First Taste Experience - Are These The Best Fig Varieties? 

They do seem really big this year, I'm glad the birds are leaving them alone and the organza bags for doing their job!

That will be very soon, we'll start a batch as soon as we have a gallon bag full!

They are so good and very very sweet! Definitely a shot of energy lol

If we have a nice warm early winter then we can enjoy our main crop, but we haven't had that in the past couple years. It cools off too quickly before they can plump up and ripen.

I would say for us this is a huge harvest, All Summer Long. I like how every day we can come out and get a new fig or five LOL

How does your Brown Turkey fig compare to your Black Mission?

@@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard My BT figs are much larger but are more watery (less intense sweetness) and tend to split much sooner when we get rains. That opens them up to insect issues. The BM skins seem a little more water repellent, have a "toothsome" mouth feel, more intensity of flavor but less prolific and much smaller. I know neither are among the "boutique" varieties that fig aficionados on RU-vid are always raving about, but they do well here, and I continue to grow them every year.

What time of the year do your BT ripen?

I got some cuttings from Harvey and put them in soil in March. I’m very impatient seems like they’re taking forever. The black Madeira only has two leaves on it. What potting soil did you use?

@@epigeneticnerd4244 Potting Medium & In-Ground Amendments I followed Enlightenment Garden’s RU-vid channel for potting medium. “Best Long-Term Soil Medium for Container Plants “: 55% Peat Moss 25% Crushed Granite 20% Volcanic Black Rock or Lava Rock I also followed her (Natasha - Enlightenment Garden) method of rooting fig cuttings. It was the first time I almost had 100% success. Just look at her Playlist. The above soil mixture makes a lot of sense if you have also followed Gary’s Best Gardening’s RU-vid channel: How To Improve The Soil In Your Garden Beds Properly by Gary’s Best Gardening I had my cuttings growing in 15 gallon pots before putting them in the ground. So from cuttings to actual in ground planting took me two years. That really isn’t too important. But when amending the soil for in ground planting I followed the above people: 6 parts native soil 2 Parts Cactus Soil 1 Part Sand On top of that I also mixed in Lava Rock so the roots can get the necessary oxygen. Oh, and make sure you use the sand that has been pre-washed. I find that Playground Sand usually next to the cement stuff inside Lowe’s. They have lots of different sand in the garden section but it doesn’t say pre-washed. Have to go inside to find the pre-washed Playground Sand. Hope this helps, Dave AZ

@@epigeneticnerd4244 I’ve tried to reply twice but for some reason it keeps disappearing.

You are right! She does have great success and has been doing it for many years. We will be practicing rooting and also air layering this year. Using her methods 💚

Good to know, I understand the braver crop self fruitful, but does need to be pollinated for the main crop in the fall. Fingers crossed for that!

I also hear this variety is good to root and use as grafting wood for other varieties

@@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard Yeah the DK is supposed to be one of the most vigorous fig trees out there. Hey much space are you giving that big Black Mission? I heard they get really big.

@FC2ESWS that's a great question, because normally we keep it about 6 ft by 6 ft by 3 ft deep. This past winter we didn't do any pruning and just let it grow, which definitely helps out with the harvest in the spring. I think this winter we will bring it back down to the height of the fence. I have seen some that are at least 20 ft tall and 20 ft wide but very low to the ground.