Favourite in ground figs for cold climates

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pino

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Posted 1453076282 · Edited	Reply with quote #1

Hello cold climate fig growers! Growers in colder zones share similar challenges need to protect their fig trees from the cold winters and the shorter seasons available to ripen the figs. There have been many F4F discussion topics on recommended fig cultivars for cool climates. This topic covers further details from people's actual experience growing figs in ground in cold climates. People are invited to post their experience growing figs in ground and as much detail as possible including the resulting fig production size, fig quality. What varieties are your best in ground figs and for what zone? The attached table is a summary of the postings on this thread. Please let me know if any errors or omissions and all suggestions welcome. Attached Files ColdTolerantFigsGrownInGround.pdf (125.90 KB, 101 views) __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Iowafig

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Posts: 109

Posted 1453076978	Reply with quote #2

Right now the temp is -14 F coldest day so far this winter. I am very new to figs and also would like to hear responses on this topic. Zone 5 will be a challenge but am willing to trial some inground with protection when they are big enough to try. Chad

Sas

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Posts: 1,363

Posted 1453078036	Reply with quote #3

Pino, How are your in ground figs doing so far? My understanding is that unless you dig a trench or build some form of protection most figs wont make it up there. __________________ Sas from North Austin TX Zone 8B Wish list: Becane

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453087290	Reply with quote #4

Chad, agree with you that zone 5a could be a challenge. I don't know since I have always grown in Zone 6 but hopefully people in Zone 5 will comment. IMO, once you have the fig well protected for the winter the outside temperature should not be the limiting factor. I think given a cold tolerant fig then matching the fig ripening requirements to the length of your growing season (given the amount of sun and heat you get) should do it. Techniques to provide a protection from the wind and increased sun exposure will also help. Sas, my in ground figs are doing fine. They had a bit of a set back 2013 and 2014 but produced nicely last year. I am looking to expand beyond the mount etna type figs and Dalmatie for in ground growing. This past year I added Brooklyn White and Desert King in ground. Next year have RDB ready to put in. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

baust55

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Posts: 497

Posted 1453264093	Reply with quote #5

so far I have found one person growing in ground zone 5b no protection .. with types that mostly freeze to ground but grow back enough to have ripe figs buy early fall . I am in 5b . I grow in pots store in basement for a few months __________________ AUSTIN Read more mad non- scientist stuff ....check out my post on KITTY LITTER ! http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/kitty-litter-really-kitty-litter-7398708?pid=1287129765#post1287129765 "I grow fruit of the wine!" Zone 5 Fig trees I have : Hardy Chicago , Weeping Black , Ginoso , Excel , VEBT , and Genovese Nero . My Wish list: Panache, Florea,Desert King , RdB, Marseilles black vs, Vdb , Abruzzi, JH Adriatic , Nero 600 , MvsB, Malta Black,

Garlic_Mike

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Posts: 251

Posted 1453268644	Reply with quote #6

Kathleen Black, Black Jack, Lyndhurst White, Rhonde Bordeaux, Longue D' Aout, Osborne Prolific/Neverelle are supposed to be colder type varieties, most I believe will grow if they have died back. 2-3 year root development first. Those I have started are for that reason, 6b. Salem White and dark I am looking for are good candidates also. You will need protection. I was shown a grape type of method for growing by Mario. It may be a big plus for growing in New England. He is, and I will experiment with this method. Lateral growing, through training, to keep lower to the ground. Easier to cover and protect better. What you may come across is the amount of heat you get and if its enough for them to develop fully

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1453286553	Reply with quote #7

Hi, As you know I'm in Zone7. I'm trialing : - Brownturkey - the real one with lots of brebas and vine colored soft brebas. - Dorée (french) aka Brunswick (3 trees) - Longue d'aout - strain mild grower / Baud? - label was quoting his book (1 tree) - Longue d'aout - healthy grower (1 tree) - Dalmatie ( 3 trees ) - ufti - unknown from the Italian gardener (7 trees). The others were too young to produce anything ( Osborn prolific, Panache,Dauphine, Violette Dauphine, 4 unknown, my ufti seedling , madeleine des deux saisons). Ranking for production goes like this : - Dalmatie - especially my older tree - Longue d'aout healthy - ufti - reliable fruiter but not a big haul, and maincrop is a bit too late. - BT - especially for the breba crop - Longue d'aout mild - Dorée Ranking for taste goes like this: - Longue d'aout healthy / ufti / Longue d'aout mild / Dalmatie - Dorée / BT In the future, I may get rid of Dorée . The figs tend to have a mild flavor (like in none, but just sweet) if any. The figs take for ever to ripen, here. They often ripen one half of the fruit faster than the other. In the future, I may replace some uftis with the healthy longue d'aout. The harvest is huge in size and number of figs on hlda . Its honey meaty texture, and berry flavor and color is just what I want in a fig. I already have 3 spots of Dalmatie (8 trees/trunks coming from dirt) - so I'm not planning on adding more for now (in pots planting, doesn't count ;) ). My Dalmatie has few brebas but has a bountiful maincrop that ripens by the first of September, with is really early for a Zone7. You already know my protection technique : The 80l/20Gal trashcan around the trunk with some dirt inside the container (I can use plastic bags to mound the extra dirt around the feet too). This year, the winter was mild until last week, so I just installed milder protections, like trashcans with no dirt inside. Starting last weekend we are experiencing some -5°C/23°F at night - The trees should survive that except for the yearlings that might or not have some die-back. I'll see come Spring. Yesterday, the water in the containers in the garden was frozen solid - and no way to break the ice crust. Because my different strains of fig trees ripen at different times with some overlapping, they are so far all my favorites with a little preference to hlda, mlda,Dalmatie and ufti. The only deceiving one for now is "Dorée". I'll let her some more years to prove me that I'm wrong though - hell, I gave money to buy this stuff ! __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Rewton

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Posts: 1,946

Posted 1453293691	Reply with quote #8

For me, Kathleen's Black has not done well in-ground here. After it suffers cold damage it puts on a lot of foliage but refuses to fruit. This occurred 2 years in a row. Adriatic JH and Ronde de Bordeaux have done well and, of course, Mt. Etna types. I would also suggest Florea and Improved Celeste in the ground. __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

Timo

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Posts: 117

Posted 1453301695	Reply with quote #9

My best in ground fig tree so far is a Brown Turkey, or what some call English Brown Turkey. It produces lot's of breba's with excellent flavor. I don't understand why some people don't like Brown Turkey figs .... There is one disadvantage to this tree: only the breba's ripen in my climate. But still this tree is worth every inch of space. I have other fig trees, but they are still very young. Time will tell if they are better than my EBT.

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453302939	Reply with quote #10

Thanks Austin, I totally understand your decision to grow in containers in Zone 5b. Growing in ground without protection zone 5 or 6 is a bit of wishful thinking. There has been a few years that I was not able to cover my in ground figs and sure they survived by re-growing but only with a handful of figs. But honestly with minimal protection aka (JDSfrance method or Mario's) is a bit of work effort but the rewards are a huge crop of figs. So I have reserved myself to protect them rather than re-grow the figs every year...lol Garlic_mike, thanks sounds like we have a similar strategy. My problem is I don't want to wait 3/4 years to find out that a fig won't produce adequately in ground and then have to pull it out. I am hoping people share their experiences so the real fig varieties that grow and ripen in cold climates becomes clearer. For example I tried Adriatic JH in ground but it didn't ripen till the end of October and the taste was bland compared this to the Adriatic JH I grew in container with figs that ripened in September and truly dynamite taste. Adriatic JH although it is supposed to be cold hardy is scratched from my in ground list. Jdsfrance, that is very valuable information you are sharing please keep us posted on the results. The telling tale is the fig production, taste and quality. Steve, thanks Adriatic JH and Ronde de Bordeaux are great figs for your zone. As I mentioned above Adriatic JH ripens a bit too late for zone 6 in ground. But it is such a great fig that I may grow it with a season extender like a coldframe in spring and fall or leave it in container. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

rmulhero

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Posts: 263

Posted 1453303453 · Edited	Reply with quote #11

So far I have only grown my figs in pots. It get quite cold in Vermont, but I do know someone up here which experimented with Hardy Chicago. It died back to the ground but it did survive the winter (2015) but I don't know if it produced any figs. Has anyone had experience with Iranian Mountain Figs? __________________ Becky, zone 5 Growing: Hardy Chicago, VdB, Dessert King, Celeste, Green Ischia, Marseilles VS, Kathleen's Black, Red Sicilian, Adriatic JH, Violetta bayerfeinge, New Brunswick, Magnolia and Italian Honey. Wishlist: Sicilian Black JR, Petite Negra, Sweet George, Lattarula, Sals Corleone (Gene), Vasilika sika, Galicia negra, Dalmatie and any cold hardy fig.

eboone

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Posts: 1,101

Posted 1453307139	Reply with quote #12

Steve - I am interested to hear how you protect your inground figs. And how old is your KB that has not produced well? __________________ Ed Zone 6A - Southwest PA --------------------------- Short wish list: CDDG, LSU Red, Dark Greek (Navid), Col Littman's Black Cross. And any cold hardy early fig.

Rewton

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Posts: 1,946

Posted 1453314593	Reply with quote #13

Ed, I received my KB as a small plant during the summer of 2012. I then planted it in the ground the Spring of 2013. It looked great that season and put on tons of fruit. It was out of synch with the season though and none of them had time to ripen (though they came close). I was confident I would taste fruit the summer of 2014. I gave it moderate protection in November of 2013 consisting fencing around the trunk filled with leaves and then a tarp around the wood higher up. Then came the polar vortex winter and it nearly died to the ground even with the protection. When it came back it exhibited fmv and has every since. It never had showed any fmv symptoms prior to that. It is pretty well isolated from other figs so I think that the cold damage caused the latent virus to become active (a bit like cold sores in humans). It came back pretty vigorously though and I thinned it to four trunks. I started pinch it in early June but all that happened is I got more branching. It never put on any figs. I protected it again for the 2014-15 winter which was also very cold. This time a bit more of the trunk survived but it still lost most of its wood. Once again it grew back well. Even though it grew into a bush about 6 ft high and wide, and I pinched it as before, it literally only put on one solitary fig! That fig ripened in early October and was actually pretty good. So that's my KB story - one fig out of all those years of growing. Given the bitter cold weather we are having now I am not confident it will do much better next year but every Spring brings with it new hope! __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

cis4elk

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Posts: 1,718

Posted 1453314854	Reply with quote #14

I have a 3 yr old RdB that I will be putting in ground this summer. I have trained it so far to have 4 scaffold branches that are anywhere from 2-5 inches off of the ground. It will be a step-over fig and pruned down to easily cover the main branches each fall. I think it should do well since it's first main crop ripens so early here with tons of time to spare. We will see. __________________ Calvin Littleton,CO z5/6 Wants List: For everyone to clean-up after themselves and co-exist peacefully. Let's think more about the future of our planet and less about ourselves. :)

drew51

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Posts: 284

Posted 1453318447	Reply with quote #15

I'm new to figs. I have done a lot of research and it appears here in lower Michigan Florea and Danny's Delight are the best choices. I found the forea fig to be rather boring and bland. it may get better with age. I will use it for dried fig jam for now. Danny's Delight is a found fig, and it was found in Michigan so seems an obvious choice. My florea will be 2nd leaf this spring, so I'll grow it a container one more year. I will also take cuttings for a backup in containers and plant out in the spring of 2017. I just want a fig tree in the landscape. Everybody is going to ask "What the hell is that!?" I like to have unusual plants in my landscaping, edible too. I have ornamental elderberries and other plants already in the landscape. I'm adding a weeping Santa Rosa plum this year too (for great fruit and ornamental reasons). I have a Satsuma plum already and also pluots. I have peaches and tart and sweet cherries too. I'm growing many other figs in containers. Thanks all for the suggestions on what to try. I will at least grow many in pots. As any fig here has to be somewhat hardy. I ordered Danny's Delight this year, so will have to wait till 2018 for plant out. Almost Eden has 6 left for 16 bucks each. __________________ Drew Zone 5b/6a Sterling Heights MI

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453320028	Reply with quote #16

Drew Sounds like Florea and Danny's delight are great candidates. Do you know if Danny's delight is a Mt. Etna type fig? Thanks Calvin your plan for RDB sounds promising! Thanks Ed you are in Zone 6 are you growing any figs in ground? Thanks Becky, Hardy Chicago and the whole family of mt. etna type figs are a sure winner in cold climates! Thanks for the post. TIMO that EBT looks very nice! What zone are you in? thanks By the way I am going to keep the original post updated with the reported recommendations. I know there has been many discussions on cold hardy figs before but it is interesting to see what people's actual findings are and that is the focus of this discussion. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Timo

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Posts: 117

Posted 1453325432	Reply with quote #17

Quote: TIMO that EBT looks very nice! What zone are you in? thanks Thanks, I think EBT is a much underrated fig. I tasted 7 different figs last year and EBT was the best. I’m in zone 8, but I don’t think that a zone 8 in Europe and a zone 8 in North America are the same. Our winters are mild, temperatures rarely drop below -12°C. But our summers are cool, nothing like summers in Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia (also zone 8). Mature in ground fig trees here don’t need much winter protection most of the years (but some years they can die back to the ground if unprotected). For us the most important issue is to choose figs that have a large breba crop or an early main crop. Late figs don’t ripen well in our cool summers. Although I’m thinking of trying also 1 or 2 late crop figs. I think this table is a great idea. Most of my trees are still young, but I can already recommend Ronde de Bordeaux. Nine months after rooting I could harvest some ripe fruits. The taste was ok, but I’m sure it will improve with age.

drew51

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Posts: 284

Posted 1453326967 · Edited	Reply with quote #18

Quote: Originally Posted by pino Drew Sounds like Florea and Danny's delight are great candidates. Do you know if Danny's delight is a Mt. Etna type fig? Thanks Yes I think it is! Florea I believe is not. I met a guy growing figs here for over 5 years and he says Florea will grow the best here. It will give a crop even if frozen the the ground. I got a rooted cutting in the spring and it produced figs the first year, like 8 of them! Impressive! A great fig grower only lives a few miles from me. I just met him, and hope to become friends, Rafed, I'm sure you heard of him! __________________ Drew Zone 5b/6a Sterling Heights MI

OttawanZ5

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Posts: 2,551

Posted 1453333817 · Edited	Reply with quote #19

I tried once in Zone 5a, planting in spring time a 2-year old Hardy Chicago in ground that grew nicely until fall. In the fall, I filled a 3 ft diameter column of maple leaves around it (in a wiremesh cage) with the trunk in the centre and covered to that top at 3+ft. The top was covered with burlap. It was a real zone 5a winter that year (unlike this year). The plant never woke up in the spring or summer eve from the ground. Then I felt at ease with the pots. __________________ Ottawan-Z5a, Canada

Giuseppe

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Posts: 79

Posted 1453377552	Reply with quote #20

Valle Calda is the hardiest fig that I have here in upstate ny,a very good tasting fig for my zone.Ciao, Giuseppe

Rewton

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Posts: 1,946

Posted 1453389084	Reply with quote #21

Giuseppe, that's interesting about Valle Calda being so cold hardy. A couple years ago, after the bitterly cold 2013-14 winter, I visited Gene Hosey's old orchard. The figs that weren't already dead had suffered a lot of cold damage - many were coming back from suckers at the base but all the old wood was dead. However, one fig (called Madina) had way less cold damage than all the others and had lost only perhaps 20% of its top growth. I took cuttings and have a small plant now. Gene got Madina from Sergio Carlini who lives in the Genova/Genoa area of Italy. From what I understand, Valle Calda also comes from this same area. Madina, like Valle Calda, is a dark fig with leaves having long fingers. So I am wondering if there is a close relationship between Madina and Valle Calda. I am hoping to get fruit from the Madina for the first time next season. I'll try to post a photo of the leaves soon. __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

Giuseppe

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Posts: 79

Posted 1453390210	Reply with quote #22

Steve, my Valle Calda was also send it to me by Professor Sergio Carlini.Madina and V.C.could be the same fig, and yes my Valle Calda is a dark fig and has long fingers like leaves.Ciao, Giuseppe

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453391525	Reply with quote #23

Giuseppe, thanks for the suggestion. Upstate Ny is Zone 6 correct Are you growing Valle Calda in ground? Do you have any photos of Valle Calda fruit and leaves? It has also been mentioned that Valle Calda, Nero600M, Valle Negra and now Madina could be the same fig? Thanks Akram. Growing in Ottawa must be a real challenge in ground. Containers sound lke a good option. I would think leaves as insulation would not cut it. Unless they were packed together and decomposing and that would lead to other issues. Maybe dirt or compost would have a better chance or some source of heat once the fig is fully protected from the bitter winter up there. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Rewton

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Posts: 1,946

Posted 1453391634	Reply with quote #24

Here some info on Valle Calda: http://www.planetfig.com/cultivars/fcveng8595.html __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453392060	Reply with quote #25

Thanks for the link Steve. Sounds like a nice fig for me to try! __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Rewton

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Posts: 1,946

Posted 1453392366	Reply with quote #26

Giuseppe, do you grow your Valle Calda in the ground and when does it ripen fruit for you? __________________ Steve MD zone 7a

paully22

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Posts: 2,719

Posted 1453393383	Reply with quote #27

Granthams Royal for brebas RdB for main crop

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453397859	Reply with quote #28

Thanks Paul have heard many great things of Grantham's Royal. What climatic zone in PNW are you in? I managed to kill my gifted cutting didn't so I will put it back on my wish list. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

OttawanZ5

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Posts: 2,551

Posted 1453401091	Reply with quote #29

OT. Paul you are deserting your Desert King that you have been touting about for so many years here and all Vancouver island and the area is full of DKs !! DK is a good one too but I always mess up its pruning process. __________________ Ottawan-Z5a, Canada

Giuseppe

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Posts: 79

Posted 1453402144	Reply with quote #30

Pino, I`m in zone 6a near Rochester ny,and I grow all my figs in containers,store them in a detached garage ,no heat.Ciao, Giuseppe

eboone

Registered:1378418906
Posts: 1,101

Posted 1453402328	Reply with quote #31

Quote: Originally Posted by pino Ed you are in Zone 6 are you growing any figs in ground? Thanks Pino, I am in zone 6a (used to be classed as 5b, still 5b by the weather previous 2 years). I have just over 2 years of fig growing and rooting under my belt, and all of mine except a Sal's(Gene) are in pots so far, and the Sal's went in ground last May or early June. It is protected by being beside an above ground pool, surrounded by a wire cage, 6 inches of pine bark mulch over the base, bags of leaves stuffed around the pruned back branches and trunk(pruned back to about 2 1/2 ft height, about 6-7 branch stubs), covered with a tarp, and then another 4 inches of mulch around the cage. Hope it makes it. I will report on my results in the spring. If this survives and does well, I plan on putting a number of others in ground (they will not have the nearby pool advantage though, will be more in open) and will treat the same way. __________________ Ed Zone 6A - Southwest PA --------------------------- Short wish list: CDDG, LSU Red, Dark Greek (Navid), Col Littman's Black Cross. And any cold hardy early fig.

Smyfigs

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Posts: 1,658

Posted 1453414352	Reply with quote #32

Thanks for posting your recommendations, Pino. Good idea! __________________ Meg-Hardiness Zone 10a Looking for... Socorro Blk Wuhan Jolly Tiger Lamperia Preta Herschtetten St. Jean Black Ischia "The best way to show my gratitude is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy." ~ Mother Teresa "Do not pass by a man in need for you may be the hand of God to him." ~Proverbs 3:27~ "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted." ~Job 5:4

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453417429	Reply with quote #33

Thanks Akram! Desert King is a great suggestion for cold climates! I should have thought of that also since Adriano has his DK in ground against a fence for many years producing lots of breba figs. That's a Zone 6 example. Thanks Giuseppe, Valle Calda sounds like a nice fig but at this point looks like we don't know how it would do in ground in cold zones. I am in same zone 6 as you it sure looks like a fig I would love to try in ground! Ed, sounds like your Sal's Gene sounds well protected for winter! Hope you get rewarded with lots of nice figs. Thanks Meg! __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

paully22

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Posts: 2,719

Posted 1453475363 · Edited	Reply with quote #34

Ottawan -- since we discover Granthams Royal, DK plays 2nd fiddle. Michael tasted GR and he too is convince it is better tasting. It is a well balance tasting fig and juicy. This spring I am grafting GR to a few trees. It is really good for my zone. My wife says she would like to air layer branches going into the neighbour property for air tickets since the neighbour property was sold -- making way to build 4 houses. I need to do a large air layer & bring it to a sunny spot as new homes will cut hours of sunlight. I hope to locate a couple of great tasting breba trees here in Vancouver as I am getting more info on trees grown by migrants from Europe. Valle Cadda is less superior in taste compared to RdB for my zone, it is later too in ripening. Will likely use tree for grafting RDB.

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453485078	Reply with quote #35

Thanks for the update Paul! __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453486146	Reply with quote #36

Quote: Originally Posted by jdsfrance Hi, As you know I'm in Zone7. I'm trialing : - Brownturkey - the real one with lots of brebas and vine colored soft brebas. - Dorée (french) aka Brunswick (3 trees) - Longue d'aout - strain mild grower / Baud? - label was quoting his book (1 tree) - Longue d'aout - healthy grower (1 tree) - Dalmatie ( 3 trees ) - ufti - unknown from the Italian gardener (7 trees). The others were too young to produce anything ( Osborn prolific, Panache,Dauphine, Violette Dauphine, 4 unknown, my ufti seedling , madeleine des deux saisons). Ranking for production goes like this : - Dalmatie - especially my older tree - Longue d'aout healthy - ufti - reliable fruiter but not a big haul, and maincrop is a bit too late. - BT - especially for the breba crop - Longue d'aout mild - Dorée Ranking for taste goes like this: - Longue d'aout healthy / ufti / Longue d'aout mild / Dalmatie - Dorée / BT In the future, I may get rid of Dorée . The figs tend to have a mild flavor (like in none, but just sweet) if any. The figs take for ever to ripen, here. They often ripen one half of the fruit faster than the other. In the future, I may replace some uftis with the healthy longue d'aout. The harvest is huge in size and number of figs on hlda . Its honey meaty texture, and berry flavor and color is just what I want in a fig. I already have 3 spots of Dalmatie (8 trees/trunks coming from dirt) - so I'm not planning on adding more for now (in pots planting, doesn't count ;) ). My Dalmatie has few brebas but has a bountiful maincrop that ripens by the first of September, with is really early for a Zone7. You already know my protection technique : The 80l/20Gal trashcan around the trunk with some dirt inside the container (I can use plastic bags to mound the extra dirt around the feet too). This year, the winter was mild until last week, so I just installed milder protections, like trashcans with no dirt inside. Starting last weekend we are experiencing some -5°C/23°F at night - The trees should survive that except for the yearlings that might or not have some die-back. I'll see come Spring. Yesterday, the water in the containers in the garden was frozen solid - and no way to break the ice crust. Because my different strains of fig trees ripen at different times with some overlapping, they are so far all my favorites with a little preference to hlda, mlda,Dalmatie and ufti. The only deceiving one for now is "Dorée". I'll let her some more years to prove me that I'm wrong though - hell, I gave money to buy this stuff ! Hi jdsfrance Thanks again for the detailed information. I am wondering if you can provide some more details on; "ufti - unknown from the Italian gardener (7 trees)". It must be a good fig or you wouldn't have 7 trees. Is it a mt. etna type fig? A photo by any chance? __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Giuseppe

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Posts: 79

Posted 1453487857	Reply with quote #37

Pino, a good fig to grow in ground in zone 6a is Lattarula or Italian honey,some of my friends do grow this fig in my area with protection.Ciao, Giuseppe

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453509126	Reply with quote #38

Thanks Giuseppe, those are excellent figs for in ground and certain to produce tons of figs with little work effort. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

paully22

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Posts: 2,719

Posted 1453515946	Reply with quote #39

latarrula, Osborne Prolic, Florea, Barbillone, Melanzana AF, Nebo are good in-ground figs for my zone. Other reliable ones in-pot culture where I would like to trial in-ground are LSU O'rourke and Improved Celeste.

pino

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Posts: 2,118

Posted 1453568112	Reply with quote #40

Paul thanks for the info those figs sound good. Where about are you in B.C. I am wondering what the climatic zone is? __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

paully22

Registered:1195324538
Posts: 2,719

Posted 1454937550	Reply with quote #41

Fraser Valley, near Vancouver. Ginoso is another reliable + hardy fig to have in my zone. No protection in pot culture and after many years, roots have gone in-ground. Got 2 large trees. One going to another family very soon. In terms of taste it is better than Florea. It ripens later than Florea & RdB.

marc0

Registered:1444705618
Posts: 6

Posted 1454957134	Reply with quote #42

I've noticed a few of you are from Canada... where are you getting your figs? I'm having a hard time tracking down cultivars. My neighbours have Italian honey in ground which gets really sweet and a portuguese plant that is loaded with figs, but doesn't seem to get as sweet. We're zone 7 generally... __________________ Okanagan, BC: Zone 6/7

OttawanZ5

Registered:1192897779
Posts: 2,551

Posted 1454964190	Reply with quote #43

Marc0: check here : http://brugmansia-quebec.com/Catalogue/Figuier%20Fonce_ang.html However, the thread is for a specific topic "Favorite in ground fig for cold climate". Other subjects can have their own thread to be more effective. __________________ Ottawan-Z5a, Canada

paully22

Registered:1195324538
Posts: 2,719

Posted 1454978614	Reply with quote #44

Brought in a bunch of figs from Encanto Farms. Not sure whether Jon does it anymore. Best way to understand phyto requirements is to write CFIA in Ottawa. The localised CFIA gave me many contradictory advises. Even when I brought in the figs, border security were not up to date on CFIA phyto requirements. I have to show them copies of my correspondence with CFIA Ottawa to get clearance.

BrightGreenNurse

Registered:1416895665
Posts: 150

Posted 1455025986	Reply with quote #45

Check with Bass which trees have done best for him in ground. I think he is in zone 6a or 6b. In 2014 he sent me a message saying his Sumacki tree had made it to -3 degrees F so far, unprotected, against a south facing wall. I don't know if that tree has had new record lows since he messaged me last. He's a wealth of knowledge and very helpful. __________________ Wish list- St. Rita, LSU Hollier, Brooklyn White, LSU Improved Celeste, Smith, St. Anthony

marc0

Registered:1444705618
Posts: 6

Posted 1455049508	Reply with quote #46

Sorry, I wasn't trying to derail the thread - I've just been having a hard time tracking down some of the cold hardy cultivars. Thanks for the suggestions about where/how to get figs. I'll be planting Hardy Chicago and Marseilles Black Vs outside this Spring so hopefully they'll do alright for me. __________________ Okanagan, BC: Zone 6/7

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1455054603	Reply with quote #47

Paully22, sounds like Ginoso is another one to add to the proven cold tolerant table. I have seen Ginoso mentioned as a Mt Etna type fig? but I haven't seen any photos of the fig or leaves do you happen to have a photo? Thanks Jenny for the suggestion! Bass has been growing figs in ground for many years hopefully he sees this post. I planted his Brooklyn White in ground last year hopefully that will work out. Marc, I think you will do fine with Hardy Chicago and Marseilles Black VS! They are both Mt. Etna types and in IMO they are a sure thing for in ground to at least Zone 6 and maybe Zone 5 if they are well protected for the winter. At this time of year I only have Ciccio Nero cuttings left. This mt. etna type black fig I have been growing in ground for over 21 years and it has been loaded with delicious sweet dark berry tasting figs every year and should also do well in your climatic zone. Send me PM with your address and I will send some cuttings out to you if you are interested. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

paully22

Registered:1195324538
Posts: 2,719

Posted 1455058990	Reply with quote #48

I have Ginoso pictures. Will look for them and post.

Bass

Registered:1188959030
Posts: 2,428

Posted 1455121148	Reply with quote #49

Interesting and very informative thread based on growers experiences in cold climate. I have moved last year to my new house, this is my second winter here. It is slightly colder here but I have a few fig trees in ground that has been here for a few years. Macool is in ground and refuses to die, I let it grow freely in the middle of the property where it has always been, and gets some die back but grows back and fruits. Brooklyn white, is very vigorous grower, even when it dies back it grows over 10 ft. in one season. It's a late variety usually ripens in september/october, you can trick it to fruit sooner by pinching the new growth. Dark Portuguese, excellent producer and seems to be the most reliable in my zone, planted it in ground at new property 2 years ago. Other varieties that have done very well in ground in my area unprotected, Salem dark, Syrian Dark, Syrian Long, Ronde de bordeaux, Malone, Sumacki (cold hardy can be a shy producer), Chicago hardy and similar varieties. These are just some but there are several others. Bass __________________ Pennsylvania http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138

Giuseppe

Registered:1248355184
Posts: 79

Posted 1455126521	Reply with quote #50

Pino, no fig will survive in our zone without protection , 6a is much colder that zone 6.I have tried so many different varieties with minimum protection ,and always being very disappoiment ,I store all my figs in a detached garage and cover them very well with old blankets ecc.but some years many dont make it,do the prolonged cold days that we have in zone 6a.Ciao Giuseppe

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