Battaglia and Conadria

[Zuny]

My Battaglia is from WillsC and my Conadria is from Eddible land scaping. It's been getting cold up here so I don't think these will ripen any better.

Conadria is a very water fig to me. It had a slight sweetness but not much flavor. If its the same next year I will not be keeping it. Battaglia tasted a lot better even thought it was more meaty and not as ripe. It's been over a week that it started ripening and has not changed much because it's to cold. Next year it will have a big head start and it's a keeper for me.

[mountainfigs]

That describes my general experience with both cultivars as well.

[jrdewhirst]

My experience with Gene's Paradiso, which seems very similar or identical to Battaglia Green, is that it will continue to ripen figs into mid-fall whenever the weather gets warmish, may 70+ and sunny. So keep your fingers crossed. Last year I got a big burst of ripe figs in the 3rd week of October and another in the 1st week of November. But it'll depend on weather.

[Zuny]

Wow, it's awesome that they can still ripen that late.

[npolaske]

I haven't gotten a chance to try these yet, but my personal experience with other figs like california brown turkey and texas everbearing (another brown turkey type) is that they are only good when ripened in dry heat, preferably 90-100 F. When it's not hot and dry enough, they end up getting pretty watery and bland, and often split or spoil before they are truly ripe. I wonder if these varieties have similar requirements and therefore just aren't good choices for cooler, short-season growers?

[Zuny]

That could be the reason. Next year I will experiment with Conadria and only water when I see the leaves drooping. In general I think I have to water a lot less next year.

[jrdewhirst]

Paradiso seems borderline here in Z6B in the sense that it takes pinching and luck to ripen a big crop here on my in-ground plant. And the later figs tend to be small. Also, Paradiso is prone to splitting if the late season is wet (like today). But the figs that do ripen are very tasty, and it doesn't seem to need high heat to ripen -- just a bit of warm weather.

On the other hand, Paradiso might be a stretch in-ground in Z5B; you might have to keep it in a pot and jump start the season a bit.

I don't doubt that many varieties do need high heat. I have a Black Weeping fig in a pot that seemed to go into hibernation when temps dropped below 80.

I don't own Conadria but your complaint that they are watery seems common. I wonder if it isn't much better suited to a dry site.

[Zuny]

I plan on keeping all of my trees in p5kts with the exception of a couple. Like my malta black and chardy chicago. It get very cold up hereand don't think many trees would survive the winter.

[drivewayfarmer]

Zuny , I wouldn't give up on Conadria too fast.
It can be very productive and many of mine ,also sourced from Edible Lanscaping, aren't watery and have a nice full flavor.
Also for me comes in a lot earlier than Battaglia.

[Zuny]

Thank you for your response. I will take your advice because your zone is very close to mine. I may have watered it to much or it's simply because it a young trees just like my fig experience. 😊. How old is your Conadria fig tree? Was it watery at the beginning for you as well? Would this variety do a lot better with a SIP pot to avoid over watering? Is the above picture your Battaglia?

[drivewayfarmer]

The picture is of my Conadria from EL.
I think it is about 4 years old.

[Zuny]

Thank you fo your response. Your conadria looks really nice. I will give mine a chance.

[MichaelTucson]

My experience with both of these is similar to what Kerry described. Some years Conadria is very good. Though I think its flavor is "less concentrated" (or perhaps less intense) than some, it has in some years produced a melon-like flavor, with a subtle sweetness that was very good. This year it has seemed more watery than in some years for me, here in NY state.

Battaglia Green has consistently been excellent here. But it ripens later here as well. This year it has been an abundant producer here (so has Conadria this year). Battaglia Green has a very jammy texture and flavor... intensely sweet, like raspberry jam in a fig. I like it a lot. (My son finds it too sweet).

Overall it has been a very productive year here.

Mike

central NY state, zone 5a

[MichaelTucson]

p.s. Two or three additional thoughts:
1. I meant to add and ask: I've been told that Battaglia Green is also very similar (or possibly the same as) Ischia Green. Not sure if any of you can comment on that... anybody have both and can compare / contrast?
2. Zuny: In my experience, that "watery taste" that you described is most heavily affected by specific factors in the final week or two weeks approaching full ripeness. Too much water then, during that "bulging" period, often makes the figs watery tasting (and for many varieties, also causes splitting). And if there isn't enough sunshine in those final weeks, that too can make them less intensely flavored. Overall the amount of sunshine throughout the summer as the figs develop internally... that is required for ripening. But even with good strong sunshine throughout most of that period, if there isn't sufficient sunshine and radiant heat during the final couple of weeks, the flavor is less intense and weaker. That's my experience anyway. So I'd recommend to you that you don't let the leaves get TOO dry during the summer period. Yes some cyclic watering / drying seems healthy, but overdrying will weaken the leaves and you'll lose some. Overall, it is the leaves that provide the sugar production, so you need healthy leaves if you want your figs to ripen well.
3. Good to see another fig grower in NY state. :-)

[MichaelTucson]

Zuny: good luck. Most greenhouses don't filter the sunlight too much. But some years the timing just works out that way (i.e. cloudy and/or cool right at the time when you just want strong sun). As I said, my Conadria this year were pretty watery too. But it produced LOTS of figs (well over 100 figs on the one tree, which is about 4 and a half or 5 years old, and in an 18 gallon pot).

[MichaelTucson]

Also Rafaelissimmo -- thanks for the comments comparing Battaglia Green and Ischia Green. I don't have Ischia Green, just Battaglia. But I do have a couple of cuttings that I got from the gardeners at Monticello (yeah, Jefferson's Monticello). I haven't grown it out though, and am debating whether to go for it. If it were the same fig, I probably wouldn't. I do like Battaglia Green a lot, but wish it ripened a bit earlier. Some years here I don't get any really ripened... maybe about half the years so far. This year (a hot dry year here) I got a batch of them in early September, but most of them have just ripened in late September / early October. And looks like a lot of them will be stranded by the cold, as the season here is ending. (Frost last night and tonight, though I brought them into the garage to do the end of season shuffle). So, that sounds promising if IG ripens earlier. How much earlier?

[Rafaelissimmo]

Michael most of my IG ripened in late August and early to mid September

[drew51]

I'm in zone 5b/6a, and my Battaglia started ripening in late August. Plenty of time, and plenty of heat here at that time. Excellent fig for sure.

[Zuny]

That's great, when do you start shuffling it? Or when do you place it in the green house?

[drew51]

I don't have a greenhouse. I may move them in and out of the garage, although I doubt I will this year. Fig production was good, I'm happy with current harvest. A few more will not matter. Except for one tree, it is a Portuguese fig like Black Madiera. I brought that in the last two nights. It's very close to the end. i will leave them out till completely dormant and above 35F. Once it slips below, into the garage.

[Rafaelissimmo]

I love Battaglia but they have all split this year, its better if it can ripen in early september, before it becomes cooler and wetter

[drew51]

Mine did ripen in September, well started in August. It has a lot of figs that will not ripen too. Not sure why mine started earlier? It could be regional? Who knows? I need a few more years to see what it's going to do here. Hopefully it will start in August.

[Zuny]

Thanks, I will definitely give it a head start.