Yeah yeah yeah...it's been quite a while since I've put out a blog. In my defense, I did warn you long ago that I'm not your typical blogger and will only put something out when I have something to talk about. Hasn't been a lot to talk about. No trips to PR because of either the hurricane or COVID. No trip to Florida last year due to COVID.
So figs?? These ain't no rare, tropical fruit! Yeah, I hear ya. But have you ever tasted a really good fig? No? Then shut up, sit back, and I'll tell you about some of them. LOL!
So figs?? These ain't no rare, tropical fruit! Yeah, I hear ya. But have you ever tasted a really good fig? No? Then shut up, sit back, and I'll tell you about some of them. LOL!
The fig fruit can be small to huge, greens, yellows, purples, black, and unremarkable in flavor to knock-yer-socks-off delicious. That pic above, with the honey dripping out of it, is liquid gold. Berry-jammy-honey flavored goodness in an edible wrapper. The question is: Why isn't everybody growing one?
How did it start?
The above pic is my Petite Negra fig tree. A friend sent me a small rooted cutting from his plant about 10+ years ago. This is what it looks like lately. As you can see, it is just loaded with fruit.
Figs are a fantastic fruit tree to be growing. Once established, they are are as nearly bullet-proof as a plant can get. They are pretty simple to care for once you get the basics down. Outside in full sun during the warmer months, then store in a cool, dark basement or an insulated garage for winter(for us Ohioans anyway). The fruit itself is fantastic and plentiful. Rich berry/jammy flavors. What's not to love?
My main focus is, has been, and always will be tropical fruit trees. This fig was a nice little side track and that is all I ever intended it to be.
There are many fig groups on Facebook. What The Fig is probably one of the most popular. Lots of good content, pictures, and some really knowledgeable growers are a part of this group. Youtube has tons of content as well. I stumbled upon a guy named Ross Raddi. This guy is super dedicated to figs and he certainly knows what he's doing. He has a great Youtube channel with lots of informational videos on fig growing. Definitely check him out.
So what did I learn from the Facebook groups, forums, Ross, and thru lots of other searching? Four fig varieties kept popping up as THE varieties to have. The descriptions of the flavors and how good they were was just too tempting to pass up. As nice as the figs from my Petite Negra plant taste, just how much better could these four varieties be? I had to grow them to find out just how good they really were.
Figs are a fantastic fruit tree to be growing. Once established, they are are as nearly bullet-proof as a plant can get. They are pretty simple to care for once you get the basics down. Outside in full sun during the warmer months, then store in a cool, dark basement or an insulated garage for winter(for us Ohioans anyway). The fruit itself is fantastic and plentiful. Rich berry/jammy flavors. What's not to love?
My main focus is, has been, and always will be tropical fruit trees. This fig was a nice little side track and that is all I ever intended it to be.
There are many fig groups on Facebook. What The Fig is probably one of the most popular. Lots of good content, pictures, and some really knowledgeable growers are a part of this group. Youtube has tons of content as well. I stumbled upon a guy named Ross Raddi. This guy is super dedicated to figs and he certainly knows what he's doing. He has a great Youtube channel with lots of informational videos on fig growing. Definitely check him out.
So what did I learn from the Facebook groups, forums, Ross, and thru lots of other searching? Four fig varieties kept popping up as THE varieties to have. The descriptions of the flavors and how good they were was just too tempting to pass up. As nice as the figs from my Petite Negra plant taste, just how much better could these four varieties be? I had to grow them to find out just how good they really were.
Starting Figs from Cuttings
Nobody in their right mind grow figs from seeds unless they don't know any better, or they are doing an experiment...at least in my opinion. Figs are normally simple to propagate and this is usually done by cuttings, air layers, and grafting...all of which guarantees the genetic variety you are trying to propagate.
The easiest is by cuttings as you see in the above pic. Just a stick basically. There are many methods figgers use to start their cuttings and all probably work as well as the next. Everyone has their favorite method which works well for them. Throw them in a zip-lok bag with a damp paper towel. Toss them in a storage bin with some peat moss. Pop them into some soil in a container. I could go on. You see the point. I did say some varieties. There are some that can be a bit more problematic. They still root out, it's just that your percentage of success may not be as high or as reliable from year to year. But you learn and you adjust the methods.
I've identified the varieties I'd like to have. But uh...who to order from? Lots of sellers out there and not all of them reputable. I found that several good fig forums kept a list of sellers to avoid. I found two Ebay sellers and one on Figbid and did searches on their usernames. These guys were big time contributors to several fig forums, been selling for years, and had great reputations. There are a gazillion varieties of figs out there and probably nearly as many sellers. You know what? The cuttings you receive of that really expensive Ponte Tressa fig, could very well be cuttings from a plain old Brown Turkey fig. Want to see how much some of these fig cuttings are? Go out to Figbid.com and see for yourself. I've seen a single cutting of a specific variety go for well over $700. You don't want to spend this on a rare variety you've been dying to get only to find out later you got screwed.
I placed my orders in early 2019 for cuttings of the following four varieties: Black Madeira, Smith, Col de Dam Blanc, and I-258...or Italian 258. The cuttings were all a good size with many buds. One of the guys even sent me extra variety called Takoma Violet. This is very similar to my Petite Negra and ended up producing gobs of figs right off the bat.
The easiest is by cuttings as you see in the above pic. Just a stick basically. There are many methods figgers use to start their cuttings and all probably work as well as the next. Everyone has their favorite method which works well for them. Throw them in a zip-lok bag with a damp paper towel. Toss them in a storage bin with some peat moss. Pop them into some soil in a container. I could go on. You see the point. I did say some varieties. There are some that can be a bit more problematic. They still root out, it's just that your percentage of success may not be as high or as reliable from year to year. But you learn and you adjust the methods.
I've identified the varieties I'd like to have. But uh...who to order from? Lots of sellers out there and not all of them reputable. I found that several good fig forums kept a list of sellers to avoid. I found two Ebay sellers and one on Figbid and did searches on their usernames. These guys were big time contributors to several fig forums, been selling for years, and had great reputations. There are a gazillion varieties of figs out there and probably nearly as many sellers. You know what? The cuttings you receive of that really expensive Ponte Tressa fig, could very well be cuttings from a plain old Brown Turkey fig. Want to see how much some of these fig cuttings are? Go out to Figbid.com and see for yourself. I've seen a single cutting of a specific variety go for well over $700. You don't want to spend this on a rare variety you've been dying to get only to find out later you got screwed.
I placed my orders in early 2019 for cuttings of the following four varieties: Black Madeira, Smith, Col de Dam Blanc, and I-258...or Italian 258. The cuttings were all a good size with many buds. One of the guys even sent me extra variety called Takoma Violet. This is very similar to my Petite Negra and ended up producing gobs of figs right off the bat.
I wrapped them in parafilm to hold in the moisture, dipped them in some rooting hormone, and potted them up. This was my preferred method. I am familiar with the benefits of parafilm and had plenty on hand. Wrapping the cuttings help keep the cuttings from drying out. Since it was sunny and warm in the greenhouse, I kept them out there. I now start my cuttings in the basement and put them on seed heating mats.
You need to be very careful with watering due to how easy it is for the cuttings to rot if overly moist. Same with newly rooted cuttings. When it comes to watering in these early stages...less is more. Root rot is serious and very difficult to recover the plant from.
You need to be very careful with watering due to how easy it is for the cuttings to rot if overly moist. Same with newly rooted cuttings. When it comes to watering in these early stages...less is more. Root rot is serious and very difficult to recover the plant from.
Late March. The cuttings have pushed new growth. A very good sign, but doesn't mean that you are out of the woods yet. Most likely, roots are beginning to form. This is when things continue nicely, or go to hell. Watch the water!
Above is May 2020 and you can see how fast they grow. I also shipped out a couple extras. I'm a bit anal when it comes to shipping plants. I know what the shipping companies can do to these boxes...especially USPS! So a little extra work and a lot of reinforcement help the plants get to their destination in one piece. I really do hate shipping though. It is a giant pain in the ass.
Fig Care
Once the plant gets well established, it is one tough cookie. I've yanked them out of containers, roughly root pruned or bare-rooted, and they carry on like nothing happened. My brand new, high-end fig varieties spent several days on the patio in 90 degree heat without getting watered. I was in Florida and someone, who will rename nameless...so I can sleep with both eyes closed at night, forgot to water these very expensive plants. When I got back...they all had dropped most, if not all, of their leaves. I thought they were goners for sure. Watered them real good, set them in the shade, and within a very short time, all were pushing new growth and kicking butt. Tough man. Tough. Not many of my rare tropical fruit trees would have recovered as nicely...if at all.
Besides some good fertilizer in the spring, I generally don't mess with the plants much. They do take up a lot of water when it is hot and they require watering often, sometimes every day. The pics above are from September, 2019. Most of them already have some figs developing and this is their first year started from cuttings.
Ohio can be a pain. One never knows what will hit first. The first frost that will defoliate the trees or a first freeze that will kill the trees. Either way, it's time to bring them inside. If you were still waiting on figs to ripen, without the full sun and heat, they probably won't be at their best. I have a greenhouse and could bring them inside when they were in these smaller containers. They are all in 15 gallon containers now and there is just no room for them. Even in the greenhouse, I don't believe the figs ripened up that well.
Ohio can be a pain. One never knows what will hit first. The first frost that will defoliate the trees or a first freeze that will kill the trees. Either way, it's time to bring them inside. If you were still waiting on figs to ripen, without the full sun and heat, they probably won't be at their best. I have a greenhouse and could bring them inside when they were in these smaller containers. They are all in 15 gallon containers now and there is just no room for them. Even in the greenhouse, I don't believe the figs ripened up that well.
So my next step is to completely defoliate them if a frost has not already done it for me. Then I will prune them all back and label all of the cut material. There are lots of pruning techniques out there. I cut them down to fit on my shelves in the garage where they will be stored for the winter. A dark, cool basement will work as well. While my garage is insulated, I still tried to further protect the trees. The garage door is opened often and this helps on those really frigid, snot-hardening days.
This is pretty much it for the rest of the winter. The containers were damp when I brought them inside. I don't believe I've ever had to add water to them during their winter slumber.
This is pretty much it for the rest of the winter. The containers were damp when I brought them inside. I don't believe I've ever had to add water to them during their winter slumber.
Around February I haul them out of the garage and into the greenhouse. This becomes more difficult each year due to the lack of space inside there. I sold the Takoma Violet and an extra Black Madeira to free up space. That...and I just didn't need them. I get rid of more plants each year and have slowed down propagation because of space issues. It's also very difficult to sell tropicals locally. I know...not everyone is quite as enthusiastic for this hobby as I am.
The warm, sunny greenhouse will soon kick off a growth flush. The trick is getting them out there early enough and growing fast enough for the figs to start to develop and ripen before it gets cold again. Some of my new, high-end varieties take longer to ripen than my faithful Petite Negra fig. Ohio weather cannot be counted on. This year started out strong early on then late spring felt more like early winter. This is not good growing conditions for figs or tropical fruits.
The warm, sunny greenhouse will soon kick off a growth flush. The trick is getting them out there early enough and growing fast enough for the figs to start to develop and ripen before it gets cold again. Some of my new, high-end varieties take longer to ripen than my faithful Petite Negra fig. Ohio weather cannot be counted on. This year started out strong early on then late spring felt more like early winter. This is not good growing conditions for figs or tropical fruits.
These are the figs as of August 2020. All approximately six feet tall and all had figs developing. Sometimes your very first figs from first time fruiting don't always measure up to the hype. This is normal. Disappointing, but normal. I believe I was able to try a Smith and it was just okay. The I-258 on the other hand...was knock-yer-socks-off delicious! This fruit is featured in the very first picture at the top/start of the blog. It just oozed and dripped luscious goodness. This was how much better it could be.
Growing New Fig Trees
One thing I noticed while searching for the new cuttings I wanted, was that these things are in high demand. Whether it is just the cuttings themselves, rooted cuttings that are now small fig trees, or even larger specimens...they are being gobbled up by the masses. And let me tell you, some of this stuff goes for incredible prices.
I always thought all of us in the rare, tropical fruit hobby were a little bit crazy and definitely gung-ho when it comes to collecting. But these fig people? Damn! Crazy just doesn't cut it. It's a whole new ballgame here and just about anything goes. Cuttings and small, newly started trees going for hundreds of dollars...for certain varieties of course. And bidding? It can become a frenzy. But it's all good. These people love figs. They love collecting and growing them. And the vast majority are great people who are quick to share their experience. You'll encounter folks growing hundreds of figs...from coast to coast.
So what makes figs so popular? I believe it is availability and for the most part...they are simple to grow in every part of the country/world. Sure, there are challenges in all locations, but most are readily overcome. There are over 800 varieties of figs and that number is probably growing. A huge number of these figs are available right here in the states. There are databases trying to list each of their descriptions, but this falls short. Seeing pics and videos of people growing them, their experiences, and their reactions, are what you want. So go search for forums and Facebook groups. See what grabs your attention. But heed this warning: Do not rush to purchase an $800 fig cutting or tree as your first attempt!
I always thought all of us in the rare, tropical fruit hobby were a little bit crazy and definitely gung-ho when it comes to collecting. But these fig people? Damn! Crazy just doesn't cut it. It's a whole new ballgame here and just about anything goes. Cuttings and small, newly started trees going for hundreds of dollars...for certain varieties of course. And bidding? It can become a frenzy. But it's all good. These people love figs. They love collecting and growing them. And the vast majority are great people who are quick to share their experience. You'll encounter folks growing hundreds of figs...from coast to coast.
So what makes figs so popular? I believe it is availability and for the most part...they are simple to grow in every part of the country/world. Sure, there are challenges in all locations, but most are readily overcome. There are over 800 varieties of figs and that number is probably growing. A huge number of these figs are available right here in the states. There are databases trying to list each of their descriptions, but this falls short. Seeing pics and videos of people growing them, their experiences, and their reactions, are what you want. So go search for forums and Facebook groups. See what grabs your attention. But heed this warning: Do not rush to purchase an $800 fig cutting or tree as your first attempt!
I love to propagate tropical fruit trees. I start things from seed and cuttings. I graft and air layer. Most of this is done for my collection, but some are done to share with others and for local sales...get others involved in the hobby. It's fun and rewarding. I'm not a nursery by any stretch and sales barely help cover the cost of soil, mulch, and fertilizer for the year. Ohio is just not a tropical fruit haven for most people.
I've been rooting fig cuttings from my Petite Negra for years and selling locally. This is what I consider a "starter" variety. Just a normal, common fig. A good grower and fantastic producer. The figs taste wonderful. I understand that Ohio is not a tropical fruit center, but there are folks who love to grow stuff. The Petite Negra has always been a winner. I'm not out to become rich selling tropical fruit trees or figs, so I try to keep the prices reasonable. Now these new varieties I have? These will go to the true collectors.
It's now October 2020. Here are the cuttings I took from my fig trees when I pruned them back to store for the winter. They are labeled and the top portion is wrapped in parafilm. I like this method, but it is time consuming and is a pain in the ass. Not an activity for those with carpal tunnel! Again...there are many methods of starting cuttings and I'm not going to go into all of them. This is my preferred method.
I've been rooting fig cuttings from my Petite Negra for years and selling locally. This is what I consider a "starter" variety. Just a normal, common fig. A good grower and fantastic producer. The figs taste wonderful. I understand that Ohio is not a tropical fruit center, but there are folks who love to grow stuff. The Petite Negra has always been a winner. I'm not out to become rich selling tropical fruit trees or figs, so I try to keep the prices reasonable. Now these new varieties I have? These will go to the true collectors.
It's now October 2020. Here are the cuttings I took from my fig trees when I pruned them back to store for the winter. They are labeled and the top portion is wrapped in parafilm. I like this method, but it is time consuming and is a pain in the ass. Not an activity for those with carpal tunnel! Again...there are many methods of starting cuttings and I'm not going to go into all of them. This is my preferred method.
The soil mix I use is coconut coir and heavy on the perlite. I use 32 oz clear containers so I can see root development and easily see any moisture issues. Holes are drilled in the bottom for drainage...don't forget this step! I place the cups on large trays to catch any water overflow and also have heating pads. I do all of this in my basement now and it gets really cool down there in the winter. Heating mats are great for propagation of cuttings. Some cuttings are under T5 fluorescent grow lights and some under a 1000W metal halide. I'm not seeing a huge difference in growth between the two lights so this makes the T5's the clear winner. They are not even close in cost to purchase or in operating.
The pics above are from mid December. Most are pushing some new growth and roots are noticeable on some. These are the Smith, Black Madeira, Col de Dam Blanc, and I-258. I didn't have room for the Petite Negra and Takoma Violet cuttings so they are out in the greenhouse.
As I mentioned earlier, rooting figs are generally pretty simple. They just seem built to throw out roots. Some varieties can be a little more challenging than others. Keep in mind that all figs had been prepared exactly the same and started in the exact same conditions. I had great success at rooting the Petite Negra(28 of 28), Takoma Violet(18 of 20), and Black Madeira(29 of 29). The rest were not as kind to me. Smith(10 of 14). I-258(11 of 16). Col de Dam Blanc(10 of 19). This sucked...especially since the I-258 was by far the most sought after.
Over watering is my biggest suspect here. I thought I was being very careful at this. Given the number of figs I was caring for, I watered all of them at once. It could have been that the fig I checked to see if it was getting dried out may have been a little more advanced and taking up more water more quickly than others. The trays are not level at all and dip towards the middle. Some of these figs could have been staying more wet than the ones on the outside. Watering all of these figs while not trying to make a freaking lake in the tray is a pain in the ass. Next time, I will have to check each fig and judge whether it needs water or not. It's better a little dry, than too wet for sure.
The pics above are from mid December. Most are pushing some new growth and roots are noticeable on some. These are the Smith, Black Madeira, Col de Dam Blanc, and I-258. I didn't have room for the Petite Negra and Takoma Violet cuttings so they are out in the greenhouse.
As I mentioned earlier, rooting figs are generally pretty simple. They just seem built to throw out roots. Some varieties can be a little more challenging than others. Keep in mind that all figs had been prepared exactly the same and started in the exact same conditions. I had great success at rooting the Petite Negra(28 of 28), Takoma Violet(18 of 20), and Black Madeira(29 of 29). The rest were not as kind to me. Smith(10 of 14). I-258(11 of 16). Col de Dam Blanc(10 of 19). This sucked...especially since the I-258 was by far the most sought after.
Over watering is my biggest suspect here. I thought I was being very careful at this. Given the number of figs I was caring for, I watered all of them at once. It could have been that the fig I checked to see if it was getting dried out may have been a little more advanced and taking up more water more quickly than others. The trays are not level at all and dip towards the middle. Some of these figs could have been staying more wet than the ones on the outside. Watering all of these figs while not trying to make a freaking lake in the tray is a pain in the ass. Next time, I will have to check each fig and judge whether it needs water or not. It's better a little dry, than too wet for sure.
The above was taken December 31, 2020. They are really pushing the growth and root development. Even the Petite Negra and Takoma Violet in the greenhouse are doing well. But looks can be deceiving and one should never yell success this soon! These are all of the ones the pretty much survived the rooting process. Over watering can still get you into trouble. The roots are very delicate and it doesn't take much to set it all back. One day they all look crisp and happy, the next day you notice a few have drooping leaves...or even leaves starting to drop off. This is very distressing and very difficult to recover from and can take weeks of patience that may not pay off in the end. When I'm trying to get a plant to recover, I resist watering until they are nearly bone dry. Then, I will water as little as possible.
Selling Figs
The rare, tropical fruit growing hobby is not a cheap one...especially in Ohio. Trees and even many seeds can be very expensive. Growing these trees in a greenhouse takes a lot of resources as well. The greenhouse must be heated during the colder months. There is mulching, repotting, watering. So I regularly sell any extra trees that I have propagated for fun, experimentation, or have just run their course for my enthusiasm...or...have frustrated me to the point where they've got to go! Again, not getting rich at this, but it does help with some of the above expenses at times. And it makes my wife very happy to see even a little cash come in rather than always going out!
That was the plan for the figs. The Petite Negra cuttings have always been a big hit locally. The newer varieties were going to be priced quite a bit higher given their popularity and buyer demand. I knew before I started that there would not be much interest from local buyers unless they definitely knew their thing about figs.
I try to be very fair in my pricing. I also try and prepare very nice sized cuttings. I look at various sources and see what the going rates are. Figbid is a good standard to see what prices people are willing to pay for these four varieties. In most cases, these figs were being purchased for $100 or more...and again, in most cases, the figs were much smaller than mine...trunk diameter and height. These people were bidding for a fig. Mine would be a fixed price of $50 each. I thought that was fair for both me and the buyer. A lot of people must have thought so too. Even some locals got into the game.
I also sell as first come, first get and I try to pick out the largest/nicest plant available for the person. The majority are all pretty equal, but one may have more nodes pushing or something that catches my eye and that will be the one I pick. When getting down to the last ones, these may be smaller than the earlier ones or less developed. I will adjust the price of these accordingly. I look at it and ask myself if I would be happy receiving this plant for the amount I paid.
I post the figs for sale in Facebook's Marketplace for the local sales. I will also offer up the trees on What The Fig, Texas Fig Growers, and Texas Fruiting Plant Growers Facebook groups. A big shout out to the folks in Texas! This is a group of people really dedicated to growing tropical fruits and figs. Good bunch too. A huge shout out to Ed Self and Theme Linh. You guys are the best!
$50 for a small tree can be expensive for some. What's nice is that most of the folks I interact with on the above groups know exactly what they are looking for. I really do not recommend one of these figs as your first fig and it really concerns me when this happens. I run into this more often with local sales. I try like hell to give them as much info and tips as possible. I even encourage everyone to contact me if they have issues....just don't wait until the plant is completely defoliated to do so! I really do want everyone to succeed and enjoy their new trees.
That was the plan for the figs. The Petite Negra cuttings have always been a big hit locally. The newer varieties were going to be priced quite a bit higher given their popularity and buyer demand. I knew before I started that there would not be much interest from local buyers unless they definitely knew their thing about figs.
I try to be very fair in my pricing. I also try and prepare very nice sized cuttings. I look at various sources and see what the going rates are. Figbid is a good standard to see what prices people are willing to pay for these four varieties. In most cases, these figs were being purchased for $100 or more...and again, in most cases, the figs were much smaller than mine...trunk diameter and height. These people were bidding for a fig. Mine would be a fixed price of $50 each. I thought that was fair for both me and the buyer. A lot of people must have thought so too. Even some locals got into the game.
I also sell as first come, first get and I try to pick out the largest/nicest plant available for the person. The majority are all pretty equal, but one may have more nodes pushing or something that catches my eye and that will be the one I pick. When getting down to the last ones, these may be smaller than the earlier ones or less developed. I will adjust the price of these accordingly. I look at it and ask myself if I would be happy receiving this plant for the amount I paid.
I post the figs for sale in Facebook's Marketplace for the local sales. I will also offer up the trees on What The Fig, Texas Fig Growers, and Texas Fruiting Plant Growers Facebook groups. A big shout out to the folks in Texas! This is a group of people really dedicated to growing tropical fruits and figs. Good bunch too. A huge shout out to Ed Self and Theme Linh. You guys are the best!
$50 for a small tree can be expensive for some. What's nice is that most of the folks I interact with on the above groups know exactly what they are looking for. I really do not recommend one of these figs as your first fig and it really concerns me when this happens. I run into this more often with local sales. I try like hell to give them as much info and tips as possible. I even encourage everyone to contact me if they have issues....just don't wait until the plant is completely defoliated to do so! I really do want everyone to succeed and enjoy their new trees.
Shipping
The above is a quick video on how I ship my figs. I say it again. I hate shipping. I've already mentioned how I believe figs are tough. Some people send their figs out bare rooted or in a box with a bamboo support to keep it from shifting around. This is all fine...until it is not. Shipping can be rough on a plant especially when USPS is involved. 2-3 day Priority shipping could very well end up being 7-10 days or longer. You can also bet on them just beating the absolute shit out of your package. They suck and I believe should not be allowed to ship out anything other than post cards, bills, and advertisements. They cannot be trusted with anything important.
So I take precautions. I spend a little more time and effort on the packing hoping to make the box more sturdy and crush-proof. My first couple packages went out USPS earlier this year and it was stressful. All were several days over their estimated delivery dates while a few had no scans at all leaving us in the dark on where the packages were and when and if they would even be delivered. How the assholes who run USPS are okay with this kind of service is beyond me. So no more!
I opened a UPS account and the I've been very happy with their service. With my account and using their Simple Rate plan, the cost of shipping is about the same as Priority mail with USPS. I shipped 30+ packages with UPS this year and every single package was delivered by their scheduled delivery date or before...2-3 days. And it was very simple for me to pay online and print out the labels. All I had to do was walk into a UPS outlet and drop off the packages.
Now...that is not to say there were not some issues. Ohio was having a very mild winter at the time and the temps were fine for shipping figs. Most of the packages were going to areas in Texas where they were experiencing good temps. There were some areas/states not so lucky. I tried to keep an eye on the temps for that area and time frame, but all I'm looking at are predictions. If a truck gets to a location early and the package sits on the truck over night with temps below freezing, the figs could have some issues. The people who order the trees are given tracking numbers. They need to make sure someone is home to get the package out of the heat or cold. Most folks had no issue paying for their trees and waiting for a good week of weather for me to ship. This is a win-win for us both.
Then there is the care that must go into this new tree. This all comes down to the individual's level of experience and the environment the fig will be kept in. Watering is still the biggest issue as far as I'm concerned. If the fig is outdoors and the temps are very warm, this probably isn't a big deal. So err on the side of caution and just be careful to not over water.
So I take precautions. I spend a little more time and effort on the packing hoping to make the box more sturdy and crush-proof. My first couple packages went out USPS earlier this year and it was stressful. All were several days over their estimated delivery dates while a few had no scans at all leaving us in the dark on where the packages were and when and if they would even be delivered. How the assholes who run USPS are okay with this kind of service is beyond me. So no more!
I opened a UPS account and the I've been very happy with their service. With my account and using their Simple Rate plan, the cost of shipping is about the same as Priority mail with USPS. I shipped 30+ packages with UPS this year and every single package was delivered by their scheduled delivery date or before...2-3 days. And it was very simple for me to pay online and print out the labels. All I had to do was walk into a UPS outlet and drop off the packages.
Now...that is not to say there were not some issues. Ohio was having a very mild winter at the time and the temps were fine for shipping figs. Most of the packages were going to areas in Texas where they were experiencing good temps. There were some areas/states not so lucky. I tried to keep an eye on the temps for that area and time frame, but all I'm looking at are predictions. If a truck gets to a location early and the package sits on the truck over night with temps below freezing, the figs could have some issues. The people who order the trees are given tracking numbers. They need to make sure someone is home to get the package out of the heat or cold. Most folks had no issue paying for their trees and waiting for a good week of weather for me to ship. This is a win-win for us both.
Then there is the care that must go into this new tree. This all comes down to the individual's level of experience and the environment the fig will be kept in. Watering is still the biggest issue as far as I'm concerned. If the fig is outdoors and the temps are very warm, this probably isn't a big deal. So err on the side of caution and just be careful to not over water.
Parting Thoughts
The pic above was taken July 4, 2021. This is all I have in my fig collection. The Petite Negra, Black Madeira, Col de Dam Blanc, Smith, and I-258. It's all I have room for. It's all I'm interested in growing. Don't need nor want any more.
Figs are awesome plants for just about anyone to grow. The fig community is made up of a lot of wonderful folks. Most are willing and eager to share their knowledge. The plants are impressive and beautiful. The fruit is plentiful and delicious. Everyone should have some kind of fruit tree growing at home. A fig is certainly worthy of consideration. Zombieland rule #32.
Figs are awesome plants for just about anyone to grow. The fig community is made up of a lot of wonderful folks. Most are willing and eager to share their knowledge. The plants are impressive and beautiful. The fruit is plentiful and delicious. Everyone should have some kind of fruit tree growing at home. A fig is certainly worthy of consideration. Zombieland rule #32.
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