Our poor little fig tree had an amazing year this year. I suppose it was all the rain. There are more figs on the tree this year than all previous years combined. Or close to it. That tells me that the tree needs to be watered more in drier years.
I was so happy to see all the fruit and notice that the birds didn't seem to want them. I eagerly awaited harvest time (late summer) and dreamed of fresh fig tarts and eating figs with foie gras. But Lucy pulled the football away once again.* All of those beautiful figs are as hard as rocks. Not one of them is edible.
Maybe I'll pick them, cook them, and see if their salvageable that way.
* A reference to the cartoon "Peanuts" in which Lucy holds a football for Charlie Brown to kick and each and every time, despite her assurances to the contrary, she pulls the football away at the very last moment causing Charlie Brown to whiff and fall flat on his back. And he never learns.
How strange about the figs. I know nothing about growing them. No wonder the birds ignored them.
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong but I'm sure that some varieties take two seasons to mature? Maybe Google can help.
ReplyDeletefigs need a lot of sun to ripen
ReplyDeleteCurious!
ReplyDeletecontact Hickery Holler Farm blog she knows about figs.
ReplyDeleteThe search for Fig Trees doesn’t work!
DeleteGoogle the Gardener says figs needs lots of water to ripen. Also sunlight. And apparently hot, dry weather is unwelcome in Figlandia, as it creates stress.
ReplyDeleteHere is a very interesting article in French on the fructification of the fig tree.
ReplyDeletehttps://jardinierparesseux.com/2018/04/22/la-phenomenale-fructification-du-figuier-une-merveille-du-monde-vegetal/
mitch, they'd probably break their beaks!
ReplyDeletechristina, I've not heard about that. Research time!
melinda, the few we've had in previous years ripened just fine. Of course, it was hot. This year has not been hot at all.
judy, yes!
suzanne, thanks. I'll take a look.
emm, they got a lot of water this year, but I think it may have been too cold.
chm, merci !
Au revoir
DeleteI live in southeast North Carolina in a townhouse and therefore must grow my fig tree in a large pot. I have never had more than five figs. This summer, however, during which we received torrential rains (with NO hurricanes!) the fig produced more than 35. Luckily, we also have extremely hot temps, so had many figs to enjoy. Next summer, more watering.
ReplyDelete