Sorry for the tardy reply, I've been off on a plant adventure since last Thu. So should I hold off on watering it for another week? Generally speaking, watering on a schedule doesn't do the plant justice unless you're using a soil that allows you to water on a schedule w/o having to endure the limitations (of your plants) that accompany over-watering. It's best to check your plant for moisture levels and water on an 'as needed' basis. Copy/pasted from a offering I left on another thread: Many years ago, in a bonsai workshop led by a Japanese master (Ben Oki), one of the participants asked a question: "How often should I water my juniper?" His (Mr. Oki's) expression never changed at all as he answered in Japanese accented English, "Wait until plant become completely dry - then water day before." To this day, I'm not sure if he was serious or it was his brand of humor, but the advice is sound for most plant material. Water your trees on an 'as needed' basis. When the soil is dry, water until a tiny bit of water runs from the drain holes, allow them to rest for a few minutes, then water again, applying less water than the first time - just enough to flush accumulating salts from the soil. This will be about 10-15% of the original volume of water applied. At first, use a chopstick stuck into the soil to tell you how damp the soil is. If the stick is dark or wet, don't water. If it's damp or dry - water. Heft your pots often if your plants are small. Soon, you'll be able to tell by their weight what plants need water. Over-watering carries different but just as serious consequences as under-watering, so try your best to avoid both. Given a choice, it's better to under-water by a little than over-water. If you think your soil is too water-retentive to allow you to flush the soil every time you water, your soil is inappropriate. Using a wick, and tilting your pots at a 45* angle after watering are BOTH very helpful ways to drain excess water from too-heavy soils. Let me know if you need/want this explained. I bought the FLL last Tuesday and haven't watered it at all. If I should water it, should I flush out the soil to make sure there aren't high levels of salts in the soil? If you're using an appropriate soil, you can make flushing the soil a part of your regular watering routine. If you're not, things become more difficult; but you should either use a soil that allows you water to beyond the saturation point at will (much preferred) or have a plan in place that allows you to either maintain an appropriate level and ratio of nutrients in the soil or to flush the soil regularly, which is sort of like pushing the fertilizer 'Reset" button. If you need help with that part, I can guide you in the right direction. Al

Hello glenn9643, long time no hear from, glad yer back. Sans, all the pictures worked here, I REALLY like your finger nail polish..HEHE I'll straighten up.......some day! Cecil

I'm surprised to be able to report this but.... After two freezes, one which really put an end to any growth of my in-ground figs, we've had some moderate temperatures: mid 40's to mid-fifties. I have a lot of figs on the trees that are obviously too immature for use, but I'm surprised at how many continue to ripen. I've been eating fresh figs off the tree right up until this morning. Several dozen more have deepened in color and increased in size overnight and ought to be ready for picking in another day or two. I did nothing special to protect the trees from the freezing temperatures. All of this is despite the many postings and websites that declare "You can't grow figs in Ohio. Figs are Mediterranean and will not ripen in your cold climate." Lesson: Take everything on the internet with a grain of salt and test every idea for yourself. Every caution and negative declaration about how I can't do any of what I want to do because it's Ohio, or it's too cold, or the climate here isn't Mediterranean have all proven to be sensible, reasonable, logical and, in the end, untrustworthy hogwash. I write this having just eaten three figs fresh from the fig trees on a cool, cloudy, non-Mediterranean, Ohio afternoon in late October. The figs aren't quite as sweet as those picked in the heat of late summer; but considering what's available, and not, in the local markets, these aren't at all bad. My patch of everbearing Albion strawberries are still producing as well, so this weekend's project is to make a good batch of strawberry-fig jam with a nice harvest of fresh-picked fruits.

Looks more like a Celeste than anything else. But leaves are famously variable.