Thanks, I will try to keep it. One was already destroyed by groundhog. So I tempted to just pick it before something else gets it. I really want to taste it since it was the first year of fruiting. Scott, if I am not mistaking you had Kazake too. If so, did it survive last winter?

Do not panic. Your tree may need a bit of fertilizer or a change in the watering schedule. On these fig forums, telling us that your trees are covered in fruit might amaze many others, as so many people get leaves but no or little fruit. How to tell when the fruit is ripe? When it looks about ripe, and is soft to the touch, yank one off the tree and taste it. I prefer my figs squishy, but the birds get them the very day they come ripe. It's a battle. Do not tear out the tree. Experiment with fertilizer (not much), more or less watering, and maybe some mulch around the base. Every change you make will have results one way or the other.

Do they slip easily from the vine like a cantaloupe? I have never grown them before until this year.

Check out this photo. The darker red ones at the top of the cluster are ready to eat. The orange one in the middle of the cluster could be eaten but would be better if given another day. But in truth you can pick them at any time once they begin to show any color and just let them ripen on the kitchen counter out of direct sunlight. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet 100 tomatoes