black mission???

[quackmaster]

Ok, so I have this black mission which is probably one of the oldest if not the oldest tree in my yard but as good as figs are it is just not a productive tree, this past season it only kept 3 figs to the ripening stage. At first I didn't even think it was a mission because of the long skinny fingered leaves and red bud tips but I was told that there is some mission trees that look like that, but since then the leaves widened out. When ripe the figs resemble Kathleen's Black. I really want a good tasting and productive black mission so I'm torn between finding another one and replacing this one or just leave it to see if it becomes more productive. What would you all do?

[rusty hooks]

I have several from late 1800's stock planted in Sonoma by first families...I think they're true...I have a few, you're welcome to one if you decide to replace....

[quackmaster]

Well ross, I may take you up on that offer, Thank you!

[Sarahkt]

Interesting topic, Ryan. Is it in the ground or pot, and how much have you fertilized it this year?

I also have a unproductive but large young Black Mission, wondering if it's due to over-fertilization or is just a young tree character flaw. Do Black Missions normally not produce in its first or second years?

It's from Raintree and shows every sign of wanting to be a huge tree. It grew very quickly in its 20-gallon SmartPot this year but despite now being 7+ feet with at least 5 good branches, NOT A SINGLE FIG this year, not even a figlet that later dropped off. Almost every other tree, including ones that I got or finished rooting just a couple months ago, has been somewhat precocious and has at least two or three figs. Some have many despite being <2' tall (Bourj. Grise, Petite Negra). I'm hoping it's due to over-fertilization. I'll hold back on fertigation and see if it produces a good crop next year, otherwise I will be looking for a more productive Black Mission.

[quackmaster]

Sarah, my black mission is in ground in south Louisiana, I only gave it a little fertilizer at the start of spring but I for sure didn't over do it. I originally bought the tree from an online nursery called top tropicals I believe. It seems healthy and it actually put out a good bit of figlets that dropped off almost as soon as they appeared but even if they would all have made it it wasn't enough to say it was productive.

[rusty hooks]

I'll give you some (special sauce) next week.....it'll fruit...

[AscPete]

Mission figs happen to be one of those cultivars that's readily available, fall into the "Gateway figs group", http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...-fig-cultivars and is often used as a universal benchmark for "Fig Flavor", http://www.ourfigs.com/forum/figs-ho...-flavor-groups comparisons. It was one of my earliest cultivar acquisitions, after reading the many posted recommendations, but due to FMD, cold winters and poor winter protection the original trees did not survive. Although the plants had very visible FMD they were all prolific and produced figs at every leaf node.

Finding healthier Mission cultivars seems to have been an ongoing quest from reading old posts at Gardenweb and F4F. The increased use of Tissue culture may have created a source of healthy mission trees. Many nurseries are currently growing and selling stock using tissue culture or purchasing tissue cultured plants from Wholesalers, 2 online nurseries that are currently selling more tissue cultured fig tree cultivars are Edible Landscaping and Almost Eden.

I'm currently growing Mission TC (Tissue Cultured) from Wellsprings and should be able to post some results next season, since all of my prior Tissue cultured plants produced figs by the second leaf. Currently the plants are very healthy and have shown no signs of FMD.

[COGardener]

I too have a TC mission from Wellsprings, I hope it fruits next year as well.

[quackmaster]

Thanks for the links pete

[AscPete]

You're welcome...

[AscPete]

Another replacement for Mission could be Violette de Bordeaux TC, 2nd leaf potted VdB TC is currently loaded with figs.
BTW, a possible key to early fruiting of Tissue Cultured Fig trees may be to grow as a single main trunk for the first season.

[quackmaster]

Thanks, and that's how I grew the tissue culture last year that was supposed to be ischia black but set out one green fig this year. After I got rid of all the surrounding sucker and picked one out ot grew very well and very quick

[AscPete]

Was that 'Ischia Black' the Blue Ischia fron Hirts gardens?
My Blue Ischia from Hirts was winter killed, but Frank (FMD) grew it out and wound up with a possible White Ischia or White Marseilles

[quackmaster]

That's it pete, blue ischia, and I have 2 of them and they both put out one fig each which was a small green fig with amber center