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Subject: More Black Madeira fig pics Replies: 8
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,042
 
My first black madeira ripened today after 6 inches of rain the last few days, no splitting, decent taste. Taste is hard for me to describe, like a berry you can almost remember the name of, maybe black raspberry. Fig was blue a week ago, but was black today.

Attached Images
jpeg cut.JPG (501010, 48 views)
jpeg ripe.JPG (527050, 44 views)

Subject: Brown Turkey Overload Replies: 7
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 808
 
Sorry for the discomfort, Jon, I know BTs make you sick. None of the early August figs on this tree ripened well, they got huge and then split with only a watermelon taste. After the last two weeks of a heat wave, they turn black on the bottom (open eye) and soften up. I have to cut the tops off of soda cans and stick them over the figs to keep the birds away. Very sweet right now.

Thanks, Rafed. Your figs look good too.

Subject: Brown Turkey Overload Replies: 7
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 808
 
I really thought that these would split in the recent heavy rain, but are ripening nicely and are good when nearly all black. What they lack in taste, they make up in volume..

Attached Images
jpeg BT_and_quarter.JPG (163156, 57 views)
jpeg BTs.JPG (170013, 78 views)

Subject: Hardy Chicago n Dark Portuguese Replies: 10
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,384
 
They make really good (and red) fig preserves, too, Martin. I have 2 identical Hardy Chicagos 1 growing in the sun that produces purple figs and one in the shade that produces brown figs (one was started from the other using a cutting). Your EL Sals is very close to a Hardy Chicago, but the stem gets a little redder and it tastes just a little different here. Two of the best here, in a pot and in the ground.

Subject: Violet de Bodreaux Replies: 18
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,656
 
My VdB is Edible Landscaping origin and matches yours Martin. Jon has already weighed in that the leaf is dissimilar to what he is used to with the UCD strain. It's good to hear from Herman that the UCD FMV might be the culprit. It's a shy bearer here (but tasty). I have to let you know the Sal you sent me is the squirrel's favorite.

Scott

Attached Images
jpeg VDB.JPG (363929, 40 views)
jpeg VDB_breba.JPG (114766, 38 views)
jpeg Violette_de_Bordeaux_brebas_March_24.JPG (115046, 26 views)

Subject: Best figs at your location Replies: 266
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 72,859
 
Current best-tasting and most productive figs


Col de Dame (blanc)  Stands up to rain, intense berry taste, late bearing.

Hardy Chicago and Sal's EL   Good taste, productive, and stand up to rain fairly well

Black Madeira   Unique taste, late bearing, heavy bearing, splits in rain, but still tastes good.

Violette de Bordeaux  Good raspberry taste, shy bearer

Peter's Honey  Mainly for the brebas, taste mostly just sweet, occasionally cream soda taste

Subject: VDB Pic Replies: 30
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 3,058
 
Thanks for the comments and pictures Jon and Martin. Very dark fig, nearly black with a raspberry taste. What EL is selling labelled VdB anyway (I checked my receipt). The first leaf picture is the EL Osbourne, orange fig with yellow pulp.

Scott

Subject: my sickly black madiera Replies: 42
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,926
 
I think BM really likes the fertilizer and the heat. One of mine is about 6 foot now with some short branches and a couple of figs. UCD cutting circa spring 2009 I think, so second summer-- a fellow cutting had lingered at about 6 inches to a foot until I buried all the old wood and socked the fertilizer to it. Now a couple of feet tall at least.

Subject: VDB Pic Replies: 30
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 3,058
 
I'm not sure about your VdB. Here is my EL VdB (red purple pulp) and EL Osbourne (amber pulp). Leaves are actually a little similar.

Attached Images
jpeg VDB_breba.JPG (114766, 44 views)
jpeg vdb_leaf.JPG (105291, 32 views)
jpeg EL_Osborne_main_crop_small.JPG (138937, 28 views)
jpeg osborne_EL.JPG (134153, 16 views)

Subject: Two must-have figs for the South Replies: 11
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 904
 
Hi cbalducc,

I have a VdB here in Georgia. I just got thru eating this years brebas. Closed eye, slow to split (but can split in rainy weather). Unique dry strawberry-raspberry flavor. Very dark fig--nearly black with fine purple spots.

Don't forget Hardy Chicago (Mongibello) or Sal's as they behave well here and seem to be more productive than Vdb. See if you can tell the difference.

For a light fig--Peter's Honey behaves well for me (yellow skin, yellow interior) but the flavor is just sweet, not  really figgy. I liked the one Col de Dame blanc I had last year (green exterior, red interior) and it really behaved well in the rain.

Attached Images
jpeg Hardy_Chicago.JPG (118666, 24 views)
jpeg VDB_breba.JPG (114766, 28 views)

Subject: calling me a liar? Replies: 23
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,906
 
Maggie,

Mongibello makes a lot more sense than Hardy Chicago as it describes where the fig originated. I for one am glad you ferreted out the likely true name of this fig. Don't worry about the your email.

Scott

Subject: Enderub brebas Replies: 1
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 636
 
I don't know is this is an edible caprifig, but I did eat at least half of it. Mostly just sweet, no defnitive taste in the brebas so far. Ripe this week here.

Scott

Attached Images
jpeg Enderub_breba.JPG (149953, 24 views)
jpeg Enderub_cut.JPG (144079, 35 views)
jpeg Enderub_leaf.JPG (135639, 17 views)

Subject: USDA / UC Davis DNA tests Replies: 11
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 2,560
 
Well, one thing it says is that Sal's and Hardy Chicago are not the same fig.  That Sal's is more closely related to Abruzzi and Dark portugese than HC, that's interesting.

scott

Subject: Fig Mosaic and Thermotherapy Replies: 24
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 2,545
 
In the UC Davis cuttings, it really seems to me like FMV interferes with the movement of nutrients from the new roots through the "old" bark to the new growth. They seem to do much better if the "old bark" is buried and the new growth is all that is above ground. Jon's trick of over fertilization also helps.

I had one Black Madeira (last year's cutting) that did not grow well all last year and only got maybe a foot tall. The other tree I have grown from the same cutting is 6 feet tall. Since repotting and burying all last years wood a couple of weeks ago, it has started to come around.

So far, FMV  isn't the problem I thought it would be.

Scott

Subject: Please tell me which figs smell Replies: 39
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 4,687
 
Hi Rafed,

Went out and sniffed mine in the rain last night. I need a 'warning: seriously disturbed' t-shirt.

scott

Subject: Please tell me which figs smell Replies: 39
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 4,687
 
To me, leaves of most figs definitely smell like cat urine. I've noticed that more than anything, especially with brown turkey. I'll be sniffing the rest tomorrow trying to find that coconut milk and cinnamon.

A chemical known as felinine is probably broken down to a butanol to produce the characteristic odor in cat urine. So maybe there is production of similar butanol in some fig tree leaves. If you really want to smell this scent, try the dead leaves in the fall.

Scott

Subject: New Member Replies: 21
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,438
 
Welcome to the forum, John, there is getting to be quite a group of us from north Georgia.

Scott 

Subject: A big thank you Replies: 5
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 860
 
Thanks for the good words, John and thanks to Jon for giving all the fig addicts a place to meet.

Scott

Subject: Caprifigs Replies: 2
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 825
 
How about UCR 228 (Enderub) and UCD 271 (Saleeb), Jon?

Scott

Subject: Satellitehead - good varieties for Sharpsburg, GA Replies: 13
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,379
 
My two cents worth. The old UGA fig brochures list North Georgia as "Celeste, Brown Turkey, and Conadria" country. Eatonton, GA (more middle Georgia than North GA) was the home of the Hunt fig.

For me (a little North and East of Atlanta), Celeste is a small fig with only a main crop that drops a lot when it is dry unless mulched heavily. Brown turkey is a strong bearer, but splits in heavy rains. I don't have Conadria.

Hardy Chicago has been very nice, doesn't split, fairly good taste and is a pretty fig. Col de Dame doesn't seem to split either. Violette de Bordeaux has a very nice taste and doesn't seem to split, it produces brebas. Peter's Honey doesn't split much and has a nice breba crop (but for me the taste is bland, only sweetness and a honey taste). This part of Georgia suffers years of drought during main crop time, followed by years of flooding during this time, so splitting (and loss of taste due to excessive wet weather) is important.

Scott

Subject: Love looking at Pictures Replies: 44
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 2,509
 
Here you go--Brown Turkey in Georgia last night. Are you jealous of us down south, Martin?

Attached Images
jpeg Brown_Turkey_in_Snow.JPG (164291, 48 views)

Subject: Comparing Our Plant Replies: 2
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 504
 

Sounds good, Martin. We could see the differences produced by all the climates.

Subject: The future of our figs collections Replies: 15
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,505
 
I try to give figs away to friends at work and church, even those who have never tried them. Some become interested and come back for more varieties. Some older people remember having them when they were young but would not buy them (as they think they are too old). So maybe some of mine will live on after me.

Scott

Subject: The Genetics of Hominids and Figs Replies: 17
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,251
 
In classic mammalian genetics, one of the first to throw a monkey wrench into the works was Mary Lyons. She noted that in human females (who have two X chromosomes, both with different genetic information--one from their mother and one from their father) one x chromosome is always inactivated-- it's just not always the same one. Essentially the genetic information expressed can differ by cell without considering epigenetics. "lyonization" was one of the first clues that if you culture two supposedly genetically identical cells from the same individual, radically different results may ensue.

This activation of both maternal and paternal information in different cells provides some distinct advantages. The most advantageous cell line (with maternal or paternal information) is selected over time as women age and in older women, one cell line tends to predominate.

I'm not sure what relevance this has for figs except it is interesting to think that all parts of a plant may not be genetically identical.

Subject: 28 F in my garage Replies: 9
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,045
 
That's very helpful information, Martin. It is really hard to determine what temperature each variety can stand in a pot.

I have always left my larger potted plants (Hardy Chicago, Peter's Honey, VdB, Osborne) out on the deck in the winter, only bringing them into the garage if the temperature falls below 24 (for us this is usually just for a few days  now and then during the night hours). This has just been an arbitrary number, but I have had no die back on the deck figs. I have had some limb die back on the brown turkey in the ground on the south side of the house, none on the other in ground figs (I don't cover these at all). I have stuck most of my small ones in the crawl space this year to keep from moving them in and out of the garage, so hopefully no worries.

Can't wait for my Martin's unknown to have one of those tennis balls..

Subject: Sad event Replies: 21
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,228
 
I'm sorry to hear about this George. I'm sure she is thankful she has you to depend on.

A  (much older and wiser) friend had a similar experience in south america--sprayed with mustard 'accidentally' at a restaurant and the people aiding in the clean up attempting to rob him.



Subject: White Christmas Replies: 26
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 996
 

It had to happen sometime, Jason. Looks like my back will be sore from stuffing the crawlspace full of potted figs!

Subject: White Christmas Replies: 26
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 996
 
You need to move south Martin-- a lot of rain here, but the outside geraniums are still alive. All the figs have lost their leaves, but I haven't had to move any into shelter yet. I just trimmed a small brushpile off one fig tree today.

Scott

Subject: please name your Lowes figs Replies: 14
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,334
 
Who knows what they really are, you only know what they are labeled at the store. Here I have seen figs labeled Celeste, Brown turkey, and Mission at Lowes. I bought a Celeste (some years ago). Here it is compared to a real Celeste...
  I do like the fig, though. It splits and sours in wet weather, but when it is dry when it ripens, it is very good/juicy with a nice taste--just not a Celeste.
  Do yourself a favor and buy known figs (or get cuttings) from someone you can trust who knows what they are selling.

Attached Images
jpeg CelesteandLowesCeleste.jpg (46415, 48 views)

Subject: violette de bordeaux/ early violet Replies: 8
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 799
 

Thanks, Martin.


Subject: violette de bordeaux/ early violet Replies: 8
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 799
 
Jon/Bass

My Edible Landscaping origin VdB has this type of leaf. Do you see any leaves of this type on your VdB/Negronne/Beer's Black? The figs are compatible with VdB.

Attached Images
jpeg vdb_leaf.JPG (105291, 19 views)

Subject: I hate you folks! Replies: 19
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,113
 
Hi David,

Welcome. There a few figaholics from georgia around. My (regular, not mega) celeste doesn't have a breba crop and makes decent preserves, just has very small figs. MegaCeleste (Lowes variety) makes great preserves and figs definitely stay whole (no breba).  Your list is ambitious, but I do have a few that I will be trimming in about a month.

Scott

Subject: Fig Season Replies: 15
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,131
 
Still getting a few big brown turkey, but taste is nothing to write home about. A few still turning and all leaves are still green on that tree, so I still have hopes for one or two more. Awfully late for figs here.

I need a greenhouse!

Subject: Last of the Brown Turkeys Replies: 2
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 524
 

Not as good as they were earlier, it's just nice to still have something to nibble on this late. Too much rain.

Subject: Last of the Brown Turkeys Replies: 2
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 524
 

After 19 inches of rain in the last two months, most of these have been splitting, but a few are starting to ripen now as the leaves are falling.

Attached Images
jpeg BT_Nov_7.JPG (138753, 46 views)

Subject: Osborn Prolific? Replies: 12
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,583
 
This is a leaf and fig from Edible Landscapings Osborne. Had rust colored figs with yellow flesh. Whether or not is Osbourne prolific?


Attached Images
jpeg osborne_EL.JPG (134153, 18 views)
jpeg EL_Osborne_main_crop_small.JPG (138937, 22 views)

Subject: Another Growing Season Done Replies: 19
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 943
 

I ate this Brown Turkey today, Martin. They are huge, but not very good this time of year--too much rain. Peter's Honey, in contrast is still very good. But it will all be over soon.

Attached Images
jpeg Brown_Turkey_Oct_2009.JPG (154696, 20 views)

Subject: Recognize this leaf? Replies: 11
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 885
 
My VdB from EL has 90% 5 lobes like this and 10% 7 lobes (two little ones off the bottom like Jon pictured).

Attached Images
jpeg VDB_from_EL.JPG (149919, 27 views)

Subject: Osborn Prolific-aka Neveralla & Archipel-Color Variations Replies: 23
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 3,563
 

This is edible landscaping's osborne prolific. Kind of rust colored orange on yellow. Yellow pulp. I've only had one--it's not prolific yet--taste was ok.

Attached Images
jpeg EL_Osborne_Prolific_main_crop_small.JPG (138937, 69 views)

Subject: My Unknown Plant Replies: 15
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 665
 
That was cute, Martin, but careful with that Oleander. Leaves, flowers, nectar, and even the honey made from the flowers are all poisonous. Ingestion of leaves has been known to kill (For safety's sake, maybe you should send all those ripe figs to me, I 'll stick a sprig of parsley in them).

Scott

Subject: Col de Dame Replies: 21
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 2,251
 

Axier,

I am so glad to hear that Col de Dame is rain tolerant, because it has been  raining all week. Hopefully this last fig will ripen even in the rain.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/Scott_GA/coldedame.jpg

Martin, I'm going to try to upload a picture for you-- since you have been torturing us with all your ripe figs, that's a nice big late brown turkey (duct taped to keep the rain out of the eye) and a brandywine tomato (not quite pink enough yet). Enjoy

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa93/Scott_GA/BTandbrandywine.jpg


Scott

Subject: Barnisotte Black! Replies: 6
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 956
 

I did get one cutting of this from UC Davis a couple of years ago and tried to get multiple plants from that cutting. Only one survived for a year, very weak and badly affected by mosaic. It eventually died.


Subject: Col de Dame Replies: 21
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 2,251
 

Mine are just beginning to ripen now.  Definitely looks like the picture posted. Any comment on the taste, Jon?

Subject: Col de Dame Replies: 21
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 2,251
 
"Neck of the lady" I only have the white (blanc) from UC Davis. One is just now producing figs. They seem to have a distinctive thicker than normal neck when green--which becomes a very graceful curve when ripening. Has anyone else noticed this? Is this the origin of the name? Very burgundy flesh. Nice looking fig, but taste not up to par, yet.

Subject: My " 1000 " Post Replies: 10
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 598
 
Thanks to Jon for a great forum and also for the great source of information that the figs 4 fun site represents. Congratulations on your posts, Martin. You and Cecil, Maggie, Gorgi, Herman (V), Bass, and so many more keep us entertained and educated.

Scott

Subject: My Violette De Bordeaux Replies: 6
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,068
 

Beautiful. Just wait till you taste it. Delicious. Watch out for the birds, they also really like them. I had to put mine inside empty coke cans to keep the birds off.

Subject: EL Marseilles Replies: 5
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,080
 
Thanks, George. I think you're right--It looks like the Osborne Prolific that have listed on their website. It has the reddish-orange outside and yellow interior. I was trying for the "St. Anthony Marseilles" that they list on their website and got this rust-colored one. Probably just a screwup.
Scott

Subject: EL Marseilles Replies: 5
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,080
 
This, somehow, is not what I expected this fig to look like. Any comments from people who have this variety?

Attached Images
jpeg EL_Marseille_main_crop_small.JPG (138937, 51 views)

Subject: My Underwear Ties Replies: 6
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 728
 

I cut strips out of the plastic bag the paper comes in. It stretches a little, but is fairly strong.

Subject: My new web site Replies: 10
Posted By: scott_ga Views: 1,034
 
Ray,

Your website has always provided great information about figs.

Scott