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First time poster here... So I'll give a brief high level background.
I have some fond memories as a child visiting my granny in Biloxi climbing her fig tree (no clue what type of fig - some type of dark, but I know I enjoyed them a lot!) and racing the birds eat them. I live in SE PA (zone 6B/7A). I've been gardening for 6-7 years or so. But have never grown figs. I have a very basic understanding (or so I think)... I have a place for two in-ground tree (maybe a third, but we'll see). It's on a south facing wall between the house and a extra-wide blacktop. So that area is a strong micro-climate (probably well into the 7A and bordering 7B).
So I'm looking for some 6B hardy trees. I'd prefer to actually have trees instead of what turns out to be bushes. So it maybe that I'll need to keep them in containers for a few years for them to thicken. (Thoughts on that?) Has anyone tried building a darkly painted wall (wood or cinderblock) around the base of the tree?
Since I only have room for a two trees (maybe a third), I have a few "requirements" (and I use that term loosely):
1. Tasty - It doesn't have to be super sweet. Or less crunch. Or fruity. Or what have you. Just something that says, "Hey, I'm a fig. Enjoy my yummy fig-ness."
2. I'd like something with some type of "story". Basically I want them to be something special. The trees will be in a high traffic area, so I anticipate them being a conversation piece. So not a Chicago Hardy, Brown Turkey, or even one of those LSU numbered ones.
3. Fresh and dried - I'd like something that's not temperamental to dry and store. Not sure how to really quantify that.
4. Productivity - something that is consistently produces each year. It doesn't have to be a bumper crop each year.
5. Looks - ok, this isn't really a huge factor. But it'll be along the driveway where guests come and go. But I think most fig trees have attractive leaves anyway.
As far as the pairings go: I'd like them to have different maturity times. Plus I read a suggestion at some point to have a dark and a white. And maybe some from different regions (French, Greek, Syrian...).
Some that I'm interested in at this point: Violette de Bourdeaux, Ronde de Bourdeaux, Marseilles vs Black, Black Bethlehem, Improved Celeste, and/or Col de Dame Gris.
Each of those I feel hits the above criteria. Do any of them have a better story that the others? Any varieties that I should add (and why)? What type of pairings would you recommend?
And finally, I'd like to get started as soon as possible. Either through cuttings or already rooted at the right cost. Am I too late? Where can I get some?
Thanks in advance!
I have some fond memories as a child visiting my granny in Biloxi climbing her fig tree (no clue what type of fig - some type of dark, but I know I enjoyed them a lot!) and racing the birds eat them. I live in SE PA (zone 6B/7A). I've been gardening for 6-7 years or so. But have never grown figs. I have a very basic understanding (or so I think)... I have a place for two in-ground tree (maybe a third, but we'll see). It's on a south facing wall between the house and a extra-wide blacktop. So that area is a strong micro-climate (probably well into the 7A and bordering 7B).
So I'm looking for some 6B hardy trees. I'd prefer to actually have trees instead of what turns out to be bushes. So it maybe that I'll need to keep them in containers for a few years for them to thicken. (Thoughts on that?) Has anyone tried building a darkly painted wall (wood or cinderblock) around the base of the tree?
Since I only have room for a two trees (maybe a third), I have a few "requirements" (and I use that term loosely):
1. Tasty - It doesn't have to be super sweet. Or less crunch. Or fruity. Or what have you. Just something that says, "Hey, I'm a fig. Enjoy my yummy fig-ness."
2. I'd like something with some type of "story". Basically I want them to be something special. The trees will be in a high traffic area, so I anticipate them being a conversation piece. So not a Chicago Hardy, Brown Turkey, or even one of those LSU numbered ones.
3. Fresh and dried - I'd like something that's not temperamental to dry and store. Not sure how to really quantify that.
4. Productivity - something that is consistently produces each year. It doesn't have to be a bumper crop each year.
5. Looks - ok, this isn't really a huge factor. But it'll be along the driveway where guests come and go. But I think most fig trees have attractive leaves anyway.
As far as the pairings go: I'd like them to have different maturity times. Plus I read a suggestion at some point to have a dark and a white. And maybe some from different regions (French, Greek, Syrian...).
Some that I'm interested in at this point: Violette de Bourdeaux, Ronde de Bourdeaux, Marseilles vs Black, Black Bethlehem, Improved Celeste, and/or Col de Dame Gris.
Each of those I feel hits the above criteria. Do any of them have a better story that the others? Any varieties that I should add (and why)? What type of pairings would you recommend?
And finally, I'd like to get started as soon as possible. Either through cuttings or already rooted at the right cost. Am I too late? Where can I get some?
Thanks in advance!
There are so many members in PA, NJ and MD that you shouldn't lack for advice. If not every tree has to have a story I'd recommend getting 1 tree that produces good breba so you'll have an early crop. You could always make up a story of tree-napping, sacrifice and treachery as to how it was originally held and distributed by the good king, stolen and all others destroyed, then rescued from the evil dictator's clutches.
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