Register  |   | 
 
Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Black Madeira
 
 


Reply
  Author   Comment  
KK

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 412
Posted Reply with quote  #1 
Black Madeira is really productive and usually vigorous. It's a shame I don't get many. Almost worth moving to a longer summer. I have one in a 20" clay pot (thanks Jon) and four in 5 gallon buckets that I prune every year to almost the soil for cuttings. The red lines is where it was pruned last year. If you click the pic it should get bigger.

http://i.imgur.com/AXNYsPb.jpg
Figinfever

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 245
Posted Reply with quote  #2 
Great Looking BM. You have a very vigorous looking strain. If I may ask, what kind of soil mix is it in?
__________________
Dan, West Central FL 9a

Wishlist- Great tasting dark or light figs with deep red interiors: White Madeira, Craven's Craving, Portugal Black Madeira, Sultani, Violeta, USDA Black Ischia, Dall'Osso, CdDB or CdDB-N
KK

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 412
Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Figinfever
Great Looking BM. You have a very vigorous looking strain. If I may ask, what kind of soil mix is it in?



I use pro-mix BX, the only formulation my supplier carries. Add perlite, crab shell, kelp meal and a general purpose granular fertilizer. I also fertilize regularly every 10-14 days. If anyone else uses crab shell and live near NY (I live in NJ) best price I found is these guys. http://compostwerks.com/organics/soil-amendments/product/37-crab-lobster-shell-meal
I get 50 pounds for $60 including delivery. In the spring my yard smells like the Jersey Shore :)
cjmach1973

Registered:
Posts: 30
Posted Reply with quote  #4 
When do you see your first ripe ones?
VeryNew2Figs

Registered:
Posts: 241
Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Beautiful tree.  Do you use the hardwood bark mulch that's in the background for your soil mix?
__________________
Cheryl
Chicago, Zone 6a (That's what they say, but it still feels like 5)
Growing:  Hardy Chicago, Black Mission, Brunswick, Kadota, Ischia Green, Desert King, Osborne Prolific (slow but steady), Malta Black, Violette de Bordeaux, Texas Everbearing, Beall, White Adriatic, Nolo Pink Eyed Lady.
Rooting: Ronde de Bordeaux, Celeste, Nero 600 m, Violetta Bayernfeing, Marseilles Black VS, Celeste.
fignutty

Registered:
Posts: 580
Posted Reply with quote  #6 
Next yr try leaving one tree only lightly pruned. According to Harvey's recent post that should give you earlier maturing fruit.

Or grow Preto, or get a greenhouse, or shuffle more in spring....
__________________
Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a
Wish list:  Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross
tsparozi

Registered:
Posts: 304
Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Amazing to see such thick mains  in a 5 gallon bucket. That is one healthy looking plant!
__________________
Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
ThaiFig

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 180
Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KK
Black Madeira ...in 5 gallon buckets that I prune every year to almost the soil for cuttings. The red lines is where it was pruned last year.


How old are they now?
__________________
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009030195236 Wish list: Bourjasotte Grise Dark Portugese Granthams Royal Hollier Hative D’Argenteuil Smith Black Triana
Blackfoot

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 112
Posted Reply with quote  #9 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsparozi
Amazing to see such thick mains  in a 5 gallon bucket. That is one healthy looking plant!


Must be those soy sauce 5 Gallon buckets!
__________________
Zone 7A NJ Wish List: Nothing now. I am in way over my head.
Petechanr

Registered:
Posts: 195
Posted Reply with quote  #10 
Here's my in ground Black Madeira from Keith. First picture from 2014 the rest today. 8 ft tall 6ft wide loaded with figs.
Thanks Keith!!!

Attached Images
jpeg image.jpeg (234.96 KB, 81 views)
jpeg image.jpeg (308.00 KB, 77 views)
jpeg image.jpeg (329.32 KB, 73 views)
jpeg image.jpeg (208.25 KB, 73 views)
jpeg image.jpeg (262.87 KB, 71 views)


__________________
Pete NNJ zone 7a 
wishlist- Bordissot negra rimada, paratjal rimada, black ischia, Genovese Nero 

tsparozi

Registered:
Posts: 304
Posted Reply with quote  #11 
@Petechanr Pete!  Wow! 8 Ft by 6 Ft in ground Black Madeira from KK?  Did I say "Wow"?  I think you need to trim that a little for its own health... I can send you the address to mail those cuttings to...  hahaha...
__________________
Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
KK

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 412
Posted Reply with quote  #12 

Quote:
Originally Posted by VeryNew2Figs
Beautiful tree.  Do you use the hardwood bark mulch that's in the background for your soil mix?

No, I've never used any kind of wood product in my soil, I read a while back as it decomposes it can mess with the nitrogen.

http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2014/03/does_wood_mulch_deplete_the_so.html

Quote:
Originally Posted by fignutty
Next yr try leaving one tree only lightly pruned. According to Harvey's recent post that should give you earlier maturing fruit.
Or grow Preto, or get a greenhouse, or shuffle more in spring....

I've had good success with waking them up 3-4 weeks early inside but haven't done it in a few years, maybe next year.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThaiFig


How old are they now?

This is their 5th year. Every year I usually pull them out, shave about 2 inches off the sides, 4-5 inches off the bottom and put them back in.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackfoot


Must be those soy sauce 5 Gallon buckets!

There is this Sushi/Japanese place in town that throws them out every couple of weeks. They also throw out square 4 gallon buckets from Pickled Ginger, I stocked up :)

werwerwer.jpg 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Petechanr
Here's my in ground Black Madeira from Keith. First picture from 2014 the rest today. 8 ft tall 6ft wide loaded with figs. Thanks Keith!!!

Your welcome Pete. Secaucus must be good for BM, You're only 10 minutes east of me,  never thought of putting one in the ground.
tsparozi

Registered:
Posts: 304
Posted Reply with quote  #13 
Dollars to donuts the radiated heat from the brick that the BM is fronting really help the plant to thrive and be as healthy as it appears... and of course, all the TLC that Pete must give it.... Something like that, I'd probably try and drag it to my bedroom at night to protect it...   lol...
__________________
Tony S - Zone 6A Carmel, NY
WL-Ischia Black (UCD/USDA), Martinenca, Calderona, Victoria, Craven's Craving, Colonel Littman's Black Cross, Bon Jesusa, Sant Martina, Princesa, Paretjal Negra
joann1536

Registered:
Posts: 274
Posted Reply with quote  #14 
Beautiful trees!  Started my cuttings this past winter, so no figs this year.  But this definitely gives me something to look forward to.
__________________
USDA Zone 9b
Wish list:  Abruzzi, Pasquale, Tagliacozzo, Zingarella, Godfather. Any unk Italian, especially from Abruzzo.
Sas

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 1,364
Posted Reply with quote  #15 
Thank you for sharing your soil mix formula.
__________________
Sas from North Austin TX Zone 8B
Wish list: Becane
Figinfever

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 245
Posted Reply with quote  #16 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sas
Thank you for sharing your soil mix formula.


Seconded. I also appreciate the info. about yearly root pruning and by how much. The crab shell and kelp meal is a new one for me but it makes sense. My understanding is they provide elemental and micro nutrients, as well as encouraging beneficial microorganisms to thrive.
__________________
Dan, West Central FL 9a

Wishlist- Great tasting dark or light figs with deep red interiors: White Madeira, Craven's Craving, Portugal Black Madeira, Sultani, Violeta, USDA Black Ischia, Dall'Osso, CdDB or CdDB-N
TheASTrader

Registered:
Posts: 43
Posted Reply with quote  #17 
Vigorous indeed!  I managed to grow a cutting originating from your strain and it's growing about 4 to 6 inches a week here in Southern California with no signs of slowing down.  
__________________
USDA Zone 10a & 8b
Wish List: Bebera Branca, Ischia Black and as many else I can fit.
RIMike

Registered:
Posts: 103
Posted Reply with quote  #18 
I will confirm on the vigor of Keith's strain of Black Madeira. The one I received from him via EBAY has grown over 6ft tall on year one ( planted in compost) and has about 20+ figs on it. I've even managed to get an air layer off a side shoot near the base.

Now if the figs would just ripen......
__________________
Check us out on Twitter @ GrowBigPlants

Zone 7A - RI
SR_Bill

Registered:
Posts: 27
Posted Reply with quote  #19 
Regarding wood chips, bark, etc depleting the soil.  The wood products don't deplete the soil and tie up the nitrogen unless dug into the soil.  Using the products as a top dressing or to protect the soil from the sun and help maintain moisture is a great method.  Consider how a forest works.  Trees drop branches, leaves etc and the layer begins to break down on its own.  Worms and other 'critters' bring the decomposed material beneath the soil where it is further broken down and digested by the plants.  God's design is marvelous.

Now, being a newbie here.. just how do I get a BM start?  Anyone.  I have 4 starts of other plants I have received from locals in my area.  I have tried the BM but no cuttings were available.  I'd love to get one going.

Thanks
__________________
Hardiness Zone: 9 B (Santa Rosa-Sonoma County)
Wants: Black Madeira
VeryNew2Figs

Registered:
Posts: 241
Posted Reply with quote  #20 
In re the pine bark.  Maybe I misunderstood what I read.  I though that pine bark was different than wood mulch and that the pine bark didn't steal nitrogen from the soil, that it helped with drainage and enhanced the soil as it decayed.  It's a good thing that figs are so forgiving.  Same basic soil mix, including pine bark in the mix, and I've got baby trees from the same mother tree from 1 foot tall (started in December) to 4 feet tall with figs growing on it (started in May). 

Still learning.
__________________
Cheryl
Chicago, Zone 6a (That's what they say, but it still feels like 5)
Growing:  Hardy Chicago, Black Mission, Brunswick, Kadota, Ischia Green, Desert King, Osborne Prolific (slow but steady), Malta Black, Violette de Bordeaux, Texas Everbearing, Beall, White Adriatic, Nolo Pink Eyed Lady.
Rooting: Ronde de Bordeaux, Celeste, Nero 600 m, Violetta Bayernfeing, Marseilles Black VS, Celeste.
Previous Topic | Next Topic
Print
Reply