What part of WV are you located? I’m in Morgantown. My Chicago hardy was about 1.5 - 2 inch when it died back the first time. It grew back as a bush type.
A tip for people growing fig trees and getting too much die back. Fig trees can actually be buried deep once they are thick enough not to rot in the soil. If they are deep enough they should not ever completely die if they are a cold resistant variety. They should be fine down to 7a temps maybe even 6b temps.
You’d better let them get root bound and no pruning, I’ve had KB for about 5 years and have only gotten a few figs off of a stressed out little 3 gallon container tree, my inground tree grows fine but always freezes back and does not set fruit. I’ve got some in compost socks now that I’m hoping will be productive in a year or 3. Over 7ft. of growth on one the first year.
Thanks Alan, that doesn’t answer things for me though. The main point was that the one fig BB10 ripened was rounded, not elongated like KB… But Dan’s pictures of BB10 clearly show an elongated fig, in fact, appearance is not even up for debate with me since KB and BB10 look identical in pictures and the comparison was made almost instantly ~7 years ago when the post was first made. Saying that BB10 is 20x sweeter/better than KB seems impossible since KB was Gene Hosey’s favorite, and unfair unless both were treated the same (hard to do) and ripened at the same time. Aside from the money, I just don’t think I can take another duplicate, explaining the situation to my friends is already awkward.
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Also FMV can lower fruit quality and fruit appearance, BB 10 is supposed to be disease free, and Kathleen’s black seems to have FMV.
I’m around the Huntington area. I plan on trialing a whole lot of different varieties of figs outside, most of mine are just a bit small right now. Until they get established, I’m just growing them in a greenhouse with a small amount of supplemental heat in the winter when it’s really cold.
My KB has never shown any FMV, it is possible in that case though. There can be lots of variation in fruit on different trees of the same variety based on things like growth rate. Even on the same tree figs will vary in size, shape, color and taste based on which branches the figs formed, when they ripen, what the weather is like etc…
Yes here can vary on the same crop as the weather changes. Some varieties are more sensitive to that than others.
I am convinced that some trees of Kathleen’s black do have FMV based upon how unhealthy and slow growing they sound.
I’m sure some are, other things stunt plants too though, and cuttings from the same tree often grow at different rates and have slightly different growth habits.
You will probably. Have better luck than me here in Northern WV. You guys are a little warmer.
I’m still exploring figs. Trying to decide what works for me. I would rather try them myself and decide. I have eliminated some, but so many to play with!
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That is the only way to go, not only personal preferences, also it’s surprising what a tiny difference in climate or weather can make, it does not always make sense either. Year to year has been different for me, even if things seem nearly identical. This year every fig tree besides our Dominick seemed to have gained cold resistance/late frost resistance. Even our fig trees that have been in the ground for 7 years. The year with the most resistance gain ever in everything but Dominick.
As they get bigger, they get hardier. My mom’s neighbor up in Tigard, OR (just south of Portland) has a huge fig tree in their backyard. It’s survived numerous snowfalls. Not sure of the variety.
Yikes! My inground CH croaked! I did the scratch test down to the bottom of that trunk and they are all brown…stilll hoping, by a miracle that a new shoot comes up somehow somewhere…quite a disappointing Spring this year.
If enough of what’s underneath the soil is still alive then it would survive. That is why deeper is better in cooler climates as long as the soil does not stay soaked easily, as long as the trunk is not too thin. Also make sure that early morning sun does not hit it during the winter. Cover soil with mulch in the winter.
Most of my trees died to the ground too. So far, half of those that did have started with either a bud coming out of the trunk right at ground level or less commonly a shoot coming up from below soil level. Over half have sent out green on the last 2 weeks, most of those just this week. Give it some time, see what happens.
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Pretty disheartening when your tree survives two years and puts on good growth and then dies back on the third year. Back to square one. When I started my orchard I said oh well, if it dies back its no big deal. The further I get into this hobby the more I realize how important picking the right varieties are and choosing disease resistant varieties. I made some bad choices when I first started. I’m not going to bother wasting time on zone pushing and risky fruit selection. There are plenty of good varieties available that will work in my area without constant problems that will save my sanity.
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This is my in-ground Chicago Hardy. After pulling it out of the ground its clear the roots are still alive. But if it’s ground to die back every year and then now even sprout a leaf until June I can’t rely on getting a crop from it. CJ is considered the most hardy of figs and its died back both years its been in ground. One of those years protected. I like figs but not this much.
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Not sure which fig you mean? But it’s not the most hardy, Florea is. It will come back with a crop.
When it’s not killed it’s the first to fruit main crop of all figs I have seen. I really don’t care for the figs though. Chicago Hardy produces decent figs, very good at times.
Also to help save wood, and have them grow back faster, plant them deep.
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I meant CH. Chicago Hardy. It’s definately considered one of the most hardy figs there is. It’s in my scrap pile now. I’m not Messi. G with it any more. My portted figs will probably see the same date. They have leafed out yet either
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I think you’re being a little hard on them. I lost 3 peach tree seedlings, 1 sherbet berry tree, the trunk split wide open. Seven of my figs died to the ground in containers. I think 2 are dead? Others leafed out as always. And some are still stalled. We had a sudden cold last fall, and for whatever reason the trees were not ready, not just fig trees. Oh I lost a Mulberry tree too. Last year I lost zero plants to cold, this year about a dozen. It was a bad year, and not typical. Keep the one that looks the best and give it another chance. I decided not even to try in ground here after one year. I could see it was not going to work. I’m colder. I have had success in containers, you will too. If any are leafing out ahead of others, those might be worth saving. I get it though, I took out ton of blackberry plants last year. I do still like to zone push, few though actually work, so rather frustrating at times. I’m giving up on Sweetcrisp blueberry, I just can’t get it to grow here.
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