Ed, any particular varieties you have found to be especially productive in ground? What sort of winter protection do you provide?
I’m always surprised when I hear how people in the area have so many in-ground figs. I’m further south in Morgantown and my in-ground plantings died back every winter despite numerous attempts to wrap, insulate, and protect them. Even Chicago Hardy. I gave up on them for now. The died back figs eventually would regrow but never grew enough to give me more than a couple figs by the end of summer.
To help answer the second question, here’s Ed’s thread on the Ourfigs forum detailing his method of winter protection with his low cordon trees: https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/888598-low-cordon-experience-2016-to-2020
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My container figs are reliable because the figs are ready to put out figs in early spring (the breba).
It’s interesting how you can put a fig in a completely unheated garage all winter and it won’t freeze even though the outside temperature same as the inside temperature.
The one fig in Black container is brown turkey I don’t know what the other ones are, came from Italy a few generations ago.
If I cut back the figs that are in ground before wrapping I have to make sure I leave lots of stems so the figs will form on the last year’s growth in early spring, similar to brebas.
If I cut back all the stems to leave essentially a tree form fig I only get very few figs very late in the year, say late oct. and maybe none at all.
2nd and 3rd Pics are container figs with brebas. First pic is nice looking in ground fig with all new growth that will have figs much later in year if season is hot enough and long enough.!
IMG_20210616_111335725_HDR|690x920
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Tony, thanks for posting that link.
Any method of successful winter protection for our inground figs here in the north really needs a heat source. The cheapest and most available heat source is the earth. Growing figs with the trunk or low cordons flat against the ground maximize the use of the earth as a source of heat. There is only a small air space along with the trunk or cordons and a small stub from each pruned upright for the earth to provide warmth to. The cheapest available insulation which I have found are leaf bags, which I cover the cordons with and then cover with a tarp. I have also been using a couple layers of an old swimming pool solar cover under the leaf bags as additional insulation. This past winter, I only had two 1 or 2 inch tips of branches damaged with this method. I have converted or are converting most of my inground plants to this method of protection.
I also have six remaining fig plants in the ground which are grown in a more conventional upright bush type shape. These get pruned back each winter as well to a few foot height and width, surrounded by leaf bags ( or bags of shredded paper ) leaving an open area in center of the base for the ground heat to radiate into. This also gets covered with a tarp. This method might not give quite as much protection down to a subzero temperature, but I am hoping my plants will handle it as they get larger. Five of these six plants have been in the ground for 4 or more winters now
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I am in the process of determining the answer to the question about varieties. This process may take a few more years. Initially, I only put varieties in the ground which were deemed by others to be “cold hardy“ and varieties that were especially early. Initially, most of mine in the ground were Mount Etna’s, but I also included RDB, Florea , Improved Celeste, Niagara Black, and Salem White. All of these have proven themselves using my low cordon growing method. Last year, I converted a nonproducing inground bush-form Nero 600m to this method and added a Bourjasotte Gris, Abebereira, Black Zadar and Black Celeste ( a Louisiana fig) to this cordon row. None of those have a hardy reputation, nor are especially early. With the addition of using a low tunnel this spring to get them a three week head start, these all have figs on them now. I have put a few more types which are not considered particularly hardy inground this year to further test this.
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Great info from everyone above. With regards to Ed’s comments regarding varieties, figs are certainly adaptable and with some creativity regarding winterizing them I’m sure we can grow more than just the standard cold hardy varieties. Ripening time might be more important than cold tolerance in the grand scheme of things since we only have limited warm days no matter how well you winter protect. Certainly if growing in pots or greenhouse you can extend the growing season a little bit to overcome this. I think for me it is mostly about maximizing effort while also having a nice variety of cultivars. As long as I have a reasonable chance of getting some ripe figs I’m willing to give any variety a try.
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@eboone
Ed:
Thanks for cordon system explanation.
I will give that a try.
It makes a lot of sense to me. First of all you don’t have to stack up real high piles of anything as insulation and I think it might mimic a little bit the idea of being able to put a fig in a completely unheated garage where outside temperature is the same as inside garage temperature and fig still doesn’t freeze. I think maybe it doesn’t freeze because there’s no wind inside the garage to dry up the fig and maybe your cordon system also has less wind along the ground
As well as using retained heat of ground.
@eboone
Ed:
Would you post a few pics on your cordone figs?
I have one I would like to train.
I cut it back to ground last winter.
Thanks
Fran
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It is hard to see the cordons this time of year but here are pics of two plants in their second year in ground. The first has not grown as robustly as the second and has approx 2 ft cordons on each side of the main trunk, the second has approx 2.5 ft cordons
If you are a member of the OurFigs forum I have a couple of threads there with a lot of details and more pics:
https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/990194-2021-low-cordon-record#post1002876
https://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-home/888598-low-cordon-experience-2016-to-2020
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Thanks Ed for additional info.
I agree voles are worse than winter.
If I don’t put poison around figs before winter wrapping, bark will be chewed away.
I noticed you are moderator of Ourfigs forum.
Yes, I think there are about 7 mods, help to keep the peace, approve new members, help with probs
just got on here. I’m just north of Morgantown WV across the PA line. not exactly a Pittsburgh person but within an hour
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Welcome!
I think that’s close enough for this thread. I live about an hour northeast of Pittsburgh myself. It’s not like others aren’t allowed to comment anyway.
Welcome Jimmy! Glad to have another member close by. I’m almost as close to you as I am to Pittsburgh. There is a lot of great information on the forum, feel free to ask questions.
thanks all. I started a home orchard on my 3 acres. Currently I have around 40 fruit trees consisting of mainly apples, a few pears/cherries/plums but they are all 2-4 years old. This past spring, thanks to speedster1 hooking me up with a ton of scions of unique varieties, I have successfully grafted an additional 47 fruit trees. So, if anyone wants to do any scion exchanges or anything, I would love to participate or just help out others expand their varieties. I believe I will have around 20 apple varieties, 5 pear varieties plus a few cherry/plum types. I also have 2 unknown paw paw seedlings that a work friend gave me that came from a person in Bridgeport WV. I am trying to find out what type they are but am not having much luck.
Are the pawpaws grafted?
No they aren’t.
If that is the case, it’s possible they may be seedlings from an improved cultivar but are definitely not named cultivars. Pawpaw seedlings are not genetically identical to their parents as some other fruits are able to produce (I think some citrus can do that?). I would recommend planting them if you haven’t already and doing some research on which cultivars you are most interested in. This is a good thread I started which may be of interest.
I’m looking to get some pawpaws, persimmons, and figs next year but my wife insists on trying them all before I buy them. Does anyone know somewhere local to try them out this year when they are in season?
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