I’ve not pinched anything yet from my Chicago hardy. The 9 brebas that were growing are now down to 3. One is about ready to be picked. But the fall crop is starting to push and there are dozens and dozens of them. Should be able to harvest some in about 90 days
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Please let us know if you like it. I have only eaten a few varieties of fresh fig. So far, so good…
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I checked out the CH tree after work today and I noticed it was down to two brebas. I assumed a bird took another one but then I noticed it laying on the ground. I cut it in half and it looked like a Caprified fig. Definately not editible. It was noticeably smaller than the remaining two brebas. The other two brebas look like they are a couple weeks from being ripe.
I pinched one of the branches on my Black Mission tonight. The latex sap is dripping.
Do you guys pinch newly rooted fig trees. Mine are taking off. Last year I just let them grow. It was my first year with figs. My Black Madeira fig is just starting to grow. It’s been slow with small leaves with little growth in between, but now after two doses of MG it’s getting bigger leaves more spaced but still small compared to Verte or Chicago Hardy. They are on about eighth leaf.
I pinched the rest of my figs yesterday evening.
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I pinched a few that were growing very tall or out of proportion with other branches. I’m still on the fence if it matters. Many of my 2nd year figs are starting to produce figs pinched or not. Some of the first year are too. One a Craven’s Craving fig has the most mature figs of all my plants, and it’s a first year tree, The figs look like Black Madeira figs. Promising!
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My ingroud hardy Chicago usually does not respond to pinch. It grow figlets when it decided to grow, pinch or not. I try to give a dose of K to see if this works, well see
When I bought fig trees from Joe Morle, he sold me his fig fertilizer. It’s 20-20-20. I’ve been using it so far so good.
My CH in ground looks a lot happier than when it was in a pot.
That sounds like some strong stuff. How much do you give a plant? Is it a liquid? I cant find any slow release with K in it since the bombing. Everything has zero in the middle.
Admittedly, I follow his advice blindly as he grows and sellfig trees for a living.
Check figtrees.net so you can check his fig nursery out.
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Many plants require certain ratios but Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro has the most commonly used nutrient ratio of most plants (9-3-6). It has all the micros, an excellent all around general fertilizer. I use it when i see plants stalling. Otherwise I usually give them some organic products. I vary what i use depending on what i can get cheap!
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Hey Kelby. Do you have an updated chart of figs’ days to ripening? I cannot seem to find your file. Would you please re-post?
I remember you estimated (based on advice from Herman2 on the fig forums) that Hardy Chicago is a 75-day fig and Verte a 90-day fig. Do you have a more comprehensive listing you can share?
There you go, Matt.
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Nice one. Thanks guys!
A lot of the Bass figs are not on that list that are good, cold hardy and early ripening like Lebanese Red, Macool, etc. and some from Marius like the red and yellow Bekaa Valley figs, and others he introduced. Plus the various Black Greek figs too.
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To answer your other question… I don’t think enough time has passed for most to get an accurate count on how long they take to ripen from formation.
Little figlets are unmistakable on the Battaglia Green grown from @fruitnut’s cuttings here. I pinched this leader a week ago. The recent rains are conducting some explosive energy in my plants. I should have figs in September…
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Definitely. It’s about 90-100 days now! Unfortunately a few of my figs ain’t cooperating. There’s a few stragglers that won’t form figlets. The temps have been a little too low this month. It’s 100% due to the temps. Pinching doesn’t magically form fruit. The fruit already needs to be there. Often you will see 2 nubs above the leaf node. The fruit doesn’t exist if you see one nub. Enough heat will cause figs to bolt, which then tells the fig to flower. Pinching will only slow down the growth so that the tree can focus on fig formation.
How do you know the approximate month your figs stop growing? is there a temp they stop growing? Most all my trees have figs but I do have 1 Green Ischia that is just growing canes like crazy but no main crop yet showing.