Hardiness of some varieties?

[eboone]

I am planning to put several more varieties inground next year and wanted to ask about several that I have, to see if anyone has any experience with them here in the North in ground. I am in SW PA, zone 6a. Growing season is not long enough for some of the later varieties inground, I believe. I will be cutting them back and covering them in winter.

Anyone in the North have experience with the following varieties in ground?
Atreano or Atreano Gold?
Negretta (or Jason's Unknown Black Ischia)
Nero 600m
Valle Negra
RdB
O'Rourke
Niagara Black (or LdA)
LSU Tiger
Chiappetta

Thanks for any responses

[kubota1]

The mother plant of Chiappetta is grown inground. It does usually die to the ground each winter.

[eboone]

I assume that is without protection, right?

[kubota1]

Yep

[mountainfigs]

I think all of those are well worth trying because they are mainly early ripening (don't know Chiappetta). I wouldn't be surprised if they are all reasonably hardy or robust.

The 2 VDB types N6 and VN might come on too late but are tough, as is Atreano which is earlier, though don't know if the fruit is worth it - possibly if not planted in a water-access spot.

If pots weren't so efficient here, I would make serious or more serious trials of all those in ground, plus Florea, Improved Celeste, Brooklyn White, and of course Mt Etna. I've tried most of them (7 of 10) in ground, and it seems that most of those will do about as well as they are cared for and protected to do. Haven't observed firsthand Tiger, O'Rourke, and LdA in ground yet. The other 7 seem to do about as well as they are prepped to do, with the Mt Etnas in the lead.

[Kelby]

RdB has survived 2 winters for me with heavy dieback. It recovers well but sets fruit very late. I think the first one is ripening now on my in ground plant.

[Tonycm]

My in ground RDB gets winterized but still dies to the ground. The figs that form are always late and never ripen. My potted RDB ripens all the figs and I picked the first one on August 15th. Needless to say I'm keeping that one in a pot.

[eboone]

Well I have the RdB airlayer I took late last year already in training for a 2 branch in-ground cordon, each branch almost 4 ft long. Will go inground for a trial. Thanks for all of the info!

[jrdewhirst]

Tony -- I'm curious how you protected the RdB. I've had zero damage to mine in two winters.

[Rewton]

I have had Nero 600m in the ground for three years and it has done well - not as hardy as Mt. Etna's but hardier than some others. If there is a lot of cold damage (like more than 75% die-back) you will be lucky to get more than one or two ripe figs the next season. But there are only a few varieties that can come back and fruit after major damage e.g. Mt. Etna's and Malta Black.

I have had a similar experience with RdB in-ground. However, I think it did a bit better producing fruit after cold damage than Nero 600m and might be slightly more resistant to cold damage.

[Pino]

Hi Ed
You didn't mention what you are presently growing in ground for a little more background detail?

From a topic I did on F4F it was clear that once you get to Zone 7 options for in ground open up nicely and some people are growing some of the figs you mention.

For Zone 6/(a) my suggestion is don't choose late ripening figs to plant in ground or you won't see much if any ripe figs even if you do protect them for the winter.

The issue is that even with the best protection the ground remains cool well into end of May. The figs are not going to start growing until the ground warms up. Of course if you are willing to put in the additional work for season extenders and help the figs start earlier in the spring and ripen later in fall then you may have some success with the late ripening varieties.

From your list RdB should be fine not sure about the rest.

[eboone]

Thanks for your comments Pino. Yes I am trying to focus on plants that have a chance to ripen. I have a lot of plants in pots and SIPs.
Last year I planted a Sal's(Gene or EL) inground and cut it back to about 2.5 ft tall and covered it well for the winter. I uncovered it mid-May, at which time it was just budding out. It has produced over 60 figs starting 8/30 with another 10 or so that might ripen. Given that it survived the winter I also have planted another 6 already (MBvs x 2, Hardy Chicago, Bryant Dark, Salem White and Adriatic (JH)) My other potted plants of those varieties all started producing in August so I expect I should get fruit on theses 6 as well before the end of the season next year.

My first main crop this year were RdB(8/11), Florea(8/13) and LSU Tiger(8/14) in SIPs that I started the fig shuffle with mid-April. These had about a 1 month head start on the inground Mt Etna type (Sal's) but only fruited 2 wks+ ahead of it. I have a spare Tiger (Unknown Calderwood, seems the same fig) that I intend to try inground as well, might as well test it out. Also I will plant my potted Florea next season and start a backup airlayer for a potted specimen.

[Kelby]

I'll also add that I can barely ripen Nero600m in a pot. I'd have no expectation of it ripening in ground. Honestly, I doubt I'll keep it much longer.

[eboone]

My Nero 600m in a 5g SIP had first fruit 8/24, with second a week later, still producing now, with fig shuffle started mid-April

[newnandawg]

I am not up north but I can tell you that my Nero600m has been in ground four years and has yet to ripen a fig. It has died to the ground each year. It's on the way out.

Valle Negra dies to the ground also but produces here.

With the exception of 6 inches of pine straw, I do not protect them.

[eboone]

My Valle Negra in a SIP did not fruit till 9/10, so even though it may be a little hardier than the Nero 600m, I am not sure that inground will make ripe figs here. I don't intend to let mine die to the ground - in my climate that will not work.

[cjmach1973]

My new ingrounds are LdA, Florea, Ischia and RdB. They were put there in early June. I am going to protect them with barrels this year, and see how they do.

[eboone]

Resurrecting this thread to ask about another variety - Hollier. I found some posts on the other forum claiming it was relatively early, but not much real info on hardiness. Anyone growing this one with success inground in the North with protection?

And any other Adriatic-types that are any earlier than Adriatic(JH) that might be trialed inground in the North?

[mountainfigs]

Nordland / Niagra Black / Longue d'Aout / Cucumber is easily the earliest ripening Adriatic, I think. And with a name like Nordland, from Switzerland, sounds worth a try.

[eboone]

I have both a LDA and a Niagara Black rooted this spring, one is going in ground next year. Would you classify the flavor as like an Adriatic(JH)? My only one on a young plant this year tasted good but nothing really like my older Adriatic (JH)

[mountainfigs]

It's a green skin, red strawberry flavored fig. I don't know what else makes an Adriatic an Adriatic. RdB and VdB are both Bordeaux type figs though they don't taste the same. Endless comparisons like that of course. The LdAs have green skin and darn good strawberry taste. So does JH Adriatic. Seems to me that when ripened well the LdAs are to the Adriatic category as the Mt Etnas are to the Berry category.

[newnandawg]

They along with Nordland and Dalmatie have the hint of berry but no where near the intensity of JH or Batagglia in my opinion.