Kathleens Black 2015 Main Updated

[newnandawg Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close newnandawg]

This is a second year tree that was placed in ground in May 2015. The growth
has been moderate and a dozen or so figs. This is one of my trees that gets
about 5 hours of sun per day.

The taste is quiet bland but on the sweet side. It had very little flavor to describe.
It did weigh in at 1.55 oz. About a 4 on a 1-10.

On 8/18/15 I tasted the last fig of the season for this tree. Unbelievable difference
from the first fig. This fig was quiet sweet but I still can not describe its creamy flavor.
Having said that, I still like what it is enough to rate it a 7+ for now. Below is wash
Herman (VS) said about this fig tree.

"Kathleen Black is a robust specimen ,adapted to cold climates,a fig that is known to have been grown in Washington DC area,for a couple of hundreds years,and large ,Mission like looking trees are known to exist in Washington DC area.
This tree must have been imported by some big shot ,In Wash. DC,and it made it there over the years it adapted to resist cold Winter.
I grew,about 5+,Black Mission kind,like Texas Black Mission,Alex Black Mission,California Black Mission,Malta Black Mission,and a couple of Black Mission that turned out to be mediocre brown figs,and The only one that resist Winter here and ripe fruits in time is Kathleen Black.
There are other black Fig that look like Kathleen Black some of good repute like Noire de Caromb,but I am content with Kathleen black as being the most adapted to the Atlantic coast,and in better climatic conditions will surpass all the others in producing large harvest of wonderful tasty fruits year after year.
My tree now 6 years old has a main trunk of 5 inches diameter ,and it never died down,this trunk is the original it started with."

[quackmaster Member Find all posts View Profile Close quackmaster]

You know in my yard kathleen black flavor is really good and this was my trees second season in ground also, with only about a dozen or so figs. I just want it to be a little more priductive, hopefully in time.

[Rewton Fig Phenom Find all posts View Profile Close Rewton]

Don't complain guys! Mine was rooted in 2012 and went in ground Spring 2013. I still haven't tasted a fig from KB and this year it still hasn't set any tiny figs yet. We had two tough winters that nearly froze it to the ground each time but both times it grew back to a decent sized bush. It is currently a sprawling bush of about 5 feet tall and 7 feet in diameter. Here's hoping we have a mild winter and I finally get figs in 2016.

[quackmaster Member Find all posts View Profile Close quackmaster]

Don't complain guys! Mine was rooted in 2012 and went in ground Spring 2013. I still haven't tasted a fig from KB and this year it still hasn't set any tiny figs yet. We had two tough winters that nearly froze it to the ground each time but both times it grew back to a decent sized bush. It is currently a sprawling bush of about 5 feet tall and 7 feet in diameter. Here's hoping we have a mild winter and I finally get figs in 2016.

Good luck with it. I have no complaints about flavor, its just weak on productivity, but hopefully for not much longer. By the way Steve, those cdd noir cuttings you sent me a couple seasons back rooted well for me, I kept one and put it in ground last fall but I haven't got any figs from it yet, but it is healthy so hopefully next season!

[newnandawg]

Steve, in reference to your statement about putting figs in the ground delays their productivity. I would think
that may have something to do with local conditions. Without a doubt, my trees respond much faster with
vegetative and fruit production when they are put in ground.

[quackmaster]

I've noticed with some of my trees that as soon as they went in ground they took off.

[Rewton]

Maybe I have too much nitrogen in my soil but last year when I put my figs in the ground they put on lots of growth but didn't produce many figs. This year (even thought they nearly all froze to the ground) it looks like they will be more productive. Still, if you adjust for the amount of foliage, my container trees are more productive.

[jmaler Fig Phenom Find all posts View Profile Close jmaler]

Nice looking fig. Like the size of it.

[Chrisk Spirit of Community Find all posts View Profile Close Chrisk]

Looks great Mike. Have you been getting much rain on your side of town? Maybe that is why the lack of flavor. It looks like a keeper with such good sized figs! Thanks for sharing.

[newnandawg Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close newnandawg]

Chris, not hardly any rain. Only two lite showers in the last three weeks.

[quackmaster Member Find all posts View Profile Close quackmaster]

Mike, I'm sure you KB will know your socks off in the near future.

[newnandawg Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close newnandawg]

bump for update

[Rewton Fig Phenom Find all posts View Profile Close Rewton]

Thanks for the report. A minor quibble with Herman2's comments in post #1, Gene Hosey told me that his friend Kathleen purchased the tree a few years before from a nursery in Michigan. He was pretty sure it was called "Michigan Bulb Nursery". So it has been growing in Wash. DC for a decade or two but not hundreds of years.

[quackmaster Member Find all posts View Profile Close quackmaster]

Good update

[Gina Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Gina]

My KB produced in the second year. This year (3rd) there are fruits, but not that many. I'm also finding them on the bland side. KB is a pretty fig, but right now, esp with the drought, it's been placed on the 'cull watch list'. There are just too many really good ones to keep a marginal performer.