recommendations for Fig cultivars Zone 7B

Bryant RedHawk wrote:

Marty Mitchell wrote:Last thread Hijack Post I promise!

Here is a record chart of the Earth's atmo carbon over just the last 800,000 years. It is proving hard to find a chart that goes further back for you when the Earth was warmer. It was Many Times higher than today.

You may notice that each of the spikes in the chart coincides with the warming periods of this ice age... about once every 100k years. Even though it is cooler right now than previous warming cycles the atmo carbon is going higher.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_in_Earth%27s_atmosphere#/media/File:Temperature-change-and-carbon-dioxide-change-measured-from-the-EPICA-Dome-C-ice-core-in-Antarctica-v2.jpg

Here is a link to a study performed by NASA. Pinpointing the regions of earth producing the most carbon into the atmosphere...

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-pinpoints-cause-of-earth-s-recent-record-carbon-dioxide-spike

Wouldn't it be "the last ice age"?  Since we are not in nor have we been in any type of ice age for almost 200 years.  
Also you might want to look at how many species go extinct when the base temperatures rise above 85 c.

Actually we are still in the Ice Age. It cycles between Glacial and Interglacial periods. We are currently about 7k years into an interglacial warming period in which usually all glaciers fully melt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_age

There was a Grand Solar Minimum cycle in recent past that everyone nicknamed "The Little Ice Age" but it was still warmer than the actual Ice Age depths by far. The Thames River and Chesapeake Bay froze solid though. This upcoming one is supposed to be as bad... but I hope the increase in Carbon from the tropic regions offsets things. Usually millions starve and empires collapse during the Grand Solar Minimum cycles.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_age

I will read up on wildlife having a harder time during warm spells... but I know humans tend to prosper during those times.

EDIT: Here is a quote from the above Ice Age link...

"The current geological period, the Quaternary, which began about 2.6 million years ago and extends into the present,[2] is marked by warm and cold episodes, cold phases called glacials (Quaternary ice age) lasting about 100,000 years, and which are then interrupted by the warmer interglacials which lasted about 10,000–15,000 years. The last cold episode of the last glacial period ended about 10,000 years ago.[71] Earth is currently in an interglacial period of the Quaternary, called the Holocene."

Bryant RedHawk wrote:If you can get out into the "wilder" portions of the Netherlands you might be able to gather up some soil samples from tree root areas, those will have mycorrhizae that you can either grow more of or simply dig small holes in your fig root zone and drop in the soil samples you acquired.
You can even simply gather wild growing mushrooms, make a slurry and poke holes down in the fig's root zone and make the addition that way.

Let me know via PM if I can be of further help in this.

Redhawk

Redhawk, probably those 'wilder portions' where mushrooms grow are only a few meters from my back yard. That's why I presume the underground mycorrhizae will be in my garden (front- and back yard) too. But I will do as you say and dig out some parts of the soil near the mushrooms and bring those to the fig tree.

Interesting dialogue on Climate!!! I don't have much to add to that but I appreciate the links and opportunities for learning.
I do, however, have some info to contribute on the fig situation.  I currently live in SLC Utah, which is called USDA zone 7 these days, though it was zone 6 on old maps. It's relatively wet in the winter and spring, but we have hot, dry summers. I planted a Chicago Hardy fig in the ground in the Spring 1.5 years ago. It didn't do much last summer, but survived the winter just fine and is growing well this summer. It set a couple small fruits but they haven't ripened; likely won't as it has been frosting the past few mornings.  I have a Stella that was living in a pot for the past several years, including last winter outside, in a sunny spot on the south side of my house, with mulch packed around the pot.  So it was getting winter sun and likely some residual heat escaping from the house. I also had a Brown Turkey in a pot next to it last winter, I had just ordered it in the Fall, so it was brand new, likely only a year old from cutting.  Both of those survived and are now planted out in my yard and have been growing pretty well this summer.  I think the low last winter was 6 degrees F (at the airport, but likely a couple degrees colder at my house), which is around normal, but on the warm side.  It's not entirely uncommon to get down to around -5 or -10, so it's possible the figs wouldn't survive that. I'm sure I'll find out eventually!  

I am in zone 6b-7a, middle Tn. I have a 4 year old Celeste planted on a south wall of the house and it has not frozen back. In fact, it is now up under the eave, and scratching the window. (Yes, I planted it too close) It is about 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide with probably 10 uprights and looks pretty happy. This year, it had cardinals nest in it, which was interesting, as the nest was close to the window, giving us a "zoo" sort of through the glass view of their activity.  Every year since planting it has put on lots of figs, but they never ripen, they just hang there, green and hard, until our first freeze.. The suggestion for calcium caught my attention (though I live in a high calcium area) and I will try that, as well as mulching with rotting wood chips. But, as it is trying to grow into the living room, lol, I planned on pruning it this winter. Is there any sort of pruning  shape that might help the figs ripen?

Inge,  After a rain and change of weather (cool to warm or warm to cool) go out into the natural forested areas and look around for the mushrooms. You may find a lot more out there when you really focus on looking around trees, bushes and areas where the water runs (washouts we call them) to the river.  Pick all you can find since the mushrooms are just the fruit and you cannot harm the mycelium that is buried in the soil or wood.  Think of a mushroom like an apple, harvest all you want, the tree will grow more when it is ready.

I have had some luck growing figs in South central Kentucky. Zone 6 b.
One bush grows, dies back and grows multiple branches every year. It gets to around 10 ft tall. I have pushed the branches to the ground and covered them with a mulch for the winter. Uncovered in the spring it starts bearing sooner and I get fruit.
If I don’t protect it the bush starts fruiting later and they don’t ripen before freezing weather gets them. I will try adding some lime to see if that speeds up ripening.
It is planted beside a shed on the east side. Protected from winter wind. But still freezes to the ground. Normal lows here 0 to -10.
I make cuttings in late fall after the leaves drop. I use  dip and grow for soft wood cuttings. I put them in potting mix without fertilizer. I start my cuttings and seeds in 3 g or larger pots and let them grow a season before putting them into individual pots.  Water and leave them in the garage for the winter. Dark and above freezing. Check them occasionally to make sure they don’t dry out.
Bring them out when it warms up in the spring. Protect from wind and sun and drying out. Window screens or lattice over the container serves well until the roots are established. I have very good success rate with this method.

We live in zone 5, getting down to -10 for a few nights every winter.  Last year I read about Chicago Figs and got a 6" rooted start.  We kept it in our greenhouse and by the end of summer it was 2 1/2 ft. tall and hardy.  It spent the winter in the unheated attached greenhouse where it got down to +10 many nights and it didn't die back.  It is now 5 ft tall and we had at least a doz. tasty figs.  We will repot it and keep it in the greenhouse over the winter and put it in the ground in the Spring to see how it does.  We got more starts when we saw how well it wintered over and now have 3 more Chicago Figs that have grown into great looking 3 ft. trees...just in case #1 doesn't make it outside if/when we have a harsh winter. (we have seen -30 here on 3 occasions in the past 20 years)  We also have what we think is a Brown Turkey fig in the same greenhouse and it dies back but comes back in the Spring.

Dennis Bangham wrote:Inge,  After a rain and change of weather (cool to warm or warm to cool) go out into the natural forested areas and look around for the mushrooms. You may find a lot more out there when you really focus on looking around trees, bushes and areas where the water runs (washouts we call them) to the river.  Pick all you can find since the mushrooms are just the fruit and you cannot harm the mycelium that is buried in the soil or wood.  Think of a mushroom like an apple, harvest all you want, the tree will grow more when it is ready.

Dennis, I did as you and Redhawk told me. (b.t.w. I knew about mushrooms being like the 'fruits' of the fungus).

Mushrooms in the blender

Made 'mushroom smoothie'

Gave it to the little fig tree

I had to post this link up. It is to a blog of someone in a Humid/coastal Zone 7B and made me think of this thread. They are on a .09ac lot in Tidewater, VA growing two Violette de Bourdeaux, a LSU Purple, and a Celest fig very successfully.

Funny thing is... I just bought two VDB and a LSU Purple this year. Notice that the blogger stated that the plants were in pots for a while before going into the ground. Not too big when they went in though.

If you scroll down through the pictures you can see that their VDB figs are EXTREMLY productive. It is likely one of the reasons that this variety of fig has a smaller stature. It not only produces two crops of figs... but figs with High/Complex berry flavor. I have heard them be compared to shoving both strawberries and blueberries into your mouth at the same time (When perfectly ripened from a mature tree).

http://point09acres.blogspot.com/2012/06/theyre-figgin-huge.html

Tj Jefferson wrote:My experience with figs in central VA- they die back if you get a hard winter, cultivar independent. The rest seems more to be about how likely they are to fruit after regrowth.

Protection helps. My protected figs after a mild winter put out hundreds of figs after three years, the unprotected ones maybe 1/4.

VdB has been a dud here, even protected. It does not seem to produce after dying back in this climate. I have gotten one fig in three years. Brown Turkey has been fine, I have one unnamed (probably Celeste) that has been outstanding. The flavor of Brown Turkey is more than adequate for me.

The LSU gold and purple are two years old and have not set fruit. They died even in a mild winter back to the ground. I am thinking of pruning them to try to thicken the primary stems to get them to harden off better but I am not sure when to do it. Maybe Dr Redhawk has some guidance.

I have shifted from getting a whole bunch of cool named cultivars to just going for numbers, since they tend to produce a handful of figs after a bad winter.

The biggest thing here has been to amend HEAVILY with calcium near the figs, the fruit initially would not mature and just sit as green golf balls for months. Now they ripen over the last 3 months of summer and fall.

TJ,

Thanks for that.  When you talk about protection, how are you protecting the trees, or are you only planting them in protected areas?  I was planning on planting mine in my old horse pasture where I am planning on starting an orchard.  Do you think this would work, or would an edge with South exposure be a more suitable place to plant? Also, do you have a source in central VA where you are buying figs, or is there another source you would recommend?

This video is dedicated on how to grow figs in a cold/wet climate. Covers tips for planting... fig varieties... and water/fertilizer practices. The guy is in Zone 6B and has 94 in-ground trees that are performing.




EDIT:

I Found a link to "Off The Beaten Path" Nursery YouTube page. He is the guy Ross is talking about in the video above...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsmg2PpE4Y2ybjoccS6gOHw/feed

And his Facebook page...

https://www.facebook.com/pg/offthebeatenpathnurseries/posts/?ref=page_internal

I live in Southern Illinois (6b) and planted a chicago hardy last year.  It died back in the winter, but came back this year to grow up to 8' tall and has probably 100 figs on it.  

I just found this vid and REALLY like the shape he is pruning his tree to up in Canada. It seems about perfect for max production and easy harvest. The tree in the video is several decades old. "Desert King"

Do you have recommendations for figs that do well espaliered but in ground in zone 7b?  I have a south facing wall at the back of my (concrete block) garage that is well protected from N and W winds.  It's 10 feet from my guesthouse but gets good sun >8 hrs a day.  Brown Turkey variety is common in the nurseries near me.  

L Floden wrote:Do you have recommendations for figs that do well espaliered but in ground in zone 7b?  I have a south facing wall at the back of my (concrete block) garage that is well protected from N and W winds.  It's 10 feet from my guesthouse but gets good sun >8 hrs a day.  Brown Turkey variety is common in the nurseries near me.  

I'm not a fig expert, and I'm working off a rather different zone (5a) that requires figs to be protected from the winter (I used containers brought into the garage), but if you don't get a satisfactory reply here, try ourfigs.com, lots of experienced hobbyists there (a few professional growers too I think).

[quote=L Floden] Do you have recommendations for figs that do well espaliered but in ground in zone 7b?  I have a south facing wall at the back of my (concrete block) garage that is well protected from N and W winds.  It's 10 feet from my guesthouse but gets good sun >8 hrs a day.  Brown Turkey variety is common in the nurseries near me.  [/quote]

As stated in the last reply… ourfigs.com is a great resource for sure! I am on there too.

I would say that… if you are in 7B… I would save that special space for citrus. A cold hardy type… using C7 Christmas lights and plant jackets for the first few Winters.

I was on the border of 7B/8A until this year when they changed it… even though I saw temps down to 7F at sunset (but it got colder after that) with high winds making wind temps below 0F…. Which is almost into the 7A zone. All of my baby 1st year trees survived. Even the Smith. What did damage was the false summer for a few weeks followed by a 25F night . Some branch damage was done… and the smith that woke up got knocked back to the ground

That was last winter.

This winter there was not even any tip damage on the trees mainly. My trees are all out in the open and in the ground and pots. No added protection except on smith this year.  

I suggest a slow grower/dwarf type probably if still going espalier. What flavor do you like? There are honey, honey-berry, berry, sugar, and more.

If your hot season is short… I suggest an early to early-mid cultivar like Rhonde de Bordeaux or Violette de Bordeaux. RDB will continue to pump figs slowly until frost allegedly if in the ground and mature. Super early just not as good with rain as VdB.