Fig Second Crop? Largest Zone 6 Fig?

Every year the same thing. Small early crop and second crop forms all the way to full size, then turns rock hard and drops. The figs have been in ground about 3-4 years with mostly tip damage. Is this normal or is there something I am missing? Just more time?

Also, what is the largest fig that will survive in ground zone 6/7? (limited protection)

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I’m in 7a/b, and my in-ground Celeste is doing reasonably well. It’s in a fairly exposed position, and I wrapped it in layer of burlap, then in a plastic tarp, and layered the bottom with woodchips before topping with a bucket. It kept most of the wood this year, but died to the ground without protection last year.

It’s possible you don’t have a long enough or hot enough summer?

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What variety fig do you have? Some only produce the early (breba) crop and will drop the main crop as they need the fig wasp to pollinate the main crop. Very few parts of the country have the wasp.

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Figs are celeste, brown turkey, chicago, and olympian, but mainly celeste cropping. You could be right with not enough summer. Right when second crop reaches full size it starts to cool down. Someone else on here was talking about pinching the top early to get some of them to ripen instead producing more.

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My fig crop has been very good this year and always ripens in my Z6 in time- or at least most seasons. More often they ripen earlier than I like and are done by mid-Sept. This year the crop peaked a few days ago- it will be interesting to see if all ripen, but we’ve had all we need for about 3 weeks.

Of what I’ve tasted from fig enthusiasts around, the ones that ripen here tend to be small- but who cares? It’s about getting a good crop of sweet delicious figs- it’s not like you have to peel them or work around seeds.

I’ve seen huge figs on trees that never get sweet, apparently needing a longer and warmer growing season.

My own trees are a Louisiana Purple and a larger, much more prolific fig that I haven’t identified because it came from Italy a long time ago and is an heirloom that came from an Italian-American family south of me.

While that variety is more prolific than the LSU purple, on seasons we don’t get adequate sun, its main crop is worthless for lack of sugar. This year they are incredible

If all else fails, grow them against a white south wall or erect one with painted plywood. I used to do that until I decided to devote the south wall of my house to apricots. Now my most prolific tree is right by my asphalt driveway that may accomplish the same thing, albeit with collected heat rather than reflected sun.

Of course, for figs, nearly full sun is a requirement here.

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If that’s true, there must be plenty of such wasps in Kentucky…I know 3 yards in 3 different towns with fig bushes (clump like) that were simply loaded. I got to sample one overlooking Lake Cumberland…yummy.

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I have an mystery heirloom fig like that, given to me as a gift. I call it paisano purple. Small, luscious dark skinned figs.

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Alan- You still have figs ripening now? I have plenty of figs on the trees, but they just one by one turn rock hard and drop. Second crop does not look like it will happen ever.

My favorite is the under appreciated Celeste. I do peel some of the thicker skin ones.

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The Bronx Italian is loaded with ripe figs- more than my wife and I can eat. In the last week some have been dropping to the ground before we harvest them. We only like them fresh. About 10 a day is enough for me. Not sure how many my wife is eating but probably about the same.

I have a tree Bob gave me a cutting of this spring that grew like a bat OOH and has formed big figs all along the new growth, but I doubt any will ripen. Now I will have to wait another year to see if it is capable of ripening fruit here.

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Good to hear yours are still ripening. Means mine may just need more time in the ground (hopefully).

10 Figs? I have seen many people eat 10 figs and receive an emergency trip to the bath room. They have that effect on a lot of people. Not me though.

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Nothing in my diet has that effect on me besides salmonella. Only happens when I eat other people’s food, but rarely.

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I’m surprised that your Hardy Chicago does not ripen in time for you.

I am about a zone colder than you, 6a (some year 5b) in central MA. My in-ground HC ripened the last two weeks of Sept here. Granted, it was planted next to the house foundation and gets a lot of sun.

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Chicago and olympian are only on year two. Still small. Celeste and brown turkey are my oldest ones. 4 years and 6 feet tall.

I had some first crop still ripening a week ago, but all the new growth second crop is dark green, hard and falling. I use the if you can’t survive on your own you have to go theory and they have held up well with that.

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Celeste is notorious for dropping figs.

Olympian appears to be the same as English Brown Turkey, which ripens main crop fairly late. In England and the PNW they are grown for the first crop only.

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The typical fig grown in the States are common figs, no wasp needed. The wasp will not survive freezing temperatures, so it has been a naturalized in very few places, mostly California.

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Its kind of an old thread but i hope it helps Cold hardy figs. There is a lot of good information in that thread. In zone 6a i have a tendency to focus on 2 figs which are brown turkey and Chicago hardy but there are many others.

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clarkinks-Are you getting a second crop in 6a or just the first? The chart ampersand put on your link is nice. I like to hear real opinions instead of marketing hype. I bought one of those Pai Li that you recomended. I am in 6b-7a, but when did it ripen for you? You can treat them like a euro pear and soften? Not much on the hard bland taste of the asians.

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@tonyOmahaz5 may be of more help on the pears i just recently grafted them myself. They are reportedly good pears. There is lots of reliable information ive posted from the USDA. Ive got more than one crop off chicago hardy figs but only when i over wintered them inside.

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Sorry about that. Your right it was him. Somehow got the two of you confused.
Just curious. Do you ever sell any of the items you graft? Always looking to buy new and exciting trees.

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@Robert
I do not sell any trees. If you are looking for pears recently Dax posted a current sale on pear trees https://growingfruit.org/t/selling-trees-on-ebay-fall-2019-spring-2020-dax-barkslip/24301. Several other members sell pear trees also. Many of the members of the forum have came out to my farm and taken scion cuttings several times.

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