The brown turkeys have nice green tips & getting ready to leaf out. The only one that doesn't have green tips yet is the petit negronne. They've been under the back porch in total dark untill a couple weeks ago when I took the cover off the window in there to let some light in. Funny how plants just KNOW when spring is near!
Patty

Hi Patty, it's getting close to that time again. I myself am hooked on growing figs also. I just picked up a celeste this weekend. Very excited about this one! All my other ones are cuttings that I have acquired. What type of temps are you having for your brown turkeys to show that much life? Are these in containers? What do you fertilize with? Vinny

Hi Vinny - my fellow figaholic
I have a basement trap door that goes under my back porch & into the basement. I kept the figs in there with the basement door closed. I'd say it got down to mid -upper 30's in there when we had our coldest time. I opened the door to basement couple weeks ago to let bsmnt heat in there. Bsment is usually around 50-55* in winter. It's 55* right now. I also keep a light on in there now (in laundry room) to help wake them. A little more heat & light is what's waking them. Last yr on this day (13th), I had them in a warmer & lighter room & they had 2 inches of leafing out already. Someone told me to keep them colder & darker. I just read that March 15 is a day to unwrap or bring them to more light. I only have 2 that are ready to leaf out but the others are getting greener tips.
Maybe we can exchange cuttings!
I have BT, P. negronne, White genoa, Osborne prolific & 2 "mystery figs" from Paradise nursery...that I just found out is Italian golden honey. Got a LOT of figs from that last yr. They're a light green color with white pulp.
Patty

Forgot to say I put a handful of pelletized lime mixed in top of soil just when they start leafing. They are in pots (or I wouldn't have them in bsmnt LOL).

Hey folks,

I watched in dismay all winter as my new Brown Turkey dropped leaves. Then, as you say, suddenly it broke bud, and now I have several new leaves.

Mine is small, I have it in the greenhouse. I'm interested in sources for different varieties. I got my Brown Turkey from Logees.

Robert

Robert you poor guy! You didn't know figs go dormant in winter so I bet you thought it was dying. Where do you live ---zone? As you know, I keep mine in dark room in bsmnt over winter...they look like big dead twigs LOL. You probably won't have to buy fig trees....there is so much trading going on. Or, you can get a cutting (s) for cost of postage. I have 9 fig trees and only bought 3 (2 were 1 yr ago). I traded plants or paid postage.They are easy to root.
Hopefully, more figaholics will come here willing to spare some cuttings! Read up on the ones I have...I guess I can take a few cuttings.
Patty

Patty, I just leave my figs in my warm greenhose all winter. However, due to the short days, they still go dormant for about three months, and then again start to leaf out. My figs started to put out new growth approximately 10 days ago. Paty nice fig collection you have. - Millet

Patty, I'm in central Missouri. I would like to trade, but I haven't done any trading before. Do you use the other forum or email or what? I've got a few things in the coldframe (perennials and woodies) from last year and I intend to root loads of cuttings this year for trading.

Millet, my greenhouse has similar conditions to yours. Do your figs go completely dormant and lose all their leaves? Mine did not, it retained a couple of leaves. Robert

Thanks Millet. I thought they needed more cold & dark (what I was told).
Robert, I'll start rooting some cuttings if you like. Or, if you want a big healthy tree, Paradise Nursery has nice trees with excellent packaging.
I got a 2 inch rooted cutting from someone in Nov. '04 and last yr I got figs from it ..LOL! It now has 3 branches & is 12 inches tall--that was just in one yr!
Patty

Robert, one fig lost all of it leaves, and the other lost all but three leaves. - Millet

Hey Patty. By the way, those are some great looking citrus trees you picked up, you can't beat that price! I also use lime w/ my figs. Instead I use it in the granular form. I put about an inch of it on top. I Also give it miracle grow once a week (2 tbl per gal). Besides the celeste, all of mine are rooted cuttings about 12". Once they start branching I'll let you know. Not sure if you know about the UC Davis thing. Check them out if your interested in cuttings. They have dozens of varieties. I just found out about them recently & hope to get some cuttings from them in June. Here's the link. Have fun! Vinny

http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=53-06-20-00

Hey Vinny, thanks for that link! Heard about it for a long time - esp. on that 'other' fig forum but never knew how to order. I went there, printed out the order form & picked out 17 varieties of cuttings. How FUN!
I send it to the addy on top of form, but do they ship for free? How does that work? Thanks alot.
Patty
Robert, if you want some free cuttings of diff varieties, click on that website.

Patty, I spoke with them & they ship for free. Free cuttings, free shipping, can't beat that! Their site was interesting. You can view some of their actual trees. I to ordered about the same amount. It's hard to stop choosing. Space here at home is running low, now I have to figure out where I am going to stick them. Happy figing. Vinny

Ok, Im looking through the website at UC-Davis, and I have a stupid question...are these just softwood cuttings? Unrooted?
We will have to give these an IBA dip or something and root them under mist, right?

It's no big deal, I have a mist/propagation bench in the greenhouse, but I'm just wondering what to expect...SB

I thought research stations were just for research gardens?