New fig tree question
 

I bought a new fig tree :-)

It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.

Photo:
http://timtyler.freeshell.org/sprout.../pot/fig_1.jpg

My question is: Should I remove the green figs?

I'm new to fig cultivating - but I understand that figs that form too
late to ripen will simply steal energy from the rest of the plant -
without ever being useful as food.

The figs are about 3cm in length, and don't look very close to being ripe.

So:

Should I hope for an "indian" summer. Or is it too late for these figs?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ Remove lock to reply.

Tim Tyler wrote:

I bought a new fig tree :-)

It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.

Photo:
http://timtyler.freeshell.org/sprout.../pot/fig_1.jpg

My question is: Should I remove the green figs?

I'm new to fig cultivating - but I understand that figs that form too
late to ripen will simply steal energy from the rest of the plant -
without ever being useful as food.

The figs are about 3cm in length, and don't look very close to being ripe.

So:

Should I hope for an "indian" summer. Or is it too late for these figs?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

On Gardener's World on Friday, Monty Don advised removing them.


--
Fortune's Fictitious Country Song Title of the Week:
"How Can I Miss You if You Won't Go Away?"

"Tim Tyler" wrote in message ...
I bought a new fig tree :-)

It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.

Photo:
http://timtyler.freeshell.org/sprout.../pot/fig_1.jpg

My question is: Should I remove the green figs?

I'm new to fig cultivating - but I understand that figs that form too
late to ripen will simply steal energy from the rest of the plant -
without ever being useful as food.

The figs are about 3cm in length, and don't look very close to being ripe.

So:

Should I hope for an "indian" summer. Or is it too late for these figs?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

The most prolific outdoor fig I know grows in a garden where successive
owners have not picked any of the fruit (those which the blackbirds don't
have, rot on the branches), nor given the tree any noticeable attention
whatsoever. They certainly haven't removed the little figs which tried to
overwinter (these seem to fall off eventually), yet the tree flourishes.

I don't bother removing them from my own trees, either, too lazy to try,
probably :-)

bigboard wrote or quoted:
Tim Tyler wrote:

I bought a new fig tree :-)

It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.

Photo:
http://timtyler.freeshell.org/sprout.../pot/fig_1.jpg

My question is: Should I remove the green figs?

[...]

The figs are about 3cm in length, and don't look very close to being ripe.

So:

Should I hope for an "indian" summer. Or is it too late for these figs?

[...]

On Gardener's World on Friday, Monty Don advised removing them.

Yes - it figgures ;-)

I removed the 13th biggest one and munched on it. Despite not being
remotely ripe it was mild - and still obviously full of figgy goodness.

Now that I know that I can still eat the unripe figs, I expect I'll
pick about half the smallest ones - and sees if that helps the remaining
ones ripen at all.

If they show signs of going downhill, I can always eat them too ;-)
--
__________
|im |yler http://timtyler.org/ Remove lock to reply.

In article , Tim Tyler writes
I bought a new fig tree :-)

It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.

Photo:
http://timtyler.freeshell.org/sprout.../pot/fig_1.jpg

My question is: Should I remove the green figs?

They almost certainly won't come to anything, but if it were me I would
leave the decision for another 3 weeks just to be sure. If they're not
turning colour by end Sep, then remove them (sometimes small ones do
ripen)

I'm new to fig cultivating - but I understand that figs that form too
late to ripen will simply steal energy from the rest of the plant -
without ever being useful as food.

I think it's more that the presence of developing figs inhibits
development of more flowers, so you remove them to stimulate early
flowers in spring and get the figs started as early as possible in our
short growing season.

I don't think figs have problems with energy!


--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

On Mon, 6 Sep 2004 14:59:26 GMT, Tim Tyler wrote:

My question is: Should I remove the green figs?

As I understand it, you remove all the figs bigger than a pea (Bob
Jlowerdew) but not till after all the leaves have fallen (Monty Don on
GW last Friday).
I am also new to fig growing and will try this process, but as BAC
says, trees can be prolific with no such tending. Of course, it is
only in climates such as ours that it needs doing anyway. In Med
climates each successive crop will ripen.

Pam in Bristol

"Tim Tyler" wrote in message
I bought a new fig tree :-)
It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.
My question is: Should I remove the green figs?
I'm new to fig cultivating - but I understand that figs that form too
late to ripen will simply steal energy from the rest of the plant -
without ever being useful as food.
Should I hope for an "indian" summer. Or is it too late for these figs?

With a fig tree growing in my garden located 30km east of London I find that
those figs which survive the winter may go on to ripen in the following
year.
Many of the figs die in the winter and drop of, but not all.
Plenty more figs start to appear the following year regardless of what is
left on the tree.

Anthony

Have just moved into a house with a fig tree
Lots of small green figs now (October) but hjave read that figs in UK
climate take 2 years to ripen. Leave the small ones on at the end of
this year - they will be ripe end of next

On Wed, 8 Sep 2004 22:48:08 +0100, "Anthony Stokes"
wrote:


"Tim Tyler" wrote in message
I bought a new fig tree :-)
It's about 80 cm tall - and has got 13 green figs on it.
My question is: Should I remove the green figs?
I'm new to fig cultivating - but I understand that figs that form too
late to ripen will simply steal energy from the rest of the plant -
without ever being useful as food.
Should I hope for an "indian" summer. Or is it too late for these figs?

With a fig tree growing in my garden located 30km east of London I find that
those figs which survive the winter may go on to ripen in the following
year.
Many of the figs die in the winter and drop of, but not all.
Plenty more figs start to appear the following year regardless of what is
left on the tree.

Anthony

I have a small fig tree in a pot. It produced one fig this summer
(delicious, but lonely) and now has dozens of small fruitlets.

Is it possible or sensible to bring it indoors for the winter? There's room
for it in my conservatory. Would it still drop its leaves because of the
shorter days?

The message
from "Sally Holmes" contains these words:

I have a small fig tree in a pot. It produced one fig this summer
(delicious, but lonely) and now has dozens of small fruitlets.

Is it possible or sensible to bring it indoors for the winter? There's room
for it in my conservatory. Would it still drop its leaves because of the
shorter days?

Well, it would appreciate being brought in, and the small figments might
not drop off, but I don't know about the leaves - I rather think that
they will drop anyway, BICBW.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Kay" wrote in reply to Steve Newport

Have just moved into a house with a fig tree
Lots of small green figs now (October) but hjave read that figs in UK
climate take 2 years to ripen. Leave the small ones on at the end of
this year - they will be ripe end of next

No, that's not true. The ones that are any size now will drop off in the
spring, and the ones that will ripen in the summer are only just
appearing as tiny knobs now.

Figs won't stay on the tree for two years.

According to Mony last Friday the little fruitlets should be removed now as
they will not ripen and will take food from the plant. The fruit for next
year are just little tiny buds now.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Kay" wrote in reply to Steve Newport

Have just moved into a house with a fig tree
Lots of small green figs now (October) but hjave read that figs
in
UK climate take 2 years to ripen. Leave the small ones on at the
end of this year - they will be ripe end of next

No, that's not true. The ones that are any size now will drop off
in
the spring, and the ones that will ripen in the summer are only
just
appearing as tiny knobs now.

Figs won't stay on the tree for two years.

According to Mony last Friday the little fruitlets should be
removed
now as they will not ripen and will take food from the plant. The
fruit for next year are just little tiny buds now.

I like Monty, but it _was_ English he did at university! Subject to
correction, I'd say those fruitlets won't take anything away from the
tree during the cold season, so it ought to be OK to leave them to
drop of their own accord.

--
Mike.

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains
these
words:



I like Monty, but it _was_ English he did at university!

so did i but that don't mean i dunno nuffink about nuffink else

Fairy nuff, but Titchmarsh or Smith he wouldn't claim to be.

--
Mike.

The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:

I like Monty, but it _was_ English he did at university! Subject to
correction, I'd say those fruitlets won't take anything away from the
tree during the cold season, so it ought to be OK to leave them to
drop of their own accord.

I don't know Monty (no TV) but I agree with you, Mike. If there's a cold
snap, they'll drop off - if not, they may well ripen the next year.

Over winter the tree won't be doing anything - except shivering.

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:
Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains
these
words:

I like Monty, but it _was_ English he did at university!

so did i but that don't mean i dunno nuffink about nuffink else

Fairy nuff, but Titchmarsh or Smith he wouldn't claim to be.

Or Loades of others...

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/