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

I grow around 40 + different varieties of figs in zone 6. Most of them in containers, around 6 trees in ground currently. I keep experimenting and trying to identify what's best for cold area. I keep watching for the earliest figs to ripen for me and that's what will be in ground next. I'm not interested in Breba crops which is formed on 1 year old wood, because of the die back you may not get Breba crop in cold zones. I would stay away from varieties that have breba crop only such as Desert King, unless you want to keep it in a pot and wintered indoor.

My winners so far are Chicago hardy, it's perfect for lazy gardeners like my brother, and my sister. With minimum protection it will sprout back and produce a main crop annually. Also "Sal's Fig" which is a very similiar to Chicago Hardy, ripens around same time with similiar flavor.

Another variety that I have collected and named "Brooklyn White". It produces an extra large size fruits for breba crop if the wood didn't die back, then another heavy crop of sweet white figs. It does very well outside.

 One variety that I'm begining to fall in love with, I also collected it and named it " Dark Portugese". A Portugese immigrant that recently passed away, have brought this fig from his hometown. The mother tree is so large and produces a heavy crop in our area. The fruit is small to medium, and it's red in color inside and outside. The extra sweet pulp I've been either eating fresh or made into jelly.

The key to grow all types of figs in cold zone is to find the right microclimate. I plant my figs against a south facing wall, where they get lots of sun. Never plant a fig out in the open, you'll never see a fig on it, except maybe for Hardy Chicago, it may produce some. 

Bassem S.

Zone 6, Bethlehem, Pa

 

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