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Subject: subirrigation containers and figs Replies: 68
Posted By: duane Views: 8,443
 

  Kerry many thanks on how to get to Bills Figs link and others you mention as soon as i complete this thread am going to check it out. In my last entry i mentioned i used the SIPS for airlayering actually i meant to say layering since i redirect a branch or vine into a drilled hole just under the soil line in the bucket. Huge thanks on your exploration into utilization of the SIPS without fertilizer band. I plan on using some comparisons with a bucket with vermicompost worked into top layer, another with Rabbit Compost worked in, a third with a blend, a fourth with a consumer brand of miracle grow "organic" fertilizer, and then of course contrast with the existing system of synthetic fertilizer. I will also try watering from the top  down in addition to filling resevoir with the organic SIP approach as well since makes sense unlike the synthetic should not burn roots if watered some from top down.
     Thanks for your experiences with SIP and sharing info on it i think it is a relatively new concept and now just starting to get into the mindset of mainstream gardening America i think the SIPS are a great creative pallette to work from in not only recycling what we view as (waste bottles,buckets,etc.) but the creative designs and potential is really fun IMO and efficiency is amazing.  Would have to say the three at this point four are about most reliable for me with my 18 year old big boys containerized Hardy Chicago and Abruzzi figs giving me lots of fig and then slightly younger trees Sals and Brooklyn dons very close to the amount i am getting from the latter i suspect as age and container size increase this will go up as well. These four allow me to enjoy figs consistently even on cooler years...........

Many thanks,

Duane

Subject: subirrigation containers and figs Replies: 68
Posted By: duane Views: 8,443
 

  Kerry no pictures yet however should probably do it a picture is worth a thousand words especially in the case of SIPS. I have not found bills link on figs 4 fun yet again i am new to this so maybe i am overlooking something right in front of me. Is there a quick way to get to it? I would be very interested in learning more on the organic approach in your SIPS especially if it generates good yields. Do you still place nutrients on top of the soil layer in the SIP in a band like the synthetic fertilizer or is it different curious?  Everytime i use synthetic chemicals i feel i am just contributing to a broken nutrient cycle like so much of mainstream America and would really like to foster a more closed nutrient cycle especially with the subirrigation systems in short if it is organic and as good or better then synthetics i am all ears....  I agree i only put my tried and trued varieties for my area in the large subirrigation containers lots of work to create them and move around so want to make certain i am going to get a good and tasty crop.... Oh also i have used SIPS to assist with airlayering both figs and grapes since they don't require the constant watering regiment and greatly foster rooting in the airlayering process.......

Duane

Subject: Best figs at your location Replies: 266
Posted By: duane Views: 72,866
 
Bob,
   I first learned of the abruzzi fig a number of years ago via an article that Aldo Biagiotti did in the kitchen gardening magazine(does not exist anymore) in fact it was his article that got me bitten by the fig bug i will try to find old article maybe someone on this forum is awhere of it and could share i will keep looking. Also he showed in photographs step by step process for the covering of trees for winter so i would imagine he would have covered his figs however don't have any definite confirmation that he did so with the abruzzi tree. His trees i believe he had some in pots and ones in the ground since in article he stressed imporatance of liming inground trees and show him doing it with a nice inground specimen at his place. It would be awesome if you could touch base with him since you are in connecticut and so is he bet he could definitely inform you more about them if he is still well and working with figs of course which i hope he would be.

Subject: Best figs at your location Replies: 266
Posted By: duane Views: 72,866
 

  Whoops sorry forgot to mention the flavor of the brooklyn don's is excellent i like to let them shrivel a bit and find the flavor to be a very rich delightfully sweet berry like flavor. The fig is relatively dark though not black and a rich red color inside. Ripening appears to occurr more simultaneous when compared to hardy chicago.....

Subject: Best figs at your location Replies: 266
Posted By: duane Views: 72,866
 
The Abruzzi, Sals, Brooklyn Don's, and Chicago ripen the earliest for me by far and consistently with the main crop. Most of my brebas are lost since they start to come on while in storage and without adequate light they fall off. However with my newer steel tank storage area i may be able to have an actual breba crop at least that is my hope. Conadria and Italian White i get on warmer years in my area like 2010. In addition i am now beginning to observe better ripening in trees that are recieving more adequate fertilization and watering schedules. After being amazed by the results of my vegetables in SIPS(sub irrigation containers) i explored this container system with some of my larger figs in 2010 and was amazed by growth and production they really doubled and i got better quality figs sooner plan on creating more of these containers and replanting a large quantity of my current collection in them......... are you in a more northern Location and what varieties are ripening early for you and consistently producing well?

  Duane

Subject: subirrigation containers and figs Replies: 68
Posted By: duane Views: 8,443
 

  Nice to hear some feedback on the subject of SIPS(SUB IRRIGATED PLANTERS FOR FIGS) Like you Kerry my figs were a natural advancement based on the outstanding results i have been getting from growing vegetables for a few years in SIPS. Most of my vegetable SIPS were made out of throw away 5gallon buckets from local landfill and now the younger figs are in them as well however the "big boys" like Hardy Chicago and Sals needed a larger SIP container. I had googled and found some information i believe at URBAN GREEN on using perforated drain tile the 6-8 inch diameter type from Lowes or home depot it is that long flexible black plasic material you see if that helps as a description. I took a large tote from walmart and coiled a section of the perforated pipe  into a circle in the bottom of the tub then at roughly 4 inches up i drilled a quarter inch hole through bucket and into perforated pipe inside. this is the overflow hole so you cannot overwater and water resevoir stays at 4 inch level while most of the figs roots stay sitting on top of the pipe so air can get to the root system the center of the perforted tile becomes the wick for the rest of the soil in the tud that is the "donut hole" left in the middle contacts the water reserve and through capillary action absorbs water into the rest of the soil in the tub thus watering the fig tree. In addition based on the principles of SIPS i take recycled water bottled pushed inside one another to create a funnel that goes into the large coil in the bottom of the pot i use duct tape to create a tite seal where this make shift funnel connects to perforated tile in bottom of container. Then filled with soil(soilless mix promix best for cappilary action) and planted tree arouind the circle of the tub i ran basic and cheap all purpose veggie fertilizer in a circular band around outside then prevented rain from hitting it by running tinfoil around top of pot and molding over lip edge of container all watering is done via the water bottle funnel so water never is applied from the top it goes directly to the water reserve and you know when to stop watering when a little spout of water shoots out of the overflow hole. It is like 90percent water efficient and no fertilizing needed after initial plant banding of fertilizer. I have left the house for a week and come back to incredibally healthy and productive figs. In the past i would have wilted leaves at times if i left only for a few days in the summer and had not made plans with a friend to water trees. I LIKE IT and saves me a tremendous amount of labor throughout the season granted it takes some labor to design these useful containers but once designed the benefits are phenomenal in my opinion. This year i plan to try some other desing and planter shapes as well as one using an organic fertilizer to note differences, health, and taste of figs. Anyway try it sometime and compare to your current containerized system for those using containers................ Again look forward to more dialogues and at some point will have my tech savvy daughter take a picture as of date very cold in Northern N.Y. 5F hopefully spring is around the corner:0)

Duane

Subject: subirrigation containers and figs Replies: 68
Posted By: duane Views: 8,443
 

  Have had great success in 2010 with creating some do it yourself subirrigation containers and using to grow figs had larger crops and figs and less work. Curios if others fig enthusiasts use SIP(subirrigation planters) and their thoughts. Would encourage others to at least try it if use containers for figs. I compared fig trees in SIPS vs. those not growing in SIPS and i was amazed at the difference in production. Again look forward to dialogues on this topic if there is an interest in it.


  Duane 

Subject: Best figs at your location Replies: 266
Posted By: duane Views: 72,866
 
  Hello i am new to forum and this is excellent! I live in cold area of northern N.Y. near Watertown, N.Y. not far from the 1000 islands region of the state coldest in awhile hit -36F yet summer of 2010 was excellent production year we had many figs. I grow mine in pots and put in large steel tanks underground for storage. My favorites that ripen and produce great crops are as follows.


    1. Sal's fig
    2. Hardy Chicago
    3. Abruzzi
    4. brooklyn don's
    5. conadria
    6. Italian white(finger like foliage)
    

   have others trialling always interested in varieties that ripen earlier.