Pick some today, always excellent. That why I grow 6 of them.
I came home from vacation to find all these Florea on my in ground tree nicely ripe. What a treat to have so many figs this early.
I agree with everyone what they said just making it a little bit more easy to show a perfectly ripe fig.
Please keep in mind I do not get these kind of ripen figs more often but still try too. Please look at the skin wrinkles and second when I touch it it feels very soft. If you have dry spell your chances of getting perfectly ripe figs are more.
I picked the first figs of the season from my in-ground Improved Celeste on August 4. I believe this is its fourth year. All of my figs are a little behind this season; in a good year, IC could probably start ripening in late July in my zone 6b (and it did actually start swelling some figs at the end of July in 2019). In any case, IC has always been the first in-ground here. When well-ripened, the figs have a simple but ambrosially sweet flavor—and they rank very high on the rather small list of figs I have eaten.
These are some of the largest specimens I’ve seen so far—and despite 3" of rain about a week before ripening (the reason, I suspect, for the distended ostioles), they were excellent. If the rain event had been any closer, though, their quality would’ve suffered.
On the whole, IC is an excellent early maincropper, but needs a good microclimate and decent winter protection when grown in-ground in zones 6/7, as it seems a little more cold sensitive than the Mt. Etna family of figs and some of the others. Mine sits in a sunny location against a big old slab of concrete, originally poured as a foundation, and it does passably well there.
Genovese Nero AF Breba 08-05-21. Do not get confused about green part in fig breba can be very strange.
I’m in California, and when I gently squeeze the fig, it will feel soft when it’s ripe. I might pick one, and then a day or so later, pick another. I taste the difference and see which I like best–usually it’s the later one!
I haven’t harvested any of these yet, but with the 90+ degree days we have, they’ll be ready in a couple days.
These lovely beauties are from an in ground Malta Black
These are from my in ground Hardy Chicago. These trees are loaded.
Your HC has started to change color. Mine has not. One zone is a huge difference.
I have them in a good microclimate too. Other Mt Etna-like figs elsewhere in my yard haven’t started showing signs of ripening yet. They are also mature trees with good branching from previous years.
Andrew,
Here is the biggest main crop I get here. I believe it is the Atreano. If anyone has it, like to confirm it. I think it is earlier than the Lynhurst White you have.
Here we go again all picked today 08-11-21 main crop Salem Dark, Takoma Violet, Hardy Chicago and unknown Italian.
Are these from your in ground trees, Naeem? It would make sense that your trees are a few days ahead of mine since you are a little south.
Salem Dark and Hardy Chicago in ground.
Takoma Violet and unknown Italian ( 5 Gallons Pot )
Yours not looking too far may be a day or two only because these MT ET can ripe very quick.
One thing I also notice that in ground ripe figs size got bigger as compare to last year. Mine are only 4th year in ground.
My in ground Mt Etna figs definitely have huge fruit in the ground compared to pot culture. They just seem happier, and much more vigorous. It must be all the extra nutrients they’re sucking up from the soil.
Extra water during the early stages of fig fruit development makes bigger figs. Extra water also makes for more vigorous growth. But if it stays wet thru ripening the figs can taste pretty watery.
These are looking so delicious.
Did you notice any difference in taste Caprified vs Un Caprified figs ?