More About Figs

As you know, our fig tree is finally producing this year, and I am slowly learning about them.

I got the fig tree five years ago from a customer who came into the library with figs for the staff along with several fig plants to give out. (BTW, it's nice living in a small community where people share things freely.) Someone said to me, "You like to grow things. Take this." I took one to be polite, but I wasn't that interested in figs. However, I took the seedling home and put it in a small pot. I watered it occasionally, not knowing what to expect. It got 3 leaves that first year which promptly fell off. I thought that might be from poor care but learned that figs are deciduous, so it was doing what came naturally. 

I entered figs in the community fair this year.

After spending a couple of years indoors, I moved it outside for the summer and took it back in for the winter. Each year, the plant grew a few more leaves and a branch or two. And then we finally got two figs. That was pretty exciting. After that, we repotted the tree into a big planter and left it outside all year. We placed it next to the house and it seemed to thrive. It grew a little bigger and increased its crop to 6 figs. This year, it finally came into its own. There are figs all over the plant, and now it's taller than our house. So we are beginning in earnest to learn about figs. We are experimenting and have eaten them fresh, made jam, and made fig bars. We haven't yet branched out to using the leaves although I know there are many uses for them.

Theo informed me the other day, that natural figs are pollinated by a fig wasp that crawls into the fig and lays eggs. When the larvae are born, they crawl out of that fig into another one pollinating along the way. In the meantime, the mother dies and is absorbed by the fig. However, cultivated figs have been developed that don't need this particular wasp to produce figs because it turns out that the figs are the flowers of the plant.  They bloom inwardly instead of outwardly. If you don't want seeds from the plant, pollination is not necessary. (BTW, Theo always seems to know a lot of trivia like that. Maybe he should be on Jeopardy someday.)

I did a quick check of Wikipedia and it seems that Theo was right. I also learned that figs were one of the first plants cultivated by humans. Eve used a fig leaf in the Bible so if you take that story literally, it says that figs have been around since the beginning of time. Also, figs have more naturally occurring varieties than any other tree crop. By looking at pictures, I determined that we have a Brown Turkey variety. It has a milder flavor than most figs and is not quite as sweet. I really wouldn't know because I've not tasted any other varieties except whatever they put in Fig Newtons. :)

I liked these better than Fig Newtons although
the recipe said they were like Fig Newtons.

Our tree has definitely outgrown its pot, and we plan to transplant it this fall. We have a place picked out that will not be as protected as where it is now, so I'm not sure how it is going to do. Figs are native to the Mediterranean and don't like cold weather. However, Brown Turkey is one of the hardier varieties. It should survive in our climate but may die back from freeze damage each year. There are several suggestions on ways to protect the plant during the winter, but we're leaving it alone so we'll see how it survives both the cold and the transplanting. 

Do you grow figs? Any tips?

Until next time...

This and That

or Another Miscellaneous Post

I first learned the word miscellaneous and how to spell it in third grade. My teacher, Mrs. Conley, had a job chart, and one of the categories was Miscellaneous. I learned to spell it from the chart, and I was very proud that I could spell such a long word. 

We pick two ripe figs and two overly ripe
figs with promises of more to come. 

After that trip down memory lane, back to the here and now. The first figs have finally ripened. I have had this fig tree for five years, getting it first as a seedling a few inches high in a yogurt cup. For the first couple of years, all it produced was a few leaves. For the next couple of years, we got a few figs. But this year, it has finally come into its own. It has quadrupled its size and has figs formed on most branches. We check the tree daily to see if any of the figs are ripe. Figs don't ripen after they are picked, so there is a small window between when they are ripe and when they are rotten. After harvesting the first ripe fig (so we thought), we found that we were too late on some others because we found them rotten on the ground. I'm sure they are making some kind of bug or critter happy down there. At some point, we should have a lot of figs ripe at once if all goes well. I think we will try drying them. If truth be told, no one here is that big fan of figs unless they are in Fig Newtons. They're too sweet. But I hate to see anything go to waste. 

The fig tree is still in a pot, so it will have to be transplanted this fall. Figuring out the right location still eludes us. Our winters are too cold for most figs unless they have a well-established root system. Then they can recover from the winter freezes. They do best close to the house on a south-facing wall. We'll figure out something. 

The fig tree has outgrown its space.

We are waiting for these to ripen.

As I've mentioned before, the pears are ripening. We've put some in the freezer, had some for snacking, and made a pear crisp. We have others we are ripening. Pears are just the opposite of figs. You harvest them before they are ripe. Pears ripen from the inside out, so if they seem ripe on the outside, they may have a rotten core. When I think about pears, I always think about this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat." 

I finally planted a few things for the fall garden using leftover seeds from 2020. I have planted turnips, beets, and radishes, and a few of them have started to come up. Luckily, these vegetables are not nearly as finicky as pears and figs about when they are ready to eat. Sometimes you can leave turnips in the ground for months. In fact, they are supposed to get sweeter with a couple of frosts. 

Now to talk about more outdoor activity that doesn't involve food. Last weekend, Wally arranged an outing for us at a park halfway between our two houses. It was a new to us park, and we will definitely be returning. There were good hiking trails, picnicking areas, a nature center, and a lake, as well as tennis and basketball courts. Something for everyone, but we were primarily interested in the trails. 

Ward, Wally, and Theo hiking a new-to-us trail.

This didn't turn out to be quite as random as I thought it would since I seem to have an outdoor theme going. Of course, you can't talk about the outdoors without talking about the weather. It's still hot and muggy here, with not enough rain. I'm ready for some days in the 70s. 

Until next time...

It will all get done.

 I'm tired and cranky. I could come up with several reasons for this, but some days just turn out that way. So what am I going to do about it? Well, instead of dwelling on the negative stuff, I'm going to try to focus on getting ready for the trip we're going on in the morning. Miss Landers has a cabin in WV where Ward and I are going to stay for a few days with hopes of working puzzles, reading, and hiking. At first, it seems frivolous to be talking about getting away for nothing more than a change of scenery when others are fleeing from fires to save their lives.  But if nothing else, the fires in the west have taught us to live for today because tomorrow things could change in an instant. And that means making the most of this little trip we're going on.

But as you may have noticed, I am writing a blog post instead of getting ready. Well, that's procrastination pure and simple. But it will all get done. It always does.

In the meantime, here are  pictures of what I've seen around my yard this week. Exploring the plants and critters that live around me is a sure fire cure for my crankiness. (However, it's not helping the procrastination too much.)

One of our crabapples has started to bloom. The very hot and dry July may have had something to do with this.

This bunny has been living in our yard all summer (and enjoying our vegetables). I think it prefers our yard over others because we're the only one around without a dog.

It's cricket season again. 

I repotted our fig tree this summer and it has rewarded us with five figs. The previous record before was one.

All of the vinca around the caladiums were volunteers. That makes me happy.

This cabbage moth took some time away from eating our brussel sprouts to visit this cosmos.

We have several swallowtail butterfly caterpillars feasting on our carrots. 

The yellow cosmos have done very well this year, but not one of the pink ones has bloomed.

Depending on the internet situation, I may report in next week from our vacation.

Until next time...