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Because I never have enough to do, I translated Baud's page on choosing a fig variety: http://www.fig-baud.com/choixfiguiers.html. Mostly just Google translate, I tried to smooth out the translation as best I could but it's been a long time since high school french! Also attached is Baud's top 25 figs. Enjoy!
CHOOSING A VARIETY
BIOLOGY OF THE FIG TREE
The knowledge of the biology of the fig tree is essential to make the right choice
and understand the meaning of certain interventions.
CHOOSING A FIGUIER MUST CONSIDER:
The geographic location
The development of the shaft
The fruit maturity time
The use made of fruits
The taste of the fruit
AN ADAPTED TO EACH SITUATION FIGUIER
BIOLOGY OF THE FIG TREE
There are several types of fig trees:
The bifères varieties produce two crops per year, les FIGUES FLEURS (breba crop) ripen in July, on the wood of the previous year, accounting for 10-50% of the crop (average 20-25%) depending on the variety. The fruits are parthenocarpic, maturing without the need to pollinate.
Les FIGUES D'AUTOMNE (main crop) often called "SECONDES" constitute the bulk of production, and mature in installments from the end of August until the first frost. Depending on the variety, fruits are parthenocarpic or require blastophaga wasp pollination.
Les variétés unifères do not exhibit this character up and produce only main crop figs. Some very early varieties produce figs early August, a period usually poor in figs.
In conclusion :
All the fig trees do not yield edible fruits.
Some varieties (called common type) are self-fertile and can grow without the need for pollination.
Other varieties may not bear fruit until after blastophaga pollination.
CHOOSING A FIG ONE MUST CONSIDER:
THE LOCATION OF PLANTATION
If the temperature falls each winter below -16 oc (3F), it is better to not grow a fig tree in the field. The geographical location and soil type can affect the speed of growth of the trees, abundance and quality of fruiting. Moreover, the blastophaga wasp has never been identified north of Bordeaux-Lyon, it is essential in the northern areas choose only self-fertile varieties. All varieties available in our catalog are of this type.
THE TREE OF DEVELOPMENT
Depending on the variety, a fig can occupy 5-7 m² for small growing trees to over 75 m² for the largest trees.
THE TIME OF MATURITY OF FRUIT
USE TO BE MADE OF FRUITS
The orchardist prefer varieties with high quality allowing for transport, first black or dark (Pastilière, Dauphine, Noire de Caromb, or Violette de Solliès) and secondarily golden (Longue d'août, Madeleine des Deux Saisons or Goutte d'Or). The amateur will attach more importance to the eating quality of the fruit. The confectioner prefer small fruits, very sweet, with mostly green skin.
TASTE QUALITIES OF FRUIT
One must choose between large, fleshy fruit that is juicy to eat fresh or jam (often more fragile in wet periods) and smaller fruit, generally more resistant, which can be eaten fresh, dried or made into jam. The easiest varieties to dry are Grise de Saint-Jean and Ronde de Bordeaux.
Some varieties that can also be dried whole are Figue de Marseille, Marseillaise, Negronne, Tena, Sucrette and Néfiach..
By cutting the figs in half, we can get good results drying with Noire de Caromb, Abicou, Sultane, Bellone and even Col de Dame or Sucre Vert in warmer regions.
FIGS ADAPTED TO EACH SITUATION
CHOOSING A VARIETY
BIOLOGY OF THE FIG TREE
The knowledge of the biology of the fig tree is essential to make the right choice
and understand the meaning of certain interventions.
CHOOSING A FIGUIER MUST CONSIDER:
The geographic location
The development of the shaft
The fruit maturity time
The use made of fruits
The taste of the fruit
AN ADAPTED TO EACH SITUATION FIGUIER
BIOLOGY OF THE FIG TREE
There are several types of fig trees:
- The CAPRIFIGS (or male figs) are the winter home to the blastophaga wasp responsible for the sexual pollination. Caprifigs are recognizable in winter by the presence of many figs formed at the ends of branches. Fruit parasitized by blastophaga wasp are not edible. There are green, spongy, dry inside, and fall without ever reaching maturity. The fruits of caprifigs never edible and there is no way to make them edible. In nature a seedling is equally likely to be a caprifig or a domestic fig.
- DOMESTIC figs (female/edible figs), depending on the varieties produce one or two harvests of figs per year:
The bifères varieties produce two crops per year, les FIGUES FLEURS (breba crop) ripen in July, on the wood of the previous year, accounting for 10-50% of the crop (average 20-25%) depending on the variety. The fruits are parthenocarpic, maturing without the need to pollinate.
Les FIGUES D'AUTOMNE (main crop) often called "SECONDES" constitute the bulk of production, and mature in installments from the end of August until the first frost. Depending on the variety, fruits are parthenocarpic or require blastophaga wasp pollination.
Les variétés unifères do not exhibit this character up and produce only main crop figs. Some very early varieties produce figs early August, a period usually poor in figs.
In conclusion :
All the fig trees do not yield edible fruits.
Some varieties (called common type) are self-fertile and can grow without the need for pollination.
Other varieties may not bear fruit until after blastophaga pollination.
CHOOSING A FIG ONE MUST CONSIDER:
THE LOCATION OF PLANTATION
If the temperature falls each winter below -16 oc (3F), it is better to not grow a fig tree in the field. The geographical location and soil type can affect the speed of growth of the trees, abundance and quality of fruiting. Moreover, the blastophaga wasp has never been identified north of Bordeaux-Lyon, it is essential in the northern areas choose only self-fertile varieties. All varieties available in our catalog are of this type.
THE TREE OF DEVELOPMENT
Depending on the variety, a fig can occupy 5-7 m² for small growing trees to over 75 m² for the largest trees.
THE TIME OF MATURITY OF FRUIT
USE TO BE MADE OF FRUITS
The orchardist prefer varieties with high quality allowing for transport, first black or dark (Pastilière, Dauphine, Noire de Caromb, or Violette de Solliès) and secondarily golden (Longue d'août, Madeleine des Deux Saisons or Goutte d'Or). The amateur will attach more importance to the eating quality of the fruit. The confectioner prefer small fruits, very sweet, with mostly green skin.
TASTE QUALITIES OF FRUIT
One must choose between large, fleshy fruit that is juicy to eat fresh or jam (often more fragile in wet periods) and smaller fruit, generally more resistant, which can be eaten fresh, dried or made into jam. The easiest varieties to dry are Grise de Saint-Jean and Ronde de Bordeaux.
Some varieties that can also be dried whole are Figue de Marseille, Marseillaise, Negronne, Tena, Sucrette and Néfiach..
By cutting the figs in half, we can get good results drying with Noire de Caromb, Abicou, Sultane, Bellone and even Col de Dame or Sucre Vert in warmer regions.
FIGS ADAPTED TO EACH SITUATION
| SMALL SPACES | FOR LARGE SPACES | |
| WARM CLIMATES natural area of the fig tree |
Production in July and September to October | |
| BROWN TURKEY - BRUNSWICK - DALMATIE - DOREE - FIGUE DE MARSEILLE - LONGUE D'AOUT - MADELEINE DES DEUX SAISONS - NEGRONNE | ABICOU - DAUPHINE - GRISE DE SAINT-JEAN - NOIRE DE CAROMB - SULTANE - TENA | |
| Production in August, September to October | ||
| PASTILIERE | RONDE DE BORDEAUX | |
| Mid-late production from late August to late October | ||
| MARSEILLAISE - NEFIACH - SUCRETTE | BELLONE - NOIRE DE BARBENTANE - PANACHEE | |
| Late production from September to early November | ||
| SUCRE VERT | BOURJASSOTTE NOIRE - COL DE DAME | |
| TEMPERATE CLIMATES with less sunny early autumns and / or very wet |
Production in July and September to October | |
| BROWN TURKEY - BRUNSWICK - DALMATIE - DOREE - FIGUE DE MARSEILLE - LONGUE D'AOUT - MADELEINE DES DEUX SAISONS - NEGRONNE | ABICOU - DAUPHINE - GRISE DE SAINT-JEAN - NOIRE DE CAROMB - SULTANE - TENA | |
| Production in August, September and October | ||
| PASTILIERE | RONDE DE BORDEAUX | |
| Mid-late production from late August to late October | ||
| MARSEILLAISE - NEFIACH - SUCRETTE | BELLONE - NOIRE DE BARBENTANE - PANACHEE | |
| Avoid late varieties (Sucre Vert - Bourjassotte Noire - Col de Dame) | ||
| COLD CLIMATES with late spring frosts (late April-early May) uncommon |
Production late July-early August and late September to October | |
| BROWN TURKEY - BRUNSWICK - DALMATIE - DOREE - LONGUE D'AOUT - MADELEINE DES DEUX SAISONS - NEGRONNE | SULTANE - TENA | |
| Production in September to October | ||
| PASTILIERE | RONDE DE BORDEAUX | |
| COLD CLIMATES with frequent spring late frosts | Production in September to October | |
| PASTILIERE | RONDE DE BORDEAUX | |
| VERY COLD CLIMATE Temperatures below -16 to -18 oc (3 to 0F) | Pot cultivation of varieties with low vigor BROWN TURKEY - BRUNSWICK - DALMATIE - DOREE - MADELEINE DES DEUX SAISONS - PASTILIERE | |
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