How many new varieties are you adding this year?

[fitzski]

When i came into the fall, I told myself that I was going to only add 6 new varieties. Partly because I'm running out of room for the figs I have now.

I bought some cuttings on eBay from Herman2 and then our generous friends Rui and Kelby came along and now I'm at about 15 varieties. Hopefully I can keep it under 20

New varieties that I'm adding this year:
- Col de Dame Grise
- Maltese Falcon
- RdB
- Takoma Violet
- Malta Black
- Atillio Purple
- Florea
- Nordland
- Dalmatie
- Kathleen's Black
- Black Bethlehem
- Sal's GS
- Fico Bianco
- Bari
- Figo Preto

I'm probably missing a variety or two but that's what I can remember off the top of my head.

Which ones are you adding? Which ones are you really looking forward to?

[Harborseal]

I'm trying to add another 13,128 varieties. I'm not totally sure I'm going to get that many but I'm working on it. ALL the FIGS!!!

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure check out

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html

And be sure to visit the links at the right, especially God of Cake. Be forewarned that her language is not for the faint of heart.

[fitzski]

ok, so my limit of 20 doesn't seem so bad now .

Thanks for sharing.

[eboone]

Like you, Kevin, I had intentions of limiting my numbers - I said not more than 10 this winter. I lack adequate lighting and room to handle large numbers.
But I now have 23 varieties on hand or en route or promised...

I am looking forward to all of them, or I would not bother rooting them

[fitzski]

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully next year I can keep it under 10 varieties.

[cjmach1973]

It's hard to say numbers, I definitely will be increasing my varieties, It just depends on how many interruptions I get from car repairs, crashing computers, old dishwashers, and anything else my family and life (work) throws at me.

[fitzski]

Hopefully, your interruptions will be low so you're able to spend time on your fig hobby.

[Sarahkt]

I'd be too embarrassed to even tell you the number, especially since as of last year I was only going to "get one." :/

But of the varieties that I've gotten/getting/rooting, there are some awesome ones that I'm especially looking forward to growing and tasting next year (if I'm lucky and all goes perfectly well). I blame it on all the hype and great fig pics posted here and on F4F.

CdD Gris and Noir
Stella
Genovese Nero
Gris de St. Jean
Patlican and El Molino
Galicia Negra
Vasilika Sika
Nordland
Beall
Smith
LdA
Ronde de Bordeaux
Zidi
Maltese Falcon
Fico Pesco d'Oro
Native de Argenteuil

[fitzski]

Wow, that's quite a list. And there are a few varieties that I don't have yet

Time to update my wish list.

[WillsC]

There are a lot of factors that will influence the total but somewhere between 60 and 100 I would guess.

[Sarahkt]

Still looking for the elusive Cuiro De Bou? Must be very hard to find if even you can't find it!

[fitzski]

Wow! That's quite a lot of new additions. I'm guessing that will bring your total to over 500 varieties?

[WillsC]

Sarah,

I hope I found it, we shall see.

Fitz,

Not quite. Think that won't happen till next year but my count is not up to date so not sure.

[veggie_girl]

Haha, my husband asked me the same thing tonight, I wouldn't answer him

[fitzski]

Earlier this year, my wife asked me how many fig trees we had and I said I don't know. Which was true because I stopped counting at 30

Are there any varieties that you're really looking forward to?

[Harborseal]

Women stop counting at 29.

[BrooklynMatty]

I just started growing figs this summer and initially told myself i was only going to grow about 8-10 in total. Now that list has risen to about 25-30 in total, of those i already i have 6 growing right now between some local unknowns, purchases and a gift or 2. I have about 4 varieties or so people promised me, and some cuttings i purchased. I still have about 10 varieties that I'm still looking to require, hoping some people will have them for sale or fig cutting offers in the next 2 months. I redid my whole backyard to become an urban garden and plan on rededicating space in lieu of tomatoes for my figs, they will love my custom drip irrigation setup. I don't need 24 full size tomato plants anyway, that was TOO much work as i cant keep up with processing a 100lbs of tomatoes every other week.

My wife thinks i'm NUTS, and that i'm going overboard, which i do normally do when i'm passionate for something. My neighbors who gifted me some unknown cuttings think i'm nuts as well. I guess i'm nuts for figs

[fitzski]

I hear you, we could have worse vices.

What country do you think your unknowns came from?

[BrooklynMatty]

That's what i tell my wife, at least this gets me out of the house!!!

All my unknowns originated from Brooklyn, and they are of Italian descent . I know one was identified as a sicilian white by vasile, another kinda looks like sicilian red or of the same mt. etna variety. Another is still unknown (fig tree im trying to save) which i remember it being dark, but its been too long to remember.

[fitzski]

That's cool. Good luck with the one your trying to save.

[Rewton]

So far I'm just rooting these four new ones although it is possible one or two more may be added later:

Ponte Tresa
Verdescu
Barile
Pastiliere

[fitzski]

Yet more varieties that I need to research, thanks for sharing.

[FMD]

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but...I think I'm pretty much done for a while.

Not sure what a while is though.

[fitzski]

I think 'a while' has passed.

[Harborseal]

You're way to mature to hang around me. Plus, next trip to Europe may reignite some longing, who knows?

[brettjm]

After last years explosion, I kept it simple enough this year.

Added Brunswick, champagne, LSU gold, and smith this summer. Added takoma violet, bari, stella, peter's honey, atreano, and white triana in the form of cuttings just recently. We'll see what makes it until next year...I'm trying to grow the smith and champagne indoors over the winter, but the champagne has a super mild case of rust. In the dry dry dry house, it hasn't really progressed much, but I've got my eye on it. Neither one of them is actively putting on leaves. We'll see what happens...

[fitzski]

I'm also trying to overwinter a few small figs but some have already dropped a leaf or two. I think it is too dry in the basement. I think it is time for the propagation containers.

Good luck.

[eboone]

I tried to grow a small poorly growing Preto thru the winter last year, but it did not put on a single new leaf leaf. I finally made it go dormant with cold temps right before spring and it did rebound some once it got out in the sun. It is still poorly growing...

[jkuo]

I originally was going to cap myself at 4-5 new varieties this year. I'm already at 6. Sigh. Maybe I'll stop myself by 10.

[fitzski]

Well, you could either limit yourself or just stop counting

Good luck with your new varieties.

[eboone]

Need some more cutting options, Johnny - I have some I can spare

[jkuo]

Ed, lol. I keep blowing past my caps because there are too many enablers to feed the fig addiction. All the bonus cuttings I got last winter essentially doubled the number of varieties I intended to grow. The trend continues this cuttings season. More bonus cuttings have blasted me right past my cap.

[DBJohnson]

Well, I started off this year with 0 and just got started this summer. Here's the rundown....

UNK Nell Johnson Heirloom (small and in-ground...had I known what I was doing I would have left it in a pot...but it has adjusted reasonably well)
Ronde de Bordeaux (potted)
Carini (potted)
UNK Ocracoke Blanche Howard CL (potted)
UNK Ocracoke Pound CL (potted)
LSU Champagne (potted)
UNK Yellow Greek AD (potted)
LSU Scott's Black (potted)
Brown Turkey (potted)
Smith (potted)
Atreano (potted)
O'Rourke (potted)
LSU Purple (potted)
Abebereira (cutting)
Hardy Chicago (cutting)
Lyndhurst White (cutting)
Carini (cutting)
Green Ischia (cutting)
Maltese Falcon (cutting)
Italian Honey (cutting)
Adriatic JH (cutting)
UNK Unknown JS (cutting)
UNK Natalina BI (cutting)
UNK Italian Yellow BI (cutting)
UNK Italian Yellow Westfield (cutting)
UNK Italian Yellow II (cutting)
UNK South Plainsfield (cutting)
UNK Somerset (cutting)
Black Bethlehem (cutting)
Sals GS (cutting)
Fico Bianco (cutting)
Takoma Violet (cutting)
Bari (cutting)
Florea (cutting)
Conadria (cutting)
Bi39 (cutting on its way soon)
Chi-Talia (cutting on its way soon)

I don't know how many that is...I'm afraid to count them. The good news is that I have plenty of room for them all!

I will probably start the rooting process in late December or early January.

[DBJohnson]

Nope...make that 25 in the queue. I forgot that I'll be getting cuttings from my other grandmother's tree at Christmas. That one will be designated UNK Leora Simmons Heirloom.

[fitzski]

Sounds like you need to stop counting too. Then you'll have 'plausible deniability' when your wife asks you how many fig trees you have.

Any idea /guess of the variety of your grandmother's tree?

[DBJohnson]

None whatsoever. Grandma didn't make preserves like Granny did...so not familiar with that tree.

[don_sanders]

I'm really going to try to resist any more. I don't know where I'm going to grow the ones I've got. I need to grow them, see what I've got, and decide which one are keepers before getting more.

[fitzski]

You say that you're going to resist anymore, yet you have another 8 or so varieties in your wish list. I'm not sure what I should believe.

Like you, I have a bunch of varieties that I want to grow out before adding too many More new varieties. Good luck.

[don_sanders]

Hehe, I did say try.

[Kelby]

Somehow I don't have any yet.

Something must be wrong.

I don't think I have a fever and my heart rate is ok.

[fitzski]

well, you might want to go see your Dr because something is definitely wrong

Thanks again for helping to feed my fig addiction. I'm going to start some around Thanksgiving.

[Kelby]

I actually got several air layers this summer/fall that covered most of my list.

Hope they root well!

[fitzski]

well that counts. I'm sure that something or somebody will tempt you before the start of next season.

[rusty hooks]

I went from 6 to over 40 this year with the help of Sarah and Figgary......I've got a couple coming from Ryan...and I think i'm going to concentrate on growing this year...and expanding the orchard.....

[fitzski]

Wow! That's quite a jump from 6 to 40. Good luck with the expansion of the orchard.

[rusty hooks]

24 in the ground now....come January...should be close to 50 or so....depending on how fast I can dig the holes...

[Harborseal]

A friend in New Mexico rented a portable auger and made (I think) 100 holes in an afternoon. He said it was totally worth it.

[Ripple]

For years I had 2 or 3 figs trees as part of the over garden layout. Well, a tree died last winter and decided to get another and replace it. Somehow by mid summer that replacing one tree ended up in adding over 25 varieties for a total of over 40 trees. So for the coming year I said no more.
Guess what, so far I've acquired another 7 named varieties and several unknown cuttings.
I need to move to a warmer climate.

[fitzski]

the same thing happened to me. I started with an inherited fig tree from my sister in law's father and had that for over 10 years as my only tree. And then I found the forums.

I stopped counting after 30 trees so I can honestly say to my wife "I don't know how many fig trees we have" when she asks me.

This winter I said 6 varieties and now I'm over 15 so far. Oh well, we could be 'addicted' to worse things

[Rafaelissimmo]

I am over 40 right now and overstretched. Still planning on adding about 5 more this winter, including PT, Quarteira, De La Reina MP, and maybe the Italian Rigatos, as well as Cavaliere.

[fitzski]

that's a nice list for new additions. Thanks for sharing.

[cis4elk]

5-7, but none of them are in my hands yet.

[fitzski]

that's what I said when the fall started. I hope you're better than i at keeping the new varieties in the single digits

[SarinaP]

I went from 1 to 18 in about 2 weeks. Eeep! Now to see how good my rooting skills are...

[fitzski]

Last year I tried to start all my cuttings at the same time and I lost 4-5 varieties until I settled on my current method. My advice is to do your research to find a method that might suit you and try it on a few cuttngs.

When you've had some success try it on some more. That way you may not lose varieities like I did last year.

Good luck!

[don_sanders]

Yep, good idea not to try all of any one variety the same way unless you are confident.

[SarinaP]

Yup--I'm trying the direct-to-sphagnum/potting mix route, and only 1 cutting of each. I'm experimenting with my own extra cuttings, kept all my trimmings with 1-2 nodes and will get wild with those. Luckily most of my trades have been SUPER-generous and I have 2 of just about everything. Fingers crossed!

[rusty hooks]

did the 1-2 node thing last year....almost 100 trees started that way....most friends wont come over anymore..they all go home with more figs when they do

[COGardener]

Do to my insanity knowing no bounds, I most likely will be adding 30 or more varieties to my collection.

[fitzski]

Wow! Are you going to be in the triple digits after this winter?

[jkuo]

What is everyone's new variety tally up to? I didn't manage to stay under 10. I'm currently at 12 rooted with 2 more hopefully rooting soon and 3 more via trades. That puts me at 15-17. I at least managed to halve the new variety acquisition of last year.

[F. Bennett]

Looks like I'm gaining another 7 varieties, Johnny. Assuming they make it to the big-boy pots.

[fitzski]

Well, I'm going all in this year. I'm also adding the following:
Smith
Longe d'Aout
Lebanese Red
Col de Dame Noir
Col de Dame Blanca/Negra
Manresa
Zingerella
Valle Negra
Bouirjasotte Grise
Brooklyn White
Dark Portugese

and maybe one or two other varieties.

I think I might have a problem, space wise at least.

Might have some extras come spring ...

[fitzski]

ok, added a few more varieties thanks to @drivewayfarmer.

Battaglia Green
Vincenzo
Paradiso Gene's Strain

Way more varieties that I have room for, time for more land