Anyone else drive around looking for fig trees in their area?

[LouNeo]

My girlfriend surprised me today with an impromptu "Fig Hunt". We drove around and mapped out 26 new fig trees today Going to make a pretty big mapped database of local figs so I can check back when they should be fruiting and see if anything looks interesting. I expect to be making a lot of friends knocking on doors haha! Anyone else do this or am I just lucky? Im shocked how fig trees just jump out at me now... from like 2-3 yards back, across the street, through someones carport.

[COGardener]

You are for sure not the only one Lou!!! I don't do it at home, because there are none. However, when I'm in areas that has fig trees, you bet I'm looking!

[Eithieus]

i go fig hunting during fruiting time have fond a few gems. i go alone and dont like the part when people look at as to say what are you up to. but that has not stopped me. love the hunt. happy hunting

[LouNeo]

This is my first time with figs so while i hate that its the wrong time of year, it will make the right time of year that much more fun

[Taverna78]

I no go to drive to look in my area for fig.. But when I see them I lock up 18 wheels to admire it.... Most all are people that no care for them and just let die back to ground..,

[lilfiggy]

the only fig trees in this area are the baby ones that I am growing. Orange Orange Orange trees everywhere

[LouNeo]

That is a shame! Of the 26 trees we found today 22 of them were found on 2 parallel streets with abutting backyards (3 total miles of road) . Theres definitely a lot of figs here.

[lilfiggy]

oh wow what a wonderful thing. No cure for your addiction when the "growers" are in your own neighborhood. We should all be so "fig lucky"

[Pino]

I always keep an eye out for fig trees when on vacation and driving around looking new neighborhoods.
Around here zone 6 I don't expect to see many exciting fig varieties grown in ground, mostly long time grown cold hardy figs.
Also get to see some unique ways people come up with to protect their figs for winter.

[BrooklynMatty]

A few months ago I spent like 45 minutes walking around Brooklyn and took pics of fig trees in a few block radius. Plan on going during the summer and talking to some people when I have time.

[COGardener]

Matt, Once I really started looking... I was amazed how many figs there is Brooklyn!!!

[brettjm]

I totally do this. I know where about 25+ trees are in town. They definitely happen in clumps...some neighborhoods just have a lot. One neighborhood in particular has a huge fig bush in someone's yard. Super well maintained, looks like a celeste, and DANG! It must produce 2000 figs a year, easily. Its right on a sidewalk, convenient for sampling, and you'll notice that around 1 in 10 houses in that neighborhood has a small fig tree. Three guesses where they got the idea for it!

There are probably about 6 or 7 BIG trees in town that I've found. I'm guessing celestes or brown turkeys, given that they have been there at least 15-20 years, but some of them are easily 30-40 feet tall. One day I feel like I should just start knocking on doors with a gift fig tree in hand, and ask for history/cuttings of those big trees.

I've also discovered that my boss's neighbor has a fig tree collection. Maybe 10 or 12, all small. Definitely a collector. I know Joe_Athens on the other forum lives in town...I kinda wonder if I accidentally found his house. Either way, I might have to knock on the door someday and see who is home. I'm sure it won't hurt if I have a donation for their collection

[pppldj]

Only 25+ in Athens? I go up there occasionally and Athens is loaded. Mostly BT and Celeste. Find Gran Ellen Dr and turn left on Marion Dr. The fig closest to the driveway and close to the road has long fingerlike leaves. Never got to see the fruit, but I know it is not BT or Celeste.

[brettjm]

I'm sure Athens has more than that. I've never specifically mapped them and counted them, so who knows how many I've really seen. I wasn't even including the botanical gardens which has *thinks...* 12 or 13 trees? Include those, and the number becomes more like 40. Maybe I'll map them out one weekend. Just upgraded to a smart phone last week...maybe I can make use of having googlemaps on my phone.

[DBJohnson]

I keep my eyes open for them, but have yet to find any fig trees around this area except for mine and my neighbor's.

[joann1536]

I seem to see them more in the old neighborhoods than in the newer ones. Especially in older neighborhoods where the Italians or Portuguese used to live. I live in an older neighborhood, there are a number of them near me. I keep them scoped out.

[LouNeo]

I love hearing that im not the only one

[cjmach1973]

I spot them better this time of year when I see them all bundled up. BTW -15 F this morning

[growcrazie]

I live in an area that probably doesn't have many but I was talking to a friend that owns a local plant nursery and she found out I was into figs and told me her brother had one the family had got from a Syrian doctor years ago. I now have cuttings rooting but I have no clue if it came from Syria or it could just be some common fig. I used to live in a area of the state with a large Italian population that could have had some figs but I wasn't growing them at that time.

[JMS]

Haha I guess I do this without realizing it. Just got into figs this year and I moved to my current house last August. I seen two neighbors with fig plants, met one of them already. I've also seen two larger trees on the way to the new neighbor hood. So I've spotted 4 so far. One of them is really neglected. It's in an open front yard next to the Road. It has no Protection and gets hit by salt from the plows. It looks like it dies back most years but it was over 8 ft tall this year.

[JMS]

Haha I have rescued several dogs. There should be a rescue a fig foundation for the neglected ones