What are your definite keepers and/or best of 2015

[fitzski]

Hi all,

This idea comes from m5allen in Gina's 'What are you going to do different next year?' topic.

As a relative newbie, I'd like to hear what people's definite keepers are and/or best of 2015.

This was the first year for many of my figs so I really don't have a list other than my heirloom Hardy Chicago which seems to do well every year no matter how much or little attention in give it.

Some first year figs that were promising were Conadria, Italian Honey and Desert King.

I'm looking forward to next year for a whole bunch of 2nd year trees like RDB, Scott's Black, MBVS, Nero 600M, Adriatic JH, Vasilika Sika and others I can't remember right now.

thanks.

[Kelby]

My best overall fig of the year (productivity, flavor, etc) was Lattarula. Good sized and tasty breba crop in July and long main crop season that's still going of large tasty fruit.

[fitzski]

my italian honey was really good this year once I figured what a ripe one looked like.

[Sarahkt]

All my trees are young so everyone gets at least another year or two regardless of how they performed. My definite keepers that produced precocious delicious figs were RdB, VdB, Nero 600m, Strawberry Verte, Panache, and Panache-not (Raintree sent me a strawberry-type fig, great figs even if not Panache). Flanders produced a mix of good and bad figs this year. Almost everything else produced figs but I'm waiting on them. Some seem like they'll ripen before the cold weather starts but others seem a little confused fruiting late in the season and probably won't ripen this year.

The RdB was especially good considering it grew quickly from a 1-gal since I got it as a gift just a few months ago (thanks!) and I've already had five or six amazing figs off it with 3 more to go. I have a successful airlayer (my first!) on it for a friend which rooted quickly and now is crammed with roots, but I hope to harvest those last figs off it before I cut the layer off. My VdB air layers didn't work out but I'm told VdB can be harder to layer.

There are a couple that were disappointing (Black Mission grew HUGE but not a single fig, White Genoa also grew considerably and had so-so figs) but I'm giving them another year to see if things change. There was one White Genoa fig decent enough to give me hope. If the Black Mission continues to not produce despite being the biggest tree I'll look around for a more productive source.

[fitzski]

I've heard so many good things about RdB that I am looking forward to next year.

[Sarahkt]

You won't be sorry. I was in the same boat until three months ago. It's definitely a must-have in terms of fast, easy growth, precociousness, productivity, and quality of figs.

Also made my first air layer attempt a successful one, so my pride wasn't hit too hard when the VdB layers failed to do anything. Oh well, those VdBs were mostly to prune down a couple spindly trees. I'll be pruning them shorter this winter.

[mountainfigs]

First 4 figs I would want on a desert island, due to their great flavor and good productivity under difficult conditions:

• Mt Etna (many names)
• Late Bordeaux (many names)
• Brooklyn White
• Ronde de Bordeaux

Other productive early ripeners:

• LSU Improved Celeste
• LSU Champagne
• LSU Purple
• LSU O'Rourke
• Lattarulla (Italian Honey)

Conadria and Latarolla were also productive but the flavor too easily tends to watery. A lot of other cultivars were marginally productive. I expect a number of these to be considerably more productive next year, especially as they are older and I control better for both limb growth and sun placement.

[fitzski]

Which Late Bordeaux's have been good for you?

[mountainfigs]

I don't see a difference between the Late Bordeauxs. Not at this point. Simple as that. To name names: Violette de Bordeaux, Negronne, Petite Negri, and Vista have all been productive. Looks like Nero 600m will be productive too when it matures.

[eboone]

Out of some 30 or so figs that I got to fruit and taste this year, mostly in their 2nd year, there are only a few that are questionable keepers based on taste or productivity or lateness of season, all of which should improve. So at this point all of them are keepers.

The BEST of these in terms of taste were Brooklyn Dark, Susser Georg, VdB, San Pietro, and (before rains and splitting) Black Triana. Note they are all dark ones.
The best LIGHT figs were Emerald Strawberry and Qalaat al Madiq
The best productivity was Atreano, VdB, Unknown Abington, Bryant Dark and Red Sicilian (MN)


Sorry, can't choose just one of my dear children as best

[fitzski]

thanks for comments. it's hard to choose between the kids

[cjmach1973]

So far, only my Italian Honey is mature, so I can't make judgements on anything else yet. So for now, everything stays.

[fitzski]

hopefully, next year you'll have an abundance of figs to taste.

[WillsC]

So far this year I have really liked Siblawi and Sultane but Sangue Doce, it is in a league of it's own......makes the rest of the figs cry out of jealousy

[fitzski]

thanks for the comments. More varieties that I know so little about. Like Scott said, I'm sure they will be hot items in the future on eBay.

[Hobo62288]

Lol sultane is the only one I've even heard of but if you say they are good I don't doubt it.

[mountainfigs]

Sangue Doce, it is in a league of it's own......

Why?

Flavor? Shape? Color? Productivity? Size? Leaves? Growth?

Don't say, "All"!

How did your VDB cordons do this year?

[WillsC]

Flavor and no splitting. Though it was very productive.

The VDB did ok I let more uprights grow and no fertilizer so they were not quite so massive but still over 10' tall.

[COGardener]

Careful Wills, now eBay is going to be flooded with Sangue Doce fakes off of your high praises.

[COGardener]

Since I acquired most of my trees this year, I was only able to try figs from a few of my older trees. I was able to sample Hardy Chicago, Sweet George and LSU improved champagne. Thus far I thought they were very good, I look forward to them and many more next year. So far they are all keeps.

[COGardener]

Make that LSU Improved Celeste..... Oops

[COGardener]

Kevin, I went a little nuts this year! I had 4 trees last fall, and now have 75. Many of them started producing figs after July 1st this year, so I'm hoping next year will be a stellar fig year.

[fitzski]

I stopped counting when I got past 30

That way when my wife asks I'm not lying when I say I don't know.

[newnandawg]

Some keepers from this years harvest are: I258, Col. Littmans Black Cross, Genovese Nero (Art), Qatar,
Maltese Beauty, Emalyns Purple, Chiappetta, Unk Carini, Bebera Branca, Native Black and Negretta.

[newnandawg]

Steve, first year to ripen and only had a couple that were edible. I am
thinking it will be mid to late for me but will have to wait and see.

[Erick]

Newnandawg how would you describe chiapetta.

[newnandawg]

Erick, it ripened in August with a melon flavor and a
hint of cantaloupe . I gave it an 8 on a 1-10 this year

[Rui]

White Triana, Salce, Black Greek, Marseilles Black, Texas BA-1, Nordland, Excel.
Edit: Acciano!

[fitzski]

nice collection of figs. You're in CT, right?

[jkuo]

My winners this year:

Dark: Takoma Violet, MBVS, Hardy Chicago, Ronde de Bordeaux, Sicilian Black JR, Longue d'Aout
Light: Italian Honey, Stella, Hollier

[fitzski]

Sounds like you had a pretty good year. Are these in pots?

[jkuo]

I've had a decent year for only my second season of growing figs. All my trees are currently potted, and most of them are first year trees. My Hardy Chicago and Italian Honey do get points for productivity, but everything else was evaluated purely on tasting just a few figs off of young trees.

[jmaler]

Great reading so far. My 1st year so all of mine are keepers. I'll be sure to tune back in to this thread next year.

[fitzski]

i agree, it's been great to hear what folks have liked this year.

Hopefully next year, we'll have an abundance of figs to taste.

[figgary]

My favorites this year have been Pastiliere, Preto, CdD Blanc, Italian 258, RdB, Lampeira Branca, Adriatic JH, Bebera Preta, Grise de St. Jean, Bourjassotte Grise, and Ischia Black. Many others were really good as well, but these I especially look forward to. Our weather has been very fig friendly, and several are still producing.

[fitzski]

That's a nice selection of figs. Do you have the wasp in your area?

[Rewton]

Gary, how would you compare your UNK Italian A.S. to the figs you mention above or to others in your collection?

[figgary]

Hi Steve. My young Unk Italian AS did not produce ripe figs yet. However, the figs from the mother tree in Healdsburg were as good as those I mentioned. I am anxious to compare them next year to Noire de Caromb and Kathleen's Black, which Vasile has told me that he believes are the same. I should get fruit from all 3 next year to compare.

[figgary]

No Kevin, I'm pretty sure that I don't, as of yet.

[fitzski]

Ok, just wondering. Thanks for sharing your list. Sounds like you had a pretty good year.

[Posturedoc]

My favorites this year are CdDB, CdDN, Preto, Unk. El Molino and RdB. I have a couple more highly anticipated figs I haven't tried yet ripening now, but the weather is about to cool off into the low 70s/upper 60s with nights in the low 40s, so I doubt they will be at their best. The two varieties are Igo Prusch and Stella.

One that almost made the list but for birds forcing me to pick it early (every fig!) was Paradiso Bronze. That's a fig that doesn't get enough accolades.

[fitzski]

Thanks for sharing. I hope you get a little more heat so the later figs ripen for you.

[Gina]

Based on the past 2 years, my keepers in no particular order are VdB/Vista, CdDB, Smith, Black Triana(St Jerome), UCD Ischia Black, Black Madeira, Unk Negretta, JH Adriatic, Violette Soleis, Black Greek from Chios, RdB, Takoma Violet.

If I had to really trim the list to 5 they would be (in no order) Black Triana, UCD Black Ischia, Black Madeira, Unk Negretta, and RdB. And, 6, JH Adriatic. Cuz 5 is just not enough.

There as still some I haven't tasted, so they did not make the list.

[fitzski]

That's a great list. Are you planning any additions this year or just waiting for other in your collection to ripen?

[brettjm]

Is that Unk Negretta the same as Jason's Unk IB by chance? If it is, I'll never forgive myself for killing my one and only cutting of it after it was doing so well...

That's a killer list by the way...UCD IB, black triana, smith, BMad, RDB, Adr JH, and CDD? Dang. What a wealth of great figs I'll never taste :-P Just kidding, I have a few of them.

[zone5figger]

Improved Celeste was one only two varieties (other was BT) to ripen fruit for me out of 10 or so 2nd year plants brought out of the cellar on June 1st. So, for early maincrop varieties, this one seems like the real deal. Next I hope my younger varieties kick in, and I will do my best to give them all an earlier start on the season.

[fitzski]

i've heard good things about improved celeste. Hopefully my IC will produce fruit next year as well.

[Rafaelissimmo]

My favorites did not disappoint this year: Preto, Adriatic JH and Smith. There were also some nice new additions: Improved Celeste was terrific. And MBvs had its best year, an intense berry taste that ripened earlier than Negronne or Nero 600m by about 2 weeks. There were also some disappointments as well: Hardy Chicago had necrotic spots and attracted mini-pillbugs. My Col de Dames were disappointing at times because they have taken way too long to ripen. I think I will pinch them to control growth after fruit sets. Lots of false cuttings and unknowns got the hook due to spatial limitations as well. Many varieties split during the early October rainstorms-not a promising development. Next year will bring many great additions that will have their first full-on fruiting seasons, like Black Madeira, I-258, Bourjasotte Grise and Genovese Nero.

[fitzski]

When did your Preto and Smith ripen? i'm hoping for my first Adriatic JH and MBvs fruit next year.

I'm considering weeding out a few varieties I received from USDA/UCD before they go into winter storage including Tena and 187-25. I'm thinking of cutting down to 1 of each variety instead of the 2-3 I have of each.

[Rafaelissimmo]

Smith got an early start in greenhouse and was done by 3rd week of September. Preto had no head start, there are still 3 fruits left on the tree as we speak, with cold and near frost coming in tonite and tomorrow.

[AscPete]

My best of 2015...

Champagne PP ... productive, honey sweet and rich flavor.
Sals (EL) ... very productive, sugar sweet and berry flavor.
(LSU) Improved Celeste EL ... very productive sugar sweet and rich flavor.
Violette de Bordeaux TC ... extremely productive, sugar sweet, berry and rich complex flavors.
Unknown NolaDark ... very productive, very sugar sweet and very berry flavor.

There were several other cultivars that were good like Hardy Chicago, Brooklyn White and Italian Honey but could not be considered as "Best" this season.

[fitzski]

thanks for commenting. Would you describe your summer normal? Here is Eastern MA, the summer started out normal (periodic rain) but then we had a long dry spell from end of July through September. The heat/humidity was on the more normal side too.

[AscPete]

You're welcome.
I would describe it as close to normal, but the spring was slightly warmer and earlier than usual...

[Coop]

2015 Faves
JH Adriatic - Even though they started splitting in October, the ones I did get were quite good. Also a strong grower
Malta Black- 2nd year from a cutting from Vasile. did nothing last year, was a jelly bomb this year
Nero 600m - Thank you Tim Clymer. It took 3 seasons to get this one going, but well worth the wait
CdD Noir- First year from a cutting and gave me only 1 ripe one. For a first Fig, it was really good
Kathleen's Black- Larger in size than last year and absolutely delish
MB vs- Another fine and delicious winner from Vasile
RdB- A oldie but goodie
Dominicks Italian- Perenial favorite great flavor and good karma

[fitzski]

Thanks for commenting. I like your statement about the Dominicks. I feel the same way with my inherited Hardy Chicago. I'm looking forward to MBVS, JH Adriatic, Nero 600m, RdB and Dominick's Italian next year as 2nd year trees. Hopefully they'll all fruit for me.

Kevin

[nkesh099]

LSU Red and my Unknown Dark Greek.

[fitzski]

The mysterious LSU Red, do you have any pictures of the leaves or fruit?

[nkesh099]

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/lsu-red-2012-6079108?pid=1275682019

[Dale_M]

Chiappetta did very well for me this year. After tasting my first Salce, I gave away my Italian Honey. Vista was good.

[fitzski]

I have an Italian Honey that did well for me this year. Maybe I need a Salce?

What zone are you in?