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Subject: Beginner to Figs Replies: 17
Posted By: AaronT Views: 322
 
Hey Pisano,

I'm in Pittsburgh (Beechview) and I have a small spare tree I'd be happy to give you. It is a mystery variety I got from my neighbor. Before I got it, it went many winters entirely uncovered and it always came back so it is a good hardy variety for Pittsburgh. If you are interested, just pm me here or give me an email at tobul at pitt dot edu.

Aaron 

Subject: Free Trees in Pittsburgh Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,747
 
Matt,

All of mine died to the ground also despite being wrapped up pretty well. A neighbor across the street also had his die back to the ground and his was wrapped in burlap and tarps and then enclosed in a little shed made from 2x2s and foam insulation panels. The only trees in the neighborhood that didn't take a hit are the two a block away from me that the owner buries. Some times the old ways are best, I guess.

Aaron

Subject: Looking for fig cuttings Replies: 15
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,058
 
Nancy, I am in Beechview. My outdoor trees seem to have taken a hit this winter, but once they wake up and I can assess the damage I can probably get you an air layer or two. Come fall I am sure I can get you some cuttings. Just shoot me an email or PM if you are interested.

Subject: My oldest inground tree is alive Replies: 29
Posted By: AaronT Views: 732
 
Art, if you are ever in the area and want to check it out in person, just send me a PM. Depending on the time of year you can make yourself sick on fresh figs while you're at it!

Subject: Does anyone know Grandfather George of Poland, OH? Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 566
 
Maybe saplings is an incorrect term, but I am fairly certain he means already rooted and potted up cuttings. My wife keeps urging me to do the same instead of giving them away, but then it seems too much like work to me.

Subject: Does anyone know Grandfather George of Poland, OH? Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 566
 
Art, yeah, Poland (Ohio) isn't all that far. I'm tempted to pay a visit myself assuming he wouldn't mind. Seems like the type of guy you can learn a lot from.

Sas, I was wondering about how you would root prune the trees in the barrel also. I suppose in a worst case scenario you could cut the top third off and pull the tree out. That would still leave you with a decent-sized container for a smaller tree.

Subject: My oldest inground tree is alive Replies: 29
Posted By: AaronT Views: 732
 
Yours fared better than mine, congratulations. I have quite a bit of die back on my Lattarula. I wrap it in an old carpet and some quilts and then tarps (it is about 7-8' tall), but this winter I guess it just wasn't enough. I haven't unwrapped my mother-in-law's monster yet since I can't re-cover it by myself if we gat a frost.

Subject: Does anyone know Grandfather George of Poland, OH? Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 566
 
He seems like a heck of a gardener with some nice trees. There are some close-ups of figs in the photo album linked in the ad.

http://youngstown.craigslist.org/grd/4407817974.html

Subject: planting fig cuttings directly in the ground Replies: 12
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,646
 
I did it last fall. I took a roughly 18" long piece I pruned in November and buried it at an angle so that the deepest part was about 6" below the surface and the last inch or two was above ground. Nothing came up at first and I wrote it off as a loss, but in mid -July I noticed a shoot coming up and it grew so rapidly that it surpassed all other cuttings I took last fall.

Subject: Hello all Replies: 27
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,111
 
Hi Ed. I am in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh. If you find yourself in the area I can start you off with some cuttings this fall and probably air layer you a tree or three in the spring. Just pm me.

Subject: Fig Class in the Bronx, 21 September Replies: 1
Posted By: AaronT Views: 421
 
I just stumbled across this notice about a fig class and sale at the Arthur Avenue Public Market, Bronx, NYC this weekend. I thought some of the NYC fig people might be interested. There aren't a lot of details provided.

http://italiangardenproject.org/programs-events.html

Subject: Red Sicilian Replies: 13
Posted By: AaronT Views: 912
 
Thanks George. I rooted a cutting of this variety last fall. It is nice to know what I have to look forward to.

Subject: Sicilian Black JR 2013 Replies: 3
Posted By: AaronT Views: 423
 
Wow, I hope all of this drool doesn't ruin my keyboard!

Subject: Scillian Black Replies: 9
Posted By: AaronT Views: 584
 
I have a young black and a red. I'm really looking forward to enjoying some figs from them after seeing threads like this!

Subject: If you could only keep one. Replies: 61
Posted By: AaronT Views: 2,816
 
I have to pick my wife's family unknown Calabrian white. I have had others that tasted better, but if you think I would risk being cut off from my mother-in-law's home made bracciole and artichokes even for a fig tree you must be nuts!

Subject: Sicilian Black Replies: 7
Posted By: AaronT Views: 800
 
Waiting for mine too, but since it is only a year old it is going to be quite a while. Yours looks great!

Subject: Kadota Replies: 29
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,704
 
That looks a heckofalot like the figs from the "dwarf" fig tree I bought from a nursery catalog several years ago. We've been picking them for after dinner treats since it is in a pot right next to the picnic table on our deck. I just had one after finishing off my wife's home made piazza with fresh tomatoes and Basil from the garden. Talk about paradise!

Subject: Got a call from USDA!!! Replies: 80
Posted By: AaronT Views: 3,708
 
You aren't kidding, George. Those tiger mosquitos started showing up here too this spring. I never had a mosquito problem before. Now, if I let even a few drops of rain sit for more than a day I see larvae in them. Some bat houses aren't a bad idea. Thank for the idea!

Subject: Large fig "cuttings" Replies: 18
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,027
 
Fwiw, I buried a spare chunk I pruned last fall about 1 1/2" in diameter and between 18" and 24" in my garden. I sunk the whole thing about 2-3" deep, no protection, through the winter. As I expected, nothing came up in the spring. I wrote it off. Then, in early July I saw a single shoot pop out of the ground. Now it is over 18" tall with several smaller shoots, outperforming most of my smaller cuttings. There could be several other factors at work here, but I am impressed.

Subject: USDA seized and destoyed Replies: 66
Posted By: AaronT Views: 3,738
 
Tony, yeah, those stinkbugs are a major pain. I've been finding those and the new Asian tiger mosquito on my Lattarula. I think they like the shade and moisture under the canopy. So far they haven't done any apparent damage to the tree though.

Subject: OT: cherry trees Replies: 17
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,132
 
If birds are a problem, consider a white cherry tree. There is a large one up the street from me and every year it is loaded with delicious white cherries that the birds ignore for some reason. I bought a grafted 3-in-1 myself, but it's only a few years old and hasn't fruited yet.

Subject: Fig Growing Out of a Wall in Morocco Replies: 16
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,280
 
Wow, I saw some doing that in Sicily, but not that large!

Subject: OT: Interesting Garden Visitor Replies: 13
Posted By: AaronT Views: 750
 
What in the wide world of sports is that?!?

Subject: Sicilian Black, my new fave! Replies: 12
Posted By: AaronT Views: 990
 
Nice to know. I have two rooted from cuttings I received from a very generous forum member this past winter. Now I just need to wait. That's the part I'm not very good at...

Subject: Potted fig - storage suggestion Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 908
 
Good call on the mothballed. I lost an entire 4' tall tree roots and all to mice one winter.

Subject: Potted fig - storage suggestion Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 908
 
The biggest risk with potted plants is having the roots freeze. Since you would not be putting a bottom on your box you might want to consider at least partially burying the pots to help guard against that. You might also want to hinge the top to allow you to crack it open for ventilation on those odd warm days. Aside from that I think it would work fine. I have a neighbor who does something similar with an in-ground tree and it is thriving.

Subject: Companion Plants for Fig Trees Replies: 29
Posted By: AaronT Views: 7,889
 
I have discovered that figs are great companion plants for mulberry trees. I have a giant mulberry that came with the house and the thing is so tall I can't reach any branches to pick them. Luckily a one limb overhangs my lattarula. The large fig leaves do a great job of catching the ripe berries without smashing them. So now I at least get a nice handful of mulberries to tide me over when I go out to check on the figs.

Subject: 6-June, 1944 Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,361
 
No, you just called me a liar, repeatedly, and backed it up with a link that claimed the term was usually humorous and a very recent political quote that has absolutely no connection to the term in question. Funny sort of discussion.

Subject: 6-June, 1944 Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,361
 
Uh, I read the wiki link and it did not jibe with your claims. Where did I admit to anything other than people who seek to be offended will be? I don't know what your beef is with me, but how about taking it to a pm out of respect for the rest of the folks here?

Subject: 6-June, 1944 Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,361
 
So now I'm a liar? That would appear to be...less than respectful. Did you know that the same word can have different meanings to different folks? It's true! If you grew up north of the big city then my folks wouldn't have considered you to be in Pennsyltucky most likely. Not many coal mines in the North Hills last time I drove up there.

Like them, I don't really get offended by what others think of me though. They were proud to be hard-scrabble miners and farmers who were able to live well by their own sweat and wits. I will admit I don't appreciate being called a liar, but offended, not really.

Oh, and I doubt my grandmother has much use for Wikipedia, but it DOES say: ""Pennsyltucky" is a slang portmanteau used to characterize— usually humorously, but sometimes deprecatingly" . So it would appear that even that doesn't really support you calling me a liar.

"The term Pennsyltucky is offensive to a great many people. " That I do not doubt. There are always people looking for an excuse to be offended. I watched my boss get chewed out by a total stranger once because he had jokingly called ME a goober. Apparently the person thought it was a racial slur, which made it even more bizarre since my boss and I were both white.

Subject: Figs with red tips Replies: 58
Posted By: AaronT Views: 3,005
 
Wow, that is pretty striking. If I had room for more I would consider it for sure. Actually, since it is pretty ornamental maybe I could make an argument for planting one in the front yard...

Subject: 6-June, 1944 Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,361
 
Pennsyltucky is somehow disrespectful? Huh. I'll be sure to let my 98-year-old grandmother know. She and my late grandfather, along with most of their SW PA friends and family, used it frequently and that is where I picked it up.

Odd that you would say "Embracing the differences in the people of this country makes us stronger.....attacking others because you don't happen to believe what they believe makes us weaker." and then call me disrespectful for my use of a regional nickname that (to my knowledge) doesn't offend anyone in the region of origin. According to my grandparents it had a lot to do with the regions being similar; hilly and not good for much beyond coal mining and ridge running.

Subject: 6-June, 1944 Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,361
 

No, he said it like he sees it, which is a big difference in my book. There have been presidential scandals and political corruption since the nation was founded and there have been Cassandras bewailing the decline of morality and society since at least the time of the classical Greeks (see:Socrates). If we're going to say things were better in the old days, how about we make it the 1840s when slavery was still legal and No Irish (or Italians) Need Apply? Or the 1940s when we interned an entire race of law abiding citizens while their sons and brothers in the 442nd RCT became one of the most decorated combat units in US history? Things are different than they were in 1944, sure, but whether they are better or worse is highly debateable and has absolutely nothing to do with figs.

My old neighbor was a WW2 vet wounded near the Bulge. He lost one brother at Bataan and another in the Ardennes. He once told me it didn't matter who the president was as long as he was elected. Seems about right to me.

Subject: 6-June, 1944 Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,361
 
Let's not forget our UK and commonwealth allies who were there also.

Subject: Rooting Cuttings - Ron Popeil Style Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 955
 
Ha ha, is that a Calabrian trait then? My (half Calabrian) mother-in-law swears I must be part Italian all the time. I used to think it was a compliment until I hear her muttering "testa dura" behind my back!

Subject: In Praise of Unknowns and Heirlooms Replies: 24
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,318
 
Funnily enough I found this forum while trying to find out what my wife's family tree was. Over the last year or so I have gained a lot of knowledge and a few new varieties through the forum, but I have stopped caring what kind of tree we have. Just knowing it is reliable and great tasting is enough!

Learning about air-layering through the forum was a great benefit, though. Last summer I was able to give fully-rooted trees to two of my wife's cousins who had fond memories of their grandfather tending to the original. Man, that was a fantastic experience!

Subject: Negronne Jackpot Replies: 16
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,142
 
Yeah, that is a steal. Around here the local grocery store was selling brown turkey plants about that size for $30 a pop last spring!

Subject: Fig ID? Replies: 4
Posted By: AaronT Views: 518
 
Well, my latarulla (purchased from a west coast nursery @ six years ago) has an amber interior.

Subject: Fig ID please..Update 10-1-13 Replies: 19
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,201
 
Just as you describe yours, Art. Sweet, but with a pleasant berry taste.

My mother-in-law's tree (which Tony also has a chunk of) came to be in Pittsburgh when my father-in-law dug it out of her old yard in Ellwood City after her dad died. Maybe my neighbor's tree and yours had a similar common origin.

Aaron

Subject: Fig ID please..Update 10-1-13 Replies: 19
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,201
 
Art, that looks the same as the one I got from my neighbor last year. They had no idea what it was either, just that their Italian immigrant uncle planted it their in the early '70s and enjoyed a lot of wine sitting in it's shade. I gave a tree from it to Tony last year. I'll be interested to see if anyone recognizes it.

Aaron

Subject: The fig shuffle starts again w/pics Replies: 32
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,326
 
Nice spread Art! I planted about 40 tomato plant last weekend. Luckily our low temps the last two nights did not hurt them.

Subject: The fig shuffle starts again w/pics Replies: 32
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,326
 
Yeah Art, I just finished myself. I'm just far enough south that we are only under a frost warning, so I just covered everything. I'm hoping my brebas make it.

Subject: Free Trees in Pittsburgh Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,747
 
No problem. I also sent a copy of the post with a little more info to your yahoo email.

Subject: Free Trees in Pittsburgh Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,747
 

Jamie (and anyone else who might stumble across this), I gave out my last "extra" tree last night, unfortunately. I have a large, vigorous lattarula I was planning to air-layer though. If you don't mind waiting about a month I should be able to give you a decent tree from it. The trees I have left from the variety I was giving away are a little small to get a decent air layer from, but I should have a few cuttings available in the fall.

Tonycm, I still have your tree! Also, it was great to meet the local forum members who dropped by for a tree and a chat.

Aaron

Subject: my back deck. Replies: 13
Posted By: AaronT Views: 737
 
Looks familiar. The wife thinks I have too many trees. I think our deck is too small.

Subject: Free Trees in Pittsburgh Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,747
 
I was considering that class so thanks for sharing your experience Matt. Michele Vaccaro sounds like a hell of a great guy.

Subject: Free Trees in Pittsburgh Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,747
 
I wouldn't say that was too bad at all, indestructible. Bass has a great reputation and you know what you are getting from him. I'm just a dumbass with free mystery figs. ;) That said, if you want to add another one, just let me know. 

I did see that article Matt and man do I wish I could spend a few hours with Mr. Garafolo! My wife said he reminds her a lot of her late father who came over from Italy in the 1950s.

Oh, and since you guys are from the greater Pittsburgh area, check this site out: http://italiangardenproject.org/ . It looks like most of the gardeners featured are local and they are sponsoring a monthly class on fig care in Sewickley.

Subject: Root Riot Graduates Replies: 11
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,060
 
Congratulations, Mike. Those are pretty impressive results!

Subject: Free Trees in Pittsburgh Replies: 23
Posted By: AaronT Views: 1,747
 
I still have about four small-ish (3' high or less) fig trees I dug out as one giant clump from my neighbor's yard last spring that I need to get rid of. Last year the ones I planted in full sun made about four dozen figs despite being uncovered all winter (actually for at least 15 consecutive winters!) and uprooted after they had broken dormancy, so this is a tough variety good for new growers and morons like myself. The figs themselves were slightly larger than a quarter, light green on the outside and pink/red on the inside with a great berry taste. Sorry, if I stopped eating them long enough to take a picture I have misplaced it. My neighbor's uncle, the former owner of the property, supposedly brought this over from Italy in the 1970s, but I don't know what town he came from or what he called it.

Having said that, these are free to good homes. I have two small children and no free time, so you would have to pick them up but I can help you dig them out. I live in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh, just south of the Liberty Tunnels and two blocks from the best pizza in the city, Slice on Broadway. I can also probably spare a few cuttings from two of my other trees (a lattarula, and a mystery "dwarf"). I can also air layer the lattarula if you are the patient type. I'm interested in swapping varieties if you have a good hardy fig from Calabria or Sicily, but I am more than happy to give these away to forum members to repay some of the generosity I have encountered here.

PM me if interested. Forum member tonycm can (hopefully) vouch that I'm not the Craigslist killer.

Aaron

Subject: A new fig adaptation to cold climates noticed! Replies: 10
Posted By: AaronT Views: 748
 
Interesting. My in-ground lattarula did the same thing this year. It has 7-8 dozen brebas on it right now after losing almost all of the brebas last year which had formed the previous autumn.