Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[CarolynF]

Quote:
There's a big fig tree bearing fruit at the rental house where my daughter lives in Ballard. I don't know the variety, is there any way to determine if it would be a good one to take cuttings from? Maybe I could get some for you Ruth.

 

[hallerlake]

Unless it's an English or Vern's Brown Turkey, Brown Turkeys are not the way to go. They're the most common variety available and what you eat when you get fresh figs at the store, but not the best for out here. Edited to add, they will grow fine but good luck getting fruit. For our rather mild summers, some great ones include -

Desert King (tops here) Lattarulla, Stella, Vern's Brown Turkey, English Brown Turkey, Violetta, Negronne (violette de bordeaux) and Tilbury's Turkey.

Figs are incredibly easy to propagate so if anyone is interested in some next year I always do cuttings each winter and start them that winter so they're ready the following spring.

If you want something dwarf for pot culture indoors or in a little greenhouse there's also Petit Negri which I have, and if you have a greenhouse and want a really REALLY good fig with gorgeous unusual coloration I also have Striped Tiger (Panache) fig. Beautiful variegated fruit and branches, sweet oh so amazing raspberry-red flesh, but needs a greenhouse as it likes a long hot season.

Got a little carried away

I've grown the Desert King. I liked it very much until something started beating me to the fruit. The Petiti Negri sounds interesting.

 

[Illia]

Yes, you can have an expert (there's some fig clubs and forums out there) determine variety by both fruit and leaf. Fig leaves vary, and so do the fruit, but pairing them up narrows down variety pretty well. Most people I've known with figs (few really) either have Brown Turkeys as that's what common nurseries and catalogs sell or Desert Kings, since they are indeed the best most reliable out here.

Fig cuttings are really easy, pretty much once they're dormant, cut a branch that has at least one node where the leaf once was, wrap it in damp newspaper, and put it in a baggie in the fridge until ready. When ready, keep it in damp clean (I prefer colored ink) newspaper in a baggie until it starts to form roots, usually 2-4 weeks. Baggie needs to be out of direct sunlight and under temps from 63-80 degrees. Once enough root forms and a little green bud or leaves form, you can stick them either in well drained soil in a pot or in a perlite mix in a pot (I actually just use clear plastic cups so I can see the root progress) Grow them out of direct sunlight til they're big enough and ready, but be sure that the roots never see sunlight. For me, big enough to transplant is 4 inches or better of new growth.

 

[DuncanA84]

Hi! Glad you found us! And glad you found a bird. I hope you'll stick around.
Carolyn

I plan too! Just cause I found a couple birds don't mean I don't wanna find more and make friends

 

[DuncanA84]

Yes, you can have an expert (there's some fig clubs and forums out there) determine variety by both fruit and leaf. Fig leaves vary, and so do the fruit, but pairing them up narrows down variety pretty well. Most people I've known with figs (few really) either have Brown Turkeys as that's what common nurseries and catalogs sell or Desert Kings, since they are indeed the best most reliable out here.

Fig cuttings are really easy, pretty much once they're dormant, cut a branch that has at least one node where the leaf once was, wrap it in damp newspaper, and put it in a baggie in the fridge until ready. When ready, keep it in damp clean (I prefer colored ink) newspaper in a baggie until it starts to form roots, usually 2-4 weeks. Baggie needs to be out of direct sunlight and under temps from 63-80 degrees. Once enough root forms and a little green bud or leaves form, you can stick them either in well drained soil in a pot or in a perlite mix in a pot (I actually just use clear plastic cups so I can see the root progress) Grow them out of direct sunlight til they're big enough and ready, but be sure that the roots never see sunlight. For me, big enough to transplant is 4 inches or better of new growth.

If my husband saw this he would be asking ya for a branch so he could try this!

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Hey all! Don't know if anyone even remembers me, I was told most of the members moved to Facebook but anyway, posting here as I've not been on the forum in a while and want to drop by with a hello and welcome new members, too

Been a nice summer over here, sunny most of the time with a lot of fog compared to others, certainly a lot cooler than the rest of you guys in the Seattle area. My little farm has expanded dramatically since last I was active. Used to just have chickens, now I've got ducks, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, and another yak. Used to have goats and a yak before but got rid of them sadly, and just had chickens for a while. My greenhouse I used to talk about from time to time has also gone through changes - It's heated now without my having to pay for heating (non electric, non gas) and I grow a lot more in it now than just bananas and common garden veggies. I've really taken the dive in tropical rare fruits as well as spices and things like sugarcane.

Hey, Illia! I was just thinking about you yesterday when I was wondering if I had an excuse to keep the Self Blue Barbu d'Anvers chick if it happens to be a pullet.

Welcome back, great to see you!

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Got a little carried away

No, not at all. Figs are amazing! Thanks for the recommendations. I wish I had a greenhouse.

You don't need a greenhouse for Desert King, just a nice protected SW facing corner. and the willingness to cover the plant with a wet sheet if the weather drops below about 15F.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

So, anyway, I'm going to indulge in what we call "Pattiitus" at another board where I post (because one of our mods was prone to read a whole day's posts and respond in seriel single posts) and perhaps note that I find the multi-quote posts terribly hard to parse (always, but especially when I'm in pain) so if I miss a question of comment aimed at me, you may need to point me to it.

Feeling particularly beat up this morning; my multiply-dislocated-left-shoulder was barking at me in the night so I rolled over and slept on the gate-bruises on my right hip and ribcage and have just taken a half-vicodin in hopes of controlling the pain sufficiently to get dressed and started on my day.

I cannot in any way recommend falling on a steel gate, just in case you thought I might have changed my mind.

 

[Totalcolour]

Hey all! Don't know if anyone even remembers me, I was told most of the members moved to Facebook but anyway, posting here as I've not been on the forum in a while and want to drop by with a hello and welcome new members, too

Been a nice summer over here, sunny most of the time with a lot of fog compared to others, certainly a lot cooler than the rest of you guys in the Seattle area. My little farm has expanded dramatically since last I was active. Used to just have chickens, now I've got ducks, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, and another yak. Used to have goats and a yak before but got rid of them sadly, and just had chickens for a while. My greenhouse I used to talk about from time to time has also gone through changes - It's heated now without my having to pay for heating (non electric, non gas) and I grow a lot more in it now than just bananas and common garden veggies. I've really taken the dive in tropical rare fruits as well as spices and things like sugarcane.

Hi and welcome back! I wondered what you had been up too. I'm envious of the greenhouse and being able to raise rare tropical fruits. Also the Yak. Sadly, we don't have enough room, but we do have some goats. Hope you stick around a bit.

 

[Totalcolour]

So, anyway, I'm going to indulge in what we call "Pattiitus" at another board where I post (because one of our mods was prone to read a whole day's posts and respond in seriel single posts) and perhaps note that I find the multi-quote posts terribly hard to parse (always, but especially when I'm in pain) so if I miss a question of comment aimed at me, you may need to point me to it.

Feeling particularly beat up this morning; my multiply-dislocated-left-shoulder was barking at me in the night so I rolled over and slept on the gate-bruises on my right hip and ribcage and have just taken a half-vicodin in hopes of controlling the pain sufficiently to get dressed and started on my day.

I cannot in any way recommend falling on a steel gate, just in case you thought I might have changed my mind.

I hate those LOOONG multi post responses too so I usually just skip them. I think the poeple who do it are using phones and it's hard to edit.

I'm so sorry you are hurting. I'm still having some pain from the shoulder surgery, so I know how you are feeling. I can't imagine you changing your mind about falling on a steel panel. If you did I would think you had gone totally doolally!