Here are some photos of the seedlings I started from the seeds that I got at the Jon's fig fiesta + some of mine + some nice locals. I labeled all of them, you can see which is which there. The date refers to the uppotting day.  I had many more but used only the healthiest seedling for uppotting.
They have been outside since day 1, please see the first photo with the first sprouts.
The coin is a quarter.

Curiously enough, they do not care about the gnats, and there a lot of them. They use them as a fertilizier! The more the merrier :) Forget about watering from the bottom, Gnatrol, yellow sticky paper, etc.. this does not apply here.

The varieties I have germinated: VdB, Unk. Pastiliere, Lebanese Black, Panachee, Black Mission, Union Berry Unk., Green Unk, 184-15.

I started a few Black Mission seeds last Feb., I am sure these will grow just as well!
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/black-mission-tj-6365753

Enjoy!

your experimenting is beautiful.. Now, what are you going to do with so many figlets? 

Looks Good...... 

I just received some seeds which I am going to plant as an experiment &I am aware of the slim chances. Any advice re germination greenfig?

[QUOTE=Grasa]your experimenting is beautiful.. Now, what are you going to do with so many figlets? [/QUOTE]

Grasa, that question keeps waking me up at night :)
I don't want to know what I am going to face in the nearest future, I am just enjoying the babies.
I hope some will die, some will be destroyed by the squirrels, some will be forgotten and dried up ... Of course, it is a wishful thinking and next summer I will live in a fig forest unless I share with some of you!

BexleyRabbit, what I did was the following:

From a fig with viable seeds:
1) soak the flash overnight in a glass, rinse the next day, soak again, rinse again... until you have the clean seeds that sank to the bottom. After that you can do it two ways (or both):
2) put the seeds on top of a small pot with good drainage filled with some seedling mix and cover with the saran wrap or a lid until they germinate (~2 weeks) keeping the pot in a warm place. The seedling mix should be moist but not too wet. A seedling tray works very well for this, like in my photo #1.
3) take a dish, put the clean seeds on top of the moist paper towel, cover with saran wrap, keep in a warm place. Wait for about 2 weeks checking for the progress. 
When the sprouts are about 3-4mm, move the strongest ones into a pot helping yourself with a toothpick. This step is a bit tricky. If you wait for too long, the roots would start growing through the paper towel and you will brake some of them while potting. I cut some tiny pieces of paper and placed into the soil with it preserving the roots.

I think the diversity of methods is important. If one way doesn't work, the other one will make you happy.

That's all! Good luck!

Thanks mate! Will try both methods and have just put the seeds in water to soak overnight.

Sure! I did experiment with a vinegar solution too but found it was not very effective, the heat makes much more difference. It should be about 70-80F (or 21-26C). If you are getting the dry seeds only, make sure you soak them for several days changing the water every day. They will start sprouting much sooner.

Should the seeds be covered with the soil or just sit on the surface?

Covered very little with the soil or with some thin sand. 2mm is ok. Make sure they do not dry up, cover until you see 2 leaves and than open slowly.

Here is my seedling update. I think I lost none and now have to deal with that many!
Some, like the VdB ones, have defined the leaves already, and have the beautiful red stems.
Unfortunately, most of them will have to go. I will leave maybe 10 or so to see what grows out of them.

Hi Greenfig,
It is a real green thumb that you have ! Your seedlings look really nice and thick.
From my 20 , I still 14 or something like that - but they are still small, and hard to keep alive .
Fortunately, Spring is coming, and that will ease the task .
I'm planning to keep them until fruiting to see what comes out - see if they are true to type, better or worst !
The experience with the panache is interesting especially to see how many will be stripped or not . But of course, space/place is the main problem !

Igor, I am truly awestruck! You have done a beautiful job. Did you tell me that 25% should be caprifigs? I can't remember the percentages, would you mind telling me one more time please?

Nice job!

Re post #6:
Before sowing, I would also first air-dry the seeds on a paper towel
(or equivalent; wet seeds still stick together).

Adding some initial beer or yeast may help speeding up
the dissolving/fermenting of all that sticky sugars/pulp.

Do not worry if some seeds float to the surface;
disregard as they are hallow and not viable.


Also that same method is very good to clean a more common seed - the tomato!
Everyone must have experienced of how hard it is to get off that jelly-like stuff
that surrounds tomato seeds when first removed from the fruit.
If that jelly is not removed, the seeds will stick together while drying...

Tami, Here is what I have in my notes (was mentioned in one of the posts on the forum): Seedlings produced from a persistent caprifig and either (any) type (common or San Pedro or Smyrna) fig result in 25% common, 25% Smyrna, 25% non-persistent caprifig, and 25% persistent caprifig. If a non-persistent caprifig is the male parent, they are 50% Smyrna and 50% non-persistent caprifig.

igor, they look very nice :)

Alan, I actually offered them but nobody wanted (without seeing the photos ). Jdsfrance, The trick is to start them outside. The figs are not the house pets, they are some wildest animals!

not that i don't want any... just too many cuttings to juggle all at once :) 

-Igor, do seedlings fruit?

-Does anybody have a fruiting tree from a seedling?

[QUOTE=greenfig]Here is my seedling update. I think I lost none and now have to deal with that many!
Some, like the VdB ones, have defined the leaves already, and have the beautiful red stems.
Unfortunately, most of them will have to go. I will leave maybe 10 or so to see what grows out of them.

[/QUOTE] Igor, If you disturb the amount you are growing  then you'll never know what % of what the seeds produced, you need to hold on to them for at least several years...hm, you need a bigger property. We should organize a charity funds for seedlings ;)

We all know that fig seedlings are quite unique and that the chances of getting a good one are rather small.
For those that do have both the space and patience to experiment, then comes the next question - how to name them...

Any seedling from (for example) a VdB mother fig tree is not a true VdB - it is different.
Followings Jons' example 'B Mad 00n', in his promising Black Madeira seedlings, one may first think as VdB_00(1-n).
After some further analysis, true fig winners can then be named as anyone may wish to his/her dreams...
(and pl. do keep note of the heritage).

Some of the unknowns we encounter here found in wild places are seedlings who get dropped by birds or other critters, and they grow.  Some bear fruit.  Some are caprifigs.  Takes time to know.  I have one seedling in a 3 gallon pot.  It has 3 leaves and is about 5" tall.  If it bears fruit (and I hope it does), I'll post it here for ID.  I kicked what was left of a kadota fig attacked by birds to the curb.  It might just grow in the crack of a rock.  Time will tell.

Suzi

Here are some photos of a seedling that fruited for the first time last summer. I didn't plant it, it just grew in a pot, probably thanks to a generous bird :)
The figs are round and small, and taste really good in my opinion. I really haven't tasted many kinds of figs so I can't say how they compare to proven, named varieties. But I like them, and that's all that matters. plus, it has seven-lobed serrated that are just beautiful :) 
I hope to taste much more of it this summer. I also think that the ones I had could enjoy some more ripening time but I was afraid the birds would beat me to them.

Shur you found a winner!  I have never seen that leaf shape.  Could I be first to get a cutting?

Suzi

Suzi,

thank you!

I live in Israel so shipping is a problem.

Igor,

OMG……. you have progressed way beyond the baggie and cup for sure!

Very impressive, your success!   Other than start looking for a larger piece of property, you might think of selling at a local farmers market.  At our local market a guy showed up one Saturday with a bunch of little greenhouse grown BT or Missions and had them all sold by noon.  You could be like a missionary, baptizing more fig converts and potential F4F members.   

Thanks for the interesting post and photos.

Shur, it's not a problem.  Name it a carved toy. 

Suzi

These are fruit from seedlings:  ...

               

Suspect the black fig to be a Smyrna
Both are very good figs, sweet and flavored, no final names yet.
Two additional edible figs from seedlings located.  Pictures of figs shall be shown later in this season

Francisco

Re post#1:
>>>  I had many more but used only the healthiest seedling for uppotting.
What does healthiest mean? Bigger and more vigorous?

Unscientifically, I would have chosen a 'mix'; who knows a little-weakling may be a (desired) natural-dwarf fig tree...

Although good fruit is the goal; I would select any with very nice leaves too.

@ shur & lampo: Nice fig seedlings.   

[QUOTE=gorgi]Re post#1:
>>>  I had many more but used only the healthiest seedling for uppotting.
What does healthiest mean? Bigger and more vigorous?

Unscientifically, I would have chosen a 'mix'; who knows a little-weakling may be a (desired) natural-dwarf fig tree...

Although good fruit is the goal; I would select any with very nice leaves too.

@ shur & lampo: Nice fig seedlings.   
[/QUOTE]

Sorry, guys, I have not been responding. I was on a work related trip LA to Mt Whitney and back in one day, about 450 miles.
Thank you all for your kind words.

I agree that it is best to keep them all but my room is limited. If anybody wants some, please let me know. You maybe lucky!

George,
I started many seeds of different varieties in a dish or in a tray. Some grew fast and very well, some at half the speed and some barely moved. At the point where it was time to uppot, I selected the ones that were uppotable, i.e. were large enough to be moved. The rest were discarded ( as well as many extras ).
I know it is a very scientific approach but that requires a lot of space which I do not have.
My attempt was more a curiosity than a deterministic take.
Even with what I left, I have a fig jungle.
They grow very fast, by the September they will be 4-5 ft tall and as thick as sharpie.

Hi! Greenfig, 

Everything around us is made of energy. Trees are also made of energies. Living trees have energy fields around them too. I sensed the energies from the 5 trees in your post #11, the third picture starting from the left, I found out that the 2 tall trees and the right-back tree are Caprifig. The front-left tree is the San Pedro type and the front-right tree is the common fig tree. 

Best,
Tam

huh, interesting take Tam, mind sharing your secret of guessing to the T?

Tam, Was that a joke or you were serious?

Greenfig: I am a Grand Master of Reiki Energy. Reiki Energy is the Universal Life Force Energies. These energies (negative and positive electrons) are in us and they are surrounding our universe and other infinity universes. We all born with these energies. All we have to do is to unlock them and learn how to use them in our lives. I used these Reiki Energies to find out the fig types in my previous thread. The more you use these Reiki Energies in our lives, the more we get connected to our environment (nature) and also these energies help and cure diseases in our bodies. There are two types of Universal Life Force Energies: Cosmic Energies (above us) and Earth Energies (below us). Our bodies produce a lot of free radicals. These free radicals can be good if we are close to nature or they can become bad if we are less connected to nature and these bad free radicals inside us can pollute our bodies and cause all kinds of sickness. When the earth energies flow through our bodies, they carry with them a lot of negative electrons. When these negative electrons from our Loving Mother Earth touch the free radicals inside us, these free radicals automatically program to be helpful to our bodies. More information, if someone is interested in these.

Best,
Tam

Tam, Thank you for your explanation, very interesting. What is the difference in the energy between the common and caprifigs? Also, I would like to ship some seedlings out to people. May I post the photos here for you to id them? Thanks a lot in advance!

Once we know how to use these Reiki Energies, we can also send these healing energies to our sick fig trees. These healing energies will help them recover from their diseases like FMV faster and all of them will be very happy. When fig trees are happy, they will provide us very tasty figs.

Greenfig: Yes, I will try my best help you identify the fig types. But please let me see clearly each tree.

When we go more advance in these healing energies, we can give a command to the energies and let them know what do we want them to do. The more we do these the more accurate answers we will get from them. I only practice these healing energies a little more than 2 years. I hope there will be more experiential energy healers on this Fig 4 Fun, so they can provide us more helpful information about these subjects. We can only use these beneficial energies toward helping other life beings.

Best,
Tam

Hi! Everyone, 

I want to find out how many percents of accuracy on my sensing energies in identifying fig types are. So, I would like to ask the Forum Members to post photos of their known fig varieties, but do not tell me what types they are. So, I can sense and will let you know what the fig types of that varieties are. Please help!!! Thank you.   

Best, 
Tam

Igor, I am very proud of you. New daddy and new fig grower!  I wish I lived near, I would steal some of them from you.  Good Job!

[QUOTE=lampo]These are fruit from seedlings:  ...

               

Suspect the black fig to be a Smyrna
Both are very good figs, sweet and flavored, no final names yet.
Two additional edible figs from seedlings located.  Pictures of figs shall be shown later in this season

Francisco

[/QUOTE] Francisco, the dark one is the Sparrow fig , right? I remember the story. Have you considered comparing it with Rondo De Bordeaux?

Aaron,

Have no RdB to compare but from what I read/seen about, they seem to be very much different..remote similarities on shape but that's all I think
A couple of sticks from seedling rooting now, hopefully in 2 or three years I may have figs grown in proper soil . This particular parasitic seedling is being fed by the entrails of a palm tree only !

Francisco

amazing, make sure they survive, the fruit looks really good, so does the green one BTW.

I have also very much Seedlings. Seedlings the Basic for new Variity. Thats importen ti have Figs in new winterhard Areas.

 

You must be doing it right, they are growing.  Good job!  Thanks for the inspiration.

Here my Seedling Kunduz:

 

[QUOTE=greenfig]Here are some photos of the seedlings I started from the seeds that I got at the Jon's fig fiesta + some of mine + some nice locals. I labeled all of them, you can see which is which there. The date refers to the uppotting day.  I had many more but used only the healthiest seedling for uppotting.
They have been outside since day 1, please see the first photo with the first sprouts.
The coin is a quarter.

Curiously enough, they do not care about the gnats, and there a lot of them. They use them as a fertilizier! The more the merrier :) Forget about watering from the bottom, Gnatrol, yellow sticky paper, etc.. this does not apply here.

The varieties I have germinated: VdB, Unk. Pastiliere, Lebanese Black, Panachee, Black Mission, Union Berry Unk., Green Unk, 184-15.

I started a few Black Mission seeds last Feb., I am sure these will grow just as well!
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/black-mission-tj-6365753

Enjoy![/QUOTE] How are these seedlings doing?

I gave them all away and do not know how are they doing.

WHY ! did you stop the experiment , not that you were not free to do so of course ? Just curious, because,remember, I have some growing too.

Here is a (Grantham's Royal x unknown) seedling from seed I got from Greenfig.  Germinated 1-2016 and started fruiting 10-2016.  Sid mentioned his Greenfig seedlings are starting to fruit also, so it's encouraging to know it doesn't always take a long time.  I like this one so far for it's fruit stem that helps it droop, keeping rain out of it's eye.  It also looks like it will have decent size fruit.  It's too early to know if it's male or female, open/closed eye, or even if it's persistent, but time will tell.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/86845950@N03/30128935934/in/dateposted-public/

@CharlesC: Very Nice! You keep beating me. :) My figs are still small... Ten different seedling trees have fruit now. The trees are between 5-8ft tall and are all being planted in ground. 1 acre is for seedlings, 6ft spacing, for 1,200 fig trees per acre. Hopefully I can get some ripe figs by spring 2017.

Also looks like a Valley Black fig might be holding, will post a pic if it ripens.

Your larger operation will likely find the best seedling, but hopefully several of us seedling growers will find something that will be useful in some part of the world.  Good luck.

I grew this tree from seed. The seed could have been from any commonly dried or packaged variety found in a supermarket - I planted quite a few. Sadly, although cuttings were given away none ever rooted and we removed the tree because it made such a mess dropping ripe figs. At that time I did not realize what I had. They were yellow but had a mild, figgy taste not at all like melon or berry. If I knew how hard it is to find such big figs (as long as you don't mind a little pollen in them) with a decent flavor I'd have kept it and tried crossing it or put up more of an argument for keeping it. The tree was only around 6-8 years old. Kicking myself now.   
http://s22.photobucket.com/user/arachyd/media/Lotsoffigs2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5
http://s22.photobucket.com/user/arachyd/media/Lotsoffigs.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7
http://s22.photobucket.com/user/arachyd/media/P7130038.jpg.html?sort=3&o=6
http://s22.photobucket.com/user/arachyd/media/inside%20ripe2.png.html?sort=3&o=0

arachyd, 

This fig has a few similarities with the persistent Caprifigs Cordelia (Gillette)..Croisic.. etc
Did you actually see them ejecting puffs of pollen through the eye ?
When ripe and falling from the tree, these Caprifigs when hitting the ground do blow small clouds of a very light powder (pollen).

Francisco
Portugal

No but they were all 1/4 to 1/3 pollen. The eyes were pretty well closed. No wasps here.

Correct, the wasp does not inhabit these Caprifigs
With so many fruit loaded with pollen, it would be not at all difficult to hand pollinate other figs on your yard, namely Smyrnas and San Pedro main crop, assuming the receiving fruit being receptive which could very well be the case.

Francisco

I think it would have been a good one to cross but at the time I was not much into fig trees. I had a lot of unknown seedlings out of simple curiosity.

Normal i must have much Caprifig by my Seedlings. Normal they also persistent, but young and extremly winterhart.

[QUOTE=Paul]Normal i must have much Caprifig by my Seedlings. Normal they also persistent, but young and extremely winterhart.

[/QUOTE]

Paul,
Natural germination of fertile fig seeds will give you mostly wild, non-edible, plants (Caprifigs)
The great majority of these Caprifigs would be of the Caducous type..some producing fruit, others never showing any fig
Very, very  few chances of any edibles, as well as  persistent Caprifigs.

Believe that at laboratory level, some selected chemicals (GA, auxins, etc)  brought into the rooting/growing process, may lead to different results.

Francisco
Portugal