1370283511
Posts: 131

Posted 1397863245	Reply with quote #15

Thanks for the advice! Hopefully I'll have some good updates in a few months :-) __________________ -- Tamar Atlanta, GA Attempting to grow: LSU Purple, Genoa White Honey, Kadota, Alma, Lyndhurst White, Adriatic JH, Desert King, Sal's, Salem Dark, Improved Celeste, Celeste, Marylane Seedless, Panachee, Marseilles Black VS, Sal's Corleone, Kalamata, 135-15s, Negronne, White Marseilles, Beer's Black, Norella, Monstrueuse, unknown cultivars... yeah, the list is too long to update anymore.

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