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Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
Here's a picture of my Valoze fig tree on the right, to the left is the Mega Celeste. Both trees died to the ground this past winter because I made a regrettable mistake and wrapped them with paper instead of burlap. The Valoze has some figs on it and the Mega Celeste does not.

Attached Images
jpeg PSX_20160917_154821-1280x720.jpg (456081, 28 views)

Subject: Re brown rooting in summer Replies: 21
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 282
 
Thanks Pacifica, good luck with your cuttings!

Subject: Re brown rooting in summer Replies: 21
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 282
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pacifica
Just wonder if any folks simply to put their brown cuttings directly in the dirt for rooting in summer ? Does it work ? What kind of success rate do you know about ?


I have really good sucsess with wrapping my cuttings with damp newspaper placed in a ziplock bag and stored in a warm place. When I see roots, I plant them at a 45 deg angle with about 1 inch sticking out of the ground. Doesn't mater sun or shade they seem to grow either way.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smyfigs
Anyone take a picture of the mother tree...before its gone?!

Ps: I'll be happy tobuy a couple of cuttings if and when they are available.


Meg, Here is a picture of the Valoze mother tree.

Attached Images
jpeg image.jpeg (593600, 85 views)

Subject: Great Figs For Zone 5 and Colder? Replies: 33
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,016
 
I have been growing figs in-ground for many years in zone 5. I can't say it's been easy because there are so many different ways to protect the trees during the winter that it will make your head spin! Every year I learn something new and something goes wrong that I did not account for. For instance this past winter was so warm that I had lots of humidity and mold, thus I will add for more ventilation next year. The year before was so cold all the plants were eaten by starving voles.

As far as my potted figs, they have been producing much better since I started planting them in-ground for the summer and then I dig them up, put them back in pots and put in garage for the winter (credit goes to Pino for this suggestion).

Pino: I could not find info on jdsfrance's bucket method. Could you describe or post a link to info on this?

Subject: Favourite in ground figs for cold climates Replies: 63
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 2,050
 
He looks big in the photo but he was small as a mouse. I got so mad because of the damage he caused I picked up a rock and tried to hit him. He was too fast and got away. I haven't seen him since.

Subject: Time to uncover trees? Replies: 13
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 313
 
I partially uncovered mine yesterday to get some air in there.
I found lots of mold and dampness because of the warm winter.
I hope all is OK...

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
Vito,
If you have any trouble rooting the cuttings, we can meet in the summer and I will give you a live Valoze tree.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
Vito,
I have the best luck by plating cuttings directly in the ground at an angle, leaving about 1/2" above ground. I plant them in May or June and get nearly 100% success.

Subject: Wrapping Trees for Winter yet? Replies: 9
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 236
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvc12
Here is my latest method to winterize my in ground figs.
1) I trim the tree to the height of my fence stakes (either 3 or 4 ft)
2) spray animal repellant on the tree (I used moth balls in the past and voles ate the entire tree, so I switched to the repellant), also sprinkle animal repellent on the ground.
3) cover the tree with a paper lawn leaf bag
4) hammer 4 fence stakes around the tree
5) wrap old carpet around the stakes
6) fill with leaves
7) put bag of leaves on top to create a dome top for drainage
8) cover top with a tarp and tie with string


After uncovering this tree in the spring I find mold on the trees.
Next year I will eliminate wrapping in paper and use burlap or nothing at all.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
Vito
I usually go there in May and the tree (stump) will have many new small branches. I'm thinking they remove all the branches in the fall for propagating?
I remember last year I did not see any fig trees for sale and they said they had trouble growing the cuttings. I thought it was just a bad year because every other year before that they would have many trees for sale.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
Hi Vito,
I am very suprised to hear that! I have been going there for many years and the only trees for sale were the fig trees from that mother tree. I wonder if something changed in the management and they no longer have the desire to produce the rooted cuttings?

Subject: Favourite in ground figs for cold climates Replies: 63
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 2,050
 
Pino,

After I uncovered the trees and found the damage, the varmint had the audacity to return to chomp on the roots. I caught him in the act and asked him to smile for a photo:
vole.jpg

This past winter I sprayed repentant on the tree and also sprinkled it on the ground before I covered them.  Here is what I used:   (I hope it worked!)

repellant.jpg 

As for which tree ripens first, they seem to be about equal if they make it trough the winter equally well. The major difference is the fact that if the tree freezes to the ground, the Valoze will grow many figs and ripen some of them. If the Improved Celeste freezes it will not grow hardly any figs and if it does they wont ripen before frost.

Subject: Favourite in ground figs for cold climates Replies: 63
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 2,050
 
Pino,
I came across this photo of my Valoze Fig (right) next to my Celeste (left). Both fig trees were protected identically the same. The Valoze had very little die back and the Celeste died to the ground. The Celeste is an improved type. This photo was taken 2 yrs ago. Last spring I was not as lucky, after uncovering them I found both trees eaten to the ground by voles.

Attached Images
jpeg image.jpeg (243814, 49 views)

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
The mother tree is a huge stump like tree where they continually remove cuttings to grow the trees that they sell. If your lucky enough to get a tree it will usually be about 3ft tall with figs on it already and cost somewhere in the area of $20. They have  limited amount of trees, and they sell very fast in the spring.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
To protect my trees in the winter I encircle them with carpet and fill with leaves.
Here is a photo of the protected tree: fig4.jpg 

The Valoze figs usually ripen in Early September through October until the first frost (usually mid October).
I have relatives who have the Valoze's in pots and they ripen a month earlier in August.

Subject: Valoze Fig Tree Replies: 60
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,040
 
I live in the Albany area and have a few of the Valoze fig trees. I have a Valoze tree that has been in the ground for maybe 10 years and does better than any other tree in my collection. The tree is fast growing, very productive, and cold hardy. It also roots from cuttings extremely easily. It seems like it's hands down the best fig variety for my area, probably because it has been in the northeast for over 50 years. I can post a photo of the mother tree as soon as I can get a chance to visit the Valoze greenhouse. I would offer some cuttings to members but I do a bad job of keeping my cuttings organized and they are all mixed up with my other trees.

Subject: Wrapping Trees for Winter yet? Replies: 9
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 236
 
Here is my latest method to winterize my in ground figs.
1) I trim the tree to the height of my fence stakes (either 3 or 4 ft)
2) spray animal repellant on the tree (I used moth balls in the past and voles ate the entire tree, so I switched to the repellant), also sprinkle animal repellent on the ground.
3) cover the tree with a paper lawn leaf bag
4) hammer 4 fence stakes around the tree
5) wrap old carpet around the stakes
6) fill with leaves
7) put bag of leaves on top to create a dome top for drainage
8) cover top with a tarp and tie with string

Attached Images
jpeg image.jpg (164641, 22 views)
jpeg image.jpg (181435, 22 views)
jpeg image.jpg (164550, 23 views)
jpeg image.jpg (554266, 21 views)
jpeg image.jpg (520701, 20 views)

Subject: Zone 5 tips Replies: 12
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 744
 
Tyler, I pruned off some of the main trunks and left 3 trunks, and then tied and wrapped them in burlap. In hindsight it may have been better to leave all the trunks and prune the height instead. One of the main trunks died to the ground but the other two made it almost perfectly (on the Chicago Hardy Type Tree). The other tree (Celeste) did not do so well, I only left two trunks and both died to the ground. This past winter was unusually long and cold, down to -20F. Other winters the trees made it through with no die back at all.
If your trees are too small to make it trough the winter you could plant them now and dig them up in the fall after a frost and put them back in a pot for the winter. Maybe it's just me but my trees do so much better in the ground than in pots.

Subject: Zone 5 tips Replies: 12
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 744
 
I am in zone 5, upstate NY, and have been growing figs in ground for a few years. Here is a few pics of how I have been protecting them. I tie and wrap the trees in burlap, place bags of leaves around them, cover with old carpet and then a tarp. For me the in ground trees produce many more figs than when I keep them in pots. Also, the in ground trees do not require much care at all. No watering, fertilizing, only pinching of the tips to ripen the figs in time.

Attached Images
jpeg image.jpg (270636, 45 views)
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jpeg image.jpg (234189, 42 views)
jpeg image.jpg (178234, 40 views)

Subject: My oldest inground tree is alive Replies: 29
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 732
 
Art,
Very nice work protecting that fig tree!
To keep mice and rodents away I place an open jar of moth balls at the base of the tree before I wrap it.
Have you tried this method?
I use bags of leaves but the insulation might be easier, thanks for sharing your method!

Subject: Fig tree's dead? Replies: 16
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 4,280
 
I would not do anything until June. If the top is dead you will know for sure where to cut by then. I had the top die on a Celeste and HC and they both grew back from the ground and I still got figs that year, but they ripened later in the season than normal. Do not despair!

Subject: Does your Spouse think you are crazy? Replies: 72
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 2,099
 
Here's the scenario at my house: my wife does not eat figs and I can't get her to even try one! She gardens but only grows vegetables, flowering plants, and shrubs, no fruits. I garden and only grow fruits. She loves football and knows every football players name in the NFL, their history and family members names! I find it difficult to stay interested enough watch a football game unless it's the Super Bowl. 20+ years of wedding bliss!

Subject: Spring freeze Replies: 4
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 507
 
My Vern's Brown Turkey was hit with a late frost in May and it did not produce and figs that year, except a few rubbery ones. This tree is in a pot and I covered it with only a sheet. The frost went through the sheet and killed all the leaves. Another fig tree I protected with a sheet and then a tarp and it was fine.

Subject: Pinching during the winter Replies: 5
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 525
 
Does anyone here have any experience pinching or cutting off the growing tips of the fig tree branches during the winter or early spring (as in the attached video)? The gentleman says it helps start the figs growing early. I'm assuming he is referring to the breba figs. I have only heard to pinch after the branch grows to 5 or 6 leaves.

Subject: Overwintering fig tree in ground in zone 6b Replies: 17
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,155
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement!
Calvin, My trees are about 10 yrs old. They spent maybe 5 yrs in pots until I got the courage to plant them in the ground. I would only get a few figs each year from them while they were in pots, but once they were in the ground it was a night/day difference.
The first couple years I just bent them to the ground, mulched with leaves and covered with a few layers of carpet. After that they were too big and I had to start using the bags of leaves which this is my 3rd year doing that.

Subject: Overwintering fig tree in ground in zone 6b Replies: 17
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,155
 
Here is how I have been protecting my two fig trees in upstate NY (zone 5). My trees grew to about 10 ft tall this year. I pruned them to only 2 or 3 trunks and wrapped them in burlap and bent them over and made an arch. I then surrounded them with bags of leaves, and then put some old carpet and then a tarp over it. See Photos:
fig1.jpg fig3.jpg fig4.jpg fig5.jpg

Subject: winterizing Replies: 11
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 663
 
There's an excellent video on YouTube from Dr Fig on winterizing a fig tree.

Because I'm further north than him, after wrapping in burlap I added paper bags full of leaves encircling the tree and on top. Then covered with a tarp. Worked perfectly, no die back in upstate NY (zone 5).  Last year they were about 6 ft tall, this year they are close to double that size.
Many figs but still waiting for them to ripen.

Subject: Nooooooooooo Replies: 11
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 772
 
If you decide to plant it I would plant it in the spring as soon as the threat of frost has passed.

Subject: Nooooooooooo Replies: 11
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 772
 
Jeff,
I'm very sorry to hear that. I had similar years with my two trees until I planted them in the ground. When they were in pots I would get only a few figs each year. This year there are a hundred or more figs and the trees are 10ft tall! I'm just hoping they get ripe before a frost (usually early- mid October).

Subject: Figs getting rubbery and falling off Replies: 17
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,158
 
My Vern's Brown Turkey did the same thing just a few days ago. The figs got soft and rubbery, stayed small and then fell off after the rain. The tree is in a large pot with 1.5" holes drilled all around the bottom and partially buried. The tree was hit with a late frost in may and never seemed to fully recover.

Subject: Quicker ripening? Replies: 3
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 431
 
Thanks Martin,
She just gave me a "told you so" after I read your reply to her. I'll go out there tomorrow and do some fig removing and some pinching. I pinched earlier in the season but I wasn't sure at this point if it would help.

Subject: Quicker ripening? Replies: 3
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 431
 
I have a couple large fig trees in-ground and there are many figs on each tree. There are also many new figs starting to grow. My wife tells me to remove all the small new figs to make the larger figs ripen sooner. Is this a good idea at this point in the season?

Subject: Another Sal's Corleone fig Replies: 7
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 778
 
Tom,

I also enjoy watching your videos. I am a fan of your figs!
I have learned a lot about the different varieties. I feel like I am tasting them vicariously through your super high quality videos and interesting comments as you try them.
Thanks so much for posting them!!!

Subject: Recent ebay fig tree purchase experiences anyone? Replies: 33
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 1,669
 
I recently purchased 3 Desert King cuttings on Ebay. The cuttings were wrapped in damp newspaper and then wrapped in burlap. The cuttings shipped from Oregon to NY and arrived in perfect condition. They had small green leaves in them and they made the trip perfectly. I think the key was the damp newspaper.

Subject: Finally breaking bud. Replies: 10
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 684
 
Art- Was your tree protected during the winter? How did you protect it?
I have a Hardy Chicago planted on the south side of my metal building similar to yours.
I'm hoping at some point I can do minimal or no protection for the winter, but it is still young and I bend it to the ground and cover it with carpet.

Subject: Some late frost damage Replies: 4
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 510
 
It went down to 37 deg and my tree was covered with a sheet. The frost penetrated the sheet and I lost all the leaves on my Vern's Brown Turkey.

Subject: Protecting a fig Replies: 51
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 3,713
 
I've used a small piece of bird netting, just enough to go around the ripening fig, or a small group of the figs. I hold the bird netting with a clothes pin(s).

Subject: Help, my figs are disappearing. Replies: 11
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 631
 
I wrap netting a few times around the fig(s) and branch, and secure the netting with clothes pins.
Other wise the birds or rodents usually get at it right before its fully ripe.

Subject: To mulch or not to mulch Replies: 6
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 781
 
Question:
What is the best mulch (if any) to use on top of my potted fig trees?
I have read that granular limestone is a good choice but I have looked high and low and cannot find this.
I have found pelletized limestone but it seems to melt into the soil quickly when water is added and doesn't work as a mulch. I have recently added pine mulch but I have been told to remove it because it will add acid to the soil. Any ideas, suggestions, or personal experience with what works best (and is readily available) would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Subject: Looking for known zone 5-6 fig cuttings Replies: 10
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 955
 
Robert,
I am in Zone 5 (upstate NY) and I have 2 fig trees in the ground, a Brown Turkey and a Celeste. I protect them by wrapping them with burlap and then surrounding them with paper bags of leaves on all sides and on top. I then cover with carpet, and then a tarp, and place stones all around the tarp to hold it down to the ground. This is the first year I did this and the fig trees held up to -10F and looks to have made it through the winter unharmed. Other years I bent them to the ground and covered with layers of carpet padding and carpet. Both methods worked but they got too big this past year to bend to the ground.
I also have a large Vern's Brown Turkey tree in a pot that I have drilled holes around the bottom edge of the pot to let the roots out into the soil. I cut the roots in the fall and bring the tree into my attached garage for the winter. This is by far less work than permanently planting outside.

Paul

Subject: Three more weeks of progress on cuttings Replies: 3
Posted By: pvc12 Views: 392
 
Thanks for posting the video. Could you explain in more detail about the chunky bark mix? I put some rooted cuttings in miracle grow potting mix (seed starting) about the same time and they are only about 1-2 inches high. How warm are you keeping them? Are you using a grow light? You definitely have just the right combination.

Paul
Upstate NY
Zone 5