I'm still waiting too in zone 6. The figs started to appear in early July so I'm half-way there. Others have stated that you need about 70 days for them to mature.

Yes The second and third year the ripe figs come later,than normal.
After that it finally produces fruits when it suppose to wich is around 15th of August in zone 6b.

Thanks Herman. I was starting to wonder about mine too : )

Herman, et al - is the mid to late August with or without pinching? Mine only started forming after I pinched in early July.

Figs that are just starting to form now may not ripen before frost, but if you have lots of green figs that have been sitting and seemingly doing nothing for several weeks, I don't think you have anything to worry about. They will ripen. Late August is peak fig season for me. I'm in zone 7; my Celeste is just starting to produce its first ripe figs and my Brown Turkey started producing ripe figs about 2 weeks ago, which is a bit earlier than last year. Still just one ripe fig every few days but there are lots more still green on the tree. The first couple of years the figs started to ripen so late that most were killed by frost before they could ripen.

Looking thru my paper work i already had eaten a ripe fig here near chicago, and the week of Aug 25 i had eaten 25 or so. The first week of Sept started the rush everyday we were eating them here. This year nothing and im thinking because of the cold slow warming spring we had and so far a cool summer only a few days in the 90s, even my cantalopes are slow.
Martin

I should have added to the above post that my tree are in containers and sit on the hot cement patio with full sun. Hence the water they like to drink every other day.

Have a 3 or 4 year old Brown Turkey Fig in north eastern Maryland. Last year some figs but none got ripe. This season looked very hopeful as it is loaded with figs. However, they have not done anything for a couple of weeks. Should I expect them to fall off? Is there still hope for some ripe figs?

They have not done anything for a couple of weeks, if there that young then you could get some nice ones i would say yes. I look at mine daily since they have been a regular fig size now for quite sometime just hoping for a hint of something to change , hang in there you also should see something in the near future.

Martin

maryland - reading around the forum, it is common for things to slow down mid maturation. I think mine are at the same point - they grew like mad (doubling each week) now over the last week, very little growth.

Dear FF Members: ...

So far, I have picked at least a dozen "ATREANO" figs that were ripe and sweet, but, not as sweet as they were last year. Also this year, I've had a lot of yellowing leaves on my trees despite attentive watering routine. Figs seem to not be reaching the very large size that they were last year.

This is only my second year growing figs. Do figs vary from year to year?

Frank DV

is the mid to late August with or without pinching? Mine only started forming after I pinched in early July?.
Yes ,only without pinching my trees will start ripening on 25th,of August.
So if judiciouselly pinched and thinned,it gain 10 days,earlier in getting ripe.
I also Brake down any figs that will appear after 15th,of August,so the remaining have a better chance to ripe.
Also thin out at this date any branches that do not have any figs on them.
All this little intervention,makes my figs get results.
Unlike other fruits,fig trees need continuous attention,and intervention,because they grow and produce out of their climate.
I was trying to grow Apricots,and Santa Rosa Plums ,and Napoleon cherry,+ many other fruits,and the results was 0.
Figs delivers if taken care.
Happy Gardening

Thanks Herman. I did a little thinning but probably need to do more. There are a few branches with only 1-2 figs on them and I was being greedy not cutting them off. If this will help mature the majority of the figs on the other branches, then I will sacrifice them.

What is the term thinning mean? is it leaves or figs?

Riding97 - Thinning means pruning some of the branches in this case. This accomplishes several things: 1) helps direct the growth of the tree (example: bushy vs. tree form), 2) reduces the "energy" the tree puts into maintaining foliage, and 3) opens up the tree to allow more sun/heat to get to the developing fruit. So in my case, I have about 10 branches of this year's growth and 3-4 have little or no figs on them - these are good candidates for removal. You must also consider the strength, size, vigor of the branches you are going to remove - you likely want to remove the weaker ones.

Yes Prunning them completelly,the whole branch from start to finish,that is thinning.

pruning is eliminating branches .
thinning is eliminating figs (fruit) .

i wouldn't thin figs bcs fig tree branches don't break down
under heavy crop.
don't worry about energy provision if your figs are not planted in containers, otherwise add some cow manure or any other manure and you will be fine for container grown figs.
prune and/or pinch your fig trees to shape your fig trees.

*****let mother nature to do the selection, you should if you want to just to remove shriveled/sick figs.
PLEASE, don't think if your tree is very young that you should remove figs bcs it's too young to handle fruit.
don't worry about it. if they produce it, it means they can handle it.
All of us go through the learning process and all of us will be fine after some time, give yourself some years to taste it. don't act to fast, take it easy and you will be OK.
that is my experience and I have a very, very good crop.

Eating ripe Brown Turkeys in Cincinnati today! Several more a few days away, others no purple yet.

Didn't thin or prune..next year I'll know better.

I just oiled my full grown figs on Sunday. Today they are starting to turn purplish by the eye where I oiled them. Does this mean they will ripen soon?

Joe