i live in new hamster, usda zone 4a and i envy you, you there who lives in
zone 5b. it's so strange how just a few degrees can make such a difference
(SNIFF). i LOVE figs and when i lived in zone 5a in utah, i had terrific
miniature northern brown turkeys that bore heavily and wonderfully. can't
do it here but, still, there ARE wondrous plants that WILL grow here and not
in your area, like the only rudbeckia which is not invasive and cannot even
be pollinated by any insect OR human (i've tried, i've tried) and never goes
to seed. ;o) it's a trade-off, i guess.
From:
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 13:47:58 GMT
Subject: Any northern fig growers here?
I have a fig in a tub and after a couple years of almost killing it I got 2
figs last
summer (delicious... I think it is Celeste). this year I am hoping for a
great many
more.
In fall when the light goes so does the leaves (even when it is warm enough).
I move
it into my heated garage (just heated). Last year it was in the wrong window
and
leafed out before I got it outside. Those leaves burned in the sun and
dropped.
This year I have it in a south facing smallish window. Am working on replacing
smallish windows with floor to ceiling polycarb twinwall. Brown Turkey,
celeste and
hardy chicago among others will fruit on this years wood, but one crop and it
may not
come in before a frost. fruiting on old wood is earlier and more reliable so
I want
to keep my figs alive all winter (I have to remember to take water out to the
garage).
OK... so I got it outside and the year before it got watered when the leaves
looked
droopy which was just too much stress and no fibs. So this last summer I put
it on a
very slow continuous drip. This helped. This year I am going to do watering
using a
timer (rainbird). Watering and food is really really important.
Now. I got a Japanese maple in a pot. It is really fantastic for a plant in
a pot.
But the reality is the roots have grown thru the pot into the ground and that
is why
it is doing so well. SO......
I am going to prepare the soil under where the fig tree is going. The pot is
going
to be opened up more on the bottom and good contact made so the fig can put
roots
down into the soil and give me more growth. In fall, I will cut those roots
off
after the leaves have fallen and move the fig back into the garage. Hopefully
this
will work until I can build a heated sun pit greenhouse. I simply LOVE figs
and they
dont taste like kiwis. I got two varieties that are delicious, but they are
not
figs. when I gave my husband his first fig he was simply amazed it doesnt
taste like
any other kind of processed fig at all. Ingrid
John Bachman wrote:
I am in Southern NH, zone 5b and am considering giving a fig tree a
try. I have read various techniques for babying the tree through our
winters; trenching, covering, bring em inside and plant along a south
facing wall.
I am planning on the latter as soon as I build the wall which has no
other purpose. Then I plan on constructing a cover with ventilation
for winters.
Anyone care to comment on their succesful techniques? Actually,
unsuccesful techniques are worthwhile too - why reinvent broken
wheels?
TIA
John
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