I got several fig varieties that died to the ground during Winter and re-sprout in early April. I lost their tags so I am not sure what varieties anymore but some do ripened before Winter.
They are so sweet.
Tony
1 Like
Tony:
I hope this doesn’t sound negative. But unlike your persimmon picture these figs don’t look very sweet. A really sweet fig has much thinner skin, lacks that cavity in the center, and has darker and larger colored area in the center. I’ve had many of a range of sweetness this yr and the good ones look similar. Too much or too little water is the main thing I have associated with lower quality. Yours look like too much water. Also as soon as it starts to cool off many figs loss quality.
1 Like
Tony,
It was about 45F last night. I have a couple of Chicago Hardy and some San Pietro on the trees. I do not think they will ripen well in time esp. San Pietro. What a shame!
Even in my greenhouse the cooler weather takes a toll on figs. I can keep it warmer than outside during the day. But that warm time decreases as the nights get longer and colder. In winter figs have been mostly disappointing despite massive effort. I can ripen fruit all winter by keeping them at 80-95F during the day in my sunroom. At night under lights inside my house. Even all that trouble and they can’t match August figs. I have had some good Strawberry Verte in winter partly because they shrivel up as they mature so as to increase sugar level. I will never try the larger fruited figs in winter again. They are watery under all but the best conditions.
FN,
We had around 10" of rain last week and this fig still tasted sweet. Last fall with less rain the fig tasted much sweeter with that syrup texture in the center and took on wrinkled appearance. I wish I could have fresh sweet fig year round.
Tony
Tony:
I wish everyone could have good figs all winter. With enough money it could happen.
You can’t do anything about 10 inches rain on figs. Even with a greenhouse they can root outside. I think the water is easier to control in pots. But IME pots are too wet for the big figs.
Alcedo,
That BT looked rich and sweet. What is your lowest temp during Winter on the other side of the world?
Tony
Alcedo,
That doesn’t look like any BT I’ve ever grown. Are you sure it’s not some other variety.
rayrose,
Now, I doubt, maybe it’s a mislabeled tree. How to get to this conclusion? I am newbie in terms of figs.
To have fresh figs all year around you’d have to rotate some in and out of dormancy. My brother grows them in Hawaii and they are not very healthy because of lack of adequate chilling hours. Figs need their sleep. I should probably suggest he strip the leaves during the coolest season.
I’ve had figs for almost 2 months now and my excitement wanes- and not just because they are becoming less sweet. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
A chilling room and two sets of potted figs would solve the dormancy issue. Then you’d need a heated greenhouse with high intensity lighting. The same system would also work for potted blueberries. But quality still might not equal August ripened figs. It would be a lot cheaper to eat Turkish dried figs in winter.
Yes, but think of the gratification of posting pictures of tree ripe figs in January.
Incidentally, our temps have dropped quite a bit in the last week and a half but the figs still seem about as sweet. They will be delicious for another 2 weeks even if it gets cooler still. Maybe because all my fig trees are against stone walls.
I remember harvesting real nice figs in CA into Nov. If there was a big dropoff in sweetness, my memory fails me (for the first time in at least 10 minutes).
Alcedo, I’d check with your source. They should know what they sent you, but that’s not a BT.
These are my sunroom figs in mid winter a yr ago. Then under lights inside my home at night. They all ripened Jan-March. The figs were set in early fall and the plants went straight from my greenhouse to the sunroom in late October.
But I might add that a couple weeks of chilling in late March didn’t restore them to vigorous growth this summer. The chilling was way more than the 100 hrs they’re supposed to need. Perhaps if I’d defoliated it might have helped. I did get fruit off all this summer.
Fig ID can be tricky with a few different variables that can affect appearance of figs of the same variety. Besides growing conditions., breba crop vs main crop figs can appear quite different, as well as figs which have been caprified (pollinated by wasp) vs non caprified figs of the same cultivar. Additionally, ther is more than one ‘Brown Turkey’, English BT, Southern BT and others exist. I am no expert, but your fig does share some characteristics with BT, namely an empty cavity in the center. Whatever it is it looks luscious and delicious!
Here’s one I’m growing which should be ready soon, Improved Celeste…
Some of my 1st year trees…
Beautiful fig, @Alcedo. I grow a brown turkey type (Black Jack) that is also sweet and juicy with a honeyed flavor. Does very well here and stays somewhat small for a fig tree.
You got that right! You show an improved Celeste, I saw an O’Rourke Improved Celeste. Are they the same? You’re in Maine right? What are you growing? I’m interested in hardier figs. What about regular Celeste? I’m asking because on the Figs For Fun forum a member is offering cuttings for 2 dollars.
I picked up a Florea cutting, and from the cutting I got one ripe fig. many on the plant that won’t make it. The fig is not supposed to be the best. I found it bland but sweet. i figure drying it will taste pretty good! And I know i will get harvests. Excited as I didn’t expect any figs this year.
Depends on the plant! O’Rourke is an improved Celeste but it is not Improved Celeste (note the use of capitalization). Both are varieties bred by LSU, O’Rourke is an official release while Improved Celeste is not. Many vendors sell them interchangeably not realizing/caring that they are different varieties.
Improved Celeste is a very good variety, I have a small plant now. I’ve had a few regular Celeste which are very similar in taste to me; I’ll take Improved Celeste though because it is hardier.
Thanks for the info Kelby, well O’Rourke is available, so I might just pick that up!
I’m also looking for any info on
White Marseilles, Dr. Monticello’s, and Conadria. All are available, many sold out!
Also any tips to tell when ready to pick! I think I picked my one sole fig early. I’m very new to figs. Should they fall off easily? Any tips on harvest welcome.