Figs, figs, the magical fruit!

[Nay]

Jacqui, I am with you, can we get all you Figgers to ship us some? I was at the store tonight and 3 figs were 2 dollars!!! Sorry torts, I don't spend that on me!! I will pay you guys pay pal, to ship me some figs!! Fill one of those flat rate boxes? Please?? I thought of this with cactus, but never did I think it with figs. I love them.. PM me, if you really are loaded. I'm serious!
Terry, I used to live in Springfield,MA. on this street with the houses kinda back up to each other, and the guy whose house was behind us had a huge fig tree, (Sometimes we would get lucky and some figs would drop on our back yard) He was this old Italian and every fall, him and his sons, would get ropes and shovels and dig a huge hole, then take the ropes and pull that sucker into the ground. I swear it was such a big ordeal, but he loved his figs!! My father in law has tried to grow them many years, but something has always gotten them, maybe those bugs Yvonne was talking about? (Was that Yvonne, it was a few post up, I may be mistaken)I have tons of plants and never thought to try one, maybe I will now. Thanks NAy

 

[Len B]

There is a fig tree in the vacant lot next to me that I have started trees form cuttings and also from limbs that have rooted themselves by just laying on the ground.I gave the last one away just recently(between the quake and Irene) this tree is hardy, I keep the new trees in pots above ground with no protection during winter,The only thing is, when the fruit gets ripe it gets ripe quick and overripe even quicker, (very short shelf life). if anyone wants one I will try to start some more trees for you. Here is a pic I just took of the fruit that I just picked in the dark a little bit ago. Do figs ripen if they are picked early or do they just go bad?. Len

 

[Madkins007]

If we can do it here in NY, with our severe Winters, you can do it too Mark. Last year most of the Winter we were covered with snow. Order one on line. The Chicago fig is a little more hardy. The one I have planted, I just cover it with a load of heavy duty black plastic bags. In the Spring, I take off the bags, and it's fine. The other one I have is in a really big pot. (black Mission) Two of my son's have to carry it into the garage. They both produce loads of figs....go for it Mark!

I'm zone 4, close to 5- the beginning of the Death Zone for anything vaguely tropical or Mediterranean. Chicago is safely Zone 5, and I believe you said you were zone 6 or 7? You get more snow than we do, but we have a longer winter with several sub-zero days.

Combine that with my well-known Black Thumb of Death, and I have a hard time keeping plastic plants!

Jacqui is zone 5- a little better off then I am. (The dividing line is the Platte River from what I have been told.) She is also a great gardener and has a truck. I am getting a vision of her raising hardy figs and hibiscus and dropping it off to all of us poor midwesterners!

 

[Jacqui]

Combine that with my well-known Black Thumb of Death, and I have a hard time keeping plastic plants!

Jacqui is zone 5- a little better off then I am. (The dividing line is the Platte River from what I have been told.) She is also a great gardener and has a truck. I am getting a vision of her raising hardy figs and hibiscus and dropping it off to all of us poor midwesterners!

I wonder if the black thumb is a midwestern thing? Contrary to what you think Mark, I too have a black thumb. Usually the way mine works is something won't grow for me and I just keep rebuying and planting, then magically one day whatever type of plant it is will grow for me. Once I can get one to grow, then I normally can get others to make it.

I am slowly getting my larger "food" plants up in both size and numbers. I may be able in a few years to supply the midwest. Currently I only have something like 28 Althea (Rose of Sharon), 10 hardy hibiscus, 4 tropical hibiscus.... but these guys have survived 3 years with me, amazing, 18 grape vines, and such. I am trying to get cactus going the last two years, but am still in the black phase of them. I could be bringing you goodies, but your leaving the area too soon, Mark.

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There is a fig tree in the vacant lot next to me that I have started trees form cuttings and also from limbs that have rooted themselves by just laying on the ground.I gave the last one away just recently(between the quake and Irene) this tree is hardy, I keep the new trees in pots above ground with no protection during winter,The only thing is, when the fruit gets ripe it gets ripe quick and overripe even quicker, (very short shelf life). if anyone wants one I will try to start some more trees for you. Here is a pic I just took of the fruit that I just picked in the dark a little bit ago. Do figs ripen if they are picked early or do they just go bad?. Len

You know me Len, I am always looking for more plants to kill...ummmm I mean try starting.

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Jacqui, I am with you, can we get all you Figgers to ship us some? I was at the store tonight and 3 figs were 2 dollars!!!

Really that's all the were? Dang, here I am worried when I find them, they will be like $3 or more each.

Nay, your not as crazy as me, then. Here I am thinking of tomorrow driving to Omaha which is like a good 100 miles away, to get some figs. That is the only thing I am planning on doing there. Now how crazy is it to spend almost 4 hours in a car, just to get a few figs to try on my tortoises?

 

[Guggie]

Well... OK, there IS that famous scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" ("Bad figs"), but other than that? Nada around here.

Sorry, but the line in the movie is "bad date" (and we wasnt talking about the girl in the next room...). Anyone know if figs are ok to feed leos? Figs are a dime a dozen down here.

You beat me to it - that's one of my favorite lines in the movie.

 

[Madkins007]

Really that's all the were? Dang, here I am worried when I find them, they will be like $3 or more each.

Nay, your not as crazy as me, then. Here I am thinking of tomorrow driving to Omaha which is like a good 100 miles away, to get some figs. That is the only thing I am planning on doing there. Now how crazy is it to spend almost 4 hours in a car, just to get a few figs to try on my tortoises?

1. I just found a TJs in Lincoln for you-
Trader Joe's Lincoln (722)
3120 Pine Lake Road
Lincoln, NE 68516
Phone Number: 402-328-0120
Trading Hours: 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

2. There were $4.99 for a 2lb package. Mine had maybe about 15 smaller than golf ball size figs in it.

3. TJ's is an AMAZING store. I think of it as the offspring of Aldi's low prices, in-house brands, and limited selection with Whole Foods organic and fair trade products. For a specialty store, there are a lot of bargains! They have a really nice wine for $2.99 a bottle, the best price for pre-made sushi and olive oils I have found yet, and so forth. There 'Better than Butter' peanut butter is a great option for us PB fans on diets, etc., etc., etc.

Try the dried fruits, mango or pineapple, with chili- amazing!

 

[Redstrike]

I've been waiting for a Trader Joe's to come to Syracuse, but it's yet to happen. I'll continue my search for figs, Joe-less...

 

[Laura]

i just picked a bunch.. good to know they are a good fruit to feed.. they all love them!

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they grow wild around here.. I didnt know you could start them from a cutting.. hmmmm

 

[ascott]

There is a listing in southern California on craigslist someone there has so many figs they are giving them away....it is in the free section.

 

[tyler0912]

Never heard of figs......cant get anything nice over here...maybe an apple or two?

 

[dmmj]

most people who I know who have fig and trees, usually try to give them away and most people don't want them, I think most people's experience with figs are in newtons. I am thinking about getting a tree would it grow and produce figs in a pot,or should it be in the ground?

 

[Jacqui]

most people who I know who have fig and trees, usually try to give them away and most people don't want them, I think most people's experience with figs are in newtons. I am thinking about getting a tree would it grow and produce figs in a pot,or should it be in the ground?

My research has shown they do produce even when just in pots.... plus one of Terry's is in a pot too.

 

[Len B]

most people who I know who have fig and trees, usually try to give them away and most people don't want them, I think most people's experience with figs are in newtons. I am thinking about getting a tree would it grow and produce figs in a pot,or should it be in the ground?

My research has shown they do produce even when just in pots.... plus one of Terry's is in a pot too.

The one I just gave away was in a pot and had fruit.

 

[jaizei]

In hotter/drier areas, it might be best in ground.

 

[terryo]

Here's my tree in the pot

Here's the one I planted in the ground....It just spread out now and you can't see the tree in the middle. Even the new branches that came from the bottom have figs on them

And this is a little branch I cut off and stuck in the dirt in the Spring....it's already a little tree.

Tomorrow night there is a fig fest here at the beach, and everyone brings dishes made with figs and some branches from their fig trees to exchange.

 

[Jacqui]

Here's my tree in the pot

Here's the one I planted in the ground....It just spread out now and you can't see the tree in the middle. Even the new branches that came from the bottom have figs on them



And this is a little branch I cut off and stuck in the dirt in the Spring....it's already a little tree.


Tomorrow night there is a fig fest here at the beach, and everyone brings dishes made with figs and some branches from their fig trees to exchange.

Okay as usual Terry, I am envious of you. Gives me a few ideas on how my trees should hopefully be looking like next year (fingers crossed). It does appear they sprout pretty easily from just clippings.

Tomorrow night sounds neat. I never would have thought folks had figs party (still almost back with Mark and only thinking of figs as something with Newton's ). I love the branch exchange part.