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Subject: What's your best black tasting fig for 2013?(one only...) Replies: 52
Posted By: luak Views: 4,914
 
This is a diverse group for sure, just came back from the Tropical fruit forum to see what there best tasting fruit was,it was the Mango like 80% of them. With the fig forum, it is pretty much all over the place. A new comer goes nuts sorting things out.
I guess that is the idea, it takes a long time to come up with a group of tree,s to satisfy your endeavors.
For me i am getting close but have to wait till next years, like many.
I tried Smith not bad,negronne not bad,chicago not bad,latturolla better than Desert king,Magnolia taste like s....,Sal'sc not bad,Stella not bad,Osborn prolific looking for a donor.

Subject: spent some time with a great member Replies: 4
Posted By: luak Views: 457
 
Gregg good for you,Yes Vern is good Guy for sure, he gave me a supply of tree,s and sions.
Hard to find guys like that.

Subject: The difference between container grown and inground. Replies: 16
Posted By: luak Views: 790
 
I am cutting down 3 fullsize fig tree's(bushes) to make room for better varieties.I have to cut them down with a chainsaw and cut some of the roots with a handsaw. Needed a exstancing bar,blocking,2 h.d pick's.
This one is the first one,got 2 more to do,which are bigger rootballs yet.Took me 3 hrs plus for this one.
I set the trap year around for raccoons,possum's.I don't have any problems,some deer though,but they just nibble on some of the leaves.I have about 10 more full size tree,s like these,so there allways are figs to harvest.

Subject: The difference between container grown and inground. Replies: 16
Posted By: luak Views: 790
 
Container  figgrower can grow almost any kind of figs they choose not so with ingrounds.You have to be more specific. Ever since i joint this forum i have a hard time choosing the next fig to grow in my area, and this is what happens if you are not careful.

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Subject: how good was your fertilizer program? Replies: 20
Posted By: luak Views: 1,150
 

My soil analizes : 6.8 ph and my fertilizer dollars about $ 60.00 per year.

In the ground tree's get nothing but hardwood leaves in the fall as a mulch.They don't mind.

Subject: how good was your fertilizer program? Replies: 20
Posted By: luak Views: 1,150
 
seagrow plus is made by Nitron.com. I buy it by the gallon for around $30.00 and it last 2 years for me.Foilage pro i buy that from The Landscaper store through Amazon.This stuff last along time too(32 fl,oz)
One cup of alfalfa for 5 gls of water steeped for 4 days or more.Gregg Seagrow does smell for a few hours.
There are so many different fertilizers so you can try different combo,s, there is no end to it. I am sticking with what works for me.I might not have as many tree's but they are looking good and productive.

Subject: how good was your fertilizer program? Replies: 20
Posted By: luak Views: 1,150
 
My fertilizer program for this year was:
Feb...Afalfa tea (1cup per 5gls).(stinks!!!)
March: Seagrow plus.
April: Foilage pro(9-3-6).
May/June/JuLy: Foilage pro (9-6-3)/seagrow plus switch
Aug...:Afalfa tea.
I use this on all my young tree's. It works great!! Super large leaves!! 

Subject: New way of propagating? Replies: 9
Posted By: luak Views: 691
 
I knew it is not a new way, but for me it was just a surprise that it grow this late in the season.Most of my cuttings that grew in the spring time is allways succesful,but i never used green tips.

Subject: New way of propagating? Replies: 9
Posted By: luak Views: 691
 
i when out to check if there is some resistance,sofar so good.It growing in its fourth week.

Subject: New way of propagating? Replies: 9
Posted By: luak Views: 691
 
I started my new airlayering fig in a new container and broke a 4 inch tip off and stuck it in the soil.
Quess what that little piece start to grow. You can start any time of the year,right?DSC01400.jpg 

Subject: Airlayering "el cheappo way" Stella and Smith figs. Replies: 10
Posted By: luak Views: 763
 
I fill the bottom of the bottle with large pine bark for drainage and regular topsoil the rest,not to worry about too much water, it drain right through. In a previous threat all my large containers have 3/4 " holes towards the bottom for the roots to grow out into the soil,that helps with less watering during the summer months.Cut roots of for winter storage

Subject: Airlayering "el cheappo way" Stella and Smith figs. Replies: 10
Posted By: luak Views: 763
 
I live in a remote area in the Ozarks, the area was home to Jesse James and kin folks(still is).
We do most everything the cheapest way possible. Jesse's kin folks probably don't grow figs'but i do some.
Here is a sample of what i do.

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Subject: consensus on potting mix? Replies: 64
Posted By: luak Views: 3,008
 
Don't swet the small stuff!!.They are all good special with smaller plants.When your tree's are getting big then a good draining mix with a good amount of small bark/turfice combo is excellent. Fertilizing is more important, over fertilizing is not nessesary.

Subject: starting cuttings outside? Replies: 14
Posted By: luak Views: 869
 
So many different ways and more to come. Here is mine: i put my cuttings in a bucket of water for 2 or 3 days and a couple of aspirins tablets then stick them in the ground anywhere in the garden out of the sun.Cover so that only an inch is showing,and keep it moist, anytime during the growing season till the end of july. Anything later i use pots so that they could be brought in for the winter sooner.

Subject: Smith Replies: 17
Posted By: luak Views: 2,525
 
I am in zone7, North west Ar. on beaverlake. I might be in a micro climate beeing on the southend of the lake. Right now it is hard to tell how well this tree will perform. It is growing really nice.I have a friend who live in zone 7b in Ar. and it is growing in the ground. Haven't talked to him for a while.I am looking forward to grow this fig as one of my can't do without fig. My tree is big enough to bear a couple but i have not seen any yet.

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Subject: Smith Replies: 17
Posted By: luak Views: 2,525
 
I grow smith tree's that i got from J.R.The tree that i bought from him will be in a container for two years than they go in the ground. Tree's from Cuttings from that tree are in the ground.
March this year.They are strong growers for me.

Subject: I hope this is not too off topic Replies: 19
Posted By: luak Views: 1,089
 
Funny you ask,it is just something new i am doing to deter deer. Sofar it worked.I did a lot of persimmon and paw paw grafting a couple of weeks ago and i hang red tape by the graft area.You know, anything that moves they keep a distand.
If i could grow figs in a zone that is safe from winters i would grow all my figs that way. When i was in Spain and Italy they seem to grow all their figs that way. So i am doing the best i could with my zone 7a. Some of my figtree's are bigger than the one in the picture and i have 9 big ones the rest smaller, two and 3 years old.

Subject: I hope this is not too off topic Replies: 19
Posted By: luak Views: 1,089
 
Here is a picture of one of my many in ground tree's. This tree is 9 feet tall X 9feet wide.

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Subject: I hope this is not too off topic Replies: 19
Posted By: luak Views: 1,089
 
Can you imagine eating that much figs of that tree. Now question: What if you have a bunch of figtree's growing like some of the forum members have,lol.Scrary.

Subject: Smith Espalier Replies: 13
Posted By: luak Views: 986
 
It is my understanding that when your figtree is tall enough with all side branches remove, you start the bending process till it is horizontal. You then keep the tip down to the ground and then raise the center  higher then the tip, this will force branching, you have to pinch back vigorous branches.

Subject: Ousted container figs.( follow-up) Replies: 1
Posted By: luak Views: 451
 
Yesterday was a very buisy day, planted my container figs outside. Normally i do this April 15. This is a follow-up from a previous post about how i plant my tree's. My previous post was about drilling 3/4" holes towards the bottom of the containers, no holes on the bottom just on the sides. The large holes are for the roots to find there way out and cotinue away from the containers. As you notice the pots are burried about 3" deep. Come winter i'll clear th soil around the pots and cut all the roots of that came out of the holes.
Fertilizing is mainly with triple 13 in the pot, just a handful per tree. The rest of the seoson fertilize out side of the container. In my area mulch is important. I use hardwood leaves, my soil test is ph 6.7. The roots find area's that are not too acidic for them. Doing it this way i can go on vacations and not worriyng about them.

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Subject: Anyone else in the general N.W. Arkansas area? Replies: 8
Posted By: luak Views: 521
 
The oldest ones in the ground are Hardy Chicago,Dessert King, Magnolia and an unknown(but very,very good)
The newest ones in the ground are Prolific,negronne,stella,sal c, smith and again a couple of unknown.
I also have some newly starters that are going in the ground soon.

Subject: Anyone else in the general N.W. Arkansas area? Replies: 8
Posted By: luak Views: 521
 
Yes, i live in N.W.Ark, Eureka Springs on Beaver Lake.I know that you know where that is.

Subject: My way of summerizing. Replies: 4
Posted By: luak Views: 451
 
I do not do a lot of propagating fig's and i do not pot a lot of fig's. For one thing,for me it is the easeast fruit tree to multiply and that is the scary part.The ones that i pot are the most tender ones but also the most delish.
The way i grow my potted figtree's for the summer is, i drill 1/2 or 3/4 inch holes close to the bottom.
Dig a hole in the ground the size of the container and about 2 or 3 inches deep, set the pot in the hole, fill dirt back in.
I use a thin layer of hardwood leaves, than lay a layer of pine bark mulch to hold the leaves down.
I do not worry too much about the container mix, i use pine bark just as it comes in the bag and add a similiar amount of Turface. This combo is mearly to survive my tree's during the winter period.
Roots will quickly come out the bottom holes and by the end of fall the roots will be about 4 feet long or longer.
Fertilizing is even easier only twice,April then in June with tripple 10, no fancy stuff, less watering and most of all no worrying.

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Subject: Greetings froma newbie in TN Replies: 14
Posted By: luak Views: 986
 
Welcome mister Pawpaw, good to see another fignactic in the making.Reading your post i thought i might be of some help to you.I have magnolia's and Hardy Chicago for the taking and also Desert King. Mine are large plants(tree's). You are welcome to take the tree's if you like and i help you dig them out.I live on Beaver Lake, N.W.Arkansas.You are able to go home with a bunch of stuf.

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Subject: I think the Groundhog was wrong! Replies: 25
Posted By: luak Views: 1,029
 
It is not the groundhog you should shoot,how about the same idiots that push this animal out of hibernation every frigging year.

Subject: started to get figs indoors! Replies: 18
Posted By: luak Views: 1,024
 
Size of plant is good enough to plant in a large container.That pot is big enough for several years.
What i do when transplanting from from little plastic cups or bottles, i make 2 vertical cuts,then wrapped a rubber band around to hold,then cut the bottom.Make hole in the large container,same depth as the bottle/cup, remove bottom,cut rubberband,slide 2 halves up.

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Subject: started to get figs indoors! Replies: 18
Posted By: luak Views: 1,024
 
Come first of April they going partly in the ground, i usely drill larger holes towards the bottom of the containers to let the roots grow in the ground. Then in the winter i dig them up and cut the roots of.
Eventually i like to grow all my fig tree's in the ground maybe some with protection only on some of them,you know the ones you can not be without but are too sensitive.

Subject: A word of caution Replies: 51
Posted By: luak Views: 2,586
 

Here is a picture of the 4 negronne's cut and put in new containers.They are the ones in the square red containers. Next years they are going in the ground.

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Subject: A word of caution Replies: 51
Posted By: luak Views: 2,586
 
I hate power tools special chainsaws. I do it the old fashion way, good old bow saw,it work better than power tools, just as fast and clean cut.

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Subject: started to get figs indoors! Replies: 18
Posted By: luak Views: 1,024
 
Here are my small colection,that i started in my workshop Stella, Negronne,Smith and a couple others.

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Subject: fertilizing with rain barrels. Replies: 0
Posted By: luak Views: 408
 
How do you feed with water saved from rainbarrels? Here is what i do,when my barrel is almost full i dump half of a  40 lbs bag of alfalfa pallets and half a bag of ag. lime. My barrel holds 500 gls.
By the way i am not real greedy, i am just looking for one variety: Longue d'aout,that i like to trade with what i got growing,Smith,Negronne,Lsu gold,d.k,H.c.,Magnolia,Osborn .

Subject: Rude awakening. Replies: 4
Posted By: luak Views: 518
 
Good question, since most my tree's are in the ground and i prefer it that way because of my age.i have growing: salc,osborn,smith, negronne,d.k., chicago hardy, magnolia,stella and a couple other ones.
Unless i could find a to dy for variety i have to put in a contianer of which i have no idea what i could get from forum members. So to tell you what variety to look for, right now i have no idea.
For me it is a challenge to find the perfect set of varieties for zone 6b/7. I don't think there that many for in the ground varieties.I have a ton of chicago hardy and d.k rooted seedlings to be dug-up and giving away along with magnolia's. I just don't have the funds for shipping.I have given away to the local garden club much and now i am stuck with the rest.

Subject: Rude awakening. Replies: 4
Posted By: luak Views: 518
 
Smith from J.R. send to me november 2011, so a little over a year. It has about a dozen figlets on it.

Subject: Rude awakening. Replies: 4
Posted By: luak Views: 518
 
After been in the garage for a month(december) they are now in my workshop (69 *).A week ago they start to wake up to get a head start for the coming spring.The fig's are just 2 kinds: smith and negronne.
I will have some extra's available for trade.

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Subject: Anyone use rain barrels? Replies: 37
Posted By: luak Views: 1,697
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by luak
I got mine several years now, in my area i use it mostly during late july/august.I have got it routed to the southside of the house also.

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Subject: Anyone use rain barrels? Replies: 37
Posted By: luak Views: 1,697
 
I got mine several years now, in my area i use it mostly during late july/august.I have got it routed to the southside of the house also.

Subject: Info on Smith variety? Replies: 45
Posted By: luak Views: 1,916
 
As you all read the different opinions on the smith fig,i have to tell all of you what J.R. told me when i asked him what fig he like the best,and he said quote: The one i got in my mouth!!I grow 12 varieties and i do not want any more till i find out how all of these figs taste.So i have to wait a few more years,no maybe next year,everything is looking good this year. J.R. is a cool cat,like him a lot.

Subject: Info on Smith variety? Replies: 45
Posted By: luak Views: 1,916
 
Why not buy a smithfig from J.R. for $25.00 plus $5.00 shipping. I got mine last fall and it is growing very well. I manage to airlayer 3 branches and they are doing good.

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Subject: Why buy fancy name paw paw? Replies: 5
Posted By: luak Views: 644
 
The two grew together one weigh 11.2 oz and the other 9 oz. There is another on the tree that is bigger but still hard. That one is a single and more rounder.


Quote:
Originally Posted by strudeldog
Those are good sized from non-selected Pawpaw, many are not that large, how much did they weigh. Some select cultivars have a lower number of seeds. Wish my wild ones were that big. None of my grafted trees are producing yet. If they are by a creek like many native are that surely helped them deal with the drought.

Subject: Why buy fancy name paw paw? Replies: 5
Posted By: luak Views: 644
 
I grow about 9 different varieties of figs,about that many varieties od asian persimmon and 6 paw paw's.My paw paw's had a lot of fruits on them till we got this drought condition,some got ripe early others just fell of.
Today i went to my familiar paw paw area's to see how they are doing, just to find out if drought got a hold of them too, well guess what,they were doing good like nothing happen to them. As a matter of facts the fruits are much larger. I picked 5 and ate one.They taste the same as my nursery bought ones and are much bigger.5. 1/8 x 2. 7/8.

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Subject: a top 10 of why my wife hates figs Replies: 15
Posted By: luak Views: 1,093
 
Slingha, did you check Fig dating service .com? If not how about all the different forums Garden web,dave's, Partners are easy to find nowadays.
I jump around from one hobby to the next,they get so confuse, she leave you alone.

Subject: What variety is this Fig? Replies: 3
Posted By: luak Views: 492
 
Thanks Herman,but how do you rate this fig.

Subject: What variety is this Fig? Replies: 3
Posted By: luak Views: 492
 
I grew this tree for more than6 or 7 years and still don't know what kind of fig this is. It is pale white in the center and a bit larger than a D>K, but taste a litle better,softer seed and not much it.

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Subject: Can't hardly wait!!!. Replies: 2
Posted By: luak Views: 543
 
I can not wait what this year fig tasting going to look like.Everybody has so many varieties now that the choices become more difficult.i wonder if it could be split-up this way: First 5 figs that you could not live without,then the next 5 to round out the rest.This thread is posted too soon and that is the problem for me.Bob(z7/AR).

Subject: Is there a fig benchmark? Replies: 32
Posted By: luak Views: 1,612
 
For  new fig growers it is just nice to start with a halfway decent beginning.I personally do not like to grow a lot of tree's just to find out that some taste like strow. Old timers like most of you been through this already and know of what not to grow.

Subject: Fig training Replies: 5
Posted By: luak Views: 665
 
Starting this fall and future going to train all new tree's not taller then 3 feet high but about8 or 9 feet wide. They will be fenced in with a 3 feet welded wire fence, Lite duty kind.This area will be filled with leaves in the end of fall and then clean up by April(zone 7).Leaves are not of a problem i am surrounded by tree's. What do you think?

Subject: Is there a fig benchmark? Replies: 32
Posted By: luak Views: 1,612
 
I just wonder if there is a fig benchmark? I have been following the forum for a while and it seems to me that there is no benchmark to go by. It is like a moving target, it changes all the time. Iam growing these varieties now: h.c.,magnolia,dessert king,peter honey,stella,archipel,negronne,smith,sal c,and 3 unknown.
Because most will be grown in the ground so i have to be more selective what i can grow. I like to grow just 6 or 7 varieties in the ground and 2 or3 in containers(limited room for any more).Some of my fig tree's are 9 feet high and about 9 feet wide.
The point i like to make is that there are so many excellent varyities so it become more difficult to come up with solution in my case. I do feel i am getting closer. What make it difficult is that there are so many kinds that taste almost the same.I just got through with my asian persimmons,lots of them taste the same and also with my paw paw.

Subject: Help please, looking for Smith Fig Plant. Replies: 13
Posted By: luak Views: 1,064
 
Bought a Smith tree from J.R. last fall and it is growing extremely well.I find him a very likecable person.His tel no:337-407-0188.I would not hesitate buing from him.If you send him a self-adress enveloppe he will send you a list of what he has.

Quote:
Originally Posted by snaglpus
I visited JR and Dalton in March.  I told JR that some forum members were skepical about buying from him due to his RKN problem.  He said heard about that but since them got rid of his RKN problem.  He double checks his trees before shipping.  But Jason correct.  He use to have a RKN problem.  Getting trees from JR or Dalton, doesn't matter, according to Dalton, sometimes they trade.  So, if you bought a fig from JR, it could have come from Dalton and vice versa.

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Subject: Help please, looking for Smith Fig Plant. Replies: 13
Posted By: luak Views: 1,064
 
I believe that J.R. still have a few smith's left. I just talked to him last week.
If you send him a self-address envelop he will send you the list of fig's he grow for this next season.