Can you repossess/take back a fig tree?

[tinyfish]

I have had to get rid of many mature fig tree's this season and more to go to make room for the new varieties I am trialing for my growing area.

I gave away this spring to my neighbor one beautiful maturr tree that had woken up nice and early and was a sure bet to do well for him. I can see the poor tree on his deck is down to its last one or two leaves most likely from lack of water, its a potted tree. I almost feel like going over and watering it for him. I did catch him sneaking a peak at my orchard where the trees are up to seven feet tall and his should be seven feet tall too.

Don't you just hate it when other people don't give the tree the care it needs.

[Wisner]

When you gift people trees there will sometimes be disappointments, but there will also be successful ones also. I try to look at the trees that have done well and not worry too much about the ones that failed due to poor care. Some people just don't do a good job caring for plants.

[tinyfish]

Your right look for the positive...

[Ktrain]

The last one I gave away was neglected too....but it has since passed.

Very annoying, they told me like I was going to replace it. NOT!

[tinyfish]

Rip!

[NotoriousFIG]

The last one I gave away was neglected too....but it has since passed.

Very annoying, they told me like I was going to replace it. NOT!

Hey man, that fig tree you gave me died.....crickets....

[Ktrain]

Exactly. lol

[tinyfish]

They would say that too.

[JMF75]

I try to gift trees to people that I know if they have a problem I can offer them some help. I would feel terrible knowing a mature tree has been neglected right before my eyes. 😥

[tinyfish]

I dont know him that well unfortunately.

[plant guy]

I am sure that your neighbor appreciates your generosity, but don't grieve too much.

Over the years I have given away well over 1000 plants, including Lithops, Adeniums, various desert tree seedlings, various cacti, and so forth. (Note that I haven't given away figs yet as I am just beginning ) Like you I have seen lots of plants die, and always try to remember that I've killed my share in the process of learning each types requirements.

Many of those plants went to students in my classes, where we were using them for research (no bean or corn labs for us!), and a significant number of them went off to college with their student owners. Lithops can do well indoors under the correct conditions. Sometimes they were left at home, and it was not unusual for me to get an urgent call from a Mom or Dad asking for a replacement for the one they killed before their student returned home for the holidays. I was happy to oblige in this harmless and kind deception.

As a young lad, I was given a number of plants by older collectors, and I consider gifting plants now as just continuing their generosity to a young beginner.

So take heart and remember that you are part of a millennial custom that spans the ages...passing on the love of plants and their culture.

[tinyfish]

Next one for him is brown turkey

[ZomVee]

I gave my neighbor across the street a CDD Blanc and they stuck it in the ground and it hasn't grown a foot in a year now. They see my Inchário Preto beasting it at like 9 feet. The sister CDDB is a gorgeous tree, I dunno what they're doing over there with theirs.

[tinyfish]

Thats a top notch variety

[ZomVee]

Yeah, I should have gave them a Brown Turkey extra to test they’re green thumb…you live n learn I guess.

[goodfriendmike]

Your next door neighbor? They got cameras? I would grab it.

[tinyfish]

Time to break out the camo and get it back

[KDAD]

tinyfish If it is any consolation a vast majority of the cuttings that I got from you this past winter have grown into beautiful young trees.

And no you can't take any of them back or repossess any of them.

[tinyfish]

Thats a great pile of tree's you have and I'm so glad the cuttings did well for you.

[Sod]

My first year I had two awesome trees in 15g pots that were technically extras, but they were big. An Olympian and what I think was a Stella or a brunswick. I gave the olympian to my brother. They kept it in a pot and never watered it. Completely dead the first winter. I still have my olympian thankfully and it’s in the ground now, but man. Don’t tell me you want a tree and then don’t take care of it.
😡

The Stella/brunswick unk that wasn’t labeled at the store I gave to my wife’s sister. The same sister in law that still talks endless smack about me growing all the trees. The same sister in law that turned her nose up at figs until she tried them, then begged me for a tree. I said ok and then I proceeded to be the one that dug the hole in the god awful river rock dirt so she could plant it. I told her how to protect it. I told her that voles and deer would destroy it if she didn’t care for it. What happened? Exactly what you think.
😡😡😡

These two won’t be getting any other trees from me.

[tinyfish]

After all that hard digging you did.

[TorontoJoe]

Later tonight after dark sneak over and affix a note to the tree that reads:

"HEY STRONZO! HOW'S ABOUT SOME WATER?"

[tinyfish]

That would be the funniest note

[Terra]

😂😂😂

[Bravo_Figaro]

lmao !

[Achilles]

Once it leaves your hands, it is gone. You did the right thing in gifting the tree but I have made the same mistake in thinking that everyone will care about that tree as I did. This is not always the case.

Keep giving away trees, it's a beautiful gesture.

[tinyfish]

Some people just dont care.

[DavidW]

Very well said.

[Citicodays]

My father taught me that when I was young. It has proven to be great advice.

[CaricaChris]

It hurts me learning how neglectful some people can be of their plants, especially when you gave them something of value to you. I gave away an airlayer off my grandmother's fig tree to a family friend. One of only a few copies I had. I went to great lengths selecting a nice protected location for it, digging the hole and detailing how to care for it. Last week I learned that it's totally dead. Lord knows how with the mild winters we've had. My only guess is lack of water before it fully established or they hacked it multiple times mowing their lawn. Such a shame, but at least the copies I kept for myself are thriving.

[tinyfish]

It would have been a shame to lose a variety forever

[Vitooch1]

Sometimes you need to accept the fact that other people aren’t as interested in growing figs as much as you do. Lol! But watching the tree die in front of eyes is just torture 🤣

[tinyfish]

I dont look any more

[taliesin]

Some people just don't get things. You sure the guy knows when and how to water it?

[tinyfish]

I showed him and its pretty simple.

[TNJed]

That stinks. My gifting program is still in full force but only to ppl who will put em in the ground. I also stipulate I retain a right of entry to prune, set ALs, and pick (for scientific testing purposes only, of course) as needed!

Distributed about 20 this spring/summer and hope to get another 20 planted this month. 🤞🏼

[gh0001]

Like your stipulation! Always better to upfront about your expectations

[tinyfish]

Good for you and I like the stipulations too.

[2AngelsMushrooms]

Some people are just like that. Since I could see it, and they know that I can see it, I think I would casually bring it up in conversation and ask, "So what's going on with your fig tree?" just to see what they will say. Perhaps they are too embarrassed to ask for help. (I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but it's not always easy) Maybe that will open a dialog. Regardless, I would not be giving them any more plants or trees for sure. As they say, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...shame on me."

[tinyfish]

Good point. I will ask if I see him again.

[Terra]

I used to grow Orchids and African violets to show and gave away many other plants trees vegetables over the years.
Here's my heartbreak story.
I had grown out a few beautiful specimens of orchids and African violet's for my sis for her new house that has a beautiful deep bay window beautiful for plants. These were not the common grocery store varieties $$.
For the Orchids many years growth and care, for the African violet to shape over a year growth and care.
Later that summer I go visit la mia sorella and don't see them anywhere?
I ask "How are the plants doing?" She says "I put them outside for the summer."
I go look no where to be found but I don't say anything.
When I leave, I see that they had fallen over the railing and lay deccicated on the ground for who knows how long.
I still love my sister but no more plants, my brothers no better lol.
Who knows about the hundreds of others given away and how many make it.
I'll probably always give my plants because I enjoy sharing, and warms my heart when people share with me, just not sharing with my sister..... for now.😉

It does piss you off though....🤬

[tinyfish]

I just got a dozen African Violets for myself and half are in bloom now.

[Terra]

They love this time of year! If your ever interested in some fancy and vintage varieties let me know I'll send you some leaves to start.

[cjccmc]

Years ago when I was heavily into growing heirloom tomatoes I learned a basic rule that I still follow about gifting plants. After a bit of discussion where they get to see your enthusiasm and maybe the fruit itself, it's better to let them ask for for a plant. Those are much more likely to be genuinely appreciated and cared for. You show up at a family gathering with surprise gifts of plants for people who are not expecting them .... snowballs in Hell.

[tinyfish]

Yes thats true that if they ask for one they may take better care of it.

[Bravo_Figaro]

I had a similar situation in the past. So now I won't give anyone one of my fig trees unless I can almost certainly know that they understand how to look after them. I sometimes will ask questions to see if they are fig tree worthy.

[tinyfish]

Pre screening is a great idea too.

[JoeRap]

I can relate to this topic..

2 years ago I gave a neighbor a nice 2 yr old potted Chicago Hardy because they showed some interest in what I was growing. All the plant needed was some care and within the next yr, figs would grow.

Over the winter a couple of yrs ago,, I reminded them to water every month for the winter in the garage.

Fast forward, I had not seen that tree anywhere on the property since I gave it to them, and I did not ask about it. I believed that it had died from lack of care..

3 weeks ago, I noticed it sitting in a shady corner of the driveway, skinny, barely alive and weeds outgrowing it.

I asked the neighbor if I can take it back to revive it and she said yes. I added some more dirt, pruned it and cleaned it up. It is thriving beautifully with tiny figlets growing. I hope they will ripen by October for them.

I plan on giving it back to them any day now, and I think that they will do a better job at taking care of it this time.

[tinyfish]

Its probably better to just give them the ripe figs then they neglecte the tree again.

[JoeRap]

tinyfish i have noticed that over the last couple of years that this neighbors green thumb has been getting greener. I think it will be better time around.

[tinyfish]

Your green thumb must be rubbing off on them.

[ginamcd]

Growing fig trees requires too much of a commitment for some in our colder climates. I've learned that unless someone asks or shows a true interest in wanting a tree and jumps when I extend an offer, I won't even go there.

And if someone does decide they want one, I've found it better root either an RdB or Imp Celeste for them the following year. If they kill it, so be it. I currently have five of these that were recently up potted to one gallons and will be handed off to their waiting new owners by next week.

The only reason I would be looking to get rid of a larger tree is because it doesn't produce early enough to make keeping it worthwhile, and it would be cruel to gift such a tree to an eager newbie.

[Vitooch1]

Gina is right, all of my tree I give away it’s hardy Chicago’s. You can’t mess things up with this variety lol 😂

[KDAD]

This is my MO also. I only give away locally a HC or RdB as I expect them to produce a decent flavor and early enough for my area. I don't mind giving other varieties but the recipient must be genuinely interested and have a green thumb - or at least an unfenced yard that I can repossess as needed .

[tinyfish]

KDAD I will gladly take an RDB anytime...I am up to 7 of them now.

[Drfig]

unfortunately you must let it go
I gave a perfectly health 2 year old RDB to a relative to plant in ground. This year when I visited, it was still sitting in his garage (early June) and sickly.
He said can you revive it?
So i did... Ill be giving hiim a brown turkey cutting from home depot next time

[tinyfish]

Nothing wrong with a ripe Brown Turkey fig