I live near Haddonfield, in Camden county, NJ and am trying my hand at growing figs for the first time this year. I got one tree (variety unknown - maybe Celeste?) at a local farmer's market last September. Per instructions I left it outside 'til the leaves fell and then wintered it over in the basement - but it started growing! Anxious to get it in the ground I made the mistake of planting it in the side yard (western exposure) in early April. We'd had some quite warm weather that fooled me into thinking spring had come early. It had not. The tree suffered terribly in a windstorm with sustained winds over 40 mph and the snow that hit a week later. losing all its leaves and killing the growing tips of all the shoots. The good news is that the tree sprouted new shoots from four of the five "trunks". It is now doing just fine and enjoying a bit of a growth spurt, although I'll be surprised if it yields any fruit this season. Today I purchased a second fig tree. This one is a Hardy Chicago from Lowe's. I put it into a 12" plastic pot where it will stay for at least the first year or so. I plan on bringing this one into my enclosed but unheated porch next winter. A friend and neighbor also has a fig tree of unknown variety that has survived one winter outdoors. I'll try and get a cutting or two from her to plant next year. I look forward to seeing which one performs best for me.

rob5020: Last evening, I posted quite a long response to your last questions, but I do not see my posting on this forum. I have no idea were my response went, but, I'll post it again. My smaller "ATREANO" trees all came from "BURNT RIDGE NURSERY". I also have three larger trees that were bought out on Long Island, NY at "ZAINO'S GARDEN CENTER", Westbury, NY. All the trees are very similar, except for some very minor leaf-shape variations, but all the figs taste the same. The BRN trees are very vigorous, and set a large crop of delicious figs, and so did my larger trees. I picked dozens, and, dozens of perfectly ripened figs this summer, starting around the 2ND week in August, until mid- September. By the way, all my trees are containerized, as I have mentioned in other postings. My trees grew with great vigor, so much so, that too many figs were produced on the interior branches, and ripening was delayed because so many leaves were shading them from the sun. Next year, Ill have to pinch back branches even harder, and thin out the extra large, shade-making leaves. I may have to also thin out, ... and I HATE to think about this! ... all the extra figs that grew on all the branches which sprouted from dormant buds after hard pruning this spring. This variety needs a lot of pinching attention to control crop size and leaf growth. Anyway, I will do a few things differently next growing season. Live and learn. But I'm not complaining! Hope this answers your inquiry. Best regards, Frank DV

So my story is that we didn't have room or enough sun in our original yard for a fig tree. We bought the lot behind us while we were galavanting around the world and had house the house rented out. We moved back in last year and are working on the edible landscaping. I do actually have two little trees in pots right now. We got 8 figs off the lsu gold. So far we've had one fig off the green ischia and it has 3 more to go. I plan to put these in the ground once we finish construction on the detached garage. If I get any more varieties I may have to keep them in pots. But they are a serious hassle to keep watered in this heat. I've had to water them twice a day sometimes. Hubby is thinking is thinking about get a live trap to reduce the population of the racoons a bit. My daughter counted 12 of them crossing the street a few weeks ago, one of which was a mama with 6 babies. I don't think bird netting would be effective against those pesky critters. We will need bird netting for the blueberry bushes. I saw three cardinals decimate one plant for their breakfast one day.

I already mentioned that these breba fruits are ripe because the Winter was mild, and that is why they made it on the inground trees. In cold Winters I have very few breba if any, from the trees in ground. That is because cold kills the Breba fruits,and only main crop that grow after May first, will have a chance to ripe during Summer and Fall. I have many trees in ground and the best tasting cultivars i keep plants,in ground,and in pot too,so those in pot ,do grow breba every year in my garage,and i take them out in May. The best tasting figs that i manage to ripe every year,here are: Italian 258,Nero 600 M, and Adriatic JH. Yes I have other varieties ,that can be just as good tasting, but not so easy to ripe in my location, They will ripe well but only when we have a Long hot Summers. I will mention here , Col de Dame,black and Grise, Figo Preto/ Madeira black, Dalmatie,Noire de Barbentane,Ischia Black, and a few others. here is Adriatic jh this season