snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1304138917
Reply with quote #1
Hello everyone, well my fig orchard is complete. Well almost except for the irrigation system going to be installed in about 2 weeks. My fig orchard is on a hill. In some places it is 30 degrees and less in others. I have 67 fig trees installed in the ground. A month ago I rented a one man auger. And I don't care what anyone tells you! A one man auger is really a TWO MAN AUGER!!! I installed each tree by myself. I'm a pretty big man, over 6 feet tall and over 200lbs but the day I drilled the holes in my orchard, I had a severe head cold which turned into a touch of pneumonia. Just to get the auger out of my pickup and drag it up and down the slope of my orchard took a lot of strength out of me! But I drilled 47 holes in 5 hours taking breaks in between each hole to catch my breath and strength to hold the blade in place. On the 40th hole I got careless and the auger bit popped my knee. I went down. The blood started to flow through my jeans and my knee swole up like a softball. After I yelled and screamed, I finished the final 7 holes!
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Herman2
1189809424
Posted 1304140214
Reply with quote #2
If I was you I will discard all Brunswick type figs before your orchard gets infested with fig beetle!.
paully22
1195324538
Posted 1304155297
Reply with quote #3
Great job Dennis. Thanks for keeping us posted. Looks like a must visit place if I have a chance to be in NC. I like the HOK variant name. Hope its an awesome one.
georgek
1290902577
Posted 1304157785
Reply with quote #4
Dennis
genecolin
1248866064
Posted 1304164248
Reply with quote #5
Great job Dennis, I hope the damage to your knee is too bad. Your hillside reminds me of Jon's hillside in Ca. Good luck with all your trees and looking forward to more pictures of the trees and fruit as they mature and ripen.
2007_giants
1232480304
Posted 1304167346
Reply with quote #6
Very Impressive, All the best
go4broek
1287592943
Posted 1304168358
Reply with quote #7
VERY NICE! Awesome list of varietals. My experience with Brunswick has not been the same as Herman's. Did have a few spoil after the weather cooled down in the "fall" and one fruit became waterlogged after a hard rain while it was ripening. Otherwise...YUM! Good luck!
http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/vbc/go4broek/83546/
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1304169359
Reply with quote #8
Thanks for the compliments guys.
You know Herman I am considering removing both of my Brunswick trees. Thank you for the tip. I will remove those trees. They die back everyyear and I get only 2 figs a year anyway. And to me, if a fig does not produce, them its gotta go! I wonder why those beetle only prefer Brunswick? Hmmmmm.
Gene, the blade popped my knee just enough to make a 2 inch slice and make my knee swell. I walked with a limp for 5 days. What happened was the blade hit a pretty big rock and jumped around while I was doing my best to hold on. It was on the highest part on my hill. I went inside my garage, washed and dressed the wound and went back to drilling.
George, no worries. I still owe a few people of this forum cuttings from a few of my trees. Most of what I have is still very small, except for Hollier and Atreano. Plus I sent many members cuttings in December and January. So, mine need to grow more. I will honor those promised later this year.
Hey Paully, my HOK fig came from KK in New Jersey. I don't know what happened to him. I purchased a lot of trees and cuttings from him 3yrs ago. He said it was growing behind a Taco Bell and did not know what it was. He called it Taco Bell, I change the name to HOK because "Heaven Only Knows". He sent it to me as a gift. It has a sweetness that is almost too sweet! But it is a keeper and fast grower when it starts to grow!
JD
1252379847
Posted 1304169375
Reply with quote #9
Good God Dennis! You have been busy. Very nice work.Man starts the largest fig nursery in North Carolina...in his backyard! North Carolina man donates figs to local food banks. Man's blood tests positive...for fig?!?!
jd | tallahassee.fl | zone 8b
Dan_la
1189771593
Posted 1304170200
Reply with quote #10
Dennis, I am here to officially advise you that since you have so many fig cultivars in your collection, that you must now register your collection with the Federal Government's "fig gene pool" !!!!!!!!
rob0520
1239503203
Posted 1304170777
Reply with quote #11
Dennis beautiful job.
Dieseler
1215735852
Posted 1304173582
Reply with quote #12
Hi Dennis,
satellitehead
1257988353
Posted 1304173759
Reply with quote #13
Great job, Dennis! I was sitting here scratching my head wondering where the Blackjack was till I hit the 5gal section ;). Great selection indeed!!
GeorgiaFig
1272917158
Posted 1304180032
Reply with quote #14
OMG! This is an intervention Dennis:
goldie
1287693665
Posted 1304182501
Reply with quote #15
I am inspired. Great job.
TucsonKen
1246833094
Posted 1304188802
Reply with quote #16
Wow! I am amazed! Great job!
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1304217514
Reply with quote #17
HA! LOL. Very Funny JD, Martin, and Dan! Very funny! LOL. I read these comments to my wife. She just laughed and laughed. Today for the first time, I walked her through the orchard. I showed her the ping ball size figs on my Hollier, Atreano, Votata and Byadi. She said, "oh my gosh, we're gonna have a lot of figs!" "who's gonna eat all those figs?".
An hour later, she came outside while I was watering them. She asked me to come with her to Lowe's. I did. While there, I mentioned checking the price of 1/2 inch tubbing for an irrigation system. She looked at me and said, "go get what you need for the irrigation system and install it underground, I don't want to see that cable sticking up." I just could not believe it! So, now I have to rent a trencher to install 100 yds of tubing.
Herman, I removed 2 Brunswick and 3 Black Mission trees today. The BMs kept dying to ground and only producing 2 figs a year. So, I replaced them with Hunt, Conadria, Susser Georg, and not sure what to place in the other 2 holes. I may just wait and see if my Black Ischia and other UCD cuttings make it and plant 2 of those there.
Hey Jason, I did not know Black Jack was a dwarf tree. It is growing strong!
Well, I spent an hour today watering my in-ground trees. I don't want to do that again. Hey Sal, what kind of water timer do you recommend? After reading the comments on them on Amazon, I am not sure which one to buy. thanks,
terowan
1236978318
Posted 1304269259
Reply with quote #18
Dennis, your fig project has a lot of potential. For those of us who grow figs in ground in the mid atlantic region it will be real interesting to see what you learn about varieties and growing techniques etc. in our climate.
Fatnsassytexan
1237045017
Posted 1304280198
Reply with quote #19
Dennis, all I can say is wow. You did a tremendous job. That's an impressive list, too. Best wishes to you! Tim
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1304304704
Reply with quote #20
I really hope these cultivars planted in ground survive this winter. I can't wait till summer to try the fruit. I got plenty of space to plant more fig tree, if the wife let me! She's been wanting a garden. Yesterday, my neighbour gave us half of their garden space, a huge area 70 x 50. So now I have play farmer john and plant veggies too! I want to plant a few UCD & Richard Watts trees in my yard if the cutting are successful. I have them in my garage and they are doing well. I'll keep you guys posted on the progress of these trees throughout the year.
Olga
1266301277
Posted 1304394003
Reply with quote #21
Hi, Dennis!
rafed
1252876934
Posted 1304476260
Reply with quote #22
Looking good Dennis.
will
1269291114
Posted 1304476417
Reply with quote #23
Wow that's impressive nice work!
eun97
1250048551
Posted 1304532684
Reply with quote #24
Wow Dennis! Congrats on a lovely fig orchard! We all have fig envy now:)
twobrothersgarden
1355136466
Posted 1357437811
Reply with quote #25
This is awesome Dennis! I hope your knee and figs are doing well.
Henry, Brawley, California, 9B http://www.youtube.com/user/thetwobrothersgarden/videos?view=0 http://www.ebay.com/usr/two-brothers-2013
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1357440451
Reply with quote #26
Hank, the knee is fine but after running up and down that hill carrying bags and other stuff my knee starts to really ache. I will be removing some swapping them for others. No winter protection this year though.
Centurion
1293429646
Posted 1357442286
Reply with quote #27
Hi Dennis,
FiggyFrank
1347560723
Posted 1357446019
Reply with quote #28
Dennis,
rcantor
1309799312
Posted 1357446219
Reply with quote #29
Very impressive. Can't wait to see photos.
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1357446514
Reply with quote #30
Hey Dave, you know that's a good question. I believe it froze to death. I bought 3 Black Mission trees all at the same time. Back then, they were everywhere and pretty cheap. So, I planted them in my orchard and left them alone. That summer I got a few figs. They were excellent. The following winter I did not winterize and we had a harsh winter with ice and snow. The next year, one flat out died. Another one just stopped growing. I got a few figs the next year but not many. Then one day, they just stopped growing and poof.....they were gone.
snaglpus
1244258188
musillid
1327758167
Posted 1357482862
Reply with quote #32
Dennis,
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1357486040
Reply with quote #33
Dale, I got 2 sons. But I wanted to do the work myself and I want to do it first thing in the morning. Sometimes it takes more time to tell someone vs just doing it myself. After I dug the holes, next came irrrrrigation. I did get one son to help with that. He put on his football cleets as I guided the trencher. Here is the thread: We were done in 20mins!http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Fig-Orchard-Irrigation-pics-5410087
jffrandall1
1349312521
Posted 1357492085
Reply with quote #34
Dennis, your orchard is amazing! I hope one day I have a home that I can have an orchard. You have given me a goal.
musillid
1327758167
Posted 1357501719
Reply with quote #35
Dennis,
CTFIGS
1345496570
Posted 1357617574
Reply with quote #36
Dennis, the orchard looks wonderful!!
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1357618232
Reply with quote #37
Wow, that is crazy good. I hadn't even seen this before you won the craziest fig fanatic. You sure deserve it. By the way, a couple of fabulous prizes are on there way tomorrow (anyways, I hope you think they are). Thanks for taking the crown. I'm so relieved it's not me anymore. At least that's what I can tell my family. You are! Awesome job on the orchard.
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1357620644
Reply with quote #38
Jose, they are spaced 7 and 8 feet apart. I kept popping the 1/4in tubing because I never buried it. I finally dug a trench using a claw hammer and buried them all except a few. Then I built a 2 foot perimeter around each tree with 4 inches of mulch. I don't mix my own dirt to fill the hole. I just give each hole a 1/2 bag of soil conditioner and till it with my tiller. The tiller blends the soil so well and gives me plenty to back fill the hole when the tree goes in.
rcantor
1309799312
Posted 1357704249
Reply with quote #39
Let us know when you get it.
shah8
1339623766
Posted 1357704627
Reply with quote #40
Do you think you will eventually switch everything over to only a few varieties that does the best?
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1357705710
Reply with quote #41
I will but last winter I cut my in ground tree way back and my fruit production was very low. So going forward, I will only cut these trees every 2 years. But yeah, the plan is to cull the non-producers and only keep what grows happy in Charlotte.
DesertDance
1247674606
Posted 1357746299
Reply with quote #42
Dennis! Wow! We are negotiating with the bank on 1.4 hilly acres. We just countered their counter offer. An auger is on our list, but we have huge boulders on that hill, and this might be tough! Thanks for all the photos and advice. May hire professionals do do the digging job.
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1357756455
Reply with quote #43
Hello Suzi, good luck on your purchase! I would love to move to CA and grow my fig trees there. But it looks like I will be retiring here.
baust55
1240892043
Posted 1360692364
Reply with quote #44
That's an awsome fig orchard Dennis.
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/kitty-litter-really-kitty-litter-7398708?pid=1287129765#post1287129765
JD
1252379847
Posted 1360693121
Reply with quote #45
Alright Dennis!
jd | tallahassee.fl | zone 8b
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1360723437
Reply with quote #46
Thanks Austin.
mgginva
1320266925
Posted 1360744475
Reply with quote #47
Dennis,
JR
1359306591
Posted 1360761767
Reply with quote #48
Very very impressive!
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1360783962
Reply with quote #49
Michael, below is a list of what loved the heat and those that did not. Petite Negra was the only one that drooped during high heat days. Since I started this thread, I've added about 30 more trees like, Violete de Bordeaux, Negronne, Del as Senyora, Emerald Strawberry and others. I'll have data on those later this year. Also, these in the ground and comparing them to some others I have, I 've learned a few things. Like I believe Byadi and Marseilles White are the the same tree....at least mine are. The leaf patterns are the exact same and they fruit on cue exactly the same time. Plus they taste the same. My trees are growing almost side by side and I know the labels are correct. Also, some trees grow better in certain spots. Some areas of the orchard are more compact with clay than others. Those on the low end are growing extremely well. It's not much clay there, just soft loamy soil. So those in that area like Atreano, Kathleen Black, Martin's Unknown, Petite Negra, Pananas Purple, Don Fortis and Hardy Chicago explode with 5 feet of new growth every year. Where as Black Celeste, MVS and a few others are just taking their time but puting out a lot of figs annually. Now that these trees are in the ground, I don't fertilize them much. Maybe a little bit of organic fertilizer twice a year is all they get. Hope this helps!Fig
Getting enough heat?
Byadi (BS)
Yes, the same as Marseilles White
Celeste
yes
Peter's Honey OGW
yes
Votata
Yes, but in a bad spot
Atreano (OGW)
Yes, loves it!
Lamperia
yes
Los Lunas
Yes, slow grower, I think it’s the same as LSU Gold
Brunswick
Yes, removed from orchard
Marseilles White
yes
Native Black DN
yes
Genoa DN
Yes, but will dig up & pot up
187-25 UCD
Yes, love the heat
Italian Honey OGW
yes
Green Greek
Yes, slow grower
Celeste
yes
Smith RR
yes
Petite Negra
Yes, fast grower, does not like too much heat though, fine in shade
Pananas Purple VS
yes
Desert King
Yes, only gets 3 hours of sun
HOK (Heaven Only Knows)
Yes, dug up
Black Celeste
Yes, slow grower, amazing taste!
Bellclaire GM #14
Yes, awesome
Kathleen Black VS
yes
Dark Portuguese BS
Yes, wasn’t doing well, dug up and repotted now doubled in size
snaglpus
1244258188
Posted 1360784152
Reply with quote #50
Here is the other half of the list.Fig
Getting enough heat?
Deanna RR
No, may cull
Marseilles Black VS
yes
Paradiso GM #9
yes
Martin's Unk #17
Yes, doubled in size after pruning
Violetta
yes
Brooklyn White BS
Yes, mislabeled, it’s a MVS Black
Atreano Gold
Yes, Oh yeah!
Hardy Chicago VS
yes
Celeste
yes
Black Italian DN
yes
Don Fortiss VS
yes
Black Mission (Lowe's)
Yes, died
Italian 258
yes
Chico Strawberry
Yes, slow grower
Black Mission (Lowe's)
Yes, died
Gino's VS
yes
Sal's Coreleone BC#31
Yes, fast grower!
Black Mission (Lowe's)
Yes, dug up now twice the size
Chico Strawberry SV
yes
Strawberry BS
yes
Ronde de Bourdeaux BS
yes
Strawberry BS
yes
Shar Italian DN
yes
Brunswick
Yes, but removed
O'Rourke DN
Yes, mislabeld, Improved Celeste
Bourjassotte Greise
yes
Charlotte DJ
yes
Melanzana Merdoscola
yes
Charlotte DJ
Yes, this is an English Brown Turkey
Negronne
yes
Taco KK
Yes, one of my best tasting red figs
Stella OGW
Yes, will sucker on you though
Ischia Green
Yes, removed, gone
O'Rourke DN
Yes, mislabeld, Improved Celeste
Weeping Fig
yes
LSU Gold HS
Yes, died on me
LSU Purple HS
yes
ABQ1
yes
