The Best of the Fig Discussions

» parmarch - Article on figs.

Though the article is good, yet I note some mistakes in it. For example the time of taking cuttings. I think the best time is winter when the plants are dormant.

Do the members know about a wild fig Ficus palmata, that grows in the Himalayan mid hills. This fruit does not require a mediterranean climate. The fruits are smaller in size but very tasty. This wild fig does not require a dry climate needed by the cultivated figs.

I can send more information on this fruit to the list members.

Dr. Chiranjit Parmar
Horticultural Consultant on Lesser Known Indian Fruits
Mandi HP INDIA
http://www.lesserknownplants.com

-- posted by parmarch

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» Jojo - Re: Article on figs.

Hi Dr. Parmar

Thanks so much for visiting.

I've read in many places that the best time to take fig cuttings is when they are dormant. My experience has found the opposite. I wonder if perhaps it depends on which stage of dormancy (early, mid, late?) the cuttings are taken in. Another problem with winter propagation is that many of the readers here are from cold zones and come November they will have no wood from which to select cuttings, as it will have all died back from serious frosts. And then there is the issue of where to store the cuttings themselves. Many home gardeners find themselves without the proper resources to build themselves a protected or heated cutting frame, although it's not that difficult and I was thinking of writing an article on that.

If you can point out some other points of contention with the article that would be great. It seems that both fig articles and both fig discussions are paths of discovery for myself and the readers and any way you can help to make our figs healthier would be fabulous.

The fig you mention sounds very interesting. I found some information about it at Plants for a Future and one of your books is listed in the references (Wild Fruits of the Sub-Himalayan Region). They also mention that it needs winter protection in much of England. Is this then untrue? If it's hardier than F. carica, I would be very interested in obtaining seeds or cuttings. The nursery I work for grows 3 types of figs now and this would make an excellent addition if it's even hardier than those we have.

Thanks again for stopping in - Jojo

-- posted by Jojo

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» Jojo - Interesting question

I got this question via e-mail...

Hi jojo, we have moved into an older home with a very large fig tree out front. the tree is beautiful but we do not like figs and the mess they create. how can we keep the tree from fruiting? please help i don't want to take it down.

Well, I don't know that there is a way to prevent figs from forming on fig trees as well as retain the beautiful form of the tree. The only way I know of is to prune back the tree hard every year. Then, of course, you would lose the nice mature shape of the tree, and it would grow more as a bush. Then there's the option of running a rope along the branches at the point when figs are forming. It could be difficult to eradicate the young fruits but not the leaves. I've obviously never done this. Perhaps though, there is a reader out there who has a solution for you. I hope someone will respond to this if they know of an answer.

-- posted by Jojo

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» fmitchel - brown turkey in southwest virginia

My brown turkey is in its fifth year. It get bushy and beautiful each year but so far no fruit. I do know that it would only get one harvest in the fall here. Anybody else in Virginia or nearby places had success? Tips? We do live by woods with tall trees so the sun is not as hot as it could be. I'm thinking of putting one on the side of our road where there is more sun to experiment.

-- posted by fmitchel

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» pascoli35 - I live in Scotland near to Glasgow.

I live in Scotland near to Glasgow. I have four fig trees. One Italian, one American ( From Calif.) two from U.K. We are helped in our climate by the gulf stream and I also have a cold greenhouse where I keep my trees during the winter. We can gat some frost in the winter does this harm the trees or am I doinf the right thing keeping them in. They are in 12 inch pots and are between 4 and 4 feet tall. Louis

-- posted by pascoli35

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» Jojo - I live in Scotland near to Glasgow.

In response to I live in Scotland near to Glasgow. posted by pascoli35:

Hi Pascoli

Without knowing the varieties involved I can only tell you so much. I also don't know exactly where you are but from the information in the book I am looking at here, it looks like temperatures would not drop below -14 degrees celcius in your area. Is this correct? This leaves you in a climate basically slightly cooler or the same as Vancouver, BC, Canada where figs grow in abundance.

A sudden temperature drop when the leaves are still on can cause some blackening and dying off of branches, due to the fact that the wood has not matured yet. I beleive in your climate, that is the worst that could happen. Leaves generally drop in late-october here, or when the first light morning frost hits. This is likely when you are moving yours inside.

The trouble with leaving them in the pots is that they will only be allowed to get so large. This will inhibit fruit production.

I hope this helps - Jojo

-- posted by Jojo

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