Hey, I’ve been trying to get our place in Loreto, BCS, Mexico planted out and green looking. It gets HOT there during the summer, over 110f, and humid during that period. Later in fall and through winter is the only nice time to be there.
Currently, I’m looking at growing 1 or maybe 2 varieties there, but may expand in the future. I believe later figs are required, as mid October is about the start of it being just bearable. Anytime before then, and I probably won’t be around to pick them (like mangos).
My interests lie in more of the fruity, berry flavors (strawberry, rasp, cherry, etc) and preferably thin skin, but I’m open to suggestions…
Figured as much, but I planned later would at least give me hope. I guess if it ripened very early it could work as well. So far, the year’s low is only 60f. Possibly the lack of cold would mean they just wouldn’t go dormant and stop fruiting? May is the end of the bearable season to be there.
Ficus carica cultivars that produce spring crops should do well there, e.g. Violette De Bordeaux. Main crop figs from every cultivar will ripen quite early and might also sour due to the heat. Cultivars that produce winter crop figs might have palatable winter crops – I’ve no experience with this. But VdB does have winter crops, so it is worth experimenting with.
2 varieties that come to mind are Col de dame Noir, (black skin, berry notes) and Strawberry Verte (green Skin, fruity but not honey sweet)
Both of these figs thrive in the heat and both also produce a spring (Breba) crop and a fall crop. I grow both of these varieties in zone 8b in the Carolinas. Very hot and humid here, followed by wildly varying winter lows from 30 to 13.
They are very easy to grow, and I think they are delicious.
I am not a fan of honey (super sweet) figs, but enjoy the range of flavors figs can offer.
One issue with ripening figs after a severely hot summer is that figs only fruit on new growth. So, to ripen figs from October through winter, the fig plant needs to be growing and setting figs really all summer long. That might be difficult when it’s that hot. There are going to be many fruits that are easier to ripen in that time frame like citrus.
Coming from a real hot summer climate like mine at least in pots things are much different. I’m peak summer my Smith/TBa1, White Madeira 1 and Angelito are so similar until later on when it started cooling off I can see a big difference. Although the WM1 and Angelito still were similar. I258 was terrible and kept splitting and rot inside because I had to water heavy. So many figs tossed. Hollier was amazing and laughed at the heat n heavy watering in a smaller 7g container even. It was caprified. Crozes did very good. Grise de St Jean, Kadota, Black Mission, Zaffiro, BNR and CdD figs were excellent. Black Madeira is my favorite so far can be a little temperamental but worth it.
Basically I seem to have better luck with figs with tight eyes they seem to handle the watering and resist rot. They also don’t get as much bug pressure I think than a fig with a large open ostiole.
There are two species of Ficus sect. Americana native to Baja California, MX: Ficus palmeri and Ficus petiolaris. They are symbiotic with a native agaonid wasp that has been observed to ignore Ficus carica. Basically, F. carica has the wrong scent. I have examined the native Baja Ficus species in Bahia de Los Angeles, Ensenada, La Paz, and Puerto Chale.
Looking up photos of those two, yes, I’ve definitely seen them around, but nearer to the mountains, often in canyons. It’s very pretty how their roots can stretch down cliff-faces to the soil below.
@fruitnut I found the citrus deal to be true, they grow very well there, second to only papayas (and date palms) thus far. I’m trying to get better citrus varieties down there too, Thong Dee pomelo is one I’m hoping for. I thought of doing figs because I already have plenty of citrus started. I’m looking to to attempt F. sycomorus there, but I wanted a good F. carica as well. They’ll also be on an automatic timer, hopefully that will keep them alive.
I have heard good things about VdB so it’s been on my radar for a bit now. I may end up going with it.
Strawberry Verte sounds good as well. White Madeira #1 has also gotten praise on OurFigs too. Any idea if I can get a harvest out of it? I’ve liked all the taste reviews Black Madeira and it’s kin, but I worried that they will fruit only in the summer. Is this the case?