British Columbia: how to grow figs and good verieties for BC

Dana09, I am quite certain your fig is a DESERT KING variant. This is the best variant to grow in Vancouver and commonly found too. Stay away from Brown Turkey if possible. You are better off to have a Latarrula variant. At least you are certain of a harvest. There is lots of information on fig growing on the following websites:

Figs4Fun
GardenWeb fig forum
Encanto Farms

If your are really into figs you just got to get into these 2 forum -- its like a bible on all you need to know about figs. Regarding fig roots you really don't need to be too concern unless there are cracks in your foundation. Again, in the cited forums there is good info on growing figs close to the house.

Paull22

 

Thank-you much!

 

Dana it looks like it could be one of two I know of that do well in our climate (Seattle for me): Peter's Honey, and Desert King.

The links have photos of each and a description from my blog. It may also be a Whitel Genoa, too.

 

I am sure glad my Peter's Honey died. This variant need lots of heat units to ripen to give it the taste. The fig forums have tons of info and if you are a fignut, thats the place to be. You will be surprise how few variants are suitable for our zone.

 

That looks just like my Desert King figs. It's a great variety to have; I've tried 10 varieties here in Oregon and the Desert King is the only one that ever ripens.

 

My friend in Steilacoom has 10-different mature fig cultivars growing.
The King variety is by far the most reliable producer. The Brown Turkey
is also OK most of the time. The other 8 take up space and don't produce.
He now lives in Nanaimo and got the same results.

 

I have a tall Desert King that I bought last Aug and potted in large container with no fruit and very few branches. I forgot why I bought this tall Desert King (abt 10 ft height)
Anyway, this year my Desert King produced more your young branches with abt 13 fruits but many of them are still on its way to ripen. Now is Sept 9 in Richmond, I hope they can be ripen by early Oct while weather will become too cold in due course. chance is 50% 50%

Pacifica

 

In Vancouver figs normally only produce the Breba, or early crop, which ripened some time ago in my neighborhood. Any fig fruits that you see now will be the main crop and are unlikely to ripen, even with our unusually hot early summer.

 

Hi Vitog,

It means they are not going to ripen this year right ? What should I do with those fruits for now ? Remove them all or leave them there till they drop off automatically ?

Pacifica

 

I'm no expert regarding figs; I just see a lot of them growing in the neighborhood. The main crop figs are usually just left to drop off when it gets cold enough, but it wouldn't hurt to remove them. It might be fun to see what happens to them this year on the off chance that some might actually ripen. One thing that might make them ripen a bit earlier is to remove most of them but leave a small percentage to ripen further. Normally, tree fruits ripen earlier when the crop is smaller.

 

The second (main) crop needs a particular wasp to pollinate these quarter-sized figs and we don't have this wasp available in our area. I let nature take it's course so the figs will drop on their own. Come spring, new figs (breba crop) and new leaves start appearing at the same time. Normally I get 60 keepers.
I was given a 9' tall Desert King that had NO branches and looked like a palm tree!?!
I cut it into 10" pieces and propagated several good looking trees! I didn't disturb the rooted part and "apical dominance" caused it to send out about 4 or 5 real nice top branches on a 3' tall tree.
Or, leave it at 10' and cut small notches ABOVE the nodes in the spring and it should branch out.
Hope this helps.
-Chuck

 

Hi Vitog : Noted with many thanks.

Hi Chuck : In fact I have been thinking to proceed air layer in early spring 2016 to lower my Desert King up to max 5 ft of each. Should I do it early April or end April for the air layer ?

Thanks

Pacifica

 

Hi Vitog!
I'd let the tree grow to 7' - 8' tall then PINCH the tips so it doesn't grow
any higher. This also sends all the energy to the figs. For the last 3-months I've also
been snapping off several leaves, especially those in the center of the tree.
You can best air layer between March - August when tree is sending out best growth.
Last year I air-layered in Sept. and they showed few roots so I let it winter-over and
come spring it picked up from where it left off. Now I have a 3yr old tree!
OH! Today I bought a 3' Olympian Fig tree from McLendon's for just $11.89!! First
time I've seen an Olympian! I once met Denny, the guy from my area who developed it.
-Chuck

 

Hi Chuck: Thanks for your valuable informations. I will take your suggestions to pinch the tipson top, so it does not grow any higher. Good idea !!!
FYI I did one air layer on Aug 1 and I was so excited to open to check if more roots were available on Sept 4, but unfortunately I did not see any roots at all. Now I just leave it there till end Sept or early Oct to see if more roots in due course or not. In case if till not much, I will let it stay with mother's trunk for dormant in container (outside) till next spring.

 

Some branches on the SAME tree can grow roots faster than others. Make sure the soil is always MOIST
and that there are some nodes touching the dirt. You may scratch the bark gently where it is smooth & bare
to stimulate more roots. The sun will KILL the delicate roots when they start showing, so cover the airlayer
with tin foil, a white cloth or something. Good hearing from you!

 

Hi Chuck : I did follow exactly the same as you mentioned above but not sure why no roots on Sept 4 (over a month) Perhaps the weather in Vancouver had been cold for the last 10 days ( from Aug 20 to Sept 1. ) A few people in other forum said their air layers got roots in less than 25 days.
Thanks again..............