LSU Purple was bred to perform this trick but it won't accomplish it here in southeastern NY. The figs from the new wood never get ripe before hard frost.

I get plenty of figs but bring my plants in over winter (into the equivalent of an unheated root cellar- a room built into the side of a hill). I even got a small breba crop in July this year but am still waiting for my main crop to ripen- they are slow this year but there's still plenty of time. Last year the crop was finished when weather was warm enough to ripen figs for another 2 weeks.

If you get some wood from that farmer, I'd like to eventually try the variety myself.

There is a lot of information on how to grow figs in Zone 5. I have been trying for the last few years. I planted an in-ground Chicago Hardy a few years ago and this is the first year it has had some significant growth. It has not ripened any figs yet and may not this year either as the weather is already turning. I planted it a few feet from my foundation, facing south. In the fall I build a cinder block bunker around it and it's made it through every winter.

I got some good tips from Robert Harper who grows them in-ground in zone 6, if I recall. "Danny's Delight has the same taste profile as Hardy Chicago, and bears 4 times as many fruit. Sal's EL is more cold hardy then Hardy Chicago, and is always sweet. It also bears 4 times as many figs as Hardy Chicago."

Just one thing, make sure you do not create a habitat for vermin. I didn't put any mulch on the ground around the tree. If you do then wrap the tree in hardware cloth first,

I have not grown figs but heard of a few adventurous people in SE WI growing them. A friend of mine grows them in large tubs. She overwinters them in her insulated garage.

Even after -18 for the lows here for 1.5 weeks this past winter, they survived! Last year she bought me some giant
fresh figs from a specialty store that got them from California. Certified organic.

Later she gave me some of her crop. While the fruit was smaller from her trees, they were much sweeter than the expensive organic figs she bought me earlier as a gift.

I believe hers are 'Chicago'.

I plan to keep them in containers for the first two seasons

Mine was 4 years old at the time I planted it.

Canadianplant,

It pushed out 3 feet of growth but I don't see any signs of fruits.

There is a general rule to snip off the new growth after 6 new leaves are formed on a branch. This will encourage the plant to fruit rather than put out new growth. At the very most clip them when 24" of new growth occurs.

A couple important questions, for me and hopefully for others: How long is your growing season (last spring/first fall frost dates)? What kind of climate are you in? Did the figs actually ripen, and how do they taste? If they are still ripening, will they finish by October?

There is a ton of information on rooting fig cuttings at Figs For Fun. Personally I haven't had much luck but I think it's because I don't want to baby the babies. The growing season is so short here that if the cuttings are rooted late enough not to need lights then they aren't mature enough to handle their first winter in the garage. It seems the best way to do it would be to baby them through their first winter indoors under lights, but uhg, the winters are long here.

By clicking the link below you agree that you will not abandon us here on GardenWeb, nor will you hold me liable for any fig addictions that may follow. (Personally I've had to abstain for a while)

All my figs died to the ground this past winter of -15 F. They grew back to about 5 feet as of today with lots of fruits. I will see if any them ripe by late October. I will update with the results.

Tony

Tony

Well it shows how little I know about fig leaves. I was sure it was Ronde but then I found this posting.

Cold Hardy Figs
Brown Turkey (Texas Everbearing) DWN
Blue Celeste (all Celeste really) DWN
Brunswick
Hardy Chicago DWN to zone 4
Violet De Bordeaux (Negronne) medium eye, down to zone 5 DWN
Desert King DWN to zone 5
Italian Honey (Lattarula)
Peter's Honey DWN to zone 6
Osborne Prolific (Neverella) DWN
Excel DWN
Texas Blue Giant DWN to zone 6
Golden Celeste
Black Mission DWN
[there are others but they require either hot summers or a summer greenhouse to sweeten]
Alma - late ripening, honey fig, ugly fig, super flavor [female Allison X male Hamma Caprifig]
Atreano
Bayenfeige Violetta
Biancheta
Brogiotto Nero (Briogiotto Fiorentino)
Capelas
Dauphine
Genovese Nero
Hollier
Isfahan
LSU Purple
Mademoiselle de deux Saisons
Malta (Sugar Fig)
Northland (Nordland Bergfeige)
Paradiso Bianco
Portuguese East Mountain
Ronde de Bordeaux
Sal's (Corleone)
Skardu Dark
Stela (honey fig) (aka Stella)
Sultane
Tena (Bifere)
Ventura