Fig Progress Report. 5.20.16

Brunswick Fig Breba Crop.  5.20.16

Fig brebas are getting big.  Brebas are figs that grow from buds on last summer's stems, and ripen during this summer.  Figs that grow on this year's stems are called Main Crop, and ripen in the fall.

Some fig trees are mainly breba producers, some are mainly main crop, some are both.

The Battleground fig trees are 3 to 5 years old, except for Brunswick which I moved there 4 years ago, and was 10 years old at the time.

Brunswick rarely has brebas, and is one of the sweetest figs, so the handful this year is great.

Brunswick goes by other names - Dalmation, Madonna, Castle Kennedy, Magnolia, Kennedy, Clémentine.  Ancient varieties often go by many names, because they have been taken from place to place, and people who forgot the original name gave them new names.  Later, they are found to be the same variety, but many people then know them by other names.   Brunswick's place in the Pacific NW is tenuous - there are other fig trees that bear more figs, are more reliable, and that have most before the fall rainy season, which makes the last figs on this tree moldy. But when it bears, the figs are so amazingly sweet, juicy, and "fig flavored".

Brunswick Fig Tree, moved Dec 2012

Carini Fig Breba Crop.  5.20.16

White Marseilles / Lattarula Fig Breba Crop.  5.20.16

I moved this tree to Battleground as an experiment.  I didn't know if it would survive.  Now, after more than 3 years, it has increased a little in size, and growing many new shoots from the base.  I will let the largest of those shoots grow, since they seem more vigorous than the top.

LSU Tiger Fig Tree.  5.20.16

Other fig trees with brebas this year:

Big breba crop:

Lattarula - also called White Marseilles and Italian honey Fig.  Both the big original tree and the smaller tree grown from cutting and planted at Battleground, are covered with figs.   This is an old variety - Thomas Jefferson was enthusiastic about White Marseilles fig.

 King - also called "Desert King" - only the one at the old place.  The cutting at Battleground is slow to establish.  I expect it to need a few more years.  Once established, this tree grows huge for a fruit tree.  The tree at the old place is covered with breba figs.


 Carini - a NOID from a Fig Forum member.   Really should have a place in the Pacific NW.  Generous sized figs, reddish coloration, sweet, vigorous, and bears a lot at a young age.  Probably comparable to Lattarula, which is one of the best.

Fig trees with only a few brebas -

Petite negri - worth it for the fall figs.  Usually has a few brebas.

Hardy Chicago - rarely has brebas but is among the first of the Main Crop summer figs.  The few brebas it has, usually fall off.

No brebas at all:

Sal's fig - usually has a main crop, but the tree is not thriving at all, much smaller than any of the other, similar range in size as Petite negri but the figs are not as good.  Very hardy even in our coldest winter, but I am thinking about replacing it with Celeste, when that cutting reaches a bigger size, maybe Spring 2017.

LSU Tiger - Modern fig tree from Louisiana, very big juicy figs, bears well, very vigorous, but not brebas this year.  Hardiness here not known, last winter was so mild it wasn't a good test.

Smith Fig - an old Louisiana variety.  May not be hardy here.  I planted outside last summer, survived the mild winter.  No figs yet this year.  Not fertilizing because I want the growth to be tough for next winter.

Champagne Fig - a modern Louisiana variety.  The figs are nice, sprightly yellow figs, small.  I don't know the hardiness here and no brebas this year.  Not fertilizing, as for Smith.

Dominick's Fig - a heritage variety from a fig forum member in the Eastern seaboard.  I have two, one might become the rootstock for Petite negri.  Haven't tasted from this tree yet.

Atreano - this might have had some if not for deer.  I did not protect it well.   Considered good for Pacific NW.

Other than a NOID - I'm thinking was labeled as "Sicilian white" but the label is lost so not sure, very young with 2 brebas on it's skinny stem, and Celeste - grew from cutting too late last year to get much growth, still in container for this year - I think that's all of my fig trees.

Where there is vigorous top growth, I have been snapping off the terminal leaf, leaving 5 or 6 leaves per shoot.  Tipping the shoot is thought to stimulate earlier and/or better production of main crop figs, and that is also my experience.  I am not doing that for the smaller Battleground fig trees, because I want them to get in as much good growth this year as possible.   I did tip the strongest growth on Brunswick, Lattarula, and LSU Tiger.

Figs. Progress Report. 9.13 15

Brunswick figs starting to ripen.  9.13.15

Hardy Chicago fig wood lignification.  9.13.15

Carini fig wood  lignification.  9.13.15

Sal's Fig.  9.13.15

Celeste Fig Start at 2 1/2 months.  9.13.15

LSU Tiger ripening.  Container grown.  9.13.15

Lattarula showing lignification.  9.13.15

Row of Figs trees bordering easement.  9.15.15

Here is my fig progress report for 9.13.15.  I am nearing the end of starting new fig trees, at least for myself. 

Topics:
Starting fig trees.
Establishing a small fig orchard.
Testing fig varieties.
Testing for or promoting hardiness.
Ripening figs now.

Starting fig trees:
The newest, and last intended attempts, are for the Celeste cuttings and cuttings of Petite negri / Aubique petite.  I started the Celeste in June.  There are 2 growing plants, well past the tenuous stage when there are leaves but no roots supporting them.  These just need to store some carbohydrates and go dormant.  I can early-start them in sunroom in Jan for a head start next year.

I want to try Aubique Petite again at Battleground.  I don't know if my original tree can be moved - may be too big.  I started a cutting last month.  Cut a semi-hardwood cutting, cut leaves in half, scored the sides through cambium, dipped into Dip-and-Grow, and placed in water on North side of house.  I have been changing the water when I think of it, about weekly.

The roots are at the callous - small root stage.  I moved this on into potting soil today.  Will keep it watered until fall, store in garage, and probably also bring out of dormancy in January.  This will need extra TLC to grow fast, since it is slow growing.  I want it to fruit as soon as it can.

Establishing a Small Fig Orchard.  I don't know which ones will do well, and there is room, so I am trying many varieties.  This row is shaded on East by a large fir tree.  On the west is an easement, which I can't use for much.  These are out of the easement.  If a road is ever built, the fig trees will provide some privacy.  I planted Champagne into ground.  There are already Brunswick, moved 2 years ago.  There are starts from Dominick and Atreano.  I might add Smith and one or two more.

There is also the row of fig trees south of the Battleground house. 

Testing fig varieties and hardiness.   It's too much trouble to maintain more than a few trees in containers.  Even if it's a variety that I like and may not be able to survive in ground, I am moving most into ground.  It's young fig trees that are most susceptible to freezing damage.  Some thoughts - I am only planting trees that have been container grown, outside, for 2 or 3 years.  They should be more hardy than new ones.  I am avoiding stimulating more that about a foot of new growth on these trees.  That means the new growth should have a chance to lignify.  Ditto for in-ground trees.  For some, there was only a few inches of growth.  Not great for fast enlargement and production, but I think they should be more hardy.   I will leave a few in containers, but the long term plan is all in-ground.

The fig tree row south of the house, Hardy Chicago, Sal's and Dominic seem the most lignified.  LSU Tiger, Carini, and Lattarula are not there yet.  Lattarula is ahead of Carini and Tiger.

Figs Ripening Now.  This is the best part and why grow figs.  Getting a bowl full of Hardy Chicago about every other day.  Sal's is still young but getting a taste every few days.  Tiger in container is ripening more.  Not confident Tiger in ground will make it this year.  Carini might get there.  Brunswick has multiple figs that have reached the tipping point to ripening.  The most ever. 

First Main Crop Figs. 8.29.15

Smith Figs.  8.29.15

Hardy Chicago Figs.  8.29.15

 First of the main crop figs.  Main crop is the fall crop.  Rained last night, no splits this time.

Smith - in container.  There was one fig last week.  This one was broken from the rain, so I harvested it.  Excellent flavor even though not quite ripe.  The others will be left on a few more days.

Hardy Chicago - in ground.  Usually the first of main crop figs for me.  I was just going to pick one, but kept finding more. I pruned heavily this winter, to keep branching low.  Probably no loss of crop, since the brebas always fall off for my tree.

Not shown until I get to Battleground today - Sal's, while small, has several ripening figs.

Edit:   Added photos of Sal's figs and comparison with Hardy Chicago.  Maybe the Sal's were not quite as ripe.  I thought the Hardy Chicago had more flavor, sweeter, juicier.  But if not for tasting them side by side. I would have liked the Sal's very much.

Hardy Chicago Figs.  8.29.15

Hardy Chicago Fig Tree.  8.29.15

Sal's  Figs and Hardy Chicago Figs.  8.29.15

Sal's Figs on tree.  8.29.15

Fig Progress Report. 7.5.15

Brunswick main crop figs.  7.5.15

Container Carini with small main crop figs.  7.5.15

 This progress report is for fig trees at the Battleground place.  The 4 in-ground and 3 potted at the Vancouver place will follow if I have the energy.

Brunswick - started from cutting 2001, moved to Battleground 2012.  Big main crop figs.  I hope they continue.

Sal's - started uncertain date, slow start.  Planted small tree, 1 foot, Battleground, summer 2012.   Growth continues to be slow, which might be why there was no frost damage when other fast growing trees died to the ground.  Many figs, further ahead than most of the other varieties, even though growth is minimal.

Carini - I have both in-ground and container.  If the in-ground survives next winter, I want to find a good home for the container tree.   Two good size brebas, and a number of new main crop.  In-ground was grown from cutting 2013, winter killed to ground, that winter, grew back 2014 - slower - and survived winter with protection.  This winter is the big test, no protection.

Atreano - I have both in-ground and container.  Both are promising.  I would like to find a good home for the container tree, after I get to eat the figs.  I have not tried Atreano yet.  Similar story as Carini.

Hardy Chicago - Growth was slow.  Grew from cutting 2014.  Planted in-ground late last winter.  Some main-crop figs have begun, but very tiny so far.  

LSU Tiger - similar story as Atreano and Carini.  If in-ground survives this winter, the container tree will need a new home.  No protection for this winter.  I'm a bit interested to see what happens - growth was faster than I wanted.  My hypothesis is that fast growth will be less hardy during a cold winter or early cold snap.

Lattarula - same story as Hardy Chicago.  Also growing fast.  Big juicy stems.   Will they harden off in time for winter?

Dominick - growth is slow and steady.  Stems already look woody.  Might be good for a marginal climate.   Have not had a chance to taste them yet.  Two in-ground specimens.

Mystery - found near deck in Vancouver.  Leaves similar to Brunswick, but I doubt that.  Growing well.

King - growth not that vigorous, which portends well for winter.  But, with so little growth, not confident there will be brebas next year.  King is breba-only.

In-Ground Carini with 2 brebas and small main crop figs.  7.5.15

Basically, this is my Battleground fig research project.  It makes sense that if a variety does well in Vancouver, it would do will in Battleground, which is not a lot different.  Winter might be a couple of degrees colder, and there might be a few days earlier frost, and slightly cooler Spring.  For cultivars that are marginal in Vancouver, they might not thrive or produce in Battleground.

Still, it's really to early to say.  None have been there more than 3 years.  Some are in their first year.  Several years of growth are needed before a fig tree really comes into production.  

In-ground Atreano.  7.5.15

Hardy Chicago.  7.5.15

Lattarula.  7.5.15

LSU Tiger.  7.5.15

Walking Around. 6.19.15

Ladybug  Browsing Aphids on Apple Leaf.  6.19.15

"Black" calla lily. 6.19.15

 Walking around.  I thought I heard teeny tiny  screams coming from an apple leaf  - looked down and saw a lady bug munching through a field of aphids like a Tyranosaurus rex munching through a field of bunny rabbits.

The "black" calla is kind of elegant.  This one is 3 years old.  Got the usual winter treatment, dry out in fall, store in garage, then move back outside in Spring and water / fertilize.

Butterfly on Tiger Lily.  Nice.  Lilies don't seem to survive at the Battleground place.  But this one did.

Squashes have flower buds.  Corn just might be knee high by the 4th of July.

Sal's Fig seems to be the best adapted to the Battleground place.  I don't know yet about the best adapted at Vancouver - Chicago Hardy, King, and Lattarula are in their first in-ground summer at Battleground.

Good demonstration of how much faster Four O'clocks grow from last year's roots, as opposed to this year's seedlings.   Today I noticed another plant coming up from last year.  Long dormancy - they must need a lot of warmth to awaken.

Tiger Lily with  Butterful.  6.19.15

Squash and Sweet Corn Garden.   6.19.15

Main Crop Fig Buds.  Sa'ls Fig.   6.19.15

Left:  Four O'clock from 2014 root.  Right:  Four O'clock from seed.   6.19.15

Fig Progress Report. 3.28.15

Brunswick Fig Brebas.  3.28.15

Update on Battleground fig trees.

Brunswick - This was a ~11 year old tree grown from local cutting, moved to the Battleground place 3 1/2 years ago.  Last year there was about 6 inches of new growth.  I am not encouraging a lot of growth, because I want it to have strong, durable, fully lignified branches before start of winter.  This is the most breba it's had since moving it, and maybe before that.  This tree usually drops its brebas.  Wait and see.

Newer fig trees -

Atreano survived its second winter.  The first winter it was killed to ground, and regrew.  This tree is considered more cold hardy than some others.  Now I can consider it well established.

Petite aubique - looks dead.  I give up.  Replace with one of the container trees.  I'm thinking, Dominick.   Maybe the other Atreano.

Tiger.  Survived and growing.  This one was covered with trash can for the winter.

Carini.  Survived and growing.  Also covered.

Sal's.  Unsheltered.  Survived and growing.  Has grown slowly, but minimal die back each winter.

Planted in-ground late winter, after sheltering in shed:  King, Lattarula, Hardy Chicago, Dominick.  All growing.

Anxious for them to get bigger.  I did pee-cycle limited amount, twice, in the fig tree row.  Need to be careful not to overdo it, don't want growth that is rank and not able to survive next winter.

Container fig trees - all starting to grow.  Champagne has lots of brebas, Tiger has a few too.

The good thing - almost all survived winter, and growing.  The sole casualties, in-ground:  Champagne (unsheltered), Petite aubique (sheltered) and Smith (sheltered)

Winter Gardening. Fig Replacements. 1.23.15

Fig Row with replacement trees planted.  1.23.15



King Fig about to be planted.  1.23.15

This is from yesterday.   My approach, to trying to grow figs in Battleground, is evolving.

The challenges:

Climate.  Freeze damage is more of an issue than in Vancouver.  Almost a non-issue in Vancouver.  I lost top growth of several at the Battleground place, last year.  The unprotected ones of experimental varieties sustained significant freeze damage - an unknown, and exposed growth on LSU Tiger.  Haven't checked Champagne yet.

One problem with the freezing, is that it may limit fertilizing.  If growth is rapid, it may be more susceptible to freezing.  So it may take longer to bear fruit.

Herbivores.  Despite covering and hardware cloth, Smith was destroyed to ground level and into the roots, by voles.  Unknown was also destroyed to below ground level.  I had left one exposed this winter.

As a result, I decided to give up some experimental varieties, and go back to standards that have known hardiness, from my Vancouver yard.  Last year I grew cuttings from Hardy Chicago and Lattarula, and I continued a cutting from 2 years ago from King.  Those have all done well without any protection at all, from local freezes.

I dug out the remains of Smith and the unknown.  I planted King in a section where I had laid down black plastic to kill grass over the winter.  There is evidence of fireplace disposal or old fire there, with ashes and char.  Those have been leaching for at least the past 4 years, and possibly much longer.  I replaced soil in the top 18 inches, 18 inches around, although it may still be affected.  King is usually very vigorous, and this is a good spot for a larger tree.  I planted Lattarula where Smith was, and Hardy Chicago were the unknown was.  Sal's had no freeze protection and looks fine.   Sal's seems to me the most hardy, and tolerant to neglect, but growth is slower.  Maybe the slow growth is why it is more durable.  Aubique petite has had no freeze protection in prior years, and only winter 2013-14 was it freeze killed, so starting over.  So I did protect that one, and Carini.  Carini should be OK once it is established.

Across the road, I need to check on Brunswick, Champagne, and Atreano.  Brunswick was OK a few weeks ago.

So now, all of the varieties that I grew successfully at the Vancouver place are in-ground at the Battleground place.

The plastic/mess is intended to kill grass.  I just want to mow up one side and down the other.  In those spaces, I want to plant vegetables and/or bee forage, with straw mulch.

This time I applied hardware cloth surrounds and deer fencing cylinders at the outset.  They do need some mulch.

Addendum:  I checked the figs on the acre across the street.  Brunswick looks great.   Minimal freez damage, maybe 5 twigs.  Most of the rest have viable-looking brebas.  Growth last year was only about 6 inches.  Might need some nitrogen.  Then again maybe that's why it did so well.   Champagne hard to say.  Maybe one sprout survived from last year.  Atreano, hard to say.  There was only one sprout from last year.  It looks like it might be alive.  If so, it's one of the larger sprouts from the 2013 freeze damaged fig trees.

Fig Trees. Progress Report. 1.18.15

Carini 3-stem.  1.18.15

Aubique Petite.  1.18.15

 Interesting results for me, with my row of figs south of the Battleground house.  Most were protected against voles, with hardware cloth, and against cold, inside inverted garbage cans.

With warm weather, I'm concerned they will break dormancy as the sun warms the cans, so removed them

Carnini looks good.  The can was not quite tall enough, so the top buds were smashed and bent over.  Otherwise, no obvious freeze or herbivore damage.

Aubique Petite, also good.  This has one good stem.  I hope it takes off and grows this year.  It's a very slow growing variety, but quite freeze tolerant and productive.   I never protect its parent in the Vancouver yard, and that tree has done well for 14 years.

The Unknown was a test.  I did not cover it with a garbage can.  I did enclose one stem in hardware cloth.  Animals shredded the stems.  The only viable looking part is what was in the hardware cloth.  That looks freeze damaged.  I don't care - I have plans to replace this one anyway.

Smith was covered with inverted garbage can, and each stem surrounded with hardware cloth.  That tree had the worst damage - most stems are vole-chewed beyond recovery.  I have a containerized Smith.  After more thatn 2 years of this one in ground, it's time to plant something else in that location.

Sal's took the freeze without damage, and without freeze protection.  I do have hardware cloth around the base.

Not pictured, LSU Tiger looks OK.  It was also a bit too tall for the garbage can and the tips were bent.  I pruned off the damaged tips.  Unless there is a really bad freeze, I think it will come through the winter OK.

Conclusions:

If the voles want it, they will get it. Smith must have really tasty bark and stems.

Protection does help somewhat.

Unknown, without protection in can.  1.18.15

Smith.  Protected in can and by hardware cloth.  1.18.15

Sal's.  Not protected in can.  1.18.15

Fig Tree Progress Report. 6.22.14

Fig Embryos on Brunswick Fig.  6.22.14

Fig Embryos on Sal's Fig.  6.22.14

A few weeks back, I snapped off the growth tips of the "Vancouver Brunswisk" fig tree, that I moved to Battleground in Dec 2012.  Last year it barely grew - expected after the loss of roots and branches necessary for transplanting.  I did the same with the Sal's a couple of weeks ago.  The Sal's is much taller than when planted, but still a bit puny. 

With the loss of apical dominance - suppressive hormones that are produced by the growth tip, and lost when the tip is snapped, off - growth of figs is stimulated. 
If the current growth is any indication, there could be lots of Brunswick figs this year, and more Sal's than I expected.

The next challenge is mold and spoiling due to late fall rains.  I've learned my lesson.  I will cover the figs, maybe with zip lock bags, this fall.  Or a plastic cover, held on by clothes pins.

I'm optimistic.  It would be great to get a nice fig crop in Battleground.

Fig Progress Report. 6.1.14

Fig trees

 The fig tree starts are doing better than I expected.

Only one is definitely dead - Atreano.

Two of the others have barely visible growth - Petite Negri and Champagne.

Brunswick has compact, strong appearing growth.  The stems are not elongating much.  That suggests limitation by nitrogen.  I don't want it to grow weak lush growth that will be susceptible to next winter's freezes, so I didn't give it any nitrogen boost.  I did snap of growth tips from branches that had 4 to 6 good leaves, to stimulate fig production.

Sal's is taller, but not much growth, compared to the newer starts south of the house.  I pruned it to a single trunk, and gave it, and the others in this row, a one time organic nitrogen boost.  I won't give more, for the same reason I'm not giving any to the Brunswick tree.

LSU Tiger has good,vigorous growth.  Smith and Carini also look pretty good.

LSU Tiger fig

 These are mulched with grass trimmings from the surrounding lawn.

The organic nitrogen boost is from the usual source.  I used approx 1:7 dilution, with 2 gallons sufficing for all of the trees.

Before I leave today I should give them some deer protection.

Smith Fig

Sal's Fig

Snapping growth tip from Brunswick Fig.

Puttering. 4.25.14

Honeybees settling in.

Vancouver Brunswick Fig.  Spring growth.

 Honeybees are lying around the hives.  It look like they are starting to settle in.  Not much going on with foraging.

Vancouver Brunswick fig is making nice growth with little brebas.  This tree spent 2013 recovering from having been moved Dec 2012.  Then new growth was frost killed early 2013.  Then hard freeze late 2013.  But looking good now.  Of the older trees I moved to Battleground, Brunswick and Sal's fig are looking the best.  Petite negri may be dead.  Of the new starts from last year, all were top-killed.  Tiger and Champagne are making new growth from the base.  These may not be as freeze-tolerant as the others, or it might be they were young and I grew them too lush.  So no fertilizing this year.  I will give them more time, but so far Atreano, Smith and Carini look dead.  I have replacements for all of them.

Camassia looking nice.  Why don't more people grow it?  I bought this as one potted plant last spring.  When the  foliage died down, I divided it and replanted.  Now each has 4 new growths.

Potatoes growing lush in the tree-ring wishing wells.   Soon will need to add more soil.

Strawberries in bloom.  Protected from deer and rabbits.  I hope.  Last year they were all eaten off when blooming.

Snowpeas growing fast too.  If not caged, they would also be eaten off.

Camassia.

Potatoes in tree ring wishing well.

Strawberries in bloom.

Champagne fig.  Sprouts from base.

Snowpeas