Figo Preto, where to get?

[AmericanFigLover]

Where can I find this fig? Encanto farms doesn't have it anymore from what I heard due to owner not having access to tree anymore. I also don't see this on ebay as often as other hard to get figs. I would rather pay the small guy that a bug nursery like that anyways.

I was looking at the cold hardy list and it should do fine in zone 6a.

[sal]

I think you mean Figo Preto? Just last week ebay had an auction. For 4 cuttings.. they went for 85$ please let me know if you find a source.

[AmericanFigLover]

I think you mean Figo Preto?

Indeed. I didn't catch it in time before it went through. I don't think I can change the title. One of the admins will hopefully.

[WillsC]

Fixed. For me it has been a slow grower and that could explain why it is hard to find?

[drphil69]

Same here Wills. It took 16+ week to show roots in a cup. Looking pretty good now, about a foot tall. I started it early November... So for me it is also a slow grower.

[newnandawg]

Yep, one of my slowest growing varieties.

[sal]

WillsC

Understandable but the BM still cost a lot more and it also is a slow grower.

[AmericanFigLover]

I guess many don't know about the Preto? You rarely if at all see anyone talk about it. The BM on the other hand is talked about almost always which drives the price up.

Just my theory.

[kubota1]

Very good grower for me. I have two of in 40 gal containers that are loaded with figs. I have another in a 25 gal container that's getting too big for the container. It's tipped over often and just recently broke off a couple branches. I lost about a dozen large figs.

[WillsC]

WillsC

Understandable but the BM still cost a lot more and it also is a slow grower.

Compared to my Preto BM is a rocket. Perhaps I should get a different strain of it.

[sal]

AmericanFigLover

I think your right. Many don't know about the Preto. Also I have no interest in buying the Black Madeira just because it's a hot variety right now. I want a tree that produces and it's said to have great taste comparable to the BM. It also doesn't need a huge window of a grow season like the BM, again this is just from reading.

Kubota

Do you have a BM that you can compare grow to?

[kubota1]

Yeah, I have three BM. Two decent growers and one super, super slow grower. All will get ripe figs this year. They don't compare to my three Preto's.

[tyro]

The Preto I have is a very good grower IF I remove the figs.See door #1 and #2.
If I don't remove the figs I wind up with door #3,which I suppose is not a bad
problem to have<G>.

Cheer's

[Taverna78]

Wow belle tree! Great work! One day I wish to have a tree like tis where fruit grow In a bunch! Let me known if you ever decide to sell air lyre of her

[Rafaelissimmo]

Many of us love our Preto. FiggyFrank, Art (Kubota), Nick and myself have been singing the praises for several years. It has been slow to grow at times in container, but has improved this year (4th year).

[Rafaelissimmo]

[kubota1]

Rafael, I know that Preto loves the Riga in the early season.😉

[sal]

Nice pictures guys thanks. This just reinforces me wanting the Preto.

[F. Bennett]

I posted this pic in early May, but this Preto is still growing like crazy. I currently have 5 air layers on it. I will have cuttings available in late fall.
Having said that, I have another one with the same growing conditions and it halted growth over a month ago. There are figs on it but the leaves are pale. Not sure if those figs will ripen. I have another one I planted in ground and it adapted and grew a few inches, has figs, but has halted too. Very strange. So I have not clue why this one is growing like crazy. Goes to show it's the luck of the draw!

[F. Bennett]

I just wanted to mention, the in-ground Preto started budding again 2 days after I posted this. I guess it heard me talking about it.
It appears to be going strong again, assuming I didn't just jinx it.

[WillsC]

For comparison



2 year old BM...it shows no FMV at all



3 year old Figo Preto does not show much FMV just won't grow

[Rewton]

Wills, is that the FP you got from me? I recall you got one from another source as well. Mine came from encanto farms as a single cutting. I cut the cutting in half and rooted both parts. I kept one and sent one to you in a trade. Mine has grown steadily, though not particularly fast, and is now a good size tree in a 15 gallon container. I've often wondered how it would do grown in ground but haven't gotten up the nerve to try.

[WillsC]

Yep that is it. Was in a pot for 2 years and did nothing so this spring it went in ground and still doing nothing

[Rewton]

I guess I kept the good one! Funny, it doesn't look like it has pronounced fmv symptoms though. Maybe Dennis or someone else will weigh in with a suggestion for a fertilizer concoction that will jump start it.

[Altadena Mara]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n25667[/ATTACH] I bought two Figo Preto cuttings from harveyc on eBay toward the end of March this year. They rooted quickly and are now in one gallon pots. They've slowed down in their growth compared to the other cuttings rooted at the same time. The picture below shows my two Figo Preto plants on the bottom left compared to two I-258 above them rooted at the same time and one MBVS on the right rooted later.

[zone5figger]

AmericanFigLover,with all these folks talking Preto, I think you will soon get your wish....I traded for some cuttings of that variety last winter, rooted easily with similar growth pattern as described by others- slow.

[Hershell]

I bought one and it was ok till it died. I probably won't be in a hurry to replace it after this thread.

[PA Figs]

Two of my three grow very well, until they put figs on. They put figs on nearly every mode and once that happens their growth slows. My third tree is a bit sickly and I think needs to be repotted as it doesn't like its current home.

[Rewton]

My Figo Preto has done well in a SIP. Actually, it was in a SIP until a couple months ago when the SIP developed a leak so now I am using it as a conventional container. It's up against the south wall of my house. (Sorry about the photos being sideways - something happened during upload to ourfigs.com and I don't have time to troubleshoot it right now.)

[Chrisk]

Very nice and healthy looking, congrats Steve.

[Rewton]

Thanks - definitely a keeper for me.

[AmericanFigLover]

Surely the slow growing habit is worth the taste right? From the amount of people that seem to have it it appears so.

[COGardener]

I saw a closed auction on ebay for 2 cuttings that went for $80.00 plus shipping. What does a small tree go for if you can find one?

[sal]

It was for 4 cuttings. I definitely regret not raising my bid higher on that auction. I would be happy starting them from cuttings. With the amount of Cuttings I started this year I'm confident I could do it. I just bought 3 Maltese Falcon Cuttings on ebay. Their in my rooting container/chamber now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321790547707...707%26_rdc%3D1

[COGardener]

The one I looked at had two in the picture, I thought it said it was for two. I did not look at the date.

[sal]

Theirs another 2 for auction this week.. Want to split them ?

[tyro]

I'll have air layers and #1 pots available starting at the end of the month,PM me if interested.