woodmanca, I'm from San Francisco too, and started growing figs this year. I collect numerous kinds, but mostly varieties that need less heat to ripen fruit. I beleive mission needs more heat to ripen fruit that what we have. I've visited someone down in the mission district who has a huge mission fig tree at least 15 years old. And they tell me that they rarely get any sweet ripe mission figs. Most of them are bland, and the birds get to them quick. Just curious, has the mission fig ever ripen for you in the past in San Francisco? Squirrels will eat your figs. But birds are also a nightmare, especially for dark color figs. Two weeks ago, just before my 1st Osborne Prolific fig was changing color to half-purple, the birds started pecking on it, and left lots of peck marks on the fruit. I was curious to see if the fig was really ripe, and why the bird chose it, so I washed the fig, and ate the remaining fig. The fig at that point was not even close to ripe. It tasted very bland, and had no sweetness. If I left it to ripen in another 5 days there might have been some flavor. After that, I started covering my figs with zip-lock bags with lots of small holes punched in them so the figs do not rot. This worked great. I was able to let the figs ripen, and try them at the best instead of having to race the birds to them, and settling for figs that weren't fully ripe. Just tried a Desert King fig that just ripened 1 week ago. It was big and juicy. I also tried 3 Osbourne Prolific Fig for the first time about 2 weeks ago. It was good too. I also have an Excell fig tree that is big. I bought a big tree because I was impatient. I heard Excell works for SF. I'll find out this year. The excell fig tree is loaded with lots of medium sized fruit, but they aren't ripening yet. I think maybe I can get those by September? Maybe? Will report back.

This reinforces my theory that there are 2 different figs named Desert King in the US. My DK is planted in ground and has similar fruits as shown in an Herman's previous post http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg072043541873.html While the recent post describing the Gillette rescue, (along with Desert King), is showing a fruit that looks different from the inside in color (darker). And this is not the first time that I see Desert King pictures showing such differently colored fruits.. The link to the Gillette post: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg1214390014100.html?13 Size and weight seems different as well.. the DK I have has some fruits reaching 60 grams, but usually they are around 40-45 grams or less, and Condit was talking about an average of more than 80 grams... Finally, even if I have only been able to observe DK with fruits for the last 3 years, and although I live in a very humid region, the DK has resisted pretty well so far and needs quite a lot of rain before starting to sour, like any normal fig would... Eventually, even the most resisting ones, when close to ripen would sour in case of lot of rain, no ? Etneo

lets try it again I was given this tree last spring when it was 6 inches tall with no leaves. i put it into a 5 gallon containe in june anmd set it out on my deck> I got a few figs on it but they never got vvery big and they stayed green. i was looking for urple fruit. I gooled it nd thought that the type i had was called Conadria and that they stay green all the time. After the leavesfell off in Sept i put it into my unheated garage and covered it with a black plastic bag. i watered it once a month. In june, i put it outside in a 10 gallon container and you can see the results. notice the figs turned purple and i have taken off at least a dozen large purple sweet figs and i have a few more that are almost there. the leaves are still on the tree so what do i do now. do i remove the leaves or leave it out until they fall off. next year i will be moving to Rutland MA whee i will put it into the gtround.

I belong to CRFG, so they are not a mystery to me. I have had maybe two Conadria figs ripen so far this season (there are hundreds on the tree). They are very prone to splitting here in San Diego. Last year was a cooler summer and they never did ripen. Most of the rest of my figs are done for the season, or very, very nearly so, but the Conadria is just beginning to think about it. Now, having said that, I have one fig tree (Vista) which is 20+ years old and has never, ever, ever, had a split fig. But a friend growing it back east has 80-90% splitting. So local climatic and cultural conditions play a part. I have 200+ varieties (though not all have fruited yet), and very few of them have splitting problems, but so far for me Conadria is more likely to split than all but two or three. Black Madeira is a fabulous fig, flavor wise, and just about as long a season as Conadria. Seedsavers does require membership, but it gives you access to thousand of heirloom seeds and such. The yearbook (February) is supposed to be similar to a giant seed catalog, though there are some things other than seeds.