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Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Toronto fig growers question
 
 


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Pana13

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
We have had a very very hot and dry summer. It's been in the mid 30c-38c pretty much everyday this summer and has only rained once that I can remember this month. I have noticed way more figs this year then any other year and I have been eating some figs already which usually don't get to eat them till mid August to Sept. I did go with different soil mix this year but I believe it's the weather that has contributed to all the figs and to the early ripening. Was curious how others from Toronto or surrounding areas are doing?
paolo

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
This is definitely a record summer my two chicago hardy trees are loaded this year compared to last year. I'm about 30 mins north of toronto we have had 2 substantial rain fall days all of July with one giving us ping pong ball sized hail. One thing I noticed is the growth was slow on some of my other trees after the hail storm broke a few branches and shredded some leaves the growth deffenitly picked up sending out new shoots from the bottom branches and leaves. O thought some of my newly acquired trees were done for but they seem to have bounced back like crazy.
drew51

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
I'm 4 hours Southeast in Detroit. No ripe figs yet, too new a grower (only my 2nd season) to give a good report on figs. I do grow about 15 other fruits and this year they are early, small, sweet, and rich in flavor. Brix levels are very high.
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Drew
Zone 5b/6a Sterling Heights MI
gofiger

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
I am a relative newbie but here in Oshawa my 4 year old tree is loaded!!!!  However last year was the first year it had a good number of figs. So is this year better because of the weather or because the tree is that much older....or both?  I really don't know. 

This tree did suffer a set back in the spring because I put it out too early and it really got nipped by the frost so I had no breba figs.

BTW...Pana13 or anyone in the GTA area or Zone 5b-6a.  When have you been able to get your figs out in the spring? 
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Steve
Zone 5b-6a
Oshawa Ontario
That's Canada eh!

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ricky

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Here is near Vancouver, BC, we have a warmer dry summer than normal, still very cool between 20C ( 70F) to 28C ( 80F),  my 6 years old in
ground fig tree love it, Last year, it had 9 low quality figs, this year, It bears 70-80 big very sweet, juice breba, and it might ripen some of its main crop, Anyway, I am thinking to cut down  this tree and plant a high breba crop fig tree, I think that this tree will do much better in warmer climate.

ripen fig 2016-july-4.jpg 

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- BC, Canada, PNW Zone 8 with windy ( Zone7 - branches damage at winter) 
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tylerj

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
I've had a few brebas ripen already with some LSU Gold, Bronx U/k, and Desert King brebas just starting to swell now. I have some main crop Dr. Gowaty ripening now but they were started as cutting mid winter so they have been growing awhile. Looking forward to September for a lot of main crop figs this year though.
Tyler
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Wish List: Martinenca Rimada, Genovese Nero AF, Galicia Negra, Brooklyn White
Pana13

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Ricky looks delicious. I have already ate some and Tomorow I should have another 3-4 as long as the raccoon doesn't get to them first.
Gofiger I usually take mine out when temps are around 15c but I keep them in front of garage so that I just quickly slide them back in the garage at night until temps are stable. The tree I have inground I think next year I will unwrap early(march perhaps) and just throw my portable greenhouse ontop to protect from frost and to get a head start. Once temps are stable I will take portable greenhouse off. You can buy them at lows for fifty bucks. Here is a picture. Also if you look closely I cut a hole in the back and put a white vent just so what ever tree is in there will get some fresh air

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hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
I have not had any main, but have had breba from VDB, Desert King, MarsellesBlack vs, Petite negri, LSU gold, and a couple from an unknown that will be ready in the next few days. IMG_1896_1.jpg 

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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
Pana13

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Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Hblta nice to see you got something from your vdb. My vdb is is full of brebas but they are still small. It's my least performing tree right now. Don't know why. Full of brebas but not growing anymore and leaves are slowly falling off. I suspect it's from the heat.
hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Hi Pana, yes I think the heat does a number on VDB. I am slowly moving all my plants to self irrigating pots.  Those that I have in SIP's now do much better.... better growth, less stress, less fig drop.
I only got a few vdb breba, mostly I am waiting for the main to ripen, probably end of august to mid september.  This year I put a lot of my potted trees among my hostas. The hostas keep the pots shaded / cool and out of sight. IMG_1891_1.jpg 

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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
Pana13

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Posted Reply with quote  #11 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hblta
Hi Pana, yes I think the heat does a number on VDB. I am slowly moving all my plants to self irrigating pots.  Those that I have in SIP's now do much better.... better growth, less stress, less fig drop.
I only got a few vdb breba, mostly I am waiting for the main to ripen, probably end of august to mid september.  This year I put a lot of my potted trees among my hostas. The hostas keep the pots shaded / cool and out of sight. IMG_1891_1.jpg 

Wow pretty impressive. Your vdb looks great. Mine has a lot of figs like yours but not that big and much less leaves I have as most have fallen off. You want to trade? Your vdb for mine?lol

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hblta

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Posted Reply with quote  #12 
yours looks like it has put on a lot of new healthy growth this season. I pinch the growing tip after 5 or 6 new leaves, and cull the figs, early to mid june, to no more than 3 on new growth.
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Grant
Kitchener Ontario Canada
Z5b
pino

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Posted Reply with quote  #13 
In Niagara this year we have had something like 25 days > 30C (86F) usually we get 3-4 days > 30C by this time of year.  

The established in ground figs are growing great and have good size crop.  They broke dormancy at the usual time and I am expecting they will start ripening 2 weeks earlier than average in mid August and continue ripening till the Oct. hard frost. 

The container figs have had a lot of stress.  Although they are dug in 3-4" they are in all day full sun.  They dropped most of the brebas but happily the main crop looks good and will be early for some varieties. 

Lesson learned;
Need to put in a watering system since there are too many trees for me to water twice a day and need to find a location with some shade because in years like this container figs in full sun can dry out very quickly.
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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.
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