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Post by rowan on Feb 14, 2016 16:50:04 GMT -5
A few years ago I bought two varieties of fig seed from Turkey. They germinated very well but a mishap meant that I only have half a dozen small trees left and since only a proportion of seed grow trees end up producing fruit I am not sure that any of mine will. maybe one day I will try again. There is a fig forum which has a discussion about all the aspects of growing from seed and is a good place to start if you want to go that way but you will have to Google to find it.
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Post by richardw on Feb 14, 2016 17:02:09 GMT -5
Thanks Rowan, i have a look later. That link philagardener says that in fact we do have the fig wasp, looking up images of it, i cant say ive ever noticed any. raymondo let me know if you are able to import the seed and maybe i could send ya some. Talking with friend this morning about the figs i bought from the roadside stall,he reckon they were a lot smaller than his which are about the size of tennis balls, and then his WOOFERs last week saw a tree in a town 15kms from here that had fruit larger than that, guess where i'm going for a drive this afternoon??
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Post by richardw on Feb 14, 2016 18:35:13 GMT -5
Found the tree in the end after 1/2 cruising the streets checking out peoples gardens,not a big as was mentioned but its ripe and had seed.
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Post by raymondo on Feb 14, 2016 19:43:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the offer richardw but I'll pass on the fig seeds. I've got plenty to keep me occupied and the odds of getting a good fruiter seem pretty low. But if you have the space, time and inclination, go for it. It will be interesting to follow. I've got 4 different figs growing which should supply all I need and more.
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Post by philagardener on Feb 15, 2016 7:15:48 GMT -5
Here in the US, city neighborhoods that had huge Italian populations decades ago can be a rich source of old trees that have done well in local conditions. As original gardeners moved on and ethnic populations shifted, current owners often don't appreciate these trees (and often cut them down). If you have any areas around you that fit this description, a slow drive around can yield interesting things!
Those trees also can seed in places like Southern CA, and "wild" offspring can often be found fruiting in drainage ditches literally emerging from cracks in the concrete.
Here in PA, I found an old, fruiting fig tree only two blocks away - unfortunately the polar vortex of a recent winter did in both the original tree and all the cuttings I had started.
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Post by richardw on Feb 15, 2016 12:32:47 GMT -5
What a shame philagardener, did it not even regrow again from its stump
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Post by philagardener on Feb 15, 2016 20:54:07 GMT -5
Two winters ago the mother plant was killed well into the ground and I thought it was gone, but in late July a few shoots made it up. Those roots are hardy but the cold was extreme. However, last winter appears to have finished it and I didn't see any signs of recovery last summer. :<(
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Post by richardw on Feb 15, 2016 23:49:22 GMT -5
just too much for it hey....
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Post by steev on Feb 15, 2016 23:54:12 GMT -5
Years ago, Organic Gardening magazine had an article about a guy in Chicago who wanted a fig tree ('Ey! He was Italian; how wouldn't he? My brother from another mother {Italian} wanted one when he lived in Crescent City, land of no unclouded sky; fat chance); anyway, that Chi-town guy planted one on his house's stuccoed south side, pruning off all roots that weren't running east-west; as Winter approached, he'd untie the tree and lay it down, pivoting on those roots, covering it thickly with bags of leaves; winter it under snow; tie it back up in Spring; enjoy figs!
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Post by taihaku on Feb 16, 2016 11:40:30 GMT -5
Years ago, Organic Gardening magazine had an article about a guy in Chicago who wanted a fig tree ('Ey! He was Italian; how wouldn't he? My brother from another mother {Italian} wanted one when he lived in Crescent City, land of no unclouded sky; fat chance); anyway, that Chi-town guy planted one on his house's stuccoed south side, pruning off all roots that weren't running east-west; as Winter approached, he'd untie the tree and lay it down, pivoting on those roots, covering it thickly with bags of leaves; winter it under snow; tie it back up in Spring; enjoy figs! I think this is the guy - he has quite the array of tactics..... www.grow-figs.com/
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