If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Why It's Hard Growing Fig Trees In Wet Summers 4:08 Rain Resistant Fig #1 5:06 Rain Resistant Fig #2 5:59 Rain Resistant Fig #3 7:23 Rain Resistant Fig #4 9:56 Rain Resistant Fig #5 13:00 Adventures With Dale
Big fan of your channel, I know its early for cuttings, but I am starting a fig garden this year, would love to get 15-20 of your varieties to add to my garden. Do you want me to add a specific list of varieties in the comments?
I live in Georgetown, Texas and I have two large Celeste figs and one Brown Turkey or Texas Ever-bearing. Abundant figs in late June until middle July. I lost all of these fig trees when we had an ice storm a few years ago but each fig tree came back from suckers-even though they froze to the ground . Each one is now over 8 to 10 feet tall. I harvested about 700 sweet figs this year. In the past years over 1000.
I started out with 2 fig trees, but your videos taught me how varied figs are, and within months I have 21! Not many will fruit this year, so I can't wait for next year. Sadly, the only ones I've ripened so far are Celeste and Black Mission. I live in Chesapeake, VA so my growing season length and zone are nearly identical to yours. I would love to see you do a yearly fig tour so we can see how your trees are doing, including which you have culled from last year and why. I know that's a lot of work, but I'd love to see it become an annual video. Thanks for all of the great fig (and other gardening) info!
Excellent! Congrats. I do film an annual fig tour, but I had a terrible year this year due to a bad winter. Last year’s fig tour is here: th-cam.com/video/tkBGBaI3564/w-d-xo.html This year is largely a rebuilding year. I hope to come back with full vigor next season.
@@TheMillennialGardener question... have seen cuttings made into other fig trees. Do you know, can I use cuttings that are still green, not brown bark yet?
@@michellebarnhill5130 You want to use fully lignified cuttings, not greenwood cuttings. While greenwood cuttings still can root, you need to maintain humidity or they will dry out and wither. They often fail.
@@TheMillennialGardener I have 2 fig trees that are almost 2 yrs old. Middle TN. They’ve only gotten a couple feet high, and are not fruiting yet. What am I doing wrong? I did not cover them in snow, but I water the heck out of them during hot dry summer. Am I supposed to hack them back? TYIA!
It's my first year growing figs and although it took awhile I have all 5 varieties now. Looking forward to tasting them hopefully this year. Thanks Anthony!!
So this has nothing to do with figs, but this is your most recent video so this comment goes here. During COVID, I lost all interest in gardening, which alarmed my friends. The last crop was a fabulous massive French green bean crop that something slowly ate to the ground, and if you're a real gardener you know how depressing that is. It also became so horribly hot I holed up for the entire year of 2020 and well into 2021. I forced myself to buy seed 4 months ago (that I now can't find) for fall planting. But still, some weird gardener depression hanging on. So this, my friend, is where you came in. I fell across your video in my recommended feed, and you have literally lifted my gardening depression and reignited my passion. I cannot thank you enough, and your enthusiasm is contagious. With gratitude from West Central Florida 🤗
I’m SO happy to hear that! The last couple of years have given us so many things to be depressed about. Depression destroys motivation, so it builds on itself. Gardening has really saved my life. If I weren’t keeping myself busy doing this, I probably would’ve been a wreck, honestly. It may be tough to get started, but if you force yourself to do it, it’ll not only keep your body and mind busy, but it’ll get you out into sun, which is amazing for mood overall. There are failures every year, but the successes also really give you a sense of pride. The more I grow, the healthier I feel. I hope you’re feeling the same!
I live in NC and have been wanting for so long to grow fig trees because my Sicilian grandma cherished growing hers back in the day. Thank you for making this video, now I have hope growing one ❤️
What about LSU Purple? I've read in a lot of forums that it is quite split resistant _and_ is one of the few species resistant to nematodes--a major problem here in Florida. It is also extremely disease resistant. I've got 2 very juvenile plants and should know soon. Like many fruit and vegetables grown in a certain locale, it's tough to get a check in all the boxes! Very Best Regards, Tom Scott Author ● Speaker ● World's Leading Expert on the Corrupt U.S. Legal System _Stack the Legal Odds in Your Favor_ _Our American Injustice System_
I'm just getting into fig growing and I'm trying to grow in Wv and we get a TON of rain! I'm glad to know the varieties I have are all on your list! Thank you for the great info
Rain and figs simply don’t mix, unfortunately. We have gotten nearly 9 inches of rain this month, and it has ruined many of my figs. Chances are, we will end August with over 10 inches of rainfall.
My pepper plants don't like it either! We get rain daily for weeks it wasn't always like that here but for the last 20 or so years we don't get any dry days anymore
Thanks for all your quality work. Mediterranean climates are awesome! I lived in California for 28 years and have also spent time in Cape Town. Now I'm growing figs in the Arizona desert.
Mediterranean climates are beautiful, comfortable and amazing for growing food. The downside: wildfire season. Having totally dry, hot summers is a problem for those areas. Look what California and much of Western Europe have to deal with from those rainless, hot summers. But I guess you're used to dry weather. I'm sure you can turn out great figs in AZ. They're surely better than mine.
Great recommendations and I definitely agree with your CLBC recommendation.. its like a smaller version of BM that can take a boatload of rain, heat, & humidity without splitting or spoiling. Do you have St Martin? Im so impressed with it here in south/central Texas. Tiny eye, amazing deep berry jammy taste, and can handle quite a bit of rain/humidity without splitting 👍🏼
The town had to dig up my yard this year, they had to remove the vegetation. I replaced it with a fig tree came across a chicago fig and desert king at lowes, and I bought both of them which lead me to this channel. Hopefully it works out in Massachusetts.
Whew. I have five Chicago Hardy growing here in coastal southwest Florida. I brought them with me from Colorado last summer and planted them in the ground. I got a few breba figs in the spring then the small trees lost their leaves with some kind of rust disease. Now the trees are leafing out again and growing vigorously.
How do you tell all of those fig trees apart? They all look the same. And once again you have opened my eyes up to a fruit or a veggie! I never considered growing figs before but after all of the different flavors you described I am now thinking about figs!!!
They’re all tagged. At this point, I also have their positions memorized. I highly recommend figs. They’re a treat to grow and unlike any other fruit on earth.
I found the best process is to harvest early, daily leave stem on for day or to inside. They will ripen quickly in a controlled environment. All of the trees you suggested I have great selections. Brown turkey is good also.
Figs actually will not ripen off the tree. That's because figs are not a true fruit. They are a syconium, which is a collection of inflorescences. Figs more closely approximate a flower. Once you pick them, they begin to wither and die. Figs are best eaten immediately, because as soon as they are picked, they begin to degrade.
I took notes, live in north county San Diego. I took cutting from a neighbors and finally after transplanting twice, two of 8 are now 2’ high. I’ll get specific figs for a rich taste even though we have a draught. Thank you!
You live in a perfect Mediterranean climate with a long growing season. It, literally, does not matter what you grow. Your worst fig will turn out better than my best. Your climate is idyllic. I wouldn’t waste my time with varieties like Celeste, Olympian, and Chicago Hardy in your environment. I would be growing Ronde de Bordeaux and Smith for earliness and collecting Col de Dame’s, White Madeira #1, I-258, Calderona and other top tier figs.
In our Portland OR/Vancouver WA area (Zone 8a/8b), our local nursery sells and supports 78 varieties of figs that are highly productive along our Cascade western coast with no problems - and we truly have 4 full seasons - with Spring, Summer, and Fall rains and Winter snows.
True, I moved from Seabeck to NW Florida and we have months of 90 degrees plus 98 percent humidity plus rain every day. Completely different way to live and garden for sure! Plus we are still a free state😉
@@oregonfigs3314 Find out the proper zone each variety will fluorish in - and if they are a warmer climate zone fig - then put them in pots (and caretake them on the south-facing side of the house (patio, atrium, arboretum, hot house, grow house) - otherwise if they grow just fine - then plant them. I had my first experience when my mother visited another employee at her retirement center in Vancouver (WA) and there was this huge fig tree (planted) 20+ feet tall - and (age 9-10) my first eating of a fresh picked fig - and I have been addicted since. That tree was acclimated and a prolific producer with summer heat, spring/fall rains, and Vancouver Columbia River wind, weather, and snows - no problem. Just make sure the proper fig for the proper placement in a pot or in the ground. Even here in coastal SanFran Mediterrean climate zone (9) - dry, cool, everybody grows planted oranges, lemons, limes, pommelos, kumquats, loquats, berries, apples, figs (almost an invasive species), and there is no problem growing here in coastal northern California vs the warm/hot interior Central Valley farming area..
I have Chicago, Olympian, Kadota, and Bornholm's diamond figs. I guess I did a good job picking lol
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Wow that really good information from you. I have a fig tree that the fruit is yellow with stripes around. I don’t know what the name of it but I can never taste one because weather in Seattle is totally different than where u live. Seattle is so dry in summer no rain at all and summer so short when winter come fig is still not ripe yet then it hang in the tree for awhile and fall off.
Today i just foundolympian from lowes and last week i bought celest and chicago hardy. After watching your video. I am new to fig growing but i have brown turkey for few yrars . I neglected it in pot for 1 year then put it in ground and my son mowed it with lawn mower😁. But its coming back as bush.
Man in your climate having a greenhouse with supplemental lighting and something like an Andan dehumidifier is a must. If I were you, that's what I'd be looking into investing in next. Losing the majority of your figs is absolutely brutal I feel for you brother. Hopefully you can rent a spot or get land somewhere nearby if your HOA is against you building one in your backyard.
Love your video’s, I live in Ohio. This is the first year that I propagated fig’s. I Followed your fertilize regiment to a T, you made a believer out of me. a huge success so far. Thanks For all your great advice exclamation
Gblessyou all, in Ecuador 🇪🇨 😍, we eat the figs, when they're still green, we cut them in a cross ✝️ , not all the way down, and cook them in water, in a low heat, with panela or piloncillo, which are blocks of brown sugar, cinnamon, whole allspice, for about an hour, and you can eat them with mozzarella cheese, or make a sandwich with the figs and, the cheese.
I’m glad you and Dale have better weather to enjoy. You are very educated about plants, I appreciate your knowledge you share. Do you ever have plans for farmland or high tunnels? I do enjoy backyard gardening because that is all I can do now.
Celeste ripens early her in NW FL and escapes most of the damage from rains---most of the time. Later ripening figs are hard to ripen most years because of too much rain. Commercial growers keep irrigation to near saturation level continuously to avoid the shock of heavy downpours. I know of zero rain-proof varieties. Sorry! I agree that Celeste is the best. My neighbor has Olympian and I plan to get a cutting this Winter. Try Beer's Black/Negronne for high flavor. Taste is much like a dried purple fig: rich.
We actually have a true Mediterranian climate in Victoria, BC but unfortunately I live less than half a mile from the cold north Pacific ocean which is a humongous negative heat sink so it is difficult to get figs to ripen at my residence. If I go downtown to my worksite which is only a mile away it is 5 C degrees warmer most days so I need to use a type of greenhouse to get ripe figs for the most part
I am in the 3% of the world that your map showed as a mediterranian type climate in Northern Nevada. I have three brown turkey figs that I bought on clearance last fall. I brought them out of the little green house this spring. To my dismay we had a late frost that froze the leaves and buds as well as many other plants that had leafed/budded out. I was sure I had lost them. Amazingly they came back. As far as rain in my area, we have had the wettest August since 1965 with an official total for the month of 1.66 inches. I know, I know that doesn't sound like anything but considering we got 1.22 inches of our monthly total in just 90 minutes on August 3, 2022, we were slammed. We can drive in snow, but that much rain is daunting. I would love to know what kind of figs you would recommend for my area. Love your videos and great information. And I love Dale and his adventures. Thank you for sharing your gardening and pet life with us.
In terms of fruit quality, your climate is so dry that any fig will come out well. Your challenge is going to be growing season duration, because your frost-free period is probably short. From what I'm seeing, northern Nevada ranges from Zone 7a to 5b, so that can be a dramatic difference in growing season length. I'm guessing you have to grow figs in containers, so I would recommend you look at Chicago Hardy, Smith, Negra d'Agde and Ronde de Bordeaux to start. They're all early, smaller figs that ripen fairly quickly once they begin to swell. If you're brave and want to play with some later season figs and see if you can ripen them, maybe try White Madeira #1, I-258 and Colonel Littman's Black Cross. You might be pushing it, but it's worth a shot. The Col de Dame's are my favorite, but they're all quite late.
This is why I'm reluctant to mention Zones. Zone 8 Washington, Arkansas and North Carolina have little in common. Totally different precipitation patterns, growing degree days, winter inflection points, day lengths, etc.
I have had good luck with my Brown Turkey fig. They get really big and not much cracking. The problem I'm having is ants. They just craw inside the flower's hole and start eating it from the inside out.
Thank you! Now, if only we could have a dry August and September! It doesn't seem possible where I live. We always get 8-12 inches of rain every August 😥
Thanks for another good video! You continue to be my go-to fig advisor. My in-ground Brown Turkey is having another gonzo year. After watching you through Covid, I bought some cuttings online. My success was no better or worse than I've seen others have. Funny story, inordered 4 odf Etsy. Unbeknownst to me, they came from Albania and none were labeled! 3 out of 4vtook, I labeled them Unknown Albanian. Live and learn, right. You continue to be an inspiration. Any ideas for doing a video about all you can do with figs besides rating fresh raw???
My sister had two enormous Black Mission fig trees on her farm in Arizona. Too many to eat fresh, so she started making whole, spiced figs, preserved in a light syrup. They were on the table at holiday breakfasts and dinners, and we got to take some jars home. So delicious!
My favorite way to eat figs is cut up with plain yogurt and walnuts. Figs provide all the sweetness the yogurt needs, and the walnuts add flavor and crunch. Yum!
What do you think about the idea of covering and protecting the root ball (in containers) to keep them dry? Seems that might help prevent the sudden swelling/cracking and at least minimize these issues? I only have six or eight containers, but I guess not practical for you.
You always bring us information we don't know we need to know!😃 The best fig for our area is Brown Turkey. What is your opinion on this fig? I'm zone 8a...hot and dry. It's nice handsome Dale can enjoy his yard more since it's cooler.🐕😀
When you say Brown Turkey, do you mean California Brown Turkey? I rarely discuss that variety, because it is so common, but it is my least favorite fig by a mile. I do not like the taste, personally. If you enjoy it, that's all that matters. However, I am a person that likes the very syrupy, dark berry figs. My favorite figs are the Col de Dame varieties usually, with others like I-258 and White Madeira #1 that constantly fight for my favorite fig.
@@TheMillennialGardener All I know it by is Brown Turkey...grown all over Texas. It's not syrupy...very sweet and large. Pinkish interior. It makes great jams too.😀 Thanks for answering my question.🙂
Do you prune them before you take them to your garage for winter? Do you water them while dormant in your garage!! Thank you so much you are an awesome teacher//gardener!! Love & appreciation from Kentucky 🐎🐎🐎qi
Nice video! Thanks for sharing the information. Did you try any of this varieties: LSU Purple, Black Beauty 10, Hollier, Alma, Italian Honey, LSU Gold? I’ve heard that those varieties also are good for humid climates, that’s why I’m asking . Thanks in advance
In Myrtle Beach my fig produced a lot of figs last month and early this month. I'm not sure what variety it is as I took a cutting from a tree in my yard before I moved about 9 years ago. I grew it in a pot until about 6 years ago. Once I put it in the ground it took off and is now about 8 or 9 feet tall and wide. I am assuming it is a brown turkey but who knows. I didn't have the splitting problem with rain, just had to get to them before the birds pecked them. I got most and they are now frozen for future baked cookies, cakes, jam or other sweet goodies.
It is definitely a contender. There are so many figs that I haven’t tried that I can’t possibly make that claim, but if I only could grow one tree, it would be a major contender.
If it's very rainy, the figs will taste like a watered down melon. Sometimes, they can be sour, too, because they'll start to ferment. That's not really a fair taste comparison. Smith ripens pretty quickly, so if you can get 3-4 rainless days in a row, Smith can be *really* good.
Question, if I were to try fig trees, is this a good time of year to look for them at the garden center or mail order them? Overwinter the new ones indoors? Or should I wait start next spring? I’m in VA, Zone 7.
Now is not the best time to look for figs. Very few people still have trees in stock, and now is a tricky time to plant, because if they don't establish by the time winter comes, they could be killed. I prefer planting fig trees in spring so they have all year to root in-ground and get strong. If you live in Zone 9 or warmer, that may not matter, but you being in Zone 7, your trees are likely to die back and a fig tree that isn't established may not come back. Cutting season usually starts in October when northern areas start getting hit by frosts, and it will continue into February when the southern areas see their hard freezes. I offer cuttings around December.
Oh there are MANY fig growers in New York! That's where most of these fig varieties originated from! The Italians emigrated to Ellis Island in the early 1900's and came over with their fig cuttings. Many of the Italians stayed in the area, and they stuck their cuttings in the ground and grew their trees. Most of the figs shared across the country today came through New York, and many of those trees still grow today. New York may have more fig tree growers than any other state, believe it or not! Many Italians wrap their fig trees in NY or grow them in pots.
Here in the Charlotte NC area, I need a fig tree that will swat squirrels away from them. I have but one 33 year-old tree that was given to me by a cherished co-worker but I have keep an eye on it daily in August if I'm going to get any figs.
I-258 performed well in the rain its first season growing in a 5 gallon bucket, but since it has aged, the figs have gotten MUCH larger. Now that the tree is more mature and pumping out maximum-sized figs, their characteristics have changed. They're now extremely, extremely susceptible to rain, splitting and SWD since they have a pretty big open eye. They've become more challenging to grow as they aged. They are a fantastic fig, though, so it's worth it.
I just bought 1 Olympian 1 Celest and 1 Brown Turkey I believe I am Zone 8b in North Texas I am afraid I will mess up on them they are very small saplings
I just Start fig tree this year(Chicago hardy) .It was so exciting when I saw some figs come out at middle of June but it seem the fruit not growing much .I did fertilizer every week and water every morning.Do I do something wrong .Please help.
Thanks! Figs are most easily purchased during cutting season for rooting. I have a video on where to buy figs here: th-cam.com/video/bpZq5Dk2WWM/w-d-xo.html I do offer cuttings in the winter. I announce it formally to all my subscribers when the time comes, usually around Christmas.
Interesting that the Seattle area ( the whole west coast of the US actually) is considered a Mediterranean climate. I never knew that! After early July, we seldom get any rain until around October or so.
Seattle would be a modified cool Mediterranean climate. It isn't exactly as pure as you'd find in, say, Sicily or Malta, but your rainfall patterns have a Mediterranean distribution.
Hi how is Purpura Verde doing in the rainy climate ? Are you still happy with your Purpura Verde and do you recommend ? And would you please talk about FMD in your future videos. Thanks
The figs are very small, so it seems to have the potential to be a rain resistant fig. However, it hasn't really developed an amazing flavor yet. It still has a funny growing pattern, so it probably needs some time to settle down still. The tree is only like 18 months old, and it's a fairly newly discovered seedling, so it hasn't developed fully yet. Remember, a lot of these varieties that are common have been traded for decades, so the cuttings are coming off fully adapted trees. These new California seedlings haven't adapted properly yet.
That is a good question. I do not know. I hand-pollianted seed last year, and I'm currently growing out 43 fig trees grown from seed. 25% of them will probably be common females, so I will hopefully wind up with about 10 fig trees I can keep. I'll have to follow them over the years and see if they get better. Keep in mind seeds can only grow from pollinated figs. Only pockets of California naturally colonize the fig wasp in the US, and you need to have male fig trees nearby. If you don't live in those areas and also grow inedible male figs (called caprifigs), you cannot plant your fig seeds. They'll be infertile.
Thanks so much for all the wonderful content; I've learned so much watching you. Question: Any chance you do consulting? I recently purchased a home with a little land and could use some help planning things out. Thanks again!
Where can i learn more about root pruning a fig tree? What are the best figs for west central Florid. Our dirt is a lot of clay so thinking best would be to have potted figs. that produce a good amount of edible fruit throughout the year. Brought over some figs from italy but unfortunately the bottom opens up wide for bugs etc so virtually no edible fruit!
There isn't much to update. They won't be setting fruits for another month, and the fruits won't be of any reasonable size until late June/early July. The "early" figs here are ready in mid-to-late July, so there isn't much happening in fig land for awhile.
Hi thank you for all your good advice for fig tree growing . My potted fig tree has leaf mosaic virus . Should I keep it and transplant it to the ground or just throw it away Will the virus affect my other plants? Thank you very much for your advice
Probably a dumb question. You have the hoop setup, why not put some clear tarp over the row on rainy days? The thing about the drip system is do you have to turn it off when it rains? I ask this as i am doing research. Hubby finally agreed to an over head trellis frame, so we can run tomatoes from string instead of stakes. It hasn't gone passed -5c for years and last year was very mild. I found a new youtuber in Suffolk that has had the same problems we have had in London. They planted their autumn garlic in Jan. It might mean that i can over winter stuff. I am also watching your fig videos as our friends parents have figs and have offered us some cuttings. It is just planning where to grow things here.
Damn I need to speak with you. I live in south ga. I'm a obsessed botanist trying to learn anything I can to help these green souls exist in anything but distress. My question is how do you get by with all those potted plants outside. I had to quit buying plants cause I'm window starved and have terrible luck with potted plants outdoors. Last year I spent all summer running in and out carrying plants in Everytime I had a rain because anthracnose devastated my garden and was getting on everything. But mainly drowning plants because our heavy coastal rainfall. I have a fiddle leaf potted indoors and a Chicago fig still in the bag from the store actually trying to find the perfect location to plant it, would you or am I stuck needing to pot it up and bring it in for rain?
I bet if you came up with some covering for them that would block the rain when it comes at the wrong time it would help. i cant figure out why mine suffered this summer when it was bone dry and hot. I figured they would be fine.
It would be hard to do. Any kind of plastic covering would act as a wind sail, and considering figs ripen during the peak of hurricane season, it would be a chore to keep it in place. It would also lock in a lot of heat and humidity, which can be a problem, too. Most of my best varieties are in-ground, and there really isn't a way to protect them at all.
GREAT! Channel. Love your fig trees. I live in Utah, would I be able to grow a fig tree in the ground or bucket like yours. Thank you for your help. George zone 6a.
Have you grown the LSU varieties? I'm in the New Orleans area and already have a Celeste. I just planted a LSU tiger in ground because I assumed it would do well with the rain and the flavor and attributes sounded interesting. I saw people mention that the Smith variety did well in Louisiana as well and was very good, so I wish I'd planted that.
Thank you. What will you do with all those varieties that aren't in your best fives? I've watched your videos and noticed you have an entire nursery of figs, which is all good and I wish I do too.
A lot of what I grow struggle in my climate, but I grow them because the handful of figs I get are fantastic. I like the super-premium figs, but they're tough to grow and I don't recommend them for general growing for people that only want 1-2 trees. I don't feel right recommending varieties that often cost $20-30 a single cutting, require a very long growing season to ripen and often get spoiled by rain. You have to really love figs to put up with that.
Your figs look freakin awesome! I’ve been thinking about growing some figs but my zone is 6b. What varieties would be recommend for my zone? Also I’ve been looking for Sun Gold & Super sweet 100s for next growing season and would like to know which cultivar you use or a website I could have.
I grew Chicago Hardy inground in the Denver Metro area -- zone 6b. . I covered the bushes with insulation during the winter. The problem with Colorado was early and late freezes. Not a lot of figs would ripen before an early freeze would hit. Last year I moved to Florida and dug up the figs and took them with me -- they'll live happily everafter here.
Hardiness zones mean little with figs. Figs naturally grow in Zones 9 and 10. Colder than zone 9, you're going to get some dieback some winters. Colder than 7b will probably result in total dieback most winters. What matters with figs are growing degree days, because they need 70-100 HOT days to ripen properly. Someone in Zone 6 with hot summers may grow figs better than someone in Zone 8b Pacific Northwest where summers are too cool for ripening. Lots of growers grow figs in-ground to Zone 5 with protection, and people in Zone 4 grow them in containers. It's a technique, and variety selection means everything. Hardiness Zones mean little with figs.
I have a Celeste (I think..) and I'm in SW Ohio. Unfortunately I'm in a climate where all growth has to be new growth (no trunks survive winter). That means come August/September, this fig is nothing but a sprawled out mess, with 8-10ft branches. I tried tying it all back to a single point this year, but it didn't last long as the new growth is too flexible. I think my only choice is to move it to a spot where it won't matter much, but it took 4 years to get it to fruit. Any other advice?
Stick with LSU figs if you live in rainy or humid climates in the US. They were all breed to be grown in ground in the southeast. They all have Celeste in their breeding. There are 10+ verities that fairly easy to get a hold of. Smith is a Louisiana fig but not an LSU fig. There is also a Louisiana Strawberry that some call LSU strawberry.
The problem is I find Celeste very underwhelming. There are thousands upon thousands of fig varieties, and confining them all to a single breeding program is no fun. The fun in growing figs is the diversity and the trialing.
Figs are difficult to grow in Florida, just like where I live, since we have the same rainfall pattern and similar rainfall rates. These will grow in Florida.
So here’s a question for you. If you lived in zone 9 Louisiana, 95deg f today w105 heat index and almost daily rains and had to choose between Colonel Littmans Black Cross and Bordissot Blanca Negra what would you choose. I’ve got 1 spot left in my orchard and am looking for guidance from a more experienced fig grower in a hot wet environment.
I mean...neither of those are going to excel beautifully in rain...but Colonel Littman's is probably going to handle rain better than Bordissot Blanca Negra. BBN is pretty bad in the rain and splits easily, so I wouldn't put that in-ground unless I already had a lot of other, more reliable figs in ground first. That being said, if I could only fit ONE fig tree in ground where you live, it would probably be Smith. It's one of the most reliable of the really good figs. Smith may not be as rain resistant as Celeste or Chicago Hardy, but the flavor is so much better in my opinion.
@@TheMillennialGardener much appreciated, I have a 10 in ground and a spot for one more. Of the 10 I have all of the Louisiana Becnel heirlooms including smith, Celeste, BM, I258, VS and a couple Mount Etna’s just looking for one more premium fig as number 11, I think CLBC is it. I also have 3 of the LSU varieties but the only one in ground is LSU Scott’s Black. Btw a really nice fig for a wet climate is C’est Bon, it also handles the cold well, it’s a Louisiana Heirloom. Thanks for taking time to reply.
Are you trimming roots and repotting your 5 gallon plants every year into the same 5 gallon containers again? How else do you have 3 year old plants still in 5 gallons and still performing well? Thanks!
No. Most of my figs haven’t been root pruned in 2-3 years. This winter, I will be mass root pruning, because I think they need a refresh. I can tell they’ve lost some vigor, so fresh soil and a cut-back is necessary.
There is no such thing as an "everbearing" fig. Figs generally have one single main crop. Some figs, like Celeste, fruit so quickly they can produce another (inferior) crop on new wood grown throughout the season, but most climates aren't warm enough long enough to ripen it. Something like I-258 will never produce a second crop since it's such a late fig.
I’m not familiar with that one. There seem to be 100 different varieties introduced or “renamed” every single year, so it is impossible to keep up with them all.
We just container planted a Bears Black fig tree this year in May. It is now getting little figlets. We are in Middle Ga. How do you think this fig tree will do over all?
It will do very well outdoors in a thick pot but put it on opposite side of the winds. I keep mine right on the wall of the house where it doesn't get the North winds without covers stacked together. You can just add a thick blanket on the outside of the pots. I wouldn't cover the top of pots where the soil is. If it rains or snow a bit it's great. I am in nc and they all survived. But my figs are for a bit colder weather. I did planted most this year. I have 4 more varieties to plant.
Do you sell the colonel littman black cross fig cuttings? If so will they be on your Amazon store? I will have to over winter it inside but that's no issue. What is the lowest temperature before the black cross drops leaves? I have a Chicago hardy fig. I have noticed it requires chill hours over the winter but not freezing hours in order to set fruit during summer.
I offer cuttings to my subscribers in the winter. If you're a subscriber, you'll receive a notification. I offer them through a service called Figbid when the time comes. All figs are deciduous trees, so they drop their leaves after frost just like an oak or maple tree. There is no significant difference in cold tolerance between varieties, in my experience.
is CLBC later than say WM1 or DSJG. How late is clblc? Also did you pick the clbc a few days early because the skin was damaged from all the rain or something? I have a 2nd year CLBC that was originally an air layer. Everyone I hear says airlayered CLBCs grow so so slowly. Last winter i took a cutting of it, and it's already twice the size of my 2nd year CLBC. Neither has produced ripe fruits yet, but my 2nd year AL has 5 hard fruits on it I can't wait to try. It's also super fast to lignify for me. The only one that's faster to lignify for me is campaniere.
My WM#1 died to the ground this winter, so I can't compare it directly with CLBC. My CLBC started to ripen in mid-August, so that's not late at all to me. That's mid-season at worst. My WM#1's aren't all that late, though, either. DSJG is FIRMLY a late season fig, and they have a hang-time that feels like forever.
@@TheMillennialGardener Interesting. This year my DSJG ripened it's first fruit on Aug 20. It was in a pot, I had chopped it to a 1 foot stump last season and gave it no headstart. The hang time only seemed like 4 or 5 days to me. I got my dsjg from someone who claims they got it from harvey. Looked like a typical DSJG, green with the purple blush toward the top. I picked it a day early, it was thick and good, not excellent, but it was a first fig ever. I was under the impression that my DSJG was earlier than my WM1... I gave my WM1 a headstart, and without it I think my DSJG would have ripened a fig first. hmm. I could have gotten a mislabeled DSJG or maybe the fact that it was potted caused it to be earlier than normal... i don't know.
If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Why It's Hard Growing Fig Trees In Wet Summers
4:08 Rain Resistant Fig #1
5:06 Rain Resistant Fig #2
5:59 Rain Resistant Fig #3
7:23 Rain Resistant Fig #4
9:56 Rain Resistant Fig #5
13:00 Adventures With Dale
Big fan of your channel, I know its early for cuttings, but
I am starting a fig garden this year, would love to get 15-20 of your varieties to add to my garden.
Do you want me to add a specific list of varieties in the comments?
1. Celeste
2. Chicago Hardy
3. Olympian-peach honey flavor
4. Smith-strawberry flavor
5. Col. Litman’s Black Frost
S Stacy
Thanks!!👍🏾
Colonel littmans black cross*
Colonel littmans black cross*
@@7wernli 👍🏾
I live in Georgetown, Texas and I have two large Celeste figs and one Brown Turkey or Texas Ever-bearing. Abundant figs in late June until middle July. I lost all of these fig trees when we had an ice storm a few years ago but each fig tree came back from suckers-even though they froze to the ground . Each one is now over 8 to 10 feet tall. I harvested about 700 sweet figs this year. In the past years over 1000.
I started out with 2 fig trees, but your videos taught me how varied figs are, and within months I have 21! Not many will fruit this year, so I can't wait for next year. Sadly, the only ones I've ripened so far are Celeste and Black Mission. I live in Chesapeake, VA so my growing season length and zone are nearly identical to yours. I would love to see you do a yearly fig tour so we can see how your trees are doing, including which you have culled from last year and why. I know that's a lot of work, but I'd love to see it become an annual video. Thanks for all of the great fig (and other gardening) info!
Excellent! Congrats. I do film an annual fig tour, but I had a terrible year this year due to a bad winter. Last year’s fig tour is here: th-cam.com/video/tkBGBaI3564/w-d-xo.html
This year is largely a rebuilding year. I hope to come back with full vigor next season.
@@TheMillennialGardener question... have seen cuttings made into other fig trees. Do you know, can I use cuttings that are still green, not brown bark yet?
@@michellebarnhill5130 You want to use fully lignified cuttings, not greenwood cuttings. While greenwood cuttings still can root, you need to maintain humidity or they will dry out and wither. They often fail.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you!
@@TheMillennialGardener I have 2 fig trees that are almost 2 yrs old. Middle TN. They’ve only gotten a couple feet high, and are not fruiting yet. What am I doing wrong? I did not cover them in snow, but I water the heck out of them during hot dry summer. Am I supposed to hack them back? TYIA!
It's my first year growing figs and although it took awhile I have all 5 varieties now. Looking forward to tasting them hopefully this year. Thanks Anthony!!
So this has nothing to do with figs, but this is your most recent video so this comment goes here. During COVID, I lost all interest in gardening, which alarmed my friends. The last crop was a fabulous massive French green bean crop that something slowly ate to the ground, and if you're a real gardener you know how depressing that is. It also became so horribly hot I holed up for the entire year of 2020 and well into 2021. I forced myself to buy seed 4 months ago (that I now can't find) for fall planting. But still, some weird gardener depression hanging on. So this, my friend, is where you came in. I fell across your video in my recommended feed, and you have literally lifted my gardening depression and reignited my passion. I cannot thank you enough, and your enthusiasm is contagious. With gratitude from West Central Florida 🤗
I’m SO happy to hear that! The last couple of years have given us so many things to be depressed about. Depression destroys motivation, so it builds on itself. Gardening has really saved my life. If I weren’t keeping myself busy doing this, I probably would’ve been a wreck, honestly. It may be tough to get started, but if you force yourself to do it, it’ll not only keep your body and mind busy, but it’ll get you out into sun, which is amazing for mood overall. There are failures every year, but the successes also really give you a sense of pride. The more I grow, the healthier I feel. I hope you’re feeling the same!
I live in NC and have been wanting for so long to grow fig trees because my Sicilian grandma cherished growing hers back in the day. Thank you for making this video, now I have hope growing one ❤️
You're welcome!
What about LSU Purple? I've read in a lot of forums that it is quite split resistant _and_ is one of the few species resistant to nematodes--a major problem here in Florida. It is also extremely disease resistant. I've got 2 very juvenile plants and should know soon. Like many fruit and vegetables grown in a certain locale, it's tough to get a check in all the boxes!
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Tom Scott
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I'm just getting into fig growing and I'm trying to grow in Wv and we get a TON of rain! I'm glad to know the varieties I have are all on your list! Thank you for the great info
Rain and figs simply don’t mix, unfortunately. We have gotten nearly 9 inches of rain this month, and it has ruined many of my figs. Chances are, we will end August with over 10 inches of rainfall.
My pepper plants don't like it either! We get rain daily for weeks it wasn't always like that here but for the last 20 or so years we don't get any dry days anymore
I tapped the thumbs up 👍 button to feed the algorithm monsters.
Thanks for all your quality work.
Mediterranean climates are awesome! I lived in California for 28 years and have also spent time in Cape Town.
Now I'm growing figs in the Arizona desert.
Mediterranean climates are beautiful, comfortable and amazing for growing food. The downside: wildfire season. Having totally dry, hot summers is a problem for those areas. Look what California and much of Western Europe have to deal with from those rainless, hot summers. But I guess you're used to dry weather. I'm sure you can turn out great figs in AZ. They're surely better than mine.
Great recommendations and I definitely agree with your CLBC recommendation.. its like a smaller version of BM that can take a boatload of rain, heat, & humidity without splitting or spoiling. Do you have St Martin? Im so impressed with it here in south/central Texas. Tiny eye, amazing deep berry jammy taste, and can handle quite a bit of rain/humidity without splitting 👍🏼
The town had to dig up my yard this year, they had to remove the vegetation. I replaced it with a fig tree came across a chicago fig and desert king at lowes, and I bought both of them which lead me to this channel. Hopefully it works out in Massachusetts.
Whew. I have five Chicago Hardy growing here in coastal southwest Florida. I brought them with me from Colorado last summer and planted them in the ground. I got a few breba figs in the spring then the small trees lost their leaves with some kind of rust disease. Now the trees are leafing out again and growing vigorously.
I really like hearing about your plants for some reason
How do you tell all of those fig trees apart? They all look the same. And once again you have opened my eyes up to a fruit or a veggie! I never considered growing figs before but after all of the different flavors you described I am now thinking about figs!!!
They’re all tagged. At this point, I also have their positions memorized. I highly recommend figs. They’re a treat to grow and unlike any other fruit on earth.
I found the best process is to harvest early, daily leave stem on for day or to inside. They will ripen quickly in a controlled environment. All of the trees you suggested I have great selections. Brown turkey is good also.
Figs actually will not ripen off the tree. That's because figs are not a true fruit. They are a syconium, which is a collection of inflorescences. Figs more closely approximate a flower. Once you pick them, they begin to wither and die. Figs are best eaten immediately, because as soon as they are picked, they begin to degrade.
I took notes, live in north county San Diego. I took cutting from a neighbors and finally after transplanting twice, two of 8 are now 2’ high. I’ll get specific figs for a rich taste even though we have a draught. Thank you!
You live in a perfect Mediterranean climate with a long growing season. It, literally, does not matter what you grow. Your worst fig will turn out better than my best. Your climate is idyllic. I wouldn’t waste my time with varieties like Celeste, Olympian, and Chicago Hardy in your environment. I would be growing Ronde de Bordeaux and Smith for earliness and collecting Col de Dame’s, White Madeira #1, I-258, Calderona and other top tier figs.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you so much for taking the time to let me add those varieties to my notes much appreciated!
Great list, especially. Smith and CLBC!
Thank you! CLBC is very impressive. I picked another fig yesterday that was terribly underripe and dry as a bone inside and was STILL delicious.
In our Portland OR/Vancouver WA area (Zone 8a/8b), our local nursery sells and supports 78 varieties of figs that are highly productive along our Cascade western coast with no problems - and we truly have 4 full seasons - with Spring, Summer, and Fall rains and Winter snows.
True, I moved from Seabeck to NW Florida and we have months of 90 degrees plus 98 percent humidity plus rain every day. Completely different way to live and garden for sure! Plus we are still a free state😉
Many of the figs OGW sells will only ripen with a head start in a pot in your area.
Not everything OGW sells is appropriate for the PNW. Take what’s being said in their marketing with a big grain of salt.
@@oregonfigs3314 Find out the proper zone each variety will fluorish in - and if they are a warmer climate zone fig - then put them in pots (and caretake them on the south-facing side of the house (patio, atrium, arboretum, hot house, grow house) - otherwise if they grow just fine - then plant them.
I had my first experience when my mother visited another employee at her retirement center in Vancouver (WA) and there was this huge fig tree (planted) 20+ feet tall - and (age 9-10) my first eating of a fresh picked fig - and I have been addicted since. That tree was acclimated and a prolific producer with summer heat, spring/fall rains, and Vancouver Columbia River wind, weather, and snows - no problem.
Just make sure the proper fig for the proper placement in a pot or in the ground.
Even here in coastal SanFran Mediterrean climate zone (9) - dry, cool, everybody grows planted oranges, lemons, limes, pommelos, kumquats, loquats, berries, apples, figs (almost an invasive species), and there is no problem growing here in coastal northern California vs the warm/hot interior Central Valley farming area..
@@donnastormer9652 Stay free Donna! Stay free Florida!!!
I have three Chicago Hardy figs in containers. Those figs have given me tasty fruit.
Excellent! Consider expanding to more varieties 😊
@@TheMillennialGardener For sure.
figs are my number1 favourite fruit on the planet..They are so expensive to buy, so I need2 grow them.😋Great video!!
I have Chicago, Olympian, Kadota, and Bornholm's diamond figs. I guess I did a good job picking lol
Wow that really good information from you. I have a fig tree that the fruit is yellow with stripes around. I don’t know what the name of it but I can never taste one because weather in Seattle is totally different than where u live. Seattle is so dry in summer no rain at all and summer so short when winter come fig is still not ripe yet then it hang in the tree for awhile and fall off.
I don't worry so much about the rain as the heat and sun. I have Brown Turkey.
You're my new favorite gardening channel on TH-cam that's some great videos I'll tell you that 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you! I really appreciate it! I'm glad you enjoy the videos.
Today i just foundolympian from lowes and last week i bought celest and chicago hardy. After watching your video. I am new to fig growing but i have brown turkey for few yrars . I neglected it in pot for 1 year then put it in ground and my son mowed it with lawn mower😁. But its coming back as bush.
What l needed and right on time as always. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Man in your climate having a greenhouse with supplemental lighting and something like an Andan dehumidifier is a must. If I were you, that's what I'd be looking into investing in next. Losing the majority of your figs is absolutely brutal I feel for you brother. Hopefully you can rent a spot or get land somewhere nearby if your HOA is against you building one in your backyard.
Love your video’s, I live in Ohio. This is the first year that I propagated fig’s. I Followed your fertilize regiment to a T, you made a believer out of me. a huge success so far. Thanks For all your great advice exclamation
Gblessyou all, in Ecuador 🇪🇨 😍, we eat the figs, when they're still green, we cut them in a cross ✝️ , not all the way down, and cook them in water, in a low heat, with panela or piloncillo, which are blocks of brown sugar, cinnamon, whole allspice, for about an hour, and you can eat them with mozzarella cheese, or make a sandwich with the figs and, the cheese.
Just won a bid on figbid for col. Littman black cross. I'm excited to grow it
I’m glad you and Dale have better weather to enjoy. You are very educated about plants, I appreciate your knowledge you share. Do you ever have plans for farmland or high tunnels? I do enjoy backyard gardening because that is all I can do now.
Celeste ripens early her in NW FL and escapes most of the damage from rains---most of the time. Later ripening figs are hard to ripen most years because of too much rain. Commercial growers keep irrigation to near saturation level continuously to avoid the shock of heavy downpours. I know of zero rain-proof varieties. Sorry! I agree that Celeste is the best. My neighbor has Olympian and I plan to get a cutting this Winter. Try Beer's Black/Negronne for high flavor. Taste is much like a dried purple fig: rich.
We actually have a true Mediterranian climate in Victoria, BC but unfortunately I live less than half a mile from the cold north Pacific ocean which is a humongous negative heat sink so it is difficult to get figs to ripen at my residence. If I go downtown to my worksite which is only a mile away it is 5 C degrees warmer most days so I need to use a type of greenhouse to get ripe figs for the most part
I am in the 3% of the world that your map showed as a mediterranian type climate in Northern Nevada. I have three brown turkey figs that I bought on clearance last fall. I brought them out of the little green house this spring. To my dismay we had a late frost that froze the leaves and buds as well as many other plants that had leafed/budded out. I was sure I had lost them. Amazingly they came back. As far as rain in my area, we have had the wettest August since 1965 with an official total for the month of 1.66 inches. I know, I know that doesn't sound like anything but considering we got 1.22 inches of our monthly total in just 90 minutes on August 3, 2022, we were slammed. We can drive in snow, but that much rain is daunting. I would love to know what kind of figs you would recommend for my area. Love your videos and great information. And I love Dale and his adventures. Thank you for sharing your gardening and pet life with us.
In terms of fruit quality, your climate is so dry that any fig will come out well. Your challenge is going to be growing season duration, because your frost-free period is probably short. From what I'm seeing, northern Nevada ranges from Zone 7a to 5b, so that can be a dramatic difference in growing season length. I'm guessing you have to grow figs in containers, so I would recommend you look at Chicago Hardy, Smith, Negra d'Agde and Ronde de Bordeaux to start. They're all early, smaller figs that ripen fairly quickly once they begin to swell. If you're brave and want to play with some later season figs and see if you can ripen them, maybe try White Madeira #1, I-258 and Colonel Littman's Black Cross. You might be pushing it, but it's worth a shot. The Col de Dame's are my favorite, but they're all quite late.
Thanks man...Gonna order some for my Arkansas property...still blows my mind that we are both in 8A, but micro climates are so different
This is why I'm reluctant to mention Zones. Zone 8 Washington, Arkansas and North Carolina have little in common. Totally different precipitation patterns, growing degree days, winter inflection points, day lengths, etc.
I have had good luck with my Brown Turkey fig. They get really big and not much cracking. The problem I'm having is ants. They just craw inside the flower's hole and start eating it from the inside out.
I have all of the varieties mentioned! Off to a good start
Outstanding!
Thank you for the video. It's hard to choose varieties without knowing the plants. You definitely have a fig forest in your yard!
Thank you! Now, if only we could have a dry August and September! It doesn't seem possible where I live. We always get 8-12 inches of rain every August 😥
Thanks for another good video! You continue to be my go-to fig advisor. My in-ground Brown Turkey is having another gonzo year. After watching you through Covid, I bought some cuttings online. My success was no better or worse than I've seen others have. Funny story, inordered 4 odf Etsy. Unbeknownst to me, they came from Albania and none were labeled! 3 out of 4vtook, I labeled them Unknown Albanian. Live and learn, right. You continue to be an inspiration. Any ideas for doing a video about all you can do with figs besides rating fresh raw???
Yes, please show is how to use them! Thanks for a great video.
My sister had two enormous Black Mission fig trees on her farm in Arizona. Too many to eat fresh, so she started making whole, spiced figs, preserved in a light syrup. They were on the table at holiday breakfasts and dinners, and we got to take some jars home. So delicious!
My favorite way to eat figs is cut up with plain yogurt and walnuts. Figs provide all the sweetness the yogurt needs, and the walnuts add flavor and crunch. Yum!
Wonderful conversation, as always thank you for sharing your detailed thoughts, rationale and recommendations.
You're welcome!
Use the plastic cup method to cover the fig from rain .
Cut the plastic cup from side and the plastic cup bottom will face upwards.
My "Olympian" from Lowes was actually something like VDB, perhaps Vista.
What do you think about the idea of covering and protecting the root ball (in containers) to keep them dry? Seems that might help prevent the sudden swelling/cracking and at least minimize these issues? I only have six or eight containers, but I guess not practical for you.
You always bring us information we don't know we need to know!😃 The best fig for our area is Brown Turkey. What is your opinion on this fig? I'm zone 8a...hot and dry.
It's nice handsome Dale can enjoy his yard more since it's cooler.🐕😀
When you say Brown Turkey, do you mean California Brown Turkey? I rarely discuss that variety, because it is so common, but it is my least favorite fig by a mile. I do not like the taste, personally. If you enjoy it, that's all that matters. However, I am a person that likes the very syrupy, dark berry figs. My favorite figs are the Col de Dame varieties usually, with others like I-258 and White Madeira #1 that constantly fight for my favorite fig.
@@TheMillennialGardener All I know it by is Brown Turkey...grown all over Texas. It's not syrupy...very sweet and large. Pinkish interior. It makes great jams too.😀
Thanks for answering my question.🙂
Do you prune them before you take them to your garage for winter? Do you water them while dormant in your garage!! Thank you so much you are an awesome teacher//gardener!! Love & appreciation from Kentucky 🐎🐎🐎qi
Nice video! Thanks for sharing the information.
Did you try any of this varieties: LSU Purple, Black Beauty 10, Hollier, Alma, Italian Honey, LSU Gold? I’ve heard that those varieties also are good for humid climates, that’s why I’m asking . Thanks in advance
All the LSU varieties are pretty rain resistant (celeste varieties)
In Myrtle Beach my fig produced a lot of figs last month and early this month. I'm not sure what variety it is as I took a cutting from a tree in my yard before I moved about 9 years ago. I grew it in a pot until about 6 years ago. Once I put it in the ground it took off and is now about 8 or 9 feet tall and wide. I am assuming it is a brown turkey but who knows. I didn't have the splitting problem with rain, just had to get to them before the birds pecked them. I got most and they are now frozen for future baked cookies, cakes, jam or other sweet goodies.
Hard to beat Smith. I think its the best all around fig in existence.
It is definitely a contender. There are so many figs that I haven’t tried that I can’t possibly make that claim, but if I only could grow one tree, it would be a major contender.
Excelent informetion. Thank you
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great information! Thank you 😊👍
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Just taste smith from my 5 years old tree, as my first time growing fig I have a mix feeling on it in term of flavor. I blame on rain.
If it's very rainy, the figs will taste like a watered down melon. Sometimes, they can be sour, too, because they'll start to ferment. That's not really a fair taste comparison. Smith ripens pretty quickly, so if you can get 3-4 rainless days in a row, Smith can be *really* good.
Question, if I were to try fig trees, is this a good time of year to look for them at the garden center or mail order them? Overwinter the new ones indoors? Or should I wait start next spring? I’m in VA, Zone 7.
Now is not the best time to look for figs. Very few people still have trees in stock, and now is a tricky time to plant, because if they don't establish by the time winter comes, they could be killed. I prefer planting fig trees in spring so they have all year to root in-ground and get strong. If you live in Zone 9 or warmer, that may not matter, but you being in Zone 7, your trees are likely to die back and a fig tree that isn't established may not come back. Cutting season usually starts in October when northern areas start getting hit by frosts, and it will continue into February when the southern areas see their hard freezes. I offer cuttings around December.
Great video wish I could grow some figs it just here in New York it just ain't going to happen
Oh there are MANY fig growers in New York! That's where most of these fig varieties originated from! The Italians emigrated to Ellis Island in the early 1900's and came over with their fig cuttings. Many of the Italians stayed in the area, and they stuck their cuttings in the ground and grew their trees. Most of the figs shared across the country today came through New York, and many of those trees still grow today. New York may have more fig tree growers than any other state, believe it or not! Many Italians wrap their fig trees in NY or grow them in pots.
Here in the Charlotte NC area, I need a fig tree that will swat squirrels away from them. I have but one 33 year-old tree that was given to me by a cherished co-worker but I have keep an eye on it daily in August if I'm going to get any figs.
Your best chance may be bird betting. It's really cheap, but it could be tough to cover a very large fig tree.
good info thanks! has your opinion on i258 being rain resistant changed?
I-258 performed well in the rain its first season growing in a 5 gallon bucket, but since it has aged, the figs have gotten MUCH larger. Now that the tree is more mature and pumping out maximum-sized figs, their characteristics have changed. They're now extremely, extremely susceptible to rain, splitting and SWD since they have a pretty big open eye. They've become more challenging to grow as they aged. They are a fantastic fig, though, so it's worth it.
Very helpful thank you
You’re welcome!
Wow great to know!
Thanks for watching!
I just bought 1 Olympian 1 Celest and 1 Brown Turkey I believe I am Zone 8b in North Texas I am afraid I will mess up on them they are very small saplings
If these 5 varieties are so good then why do you only have the Celeste in ground and not all of them?
I just Start fig tree this year(Chicago hardy) .It was so exciting when I saw some figs come out at middle of June but it seem the fruit not growing much .I did fertilizer every week and water every morning.Do I do something wrong .Please help.
Your videos are awesome. Just tried locating the 5 types with not much luck. Do you sell cutting and where? Keep them coming and thanks!
Thanks! Figs are most easily purchased during cutting season for rooting. I have a video on where to buy figs here: th-cam.com/video/bpZq5Dk2WWM/w-d-xo.html
I do offer cuttings in the winter. I announce it formally to all my subscribers when the time comes, usually around Christmas.
Interesting that the Seattle area ( the whole west coast of the US actually) is considered a Mediterranean climate. I never knew that! After early July, we seldom get any rain until around October or so.
Seattle would be a modified cool Mediterranean climate. It isn't exactly as pure as you'd find in, say, Sicily or Malta, but your rainfall patterns have a Mediterranean distribution.
Hi how is Purpura Verde doing in the rainy climate ? Are you still happy with your Purpura Verde and do you recommend ? And would you please talk about FMD in your future videos. Thanks
The figs are very small, so it seems to have the potential to be a rain resistant fig. However, it hasn't really developed an amazing flavor yet. It still has a funny growing pattern, so it probably needs some time to settle down still. The tree is only like 18 months old, and it's a fairly newly discovered seedling, so it hasn't developed fully yet. Remember, a lot of these varieties that are common have been traded for decades, so the cuttings are coming off fully adapted trees. These new California seedlings haven't adapted properly yet.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you very much for your response
Great video. If you grow seeds from your own harvest, will they adapt to your climate after a few generations?
That is a good question. I do not know. I hand-pollianted seed last year, and I'm currently growing out 43 fig trees grown from seed. 25% of them will probably be common females, so I will hopefully wind up with about 10 fig trees I can keep. I'll have to follow them over the years and see if they get better. Keep in mind seeds can only grow from pollinated figs. Only pockets of California naturally colonize the fig wasp in the US, and you need to have male fig trees nearby. If you don't live in those areas and also grow inedible male figs (called caprifigs), you cannot plant your fig seeds. They'll be infertile.
Thanks so much for all the wonderful content; I've learned so much watching you. Question: Any chance you do consulting? I recently purchased a home with a little land and could use some help planning things out. Thanks again!
Where can i learn more about root pruning a fig tree?
What are the best figs for west central Florid. Our dirt is a lot of clay so thinking best would be to have potted figs. that produce a good amount of edible fruit throughout the year. Brought over some figs from italy but unfortunately the bottom opens up wide for bugs etc so virtually no edible fruit!
Must be due for a fig tree update soon lol
There isn't much to update. They won't be setting fruits for another month, and the fruits won't be of any reasonable size until late June/early July. The "early" figs here are ready in mid-to-late July, so there isn't much happening in fig land for awhile.
Hi thank you for all your good advice for fig tree growing . My potted fig tree has leaf mosaic virus .
Should I keep it and transplant it to the ground or just throw it away
Will the virus affect my other plants?
Thank you very much for your advice
No Nurseries near me have any fig trees here in Texas. I wanted a couple saplings this spring
I have a video on where to buy figs here: th-cam.com/video/bpZq5Dk2WWM/w-d-xo.html
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank u. I will give that a look when I get home from work at midnight.
Probably a dumb question. You have the hoop setup, why not put some clear tarp over the row on rainy days? The thing about the drip system is do you have to turn it off when it rains?
I ask this as i am doing research. Hubby finally agreed to an over head trellis frame, so we can run tomatoes from string instead of stakes. It hasn't gone passed -5c for years and last year was very mild. I found a new youtuber in Suffolk that has had the same problems we have had in London. They planted their autumn garlic in Jan. It might mean that i can over winter stuff.
I am also watching your fig videos as our friends parents have figs and have offered us some cuttings. It is just planning where to grow things here.
Damn I need to speak with you. I live in south ga. I'm a obsessed botanist trying to learn anything I can to help these green souls exist in anything but distress. My question is how do you get by with all those potted plants outside. I had to quit buying plants cause I'm window starved and have terrible luck with potted plants outdoors. Last year I spent all summer running in and out carrying plants in Everytime I had a rain because anthracnose devastated my garden and was getting on everything. But mainly drowning plants because our heavy coastal rainfall. I have a fiddle leaf potted indoors and a Chicago fig still in the bag from the store actually trying to find the perfect location to plant it, would you or am I stuck needing to pot it up and bring it in for rain?
woa... beards gone... great info
It varies. I never let it get to “itch phase.”
I thought you looked different! Couldn't put my finger on what it was!!
Have you tried the LSU Purple fig variety? It was cultivated in Louisiana, so it should be well suited to wet humid summers.
I do not have any LSU varieties.
I bet if you came up with some covering for them that would block the rain when it comes at the wrong time it would help. i cant figure out why mine suffered this summer when it was bone dry and hot. I figured they would be fine.
It would be hard to do. Any kind of plastic covering would act as a wind sail, and considering figs ripen during the peak of hurricane season, it would be a chore to keep it in place. It would also lock in a lot of heat and humidity, which can be a problem, too. Most of my best varieties are in-ground, and there really isn't a way to protect them at all.
GREAT! Channel. Love your fig trees. I live in Utah, would I be able to grow a fig tree in the ground or bucket like yours. Thank you for your help. George zone 6a.
Love it
Thank you!
How was your harvest this year of CLBC? Any closer to recommending for zone 8b?
Have you grown the LSU varieties? I'm in the New Orleans area and already have a Celeste. I just planted a LSU tiger in ground because I assumed it would do well with the rain and the flavor and attributes sounded interesting. I saw people mention that the Smith variety did well in Louisiana as well and was very good, so I wish I'd planted that.
Hi, i like yr gardening videos full of knowledge. I live in Cary NC. Can you guide me which is the sweetest fig tree available in market ?
Thank you. What will you do with all those varieties that aren't in your best fives? I've watched your videos and noticed you have an entire nursery of figs, which is all good and I wish I do too.
A lot of what I grow struggle in my climate, but I grow them because the handful of figs I get are fantastic. I like the super-premium figs, but they're tough to grow and I don't recommend them for general growing for people that only want 1-2 trees. I don't feel right recommending varieties that often cost $20-30 a single cutting, require a very long growing season to ripen and often get spoiled by rain. You have to really love figs to put up with that.
Your figs look freakin awesome! I’ve been thinking about growing some figs but my zone is 6b. What varieties would be recommend for my zone? Also I’ve been looking for Sun Gold & Super sweet 100s for next growing season and would like to know which cultivar you use or a website I could have.
Company not cultivar lol
I grew Chicago Hardy inground in the Denver Metro area -- zone 6b. . I covered the bushes with insulation during the winter. The problem with Colorado was early and late freezes. Not a lot of figs would ripen before an early freeze would hit. Last year I moved to Florida and dug up the figs and took them with me -- they'll live happily everafter here.
I grow brown turkey in 5 gal. buckets.They grow like mad bear well.Just get them out early in spring
I grow Olympian in containers in zone 5A. They are the hardiest tree I’ve ever seen. (Figs in general). The. Olympian taste is fantastic!
if you can mention the zones along with the varities it would help a lot of people. 🙂
Hardiness zones mean little with figs. Figs naturally grow in Zones 9 and 10. Colder than zone 9, you're going to get some dieback some winters. Colder than 7b will probably result in total dieback most winters. What matters with figs are growing degree days, because they need 70-100 HOT days to ripen properly. Someone in Zone 6 with hot summers may grow figs better than someone in Zone 8b Pacific Northwest where summers are too cool for ripening. Lots of growers grow figs in-ground to Zone 5 with protection, and people in Zone 4 grow them in containers. It's a technique, and variety selection means everything. Hardiness Zones mean little with figs.
I have a Celeste (I think..) and I'm in SW Ohio. Unfortunately I'm in a climate where all growth has to be new growth (no trunks survive winter). That means come August/September, this fig is nothing but a sprawled out mess, with 8-10ft branches. I tried tying it all back to a single point this year, but it didn't last long as the new growth is too flexible. I think my only choice is to move it to a spot where it won't matter much, but it took 4 years to get it to fruit. Any other advice?
Stick with LSU figs if you live in rainy or humid climates in the US. They were all breed to be grown in ground in the southeast. They all have Celeste in their breeding. There are 10+ verities that fairly easy to get a hold of. Smith is a Louisiana fig but not an LSU fig. There is also a Louisiana Strawberry that some call LSU strawberry.
The problem is I find Celeste very underwhelming. There are thousands upon thousands of fig varieties, and confining them all to a single breeding program is no fun. The fun in growing figs is the diversity and the trialing.
I have chicago hardy figs .they started to fruits but Now in August , the fruits don’t look any bigger then month ago. Wonder what cause it .
Is growing in Florida Orlando
Figs are difficult to grow in Florida, just like where I live, since we have the same rainfall pattern and similar rainfall rates. These will grow in Florida.
So...those of us growing a FEW (not hundreds) of fig in pots, can we just move our figs out of the rain?
So here’s a question for you. If you lived in zone 9 Louisiana, 95deg f today w105 heat index and almost daily rains and had to choose between Colonel Littmans Black Cross and Bordissot Blanca Negra what would you choose. I’ve got 1 spot left in my orchard and am looking for guidance from a more experienced fig grower in a hot wet environment.
I mean...neither of those are going to excel beautifully in rain...but Colonel Littman's is probably going to handle rain better than Bordissot Blanca Negra. BBN is pretty bad in the rain and splits easily, so I wouldn't put that in-ground unless I already had a lot of other, more reliable figs in ground first. That being said, if I could only fit ONE fig tree in ground where you live, it would probably be Smith. It's one of the most reliable of the really good figs. Smith may not be as rain resistant as Celeste or Chicago Hardy, but the flavor is so much better in my opinion.
@@TheMillennialGardener much appreciated, I have a 10 in ground and a spot for one more. Of the 10 I have all of the Louisiana Becnel heirlooms including smith, Celeste, BM, I258, VS and a couple Mount Etna’s just looking for one more premium fig as number 11, I think CLBC is it. I also have 3 of the LSU varieties but the only one in ground is LSU Scott’s Black. Btw a really nice fig for a wet climate is C’est Bon, it also handles the cold well, it’s a Louisiana Heirloom. Thanks for taking time to reply.
Oh I also have RDB Starting to lose track
One more….Black Celeste. Ok I’m done. Thanks again
Do you transfer your seat trees When they get too large out of the 5 gallon buckets?
Are you trimming roots and repotting your 5 gallon plants every year into the same 5 gallon containers again? How else do you have 3 year old plants still in 5 gallons and still performing well? Thanks!
No. Most of my figs haven’t been root pruned in 2-3 years. This winter, I will be mass root pruning, because I think they need a refresh. I can tell they’ve lost some vigor, so fresh soil and a cut-back is necessary.
Any concern for FMV with your plants in NC? I live in Raleigh and want to start a new fig garden st a new location.
what about the everbearing figs like i258 if it rains true you loose them but they pop out more after the rain
There is no such thing as an "everbearing" fig. Figs generally have one single main crop. Some figs, like Celeste, fruit so quickly they can produce another (inferior) crop on new wood grown throughout the season, but most climates aren't warm enough long enough to ripen it. Something like I-258 will never produce a second crop since it's such a late fig.
Any comments on the 'Fignomenal' ultra-dwarf cultivar?
I’m not familiar with that one. There seem to be 100 different varieties introduced or “renamed” every single year, so it is impossible to keep up with them all.
@@TheMillennialGardener Good to know. It's advertised as being max 28 inches, so space-limited people may be drawn to it.
We just container planted a Bears Black fig tree this year in May. It is now getting little figlets. We are in Middle Ga. How do you think this fig tree will do over all?
It will do very well outdoors in a thick pot but put it on opposite side of the winds. I keep mine right on the wall of the house where it doesn't get the North winds without covers stacked together. You can just add a thick blanket on the outside of the pots. I wouldn't cover the top of pots where the soil is. If it rains or snow a bit it's great. I am in nc and they all survived. But my figs are for a bit colder weather. I did planted most this year. I have 4 more varieties to plant.
Oh if Bear black is an etna type it should handle colder weather. They did sell them at my local Walmart last summer and I am in z 7a, 8.
What kind of fertilizer are you using for this time of the year,
I have a playlist dedicated to fertilizing figs based on time of year here: th-cam.com/play/PL1gY7BoYBGIFNbJEUdApbh_E57uNBLG2j.html
Do you sell the colonel littman black cross fig cuttings? If so will they be on your Amazon store?
I will have to over winter it inside but that's no issue. What is the lowest temperature before the black cross drops leaves? I have a Chicago hardy fig. I have noticed it requires chill hours over the winter but not freezing hours in order to set fruit during summer.
I offer cuttings to my subscribers in the winter. If you're a subscriber, you'll receive a notification. I offer them through a service called Figbid when the time comes. All figs are deciduous trees, so they drop their leaves after frost just like an oak or maple tree. There is no significant difference in cold tolerance between varieties, in my experience.
is CLBC later than say WM1 or DSJG. How late is clblc? Also did you pick the clbc a few days early because the skin was damaged from all the rain or something? I have a 2nd year CLBC that was originally an air layer. Everyone I hear says airlayered CLBCs grow so so slowly. Last winter i took a cutting of it, and it's already twice the size of my 2nd year CLBC. Neither has produced ripe fruits yet, but my 2nd year AL has 5 hard fruits on it I can't wait to try. It's also super fast to lignify for me. The only one that's faster to lignify for me is campaniere.
My WM#1 died to the ground this winter, so I can't compare it directly with CLBC. My CLBC started to ripen in mid-August, so that's not late at all to me. That's mid-season at worst. My WM#1's aren't all that late, though, either. DSJG is FIRMLY a late season fig, and they have a hang-time that feels like forever.
@@TheMillennialGardener Interesting. This year my DSJG ripened it's first fruit on Aug 20. It was in a pot, I had chopped it to a 1 foot stump last season and gave it no headstart. The hang time only seemed like 4 or 5 days to me. I got my dsjg from someone who claims they got it from harvey. Looked like a typical DSJG, green with the purple blush toward the top. I picked it a day early, it was thick and good, not excellent, but it was a first fig ever. I was under the impression that my DSJG was earlier than my WM1... I gave my WM1 a headstart, and without it I think my DSJG would have ripened a fig first. hmm. I could have gotten a mislabeled DSJG or maybe the fact that it was potted caused it to be earlier than normal... i don't know.
Do you like clbc more than noir de barbentane? Do they ripen around the same time?
That is a tough question. I have never eaten them side-by-side at equivalent ripeness, so I cannot say. They have a lot of similarities.