I have found that pruning the tips initiates growth pretty well. The plants really just want to put on lots of figs on stubby growth and ripen them.
1 Like
I have limited yard space due to so many fruit trees 
. So it’s actually difficult for me to find a spot that is open enough to move them to.
3 Likes
This will be my first winter with figs. I thought pruning was in January or February? Is that when you prune to 12”? It seems like one would want to cover them in, early December, maybe?
1 Like
I’ve tried various winter protection over the years. It is the combination of wind, cold and moisture. When we cut the plant really hard to 12", the plant will try to re-grow the top growth at the expense of fruiting. In zone 6, we certainly has a shorter growing season. A later season and more top growth are not good combination. It is not just the cold temperature.
Last winter, I kept my trees at 3’ tall. This year, they put out like 2-3’ top growth. But figs are loaded at almost each node. I’d probably get very little if I had cut them to 12" tall.
It will be late in my opinion.
I will do mine after second hard frost to let them go full dormant.
Yes . After pruning I will cover mine.
Also please note when you cover them after rain there will be no standing water. You still have some time if your figs are in a puddle , just put some soil around to make a slope before covering with woodchips or something.
2 Likes
Thanks! I think I’m happy mine are planted at the top of a hill 
1 Like
I don’t really have a plan, but I do have children. They would love to be be cut loose in the orchard.
4 Likes
I’m super impressed with this Capoll Curt Negra! My tree has been slow to fruit but growing vigorously in a half wine barrel. Last year I took an air layer from it to put in ground. That younger in ground tree has made a few so so fruits this year. The older tree in the wine barrel only set a few fruits, this being the first, and it was amazing!
12 Likes
Do Improved Celeste and Red Lebanese BV satisfy these criteria? I am considering moving both trees from pots to the ground next spring.
1 Like
Improved Celeste : not cold hardy but split resistance ( I love this fig and have few in pots )
Red Lebanese BV : I do not have this fig anymore but had in pot was OK can not recall split resistance or cold hardy.
Since your zone is little colder than mine I would put second year true Hardy Chicago or Salem Dark in ground.
3 Likes
My only experience is with Hardy Chicago… here in Zone 7a Tennessee.
I started mine in ground spring 2019 in a nice microclimate location. We harvested 25 figs that first year.
I was fig newbie… and did not protect it that first winter… and it was dead to the ground spring 2020… but it came back from the roots and grew like crazy that second year, harvested 75 figs.
I learned my lesson and successfully protected it last winter… 5 stumps about 18" tall, and I let them send up 10 shoots this spring (many over 10 ft tall now) with figs set all the way to the top. Looking like 300+ figs this year ( in year 3 ).
I am still looking and considering adding another variety… perhaps next spring.
My Chicago Hardy ripened first figs this year on Aug 20. Very pleased with it…
Would love to hear what your favorite (early ripening main crop figs) are…
I have been researching that… and a few I am considering are…
Ronde De Bordeaux
LSU Tiger
LSU Improved Celeste
A different taste/flavor would be nice, but not nearly as important to me as ripening figs earlier.
Very Happy with CHF… taste wise and performance/production wise… I hear that some of these other varieties may ripen figs 2-3 weeks before CHF ?
Can any of you verify that on the varieties above, or any others you would recommend ?
Thanks
TNHunter
2 Likes
RDB is a big time splitter.
Improved Celeste and LSU are not that cold hardy
I have only four in ground so someone with more tree in colder climate may recommend you.
2 Likes
The early figs are Florea, Teramo unk, RDB. Most are small-medium size. Good quality. Very early.
The second batch is the Mt. Etna and some related varieties, including Sicilian Red, Malta Black, MBVS, Black Bethlehem, Gino’s, etc. They are all mid-season medium berry figs with excellent flavor.
Slightly behind are some of the yellow/white figs, like White Marseilles, Lattarula/Italian Honey, Peter’s Honey, Long Yellow, Brooklyn White etc. They are larger honey/sugar type figs. They need more sun to dry the large figs and raise the brix level.
There are a lot good late varieties. Adriatic type of figs are slightly late. But you should not have much problem.
A lot of other excellent fig varieties fit in between all the above.
In zone 7, you should be able to grow most of the fig varieties. I’d just choose from each group to get some varieties of flavors.
2 Likes
Galicia Negra 09-18-21: One pretty fig can use a day or two. Interior can be very dark almost purple if let it hang longer. Highly recommended for hotter zones.
10 Likes
I am having trouble getting this one to set fruit, frustrating!
How old is your plant and what size of the pot it is in ?
15 gallon, finishing second year with me.
2 Likes
My Galicia Negra didn’t fruit until year 3. This is year 4 and it’s full of fruit now. Main crop is about to start ripening soon.
1 Like