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[Chris Garriss <cgarriss@garriss.net>]

Quite interesting, while I have never tried to grow figs I like eating them.

My sister (Ladiesburg MD - north and a bit west of Frederick and not far from PA line) has a fig of unknown name - it was at the old home place and known only as "The Fig".  It was originally dug up in Roanoke Rapids NC about 50 years ago by my mother and planted in Howard County MD - about 15 miles west of Baltimore; then again dug up by my sister about 30 years ago and planted at her house in Ladiesburg MD.  The fig has never gained the stature (height) that the ones in NC (growing along side it) had but has continued to survive.  Has winter killed to the ground a few times, but not really often.  Originally we did not think it would survive, so it was sort of an experiment.

This year she had a tremendous crop - more than any year in the previous 10 at least, and possibly since it has been in MD.  Has quite a few friends from other countries, they all came and got quite a few...along with the squirrels and other wildlife.  Quality was quite good.

There was also a person I worked with that had 50 - 60 figs of several varieties growing in Sanford NC (about 30 miles SW of Raleigh NC).  His always cropped well, although I have not seen him in a number of years.

While I live in SE Chatham County, not far from Raleigh, I plan to move to the mountains of NC, and have been concentrating on apples.  Perhaps I should try re-transplanting a sucker from my sister's fig and see if it survives the mountains.

Chris

On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 10:12 PM, <Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov> wrote:

 

August 21, 2010.

 

Exploring figs in the southeast

 

I have the following varieties (nursery source): Brown Turkey, Celeste (Stark Bros); Lattarulla (Wayside Gardens); Chicago Hardy, Petite Negronne (Edible Landscaping); LSU Gold (Hidden Springs Nursery); Celeste-type (gift from eastern NC).

 

This has been a disappointing fig year overall, the fruit quality was terrible. Although the season started a week early, it was shortened by over 2.5 weeks. We have had a VERY warm year; the heat started early and it has been consistently hot just about every day. Rainfall has been about normal.

 

My tried and true main cropper, the Brown Turkey, suffered greatly from the average amounts of rainfall we received this year. Apparently any rain in August is not good for figs. Most fruit rotted on the tree or was devoured by insects despite daily picking.  My Lattarula was even worse- the fruit soured even with an apparently closed eye and before the fruit really ripened (using softness and color change as a guide). My Brown Turkey and Lattarula have stopped bearing, while normally I can pick some fruit into the second week of September.

 

I was rewarded by a small breba crop from my LSU Gold and my Petite Negronne, both are very young trees, and are producing fruit for the first time. Both of these trees have a small, immature main crop developing.

 

My Chicago Hardy has been the star performer this year, it has suffered little from the rain and is giving a decent crop over a long period. The flavor is subpar due to the August rains, somewhat watery.  My Celeste is not fruiting very much, and the small amount of fruit suffers from rot.  It has lots of vegetative growth, is not over fertilized, but may need to be opened up by pruning. The Celeste has never produced much, it does not get good late day sun, so the site may be contributing to poor performance.

 

The Celeste-type is too young to bear, but growing well.

 

 

 

Update - September 28, 2010

 

We have experienced a very dry and hot September. No rain for weeks, temperatures frequently above 90 and drying winds.  Apparently figs (unlike people, wildlife and every other plant I grow) like this type of abuse.  My figs are producing a late apparently second main crop. In early September after my disappointing season, I noticed that tiny figs were appearing on many trees. I have never seen so much fruit forming on any of my figs so late into September. It will be interesting to see if they can ripen here.

 

My Brown Turkey, generally disappointing this year, continues to disappoint with just a few fruits. The flavor is not as good as the best of the August crop, although there is less spoilage due to the dry weather.

 

The Lattarula is just starting to set a few fruits.

 

The surprises were the Chicago Hardy, the Celeste and the LSU Gold.  The Chicago Hardy set its largest crop of the year, after a small breba crop in June, a decent main crop in August and now- lots of fruit forming and ripening again!  The Celeste is finally bearing a decent crop, and it now provides the best flavored of my brown figs.  They are like crystallized sugar when fully ripe. Amazing! To think I came so close to replacing it this year after seasons of disappointment.  The LSU Gold is young, but is producing a few amazing fruits.  They taste much better than my Lattarulas when fully ripe, and I can enjoy sweet fruit before they appear rotten which is a bonus. With the Lattarulas I have had the choice of subpar flavor and a nice appearance  OR good flavor in a meltingly soft fruit that I would not serve to a guest.

 

Anyway, strange year… I am taking away the message that it is good to have many varieties as so far, I cannot predict which will excel during any given year.

 

Betsy Hilborn

7a NC

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