That’s exactly how my Chicago Hardy has behaved, for three years straight. Lots of vegetative growth, almost no figs that get ripe before our first frost. Lots of water and very little water made no difference. Very hot summers and much milder summers made no difference. Pinching the new growth off made no difference. I’m not sure what the problem was but would be interested to hear from people who have very productive Chicago Hardys. However, the city just cut it down to the ground in a bit of overzealous right of way clearing. Not that sorry to see it go.
@haldog — mine started ripening figs about a week ago… and we are getting some nice ones now. Last year after they started ripening it was a slow trickle at first which increased as fall came on. We got our last figs Dec 3 last year.
I have at least 200 more on now… looks like we are going to get plenty this year. This is yr 3 for my CHFig.
1 Like
To me it sounds like maybe you got a mislabeled tree.
Could be. The few figs that did ripen looked like Chicago Hardys, but I’ve never tasted a verified Chicago Hardy so I don’t have a real basis to compare.
1 Like
Yeah thats not CH, my CH even though it dies to ground comes back like crazy and has time to ripen a crop by early Oct here in zone 6b. In your 7b you should be getting through winter with little dieback and a bush like that should already be ripening figs in August 7b i would think. That fig of yours sounds like some very late ripening type…
1 Like
Yours does not sound like Hardy Chicago. Mine starts ripening from the middle of August until frost. It sets fruit at every node once the fruiting starts on a branch. I literally harvest over a thousand from mine on many years.
2 Likes
@haldog - Dec 3 last fall… was our first true hard frost.
I had both raspberries and figs ripening until that date last year.
It is not always that late when we have killing frost… could happen Mid Nov… or Late Oct.
TNHunter
I ate about 200-300 figs this year, now I’m bored with figs, I removed all the netting. I’m now covering my Fuyu persimmons. For some reasons, the birds still get to them. But luckily we have many more persimmons this year than last.
1 Like
I would like to know if anyone in zone 7b or West Tennessee has tried Dessert King which has a very heavy Breba crop and does very well here in the Seattle area with proper pruning. The main crop is a throw away but the Breba crop is very reliable if the tree gets full all day sun. If so please comment.
Dennis
Kent, wa
The burnt ridge nursery guy has a nice vid on desert king. He says in Pacific northeast… a Washington area.
The figs look huge
You would have to get a lot of last years growth thru the winter to get that breba crop Right ?
He mentioned summer pruning.
TNHunter
A drop of Olive oil on the bottom of the fig will speed ripening- if it’s started to.
1 Like
Hi,
Yes, I actually have several huge mature trees that I manage for my neighbor and each year I have to root prune the suckers. I usually save them for others who want them. We probably harvested about 200 lb of fruit this year, gave a lot away and ate as much as the family could stand. So I am well versed on how to get big Breba crops here. But I am interested if someone in zone 7 b (west Tn) can tell me if it does well as a variety there. I have family there who want fig trees and I have many small plants saved from root pruning but I am not sure it is the best variety for that location. That’s why I am seeking feedback.
Dennis
Kent, Wa
I’m interested in an answer to your question about Desert King viability in Tennessee zone 7. My Puget Sound son moved to Nashville and misses the backyard Desert Kings. Sending dried just isn’t the same!
Most descriptions of desert king I can find… say that it does well in cool climates…
Here in TN… it will have some serious heat and humidity to deal with.
I am in TN 7a southern middle… I have a Chicago Hardy that is thriving… 3yr old with approx 300 figs this year. It is the only variety I have tried so far.
That’s interesting you say Desert King prefers cool climates. Mine has yellowed leaves, dropped a bunch, and fruit turned yellow before ripening.
We also had stretches of record-setting heat, 116F or so this summer. Hopefully it rebounds next year.
1 Like
Here is some text you can find online describing the Desert King fig…
One Green World for example…
Desert King is a great variety for gardeners in coastal, high elevation, and other cool regions.
outstanding fig variety for the Pacific Northwest climate
Ficus carica ‘Desert King’ … This versatile fig thrives in cool climates, producing a large early crop even in the absence of summer heat.
Here is some info from UnivTN extension…
They mention these varieties… Brown Turkey, Celeste, Green Ischia, Magnolia, Alma
But then again I found this vid online…
At about 11 minutes in… she mentions Desert King doing well in our climate (she is in Chattanooga TN) which is in south east TN.
It is a very long and detailed vid about figs in TN… and I stopped watching it after she mentioned that… about 11 min in.
TNHunter
This morning I watched more of that Video (link above)… Figs growing at home in Tennessee…
It is long and has lots of details… She is growing 100+ varieties (In containers mostly, but does have some in ground too). Again she is in Chattanooga TN (South East TN).
She does grow Desert King, but did not say if it was in ground or container… I bet it is in Container.
She said she prunes hers after the Breba crop ripens… summer pruning…
It fruits on 2nd year wood, so after the Breba crope comes in (hers starts ripening Late May) which is very early… but after that crop she prunes it, and then lets it grow the rest of the summer to get that new growth established, that will fruit next year.
So you would have to be able to Winter Protect the tree/bush… if In Ground with some sort of elaborate structure… or if in a container, by bringing it inside for the winter.
I bet that her DK is in a container… that would seem to be the best way to handle that.
On down in the video she gives some good details on several of the fig varieties that she grows (in TN). Including…
Uncle Corky’s Honey Delight (ripens breba early June).
She has it in a container and showed it early spring under growlights inside, with the breba crop starting to establish, before she could plant it outside.
I bet she does her DK the same way, and that is how she is getting such a early breba crop (Late May).
Brown Turkey… she says flavor is sugar figgy…
Good for in ground in TN.
LSU varieties mentioned… (all have a short production period 2-3 weeks and done).
Celeste - light berry
LSU Gold - pears and honey
LSU Purple - maple sugar candy
Hunt Fig… Banana Creamy texture, very good
CH Fig - Rich Berry, good choice for in ground
Flanders - Tropical Fruit flavored (not figgy).
Violette de Bordeaux - complex berry, very good flavor, with rain tends to split
Brooklin White, common fig, found growing unprotected in Brooklyn NY, 2 crops, Strawberry/Honey flavor, very prolific, her 2 leaf tree set figs at each node. Good one for in ground.
** This one interest me **
Olympian - sugar caramel peach, large figs
Desert King (details earlier).
White Maderia (late main crop - Sept for her) cold hardy…
Getting DK figs in late May sure does sound nice… She talked like it was more work, watering especially potted figs.
I am going to look more into that Brooklin White… Strawberry/Honey sounds ideal to me and I should be able to grow that one in ground. I would love to know when it starts ripening (here in TN)… she did not mention that.
Anyone here got a Brooklin White ?
TNHunter
1 Like
You’re almost my neighbor.
I’m in Port Orchard.
Have about 12 different kinds of Figs.
Am impressed with the Hood Canal Fig
not sure of it’s real name
Thanks TNHunter for giving details of video! I’ll pass on varietal suggestions to son in TN.
Not sure if DK would need winter protection in TN. Here, ten years ago with a low of 6F, DK was unfazed with no dieback.
However, this is a 40-year-old tree, so new planting might be different.