Changing temperatures can definitely cause some figs to drop. I have a LSU Scott's Yellow that I am studying. This tree produces very good tasting breba figs in early June in my area. Last year my tree produced three crops of figs. The third crop appeared all along the inner branches (old wood) of the tree. Hundreds of figs were on this tree only inches apart. As soon as cooler weather arrived ALL of the nearly ripe figs fell to the ground. I will soon know if those figs that fell last year would have been the breba figs for this year. I believe that those would have been breba figs for a tree that was grown in a northern climate. I also believe that soil type can affect fig dropping on some "in ground" culivars. Too early to say for sure. Noss, Both Celeste and White Triana do not need fertilization. The reason White Trians holds on so tight is because of its stem. That stem holds on tight to the tree branch. Not all figs "stems" hold so tightly to the tree. On some cultivars, the stem will release itself from the tree as soos as the fig ripens. Dan

Quick return to this thread (I'm trying to get in a flurry of replies, been short on time): Al, you said As far as root-pruning goes, you will likely only undertake it every 3-4 years. Those plants that you have buried will be easy. Depot, saw the bottom 1/3 - 1/2 of the roots off, clean the roots & prune the fat ones. Then - right back in same container. You will likely see a diminished crop in years that you root-prune, but subsequent crops should be greater as a result of improved vitality. Does this mean, though, that as Herman had mentioned, whenever I root-prune yearly to unclog the bottom of the container, that I'll have a diminished crop from the pruning? it didn't sound like that was everyone's experience necessarily, so I want to understand the relationship between the degree of pruning and the lack of productivity, when it sounds like it might be the inverse from some of Herman's recommends. Also, with my figs being so young, I'll just mention that I don't need a saw, only a scissors to prune them at this point! (on a tangential note, I ended up pruning more than roots last night, when de-potting one of my figs: I found a rather large, slightly-slumbering arachnid of a copper-red shade lurking in the roots as I untangled them with my fingers - ICK! the scissors came in handy, rapidly, and now shredded spider parts are a component of that last batch of soil 8-p ) Again, from Al: With regard to your soil choice: A plant that is grown in a container that is not in contact with the soil will benefit more from the gritty mix than those you sink, container & all, in the ground. The reason is simple: there will be no perched water table in the containers that are in the ground. The surrounding soil will act as a giant wick & drain the water. So are you saying that ones being sunk into the dirt will have more wicking action and need a *more* moisture-retentive soil mix used? and that the ones above ground will need the better aeration qualities to avoid a PWC making the bottom portion of the container too soggy for roots to colonize effectively? just trying to clarify my understanding (I do appreciate having grasped the entire PWC concept, that's helped me strategize how I re-pot and mix my soil combos). And a flag to Herman, I don't know if you saw my query? (see above in the thread): Herman, do you trim your container figs to any particular size or shape? (Some of mine were pruned to single stem by the nursery; some seem to grow upright with less branching as a natural habit, others want to branch a *lot*.) I have quite a few single-stem cuttings that are little (24" or less) and have hardly any branchings - I don't want to pinch out the top growing tip on these this spring to make them branch, do I? this is an area I'm not familiar with, is how to prune and *when*, to encourage the fruit. I checked the archives in this forum and saw things about pinching back growing tips, but how big do you let the figs get first before touching them? Thanks for help, everyone! (still looking for Leon to chime back in about his grandfather's fig and any pruning that might've been done when unearthing it in the spring) Sherry (counting down with 15+ figs to re-pot)

Leon, I hope you're out there. I just sent you an e-mail by Outlook. I hope you get that. Maybe check spam for my other messages? Or maybe it's my computer. You don't realize how much you rely on these infernal machines until they won't work. In any case your package will be sent next Monday. Herman, Thanks for the tip, but I'm not using FF e-mail. But mine seems to be just as messed up.

Just came up on all the postings about Hardy Chicago fig not being true to name. I purchased a Hardy Chicago fig from a nursry about 4 to 5 years back. No longer remember the name of the nursery. I planted the fig on the south side of our house in the V where the chimnney is. So it should have more then enough heat. But every year 90% of the figs never ripen. Around the first week of November we get maybe two or three ripe figs. All the rest are then killed by the frost. It's a shame that some wholesalers out there do not care whether or not they are selling a true item or not. I had been wondering what was wrong with the tree. Then when it did not ripen all the crop this last summer, I stated to think it had been labeled wrong. To make matters worst I ahve been giving out cutings to other fig lovers, who now also are thinking they have a Hardy Chicago. I'm going to dig the whole thing up, and replace it with soemthing like Violetta, as soon as I can find a true source of Violetta. Or a fig that is hardy as Violeta and ripens like Violetta in July. I have read that Violetta is hardy to minus 5 degrees and ripens in July. From all the research I have done in the last two years on hardy figs, Violetta appears to be the most cold hardy fig and the earliest to ripen, that I have been able to identify. I'm in a zone 6 in Connecticut. So from what I have read about the real Hardy Chicago, I do not have the true Hardy Chicago. Does any one have any information on a fig called Northland. Such as how hardy it is and when it's main crop ripens? Bob Harper