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Subject: Lampeira Replies: 11
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,623
 
Leon,
Your Lampeira looks like mine, and its also from the Bay Area. It has been an excellent tree for me - regardless of its parentage. It reminds me of a deeper/better flavored King and is a strong producer. 

Gloria

Subject: BOURJASSOTTE GRIS Replies: 7
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,475
 
I have a 4-5 year in ground B.G. from CRFG Prusch Farm fig collection in San Jose. 
It is a slower growing tree, didn't produce more than a few ripe fruits the 1st couple of years, and dropped a bunch of fruit, but this year it started ripening many more. 
The fruit is med size green - violet. Deep rose red flesh that is very rich.  Medium skin texture. It is my favorite or maybe 2nd favorite tree.  
I didn't expect it to do much this summer since California basically didn't have a summer and it did fruit late, starting in Sept. but produced really spectacular fruit until early Nov. and then not that bad until mid Nov. 

Gloria

Subject: California Fig Newb request ideas Replies: 10
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,989
 
The cutting will take longer. You can buy a potted or unpotted tree from a nursury or garden center this spring and have at least some figs by this summer, more if you get a bigger plant. Most figs grow pretty fast, but most cuttings will take at least a couple of years to start producing.  Both is good if you can squeeze in a pot or 2 more.

Subject: California Fig Newb request ideas Replies: 10
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,989
 
I'm also in San Jose- east hills, with limited space, and have been growing figs for only 6 years so this is still a work in progress. My best trees thus far have been Bourjassotte Gris (or other spellings) and Lampiera.  The B. G. is a slower growing tree, and didn't really produce much for me until its 4th year in ground, but its a winner. Green/violet medium sized fruit with rich tasting dark rose red flesh. This year even with our nearly non-existent summer it produced great fruit from Sept - Nov, and pretty tasty until mid Nov. 

Lampiera is a San Pedro, and probably should not give me the 2nd crop that it does (no fig wasps that I know of ) but it does, and is a robust producer of med. - large green fruit with flesh almost as good as the B.G.

I do think in ground is better if you can do it (with gopher protection!!!!) less stress on the trees, more fruit and better (or at least different) tasting.

Violetta de Bordeaux has been good, but mine is in a large pot, so its not super productive.  I have a 4-5 years in ground Flanders that was much better tasting when it was in a pot/or younger or something, but it has been disappointing. Panache does not get ripe for me, if you are on the valley floor, you may have better results, but the only reason I keep that tree is my DH thinks its pretty. Its good when it gets enough heat. My Brown Turkey was bla tasting to me, and prone to splitting, souring and the ants loved it. We got rid of it this fall. My Black Jack had similar problems as the Brown Turkey, but with slightly better flavor.  I have not had good luck with Janice Seedless  or Conadria - there were some casualties in my potted figs. 

The Santa Clara chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers has its yearly scion exchange this Sat.  Prusch Park (San Jose) Jan 15.  State members have access at 10 am and everybody else at 11am. You can join at the door if you wish. There are always different kinds of fig cuttings for rooting, and people with opinions, but the fig cuttings go fast. Bring bags and masking tape to make labels. 











Subject: Best figs at your location Replies: 266
Posted By: gwarring Views: 72,859
 
I'm east of San Jose, Ca 95127, sunset zone 16.
So far:
Lampiera
Bourjassotte Gris
Desert King

I get 2 crops from both the lampiera and King, with the breba being pretty bla and the 2nd crop outstanding. Lampiera is much richer in flavor than King.

Stella - looks very promising, but This is the 1st year fruiting for it.

Subject: ucdavis fig collection Replies: 22
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,643
 
Bass,
Is the beetle you are referring to small, black, with a yellow horizontal stripe?
There was one in the figs I brought back from Davis last Sunday. We were there for the CRFG fig/grape tour. I did think that there was much more spoilage last year when we were at Davis.
I also had the beetle in my own figs last year - I'm in San Jose - my Brown Turkey figs were soured and I ended up throwing out all of the figs from that tree. There was also at least one tree at Prusch (In San Jose ) that soured. I don't think we have the fig wasp here, so other than the ants I'm not sure what else to blame.
I tried to ID that beetle last year with no success, so if you figure it out please pass on the info

Gloria

Subject: spring/summer cutting rooting Replies: 6
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,052
 


Subject: What is a Black Jack? Replies: 6
Posted By: gwarring Views: 2,249
 
The first summer my Black Jack was in the ground, I was in love with it. The fruits did seem like a larger version of a Black Mission fig (and I had a neighbors huge Black Mission tree to compare it with). My Black Jack grew rapidly into a 6 ft. high bush. The 2nd year (last year) it continued to grow into a much bigger (14'?) bush and produced a huge amount of mediocre fruit. It would have been difficult to tell it's fruit  apart from its brown Turkey neighbor, except that the figs from B.J. were much darker than the B. Turkey. I think the difference from year 1 to year 2 was stress. I gave it more fertilizer and more water last year and it turned into a big weed. Too much love.

I pruned it hard this spring, and may try to summer prune it in an attempt to limit next years growth. Don't know if that will work with it or not - it seems to want to be a big bush. Its getting less fertilizer, and if I get my irrigation system fixed, less water this summer. If it ever gets to a point where I can stop irrigation during the time the fruit is ripening my guess is that the figs will taste more like a Mission again. But I'm not sure I buy the sport theory.


Subject: fig I.D.? Replies: 2
Posted By: gwarring Views: 824
 
The leaf does look similar but the figs on my trees stay green to maybe yellow green, and their flesh is amber colored. I suppose if they ever got past the rock hard stage, the flesh color could change.

Subject: fig I.D.? Replies: 2
Posted By: gwarring Views: 824
 
I took these pictures just a couple of days ago, and feel like I'm being suckered again. This is an in ground (prime location!) plant - and I'm running out of room.

My husband found this fig under the back deck, where it had  been dumped by previous owners of our house.

It really is a lovely plant to look at when it is all leafed out, but thus far - 3 years - I have not tasted any figs. Last year there were several breba figs, but all but one fell off and the one that remained never ripened. There were tons of rock hard 2nd crop figs on the plant in early last  November.

IMG_1041.JPG

So this year the plant is covered in brebas. I had issued an execution order on it earlier this spring and it started pumping out little figs. 

IMG_1037_edited.JPG
I have another very similar looking and acting tree that came from Orange County Nursery mis-labeled as Violeta. I wonder if both plants might be Tena? If so will they ever ripen in San Jose? Any other guesses on what they might be?

Attached Images
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jpeg IMG_1041.JPG (220158, 57 views)


Subject: Pruning large tree Replies: 4
Posted By: gwarring Views: 851
 
So here is the first victim. It is probably 18 ft or so, and needs to come down to no more than 8-10 ft.  It is in a public space and I really don't want it to look butchered.
If I lower 2 of the taller branches to 6-8 ft. this year, then continue bringing the rest down in height over the next couple of years will I just be prolonging the uglies? I will also lower the rest of the branches but not as dramatically  and clean up the usual stuff that should be done - crossed branches and so on. 
Again their main purpose is to supply new wood for cuttings - but I think they should still look good. 


Subject: Pruning large tree Replies: 4
Posted By: gwarring Views: 851
 
I have been trying to include a link or picture of the intended victim but not having a lot of luck. Jon, is there a photo insertion tutorial or how to somewhere?

Subject: Pruning large tree Replies: 4
Posted By: gwarring Views: 851
 
The fig is at least 20 ft. tall, and is more like a big shrub with 6 or 8 trunks. It would be much more useful if it were about 1/2 that height. The health of the tree is the most important thing, with shape, new wood and fruit production being secondary. Most of the  trunks are  6- 8 inches in diameter at about 8 ft. Some people have advocated "topping" at about 6-8 ft., but I'm pretty sure there would be no way to make that good looking. I have thought about cutting maybe 2 or 3 trunks at staggered heights of 4-6 ft. this year and then trying something similar next year but am not sure where that will end up. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Subject: Day length Replies: 2
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,181
 
After a figless week, I had 2 very good, nice sized figs with my salad last night. They were both from my Brown Turkey, and it looks like there will be a few more -  I may have to change my opinion of that tree yet again. It is still covered in leaves, while the Black Jack next to it is nude. Most of the rest of my trees are somewhere between, except for the King which seems to think its still summer, leaves is good shape, and lots of new figs.

So I'm wondering how much day length affects figs, and which types are less sensitive to day length?

Gloria


Subject: Forcing Figs to ripen before it is too late Replies: 12
Posted By: gwarring Views: 6,763
 
I was told to oil no earlier than 2 weeks before the fig should ripen, also that it can be done through out the season to produce better tasting figs.

Gloria

Subject: Forcing Figs to ripen before it is too late Replies: 12
Posted By: gwarring Views: 6,763
 


Subject: fig production Replies: 1
Posted By: gwarring Views: 1,362
 
My Osborn Prolific (3 years old, potted but soon to go in ground) had its first good year this August. It had a lot of fruit for its size, of good quality, but they all ripened within a 3 week period, and then it was done. Is this normal for that fig ? Or is this dependent on growing conditions or maybe my imagination?  I'm not unhappy with the fruit, but I don't think I would want  too many other trees that had the bulk of their  production over a short time period. If this is normal for this tree are there others with similar time tables?



Subject: Wierd year for figs Replies: 2
Posted By: gwarring Views: 2,385
 
I'll gladly send you some birds if it would make you feel better. There were several yesterday who had the gall to yell at me for the entire time I picked figs yesterday.

I don't know enough about growing figs here (San Jose - we have lived here 3 years) to comment on how this year differs from past years. But, our house came with mature apple and  plum trees, the plum is a Santa Rosa and seemed a little early this year, not much more than a week, and loaded with fruit.  All stone fruits were amazingly successful this year in northern CA. The apple (Golden Delicious) is almost finished and is at least 2-3 weeks early. The guy I buy peaches from in Gilroy - south of me about 15 miles- finished his peach season weeks early.
The figs on my Brown Turkey and Black Jack trees (3 years old) have been huge until the past couple of days, way bigger that last years fruit, and not as tasty. I'm still figuring out watering procedures with the figs though so that may be part of the issue.
Gloria
P.S. thank you, thank you, thank you for the spell check !!

Subject: What varieties do members grow and where? Replies: 40
Posted By: gwarring Views: 10,706
 
My figs and I are in San Jose, CA. Sunset zone 16, USDA zone 9, I think. My husband and I moved here 3 years ago from Michigan and I couldn't wait to plant figs!

The current holdings are:
Brown Turkey
Black Jack
Flanders
Kadota
Celestial
Mission
Lampiera
Blue Giant
Excell
Peter's Honey
Bourjassote Grise (sp?)
Desert King
Osborn Prolific
Panache
Janice
Mystery fig 1- lost the tag
Mystery fig 2 - labeled Violette but has medium size, green fruit so its probably not a  Violette.
Mystery fig 3 - My husband found it under our back deck 2 years ago. He dug it up, planted it and it grew rapidly into a bush about 6 x 6 x 6 feet, no fruit last year. Leaves with 5 deeply cut lobes and this year green fruit that has not matured yet. When I figure out how to post a picture maybe someone can ID it for me.

The Brown Turkey, and Black Jack are in ground and have been putting out enough fruit this year that I have had plenty for me and have been able to give some away. I think they taste just so-so but everyone I have given them to asks for more so I guess they are not too bad.
The Flanders and Kadota are also in ground and producing ok amounts of fruits.
The rest are still in pots or have been in ground only a short time, or were slowed down by the retched gophers.
I was very impressed with the flavor of the King figs, and have been blown away by the Lampiera's figs. So far they are my favorite.

Gloria