We've had a fig tree that was here when we moved into our house four years
ago. The long and short of it is that every year the tree gets full of figs
but they never get very soft. We've cut a few open and they are as tough as
leather. Our soil here has a lot of sand in it but the apple trees on either
side of the fig tree do quite well. They are watered on a drip system every
other day for 30 minutes. The area is quite shady and with the frequent fog,
even in the summer time, I'm wondering if that could be affecting things.

Here are some photos:
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...Fig-branch.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...ig-closeup.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...s/Fig-tree.jpg

Can any of you share some wisdom on how to help these figs ripen?

Thanks for your reply.
--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA

David Farber wrote:
We've had a fig tree that was here when we moved into our house four
years ago. The long and short of it is that every year the tree gets
full of figs but they never get very soft. We've cut a few open and
they are as tough as leather. Our soil here has a lot of sand in it
but the apple trees on either side of the fig tree do quite well.
They are watered on a drip system every other day for 30 minutes. The
area is quite shady and with the frequent fog, even in the summer
time, I'm wondering if that could be affecting things.
Here are some photos:
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...Fig-branch.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...ig-closeup.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...s/Fig-tree.jpg

Can any of you share some wisdom on how to help these figs ripen?

Thanks for your reply.

My fig tree here in Seattle has many green figs like yours. I have to look
carefully to find a ripe fig. It would probably do better in a more sunny
location. I think the ripening process happens over a few days, then the fig
falls or gets eaten by critters. So I have to keep a close eye on the whole tree
to get a few figs a year. I've had 3 great ones so far this summer.

If you search about figs, you will probably see descriptionsw of a wasp that is
necessary in the ripening process. Interesting reading.

Bob F wrote:
David Farber wrote:
We've had a fig tree that was here when we moved into our house four
years ago. The long and short of it is that every year the tree gets
full of figs but they never get very soft. We've cut a few open and
they are as tough as leather. Our soil here has a lot of sand in it
but the apple trees on either side of the fig tree do quite well.
They are watered on a drip system every other day for 30 minutes. The
area is quite shady and with the frequent fog, even in the summer
time, I'm wondering if that could be affecting things.
Here are some photos:
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...Fig-branch.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...ig-closeup.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/mrfixite...s/Fig-tree.jpg

Can any of you share some wisdom on how to help these figs ripen?

Thanks for your reply.

My fig tree here in Seattle has many green figs like yours. I have to
look carefully to find a ripe fig. It would probably do better in a
more sunny location. I think the ripening process happens over a few
days, then the fig falls or gets eaten by critters. So I have to keep
a close eye on the whole tree to get a few figs a year. I've had 3
great ones so far this summer.
If you search about figs, you will probably see descriptionsw of a
wasp that is necessary in the ripening process. Interesting reading.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for that info. I did not know that there had to be a wasp involved in
the process.
http://www.cloudbridge.org/wp-conten...eNotesNo19.pdf

Also, I think the shady area and thick canopy are not helping much.

--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA

Derald wrote:
"David Farber" wrote:


Hi Bob,

Thanks for that info. I did not know that there had to be a wasp
involved in the process.
http://www.cloudbridge.org/wp-conten...eNotesNo19.pdf

Also, I think the shady area and thick canopy are not helping much.
You may find out more than you wanted to know about figs he

http://www.figweb.org/Figs_and_fig_wasps/index.htm

Be sure to read carefully the sections on the life cycle differences
between monoecious and dioecious figs.

If you have a dioecious variety of fig, you may find it necessary to
install a "male" tree to source the Capri figs that provide the wasps,
although, it may be possible to obtain just the Caprifigs at a local
"real" farmers' market. If you do find figs in a market, be sure that
insects actually are emerging before you buy. If you have a
monoecious variety of fig, aside from installing companion tree of
the same variety, you may pretty much be on your own, AFAIK.

Obviously, one applies no insecticides to fig trees ;-)

I'm not sure what variety of tree it is. The good news is that threes of the
figs ripened over the past several days. They were all on the same branch.
We think that it was because we trimmed the leaves from that branch months
ago as suggested by this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJckql2bOWc

Thanks for your reply.
--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA