Hi all,
Just thought I'd share this information, in case anyone else is
craving their very own fig tree and/or muscadine vines. I've already
got one Brown Turkey fig tree in my yard and it's been growing like
crazy, but doesn't produce all that much, and the figs are small. I
got it from Broadwell's. I cut that one way back and will lime like
crazy, per advice from Paradise Nursery. Speaking of which...

I've ordered several different kinds of figs and a muscadine grapevine
from Paradise Nursery up in Virginia Beach.
http://www.paradisenursery.com/info.html

They will be sent to me when they're closer to being ready to plant
for my zone. I have every confidence they'll be wonderful, judging
from the very useful web site they've got, and the very helpful advice
and tips that I've been getting from the owners by email. Sybil and
her husband Rob are great.

I adore fresh figs, and the trees are truly beautiful to look
at--smooth, thick trunk and branches and big tropical-looking leaves.
I am excited about planting a traditional Celeste, and couple
varieties of large green figs--I enjoyed these when I lived in the
Mediterranean, and I'm hoping that these will have the same fantastic
flavor and texture. I also am nuts about those big black muscadines,
and am ripping out the sour scuppernongs I have now to make way for
the vine I've ordered. Yum.

Just thought I'd share info about Paradise Nursery. I've got no stake
in the company or its business, but when I get extra special service,
I like to spread the word, and help such rare family businesses to
stay in business. Tell Sybil that Sue sent ya...

Cheers
Sue

In article ,
Siouxzi wrote:
I am excited about planting a traditional Celeste, and couple
varieties of large green figs--I enjoyed these when I lived in the
Mediterranean, and I'm hoping that these will have the same fantastic
flavor and texture. I also am nuts about those big black muscadines,

What are the other varieties you're planting? And will they be
pollinated in this area? A number of figs are only pollinated by a
certain wasp so won't produce fruit if grown in an area without the
wasps. I have Celeste and Brown Turkey figs and will likely add a
couple more this spring.

--
Steve

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 21:22:47 +0000 (UTC), Steve
wrote:

In article ,
Siouxzi wrote:
I am excited about planting a traditional Celeste, and couple
varieties of large green figs--I enjoyed these when I lived in the
Mediterranean, and I'm hoping that these will have the same fantastic
flavor and texture. I also am nuts about those big black muscadines,

What are the other varieties you're planting? And will they be
pollinated in this area? A number of figs are only pollinated by a
certain wasp so won't produce fruit if grown in an area without the
wasps. I have Celeste and Brown Turkey figs and will likely add a
couple more this spring.

I've ordered a Celeste, Alma gold, and Conadria---another green
Meditteranean type. I've not heard of the pollination issue--I presume
that all these varieties flower and fruit up in VA where they've been
tested and propagated... but if you're not sure, just ask them at
Paradise. They're very helpful. Good luck, and maybe we can compare
notes--and figs--later!

Sybil told me to add lots of lime--maybe that will bring my Brown
Turkey back to fruition.

Sue

In article ,
Siouxzi wrote:
I've ordered a Celeste, Alma gold, and Conadria---another green
Meditteranean type. I've not heard of the pollination issue--I presume

All three of those should be fine in terms of pollination. I think Alma
and Conadria a hybrids developed in the southeast US. It's the Smyrna
type figs which need the wasp. These are the ones grown around the
Mediterranean or in California.

Sybil told me to add lots of lime--maybe that will bring my Brown
Turkey back to fruition.

Don't go overboard with the lime. The pH should be around 6.0.

--
Steve

On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 22:05:07 +0000 (UTC), Steve
wrote:

All three of those should be fine in terms of pollination. I think Alma
and Conadria a hybrids developed in the southeast US. It's the Smyrna
type figs which need the wasp. These are the ones grown around the
Mediterranean or in California.

Well dang. Those are probably just the kind of figs I fell in love
with in Turkey--they were all around Izmir (ancient Smyrna) and Efes
(Ephesus), and other spots along the Aegean. I can only hope that the
ones I am planting will approach those in size and taste because they
were ambrosia.

Don't go overboard with the lime. The pH should be around 6.0.

OK, thanks. I've only every applied lime with a lawn spreader, and
even then didn't know what I was doing (though it came out all right).
Any tips for spreading and testing it around my trees? Do I need to
get some pH strips? The area is surrounded with giant loblolly pines
and some hardwoods, and I know the soil is quite acid. The azaleas
thrive.
I've got some gardening soil to fill the hole with when I plan the new
figs.

Sue

Steve wrote:

What are the other varieties you're planting? And will they be
pollinated in this area? A number of figs are only pollinated by a
certain wasp so won't produce fruit if grown in an area without the
wasps. I have Celeste and Brown Turkey figs and will likely add a
couple more this spring.

I ordered a Violette de Bourdeaux from them a couple of years ago. It's
self pollinating and I've gotten at least two crops of figs off of it
each year. This is the second Violette de Bourdeaux I've purchased but
the first from Paradise. The first one died really quickly on me which
is when I bought the one from Paradise. The fig as beautiful when it
arrived and hasn't given me any problems. *smile*

--
Susan
shsimko[at]duke[dot]edu

In article ,
Siouxzi wrote:
OK, thanks. I've only every applied lime with a lawn spreader, and
even then didn't know what I was doing (though it came out all right).
Any tips for spreading and testing it around my trees?

Free soil testing:

http://www.ncagr.com/agronomi/sthome.htm

--
Steve