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Subject: happy Thanksgiving to all! Replies: 26
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 800
 
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I've spent the last 6 months studying for the CPA exam (finally through!), and learning about/growing figs has been a much-needed earthy diversion during study breaks. Many thanks to Jon, the Forum, and each of you for helping me stay sane...and for this gift that keeps on giving. 
Wishing all of you happiness and good health,
Rick

Subject: What is your Best Method to Ship Cuttings..??? Replies: 16
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,018
 
A kind forum member sent me extra ID tags made from aluminum soda cans in the package. Thought that was a super generous thing to do, and I plan to do the same in the future. Some jerk throw an empty beer can on your lawn? Hey, turn it into something useful. :)

Subject: New member Replies: 35
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,362
 
Welcome, Blake.

Subject: Cuttings: Tips vs. Sections ? Replies: 15
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,152
 
Thanks for the info, Calvin. An adolescent plant is looking good right now. I've got all the figbabies I can handle at the moment. In newbie fashion, I planned on growing "a couple" and wound up with 20+ plants in cups (I have at least 8 extra LSUPurples in cups that I'll be needing to foster out come spring).

Subject: Cuttings: Tips vs. Sections ? Replies: 15
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,152
 
Thanks for feedback and the science. I'm glad there is support for my feelings about tips--going to snip back and see what happens. 
Thanks again.

Subject: Cuttings: Tips vs. Sections ? Replies: 15
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,152
 
I see a lot of people prefer tips, which I assume that is because the terminal growth creates a tidier looking plant. However, of four recent cuttings I rooted, sections (cuts on both ends) leafed out quickly, but the terminal buds on the tips have not leafed yet. Root growth on both sections and tips seem about the same, but until the plants leaf out, there's that worry that they might just root, then mold and die.  

Thoughts? Also, does anyone clip or pinch terminal buds [EDIT: on cuttings] to force side leafing (sounds like sacrilege, but the idea has crossed my mind)?

Thanks

Subject: Cuttings in Cups.....losing some weekly...What am I doing Wrong...??? Replies: 61
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 2,903
 
I have about 15 cuttings ready to move into pots, but I'm terrified I'm going to kill them all in the process. I was hoping I might be able to get through the hard winter in cups, but that's probably optimistic. Please report back on your up-potting results, Armando. [Is it just me or does F4F feel like a mommyblog sometimes? "My kid's first day of school...so nervous!!!" :)]

Subject: Which rooting method do you swear by? Replies: 52
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 2,397
 
I've never started cuttings in soil, so I can't say. (Actually, my very first cutting was dipped in powder hormone and stuck in a tray of soil and it died without ever rooting, so I abandoned the concept--was it the powder or the soil???) Soil has some problems: it's hard to regulate moisture through thick soil, you can't readily see progress, and if sealed, it might begin molding. Sphag is nice because it's fluffy, so it's moist but allows air flow. I'd worry a scion buried completely under soil and shut in a box would rot, but who knows, it's entirely possible I'm overcomplicating...

Good luck and report back,
Rick

Subject: LSU Purple Video Review Replies: 14
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,407
 
Thanks, Joe. I was curious if the blacker fruit made it sweeter/more complex.

In Alabama we like the Purple because it handles our wet summers and our weather inconsistencies. My figs never get that dry, black look like yours; usually picked when they are a deep burgundy red with dark purple blush and begin to crackle a bit. As information, our avg annual temps range 33*F to 91*F, although we have short-lived winter freezes in the low 20s. Crops tend to come heavily in 3-week window in late-July into August with stragglers into September. This year we had a mild winter and rather mild spring: main crop was delayed a few weeks. Can't say that I've identified a breba crop, but we generally have cold snaps in late March or early April which might be to blame. Mine's been inground for 7 or 8 years: don't recall any die-back. In 2009, it got down to 12*F in January (I should mention the following week it was 70*F). As they say in Birmingham: if you don't like the weather, just give it a minute.

Subject: Which rooting method do you swear by? Replies: 52
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 2,397
 
The last few I did, I "sushi rolled" in sphag and newspaper in ziplocs and sat upright in a jar (helps keep the scion from sitting in a pool of condensation) on the water heater--great for small quantities. TIP: if working with sphagmoss, wring it out well until moist and springy--too wet and the cutting will water log and rot. PS> Sorry for the free Chevyman advertising. DOH! 
[figroll_zpsfa0a9be8]

Subject: "Brown Turkey" in Pot Replies: 6
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,054
 
purplesandwhich,
If it's a "terminal" bud ( a sort of cone-shaped bud on the tip of a stem) it's probably a leaf bud. Flower (fruit) buds are dome-shaped, like a little bead. The flower bud sits above and behind the leaf, so if it's a flower bud you'll usually see a round scar below it where the leaf was. (http://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Moraceae/ficus-carica-wb-rvid-c.jpg)
[ficus-carica-wb-rvid-c][Ficus_carica,_Fig,_flower,_fruit,I_GEW547]

Subject: Fig Identification Replies: 13
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,080
 
Green Greek is listed as "medium" at Durio.

Subject: Fig Identification Replies: 13
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,080
 
Hi abjones,

I was curious to see if you ever identified your fig. Green figs with the deep red centers look so good in pics!  I bought an unk. white greek? variety from eBay recently; hope it turns out to be a decent green fig. I've never grown 'Verte,' so I don't mean to second-guess the others, but I thought your fruit shape and leaf looked a lot like Dennis' 'Green Greek' posted earlier in the season:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/?id=4905175

PS> That closed eye is pretty outstanding...can barely tell it even has one.

Subject: Green Ischia(Vetre) VS Hardy Chicago Replies: 11
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,010
 
Hi Pako,
I ran across this article the other day by a Swedish figger when looking for cold hardy plants. He mentions his success with HC and even mentions a few varieties he received from a Bulgarian source (under the "2012" notes in the article). Thought you might find useful. http://planetfig.com/articles/fareng2584.html

Subject: Southern Fig Information Page 2 Replies: 25
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,581
 
This is really spectacular, Mike. Thanks! 

Subject: 'Papa John' source Replies: 2
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 614
 
That place is a treat, and they've usually got really healthy stock. They're about 45 minutes south of me so I don't make it out too often. I think this year I'm going to map out the u-pick fruit seasons so I can go down for blackberry season at 'Petals' and do peach season in Clanton (just a little further south than Jemison on I-65). You know it's Peach Country when you see this from the highway (ha!)  http://birminghambusinessalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/peach.jpg

Subject: OFF TOPIC: QUERCUS VIRGINIANA...."LIVE OAK" Replies: 15
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,202
 
Hi BronxFigs,
All the Live Oaks I know of in Alabama are ancient trees, so I can't tell you about the behavior of a sapling. Southern Live Oaks (virginiana) keep their leaves year round. I guess they shed leaves in rotations (like a pine) so that the tree always has a course of leaves through the winter -- unlike most other oaks that go completely bare in winter. Some leaves are rather flat and narrow, but when mature get broader with a bit of a "wave" to them. I assumed the young ones were the thin ones and as they aged they began to show a bit of the variation, but I could be wrong. This wiki photo is exactly what ours look like when mature: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Quercus_virginiana-leaves-acorns.jpg

Virginiana does not have the holly-like points along the sides...that variety is Coast Live Oak agrifolia--a West Coast oak. 
The other Live Oak that I suppose is a common California Live Oak is wislizeni which is capable of cross-identifying with other oaks and thus produces great leaf variance.

If you want an absolutely straight, narrow leaf, you might consider Willow Oak. Ours here in Alabama tend to be straight and tall and have longer slender leaves. However, they don't have quite the character of of the Southern Live Oak--although if you want this kind of character --> https://sites.aces.edu/group/backyardwisdom/Lists/Posts/Attachments/290/DuffieLiveOak5_thumb_771BBAA5.jpg 
you might have to wait a couple hundred years :)

Subject: 'Papa John' source Replies: 2
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 614
 
Hi all:

Noticed some have Papa John on their wish list, so thought I'd share in case you're unable to find a source. Spoke recently with Jason down at Petals from the Past nursery (Jemison, Alabama). He has 1 gallon Papa John available ($10+shipping, I think). Noticed Jon and Bass didn't have this plant currently for sale at their sites, so hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes here :) Just thought I'd pass the info along. BTW, It's not on their website, so you will need to email or call to place the order.

Rick

Subject: Violet de Bordeaux vs petite negra fig Replies: 24
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 3,574
 
Is Petite Aubique also the same as Negronne or is unique? I see it mentioned occasionally on the forum.

Subject: Using bleach Replies: 17
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 949
 
Hi John,
I had a 2 cuttings die on me this fall. One never properly rooted in the sphag and had tiny pinholes in the stem (I don't know if they were already there when I made the cut or if my sphag got contaminated with pests.) The other rooted well but rotted in the pot. I made the mistake of not removing all the sphag from the roots when I potted. Although the surrounding soil mix was just slightly moist, when I pulled the dead plant out, the root section (covered in sphag) was soaking wet.  Lesson learned: remove as much sphag as possible before potting.

Subject: You know when you're a fig addict..... Replies: 57
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 2,456
 
...you begin plotting how to expand into your neighbors' yards.

Subject: First LSU Scott's Black Replies: 4
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 595
 
Nice. I really enjoy the LSUpurple but I'd say they lack a sort of complex nutty/figgy flavor (mine seems seedless and that might be what the flavor is missing?) 

Subject: A good white fig! Pics. Replies: 52
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 3,290
 
On the topic of white figs with the slender, defined VdB-like lobes, is anyone growing Dalmatie? I've read that that it's cold-hardy, but it's apparently also often confused with Dalmatian (which is a synonym for Brunswick?), so I'm confused a to IDing the real thing. It seems a real Dalmatie also has the long, slender lobes like VdB and Brunswick, but has a green fruit that turns quite yellow when ripe. Is that accurate?

Thanks!

P.S. The only white fig I grow is SC Lemon--which has a very light flesh, but I'm absolutely enthralled with these wonderful pics of green fruit with blood-red flesh. They look so delicious!  

Subject: Vasilika Sika, Stella and others. Replies: 16
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,506
 
Those are amazing looking! I'm with Bill...the Unk. sounds like a winner.

Subject: Mystery fig, TASTE ON PAR WITH VDB needs ID Replies: 24
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,599
 
Possibly "Olho de Perdiz" (trans. 'Eye of Partridge')--has a distinct red eye.
http://www.cotr.pt/documentos/FolhetoFigueira.pdf

Subject: Fig Mosaic Virus questions Replies: 28
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 2,549
 
Dr. Jim Jacobi (Plant Pathology, Auburn Univ/Bham Botanical Gardens) sent me a link to an interesting 2010 U.S. study re: FMV, which poses that whether the FMV expresses in a plant, or in extreme cases kills the plant, may be a result of synergistic effects of multiple viruses present in a plant (i.e., FMV plus another strain).

http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/47395/PDF

In summary, multiple viruses were detected in hard-hit plants with the following presumed vectors (in addition to transmission by cuttings/grafts from infected donor stock):
  • FMV belongs to the genus Emaravirus that includes viruses related to tospoviruses and is transmitted by the eriophyid mite Aceria ficus. 
  • Several closteroviruses [AFCV-1&2] belonging to the genera Closterovirus and Ampelovirus, presumably transmitted by aphids and mealybugs respectively, have been found in fig in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the United States [9, 13].
  • FLMaV (the virus found alongside FMV in mediterranean/middle east countries) was not found in these test subjects, however, the AFCV found was so similar as to be nearly identical
  • Badnaviruses  [FBV-1] are vectored primarily by mealybugs and aphids and thus FBV-1 may share vectors with the closteroviruses that infect the crop. 

Subject: Violett de Bordeaux vs. Petite Negri or Negronne? Replies: 9
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,633
 
Hi Rewton,

For what it's worth, I spoke with Edible Landscaping in VA (7a) a few weeks back to buy a VdB for my parents for trial. However, EL said the PetiteNegri was coldhardier than the VdB/Negronne (EL considered VdB and Negronne to be the same thing). If memory serves, EL keeps the PN in-ground and pots their VdB. EL recommended covering in-ground PN's during heavy/prolonged freeze. I wound up going with the PN over the VdB, because I don't think my parents are up for the work involved with pot culture. Now if the little guy can just survive our rain/humidity. 

Best of luck,
Rick 

Subject: Airlayering Over Winter ? Replies: 12
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,357
 
Hey, thanks for the advice, Ruuting and Tam. Gonna go ahead and pot before the cool rains blow in. I have a 3gallon pot my roses came in with a breathable soil/bark mix I think it will be happy in. It's earmarked as a gift for my brother, so really hoping it makes it through the winter. 
Thanks again,
Rick

 

Subject: Unknown yellow fig Replies: 13
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,167
 
The fruit looks like LSU Scott's Yellow. There's also a few varieties of Golden Celestes that are more pink than amber. Unfortunately, this leaf shape is found in so many of the SE/East Coast figs that it isn't always helpful for ID.

Subject: Airlayering Over Winter ? Replies: 12
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,357
 
Hi all,
Curious what to do with this LSUPurple airlayer started in early September. Don't know if I should cut and pot or leave till later. Roots look fat and healthy, but don't have the tight root ball that I've seen in others' airlayers at time of uppotting. I may get another 1.5 months before freeze. Thoughts for air layers-in-progress with winter approaching?
Thanks!
Rick



[airlayerfig_zps0288b703]

Subject: The Joe Morle Paradiso Replies: 11
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,059
 
Hi oxankle,

Dennis and Herman posted about the Paradisos early in the season--apparently there are several varieties. Herman mentioned 'Paradiso Nero' ripens earlier in the season.  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4890906

Best of luck finding a winner,
Rick

Subject: Unknown cuttings from Ebay Replies: 13
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 1,049
 
Hi Meghan, 
Given the time of year, what are your plans for green cuttings? Will you try to root directly, refrigerate, etc.? (I'm a newby.)
Thanks,
Rick

Subject: dark fig id Replies: 4
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 468
 
Here's my LSUPurple to compare. Very similar leaf. I tend to pick my figs early, so my fruit is hasn't achieved the deeper purple. Even when ripe, the meat is medium pink.

In my zone 7, it's a wonderfully headache-free and forgiving tree (and a consistent  producer). 

lsupurple.jpg 

Subject: overwintering cuttings in zone 8 Replies: 13
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 826
 
Is it possible to refrigerate cuttings once they have begun to root/sprout? (I.e., could you remove leaf buds & place in a bag in the fridge until ready 2 propagate--say for an additional few months--as some do with hardened scions?)

Subject: Last year's growth? Breba-only cultivars? Replies: 2
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 407
 
Thanks for the info Mike.

BTW, mine has the turbinate/no neck) shape as offered through Petals from the Past (PFTP):  http://petalsfromthepast.com/catalog/images/Fig,%20Lemon.JPG

Subject: Last year's growth? Breba-only cultivars? Replies: 2
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 407
 
Hi all! I'm Rick from northcentral Alabama and a new member to F4F. 

After reading Jon's excellent thread "Breba New World" (http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/breba-new-world-3336779?highlight=growth), I am curious if there's a similar list regarding which varieties produce exclusively on old or last year's growth

For instance, my Lemon/Blanche has not been a great producer, which I've learned may be because I keep whacking away at the old tree. It grows, I kid you not, 12-foot new growth every year. Long, seemingly-unsupportable branches. It never shapes up into a bush-like form, it just shoots a few lanky branches 12-feet straight up. Which then begin to bend over. It's embarrassing, so each year I give the ol' girl an acceptable haircut. But I have been informed recently, unlike my other trees, the Lemon only produces on last year's growth. This year, I reaped a staggering 3 figs from the tree. :/  Is the Lemon truly a breba-only cultivar? 

Thanks! (Please feel free to link me to older threads that might clarify)

Subject: souther brown turkey Replies: 59
Posted By: recomer20 Views: 4,201
 
Seeking supplier/donor for a few cuttings for "Brown Turkey" suitable for north/central Alabama (Birmingham)--only need enough to produce 2-3 trees.

We have moderate winters but very hot and often unpredictable summers in terms of drought or too much rain. The "Celeste" is suppose to be an Alabama favourite but mine has dropped its green fruits before ripening more years than not due to odd weather. Hoping the Brown Turkey will be a better match.

FYI, My LSU Purple has been a winner--never dropping--and producing wonderful, bountiful fruit! Just want another tree for variety. i also have a Lemon Fig, but it is not much of a producer.

Other suggestions welcomed!