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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > will figs ripen after frost?
 
 


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GeneDaniels

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
The subject line pretty much sums it up. We had a low of 28 on Fri night and 31 on Sat. I have an unknown (looks like Brunswick) that still has 8-10 unripe figs on it. We are forecast to have nice weather then next week or so. Do you think these figs will still ripen?
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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?
james

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
How close to being ripe are the figs? If the leaves are still green and crisp, they should be fine. If not, It seems to be hit or miss.
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In containers - Littleton, CO (zone 5b)
In ground - N.E of Austin, TX (zone 8b) 

2016 Wish List:  Dārk Pōrtuguese, Grānthāms Royāl, Lātarolla, Negrettā, Nōire de Bārbentāne, Rockāway Green, Viōlet Sepōr, Viōlette Dāuphine.  Iranian figs are always welcome.
jdsfrance

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Hi GeneDaniels,
You are in Zone7 and we are in November ... Odds are small unless the figs have already started to swell . If they are still solid green and hard to the touch, knock at least half of them and see.
I'm still harvesting figs, but no frost so far. Normally as soon as frost hits them, the leaves will drop and the trees go dormant ... so no longer ripening figs ...
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cis4elk

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
Good question.
How about after the tree drops it's leaves, do figs that have started to swell and turn color still ripen? I can't imagine that ripening many would be good for a smaller tree; if there are no leaves to make sugar and energy, then anything going to the fig is coming from the plants energy stores in the roots(?). Or do the roots just pump them full of water making a tasteless fig(again this is in the absence of leaves).
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nycfig

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
I was just in the backyard and cut off the last of the figs; about 60 or so.  No chance of ripening for any of them.  Left 2 fat and swollen Sal's Corleone and a pretty big VdB.  We'll see what happens.  Isn't it better to cut off the figs around this time (Z 7a) so the tree can concentrate on getting ready for dormancy?
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Aaron4USA

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Danny, make preserved figs with those, don't throw away.
pino

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Looks like figs can take a couple frost events.  For ripening I think a lot of factors come into play including daylight hour length/intensity. 
We had several early frost days in mid October (28F/-4C) and there was some leaf damage but the figs continued to ripen.  At a slower and slower.

Now with much shorter daylight hrs and temperatures in the 40's I still have some swollen figs and they are softening very slowly but not getting  sweet and staying greenish instead of turning black.   
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Pino, zone 6, Niagara,  JCJ Acres
Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.
MGorski

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
We had 28F for a few hours early this morning, and now most all the leaves on my figs are crispy. It was sunny, warm and very dry today. I still have a few figs nearly ripe, not sure what will happen, but the weather is going to be in the 60-70's range. I hated to see the season end, but now i will focus on winterizing and cuttings.

Mike in Hanover, VA
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