North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Bassem Samaan" <bassem@gardener.com>]

The common fig Ficus carica is the hardiest of all ficus species. The branches are damaged by 10 F degrees and lower. The roots are very hardy, given proper protection figs can survive very low temperatures. When talking about hardy figs, it doesn't refer to how cold can these figs survive, but how well they will fruit in cold zones.

I have around 30-40 varieties I'm testing with in my zone 6. Most being in containers. The trees that have proved to be the best cultivar for this area... is Chicago hardy. This variety if even left unprotected in zone 6 will die to the ground.. but then in may it starts growing back and by end of august you'll have ripe dark fruits from it. Celeste dooing well also.

Beware of growing figs that require caprification (needs pollination) will not fruit in the east. Such as Desert King, apparently it fruits well for PNW, if the wood dies down when sprouting back all the figs will drop.

There are many unnamed cultivars that I have that been doing great as well, I got one I've named Brooklynese, it produces 2 large crops of light colored figs in my zone....

Many varieties are yet to be decovered.

Bass Samaan

zone 6, Bethlehem, pa

 

 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alexander Dragotin"
To: "North American Fruit Explorers"
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] hardy fig varieties
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 10:03:00 +0100 (CET)

Dear Bass,

Thanks for the information on storing fig cuttings. It seems you are experienced in the fig species. After you have USDA zone 6 surely you could name some most hardy varieties? I would highly appreciate it.

Alexander

zone 5/6

a_dragotin@yahoo.de

 

 

bassem@gardener.com schrieb:

Figs cuttings are known to start molding or dry up, even if kept in the fridge... What I do for storing Fig cuttings, here in the northeast. I take the cuttings right before I wrap them. usually november or late octobe r.. I dip the whole cutting in 10% chlorine 90% water solution... Then wrap them and place them in a plastic bag.. and keep them in the fridge.. usually around 40 deg. in late winter... I can start rooting them... and I get at least 90 % success rate.
I Imagine same solution would work for other scion wood. it keeps them from molding.


Bass Samaan
zone 6, PA

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