I will be doing a bunch of cuttings this year, I only did about a half doxen and gave them to my neighbors but I am stocking up for the next year 🙂 Inside it is white turning to purple, almost red in the centre, quite moist and soft and slightly fibrous. Help. Thanks v much Thank tou, Hi Jolene, Check out this site from KiwiBob, he has great photos of leaf shapes and fig fruits, to help you identify what figs you may have. Eva, your location three hours south, makes all the difference. We now have a couple of fruiting 3 yr old trees, (tubbed) and now understand what to look for. 😉, How to apply Greetings from Morgan Hill! xoxo, tracie, I am in South Alabama and I have just got done picking probably less than a 4th of the figs on my tree. It’s against a south wall. I have a wonderful recipe for fresh fig cake and this is the first year that I’ve harvested enough figs to make five cakes for the freezer. Good luck and happy growing! Anyway, MANY sincere thanks for your time and your sharing. I, too, had a bumper crop this year! I do. How-To: Knowing the Right Time to Pick a Fig. Right now, even after a very warm and sunny summer, my main crop of figs sit unripe and undersized on the trees. I saw your video and read the tips to determine ripeness. Figs do not continue to ripen after being picked, like many other fruits do, so it is essential that they are not picked until they are definitely ripe. It was perfect for an inexperienced gardener and proud brand-new (just picked it up today!) I have a small fig tree about the size of yours in the video. I would only transplant the tree during dormancy in the late winter or early spring before leaves appear. I’m afraid you’re right: the figs (over a dozen which are bigger than most bought ripe ones) are looking wonderful – but bright green, horizontal, & like solid wood! Try and provide the best growing environment you can so that your figs ripen. I do still have about 10 green figs and I will take your advice and wait until they hang on the tree before picking and hopefully beat the birds to the punch. It’s my tree’s second year in my yard, and my first real crop……12 figs. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Tom, just a word of thanks. I don’t know about wood ash deterring ants, but I sometime wrap the trunk in tree tape and then apply a little tanglefoot, and that keeps the ants off. Kehau. I’d suggest Desert King as reliable producer. I just read something about putting olive oil on the bottom of the fig to hasten ripening. I don’t use bird netting, so I guess I shouldn’t recommend it. That was in 2012. Didn’t know how to tell they were ripe or not, but thanks to you, I know! Not ready yet, but a heavier softer fruit moves closer to the stem, skin shows wrinkling, Fig 4. I just planted this one last night, it’s about 3ft tall and healthy with 3 figs still on it. Once picked, figs should be eaten within three days otherwise they will go off. 🙂. I’ve got some of the green fig variety growing here in the east of England, and am looking forward to sampling them in future. Now I gotta figure out how to make some fig jam etc 🙂. Mike, Welcome Mike, and thanks for the kind comments. ... which has been shown to ripen fruit faster, compared to figs that haven't been subjected to oleification. Generally speaking, the fruit is soft and gives to pressure, plus the birds will find the tree then. It’s found at any garden center or nursery: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=remay%20garden%20cloth&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aremay%20garden%20cloth I hope the trees give something this year, it’s been a wild year for all things garden, at least for me. I’m not using any chemical solution because I’m trying to make my yard insect friendly with the exception of loosing my figs. 28/09 – many thanks for the reply. For the most part those figs will drop in spring and new ones take their place and ripen in summer. Tom. If you pick a fig fruit too early, it will taste horrible; ripe … Exactly what I needed to learn! Keep your fingers crossed for a clearing trend and few weeks of sun. Use gloves to protect your hands and arms from the milky sap to avoid unpleasant skin reactions. Thanks for the photo guide. Danielle, once the fig is burrowed into by anything, its days are numbered and it begins to rot. I want to make sure I harvest my “crop” at just the right time! Beautiful figs 🙂 Clearly your figtree is very cooperative, lucky you. Good luck! You’re a guru:). Thanks again, Lucy. Pick one and see how it tastes. If so, you may wish to pack it at least the lower half in leaves and wrap it in burlap to protect the root crown of the tree. They are ripe and ready for picking usually in late summer or early autumn. Your time and knowledge is obviously so very much appreciated. 2nd year grew to 7 ft and we got 40 pretty good figs late Aug through mid October. In fact as I write this I am tasting a fruit for the very first time. Is it normal to have so many fallers? I have a couple figs in my greenhouse and even there, the second fruiting doesn’t ripen to an edible state. My twenty month old grandson will love this! Once they are ripe, it is best to harvest them in the morning, as the slightly cooler temperature helps to prevent the figs bruising when they are being picked. When I got it, it was basically a 10 inch stick. Right now, my fig tree has 2 figs on it, which I’m hoping will ripen (my ash tree above doesn’t have all its leaves yet). Thanks again. Tom. Tip prune any top, crazy long branches to encourage multiply branching Storing Figs: Figs should be eaten fresh, but you can store them for about 2 weeks in a cool dry place - do … Thanks for the information. Thank you, Like the person above this post, I just moved into a house with 2 fig trees out back. I would wait until the trees are leafless and dormant in late fall, winter or early spring before budding out. How to Tell if a Fig is Ripe A very helpful and clear write-up. Hi! When storing your figs, do not stack them on top of one-another, as they bruise easily. I live out on the western side of the Olympic Peninsula, tons of rain most of the time, more rain that usual this year. If you can give the fig tree full sun that’s one the best solution for an under-performing fig tree. You know this fig is ripe because it’s soft, the surface is cracking a bit, and it’s drooping. Lots of fig recipes out there. I have been so confused on the fig growing and ripening process so this hits the mark for me. Last season I had so many cherries that I made cherry liquor. Note the dewy skin and slight tear in the fruit; it can barely hold its sugary contents at this point.  (Time to grab the snips and go crazy!). Is it worth harvesting them now; are they “edible” when stewed? Good Luck! […] not sure when the figs are ready to pick, check out this very detail photo illustrated post “How to Know When a Fig Is Ripe and Ready to Pick” from Tall Clover Farm. Thank you very much, sir. I’ve also had nice success with Negronne, or Violette du Bordeaux. My figs are very nice sized and now the rains are closing in…Do the need some kind of cover or whatever? Fig 5. I am happy to have found this site . I just bought a fig tree that hails from Normandy, called the Dauphine. Hi Melissa, my figs ripen between August and September. Hi MW, […] have shades of rust-brown, some have dark purple hues, and others stay green. I did not know how to tell ripe from unripe, but was a pretty good guesser, based on your pics. Can I send you a photo? Up here we might get just a touch of frost right through winter- or I have known -20°C once – and bitter East winds. Still want to know about the olive oil. Awesome … Thanks so much, just got my first three fruit starting to drop a little and thought I would check online for advice about when to pick and your site was right at the top and answered my question. Please let me know. I thought the tree would sink some in the compost but it hasn’t so it’s a bit more mounded than I wanted. Once they are ripe, it is best to harvest them in the morning, as the slightly cooler temperature helps to prevent the figs bruising when they are being picked. problem is they rarely rippen and if they do they are not sweet. Kathi. All Rights Reserved. If you pick a fig fruit too early, it will taste horrible; ripe fruit is sweet and delicious. I moved to a place with 4 fig trees and dont know much about them is there a way to tell what kinda figs i have??? Bright green figs, not yet ripe, hide among the large leaves of a fig bush. I have 2 large fig trees , last year and this year it was loaded with figs! In most areas, the relatively mild winter months aided figs in producing a good crop of new shoots resulting in a bounty of small green fruit. For the best-tasting figs, allow the fruit to fully ripen on the tree. Good gardening, Pat. Hi Melissa, my figs ripen between August and September. Less sun, less fuel to promote growth and fruiting for the tree. Mine is in the ground. Can you tell me what variety of fig you have in the photograph for this tip. <3. Figs are a soft, sweet fruit that many find delicious. If it’s dry and flavorless, wait until the fig softens and the fruits sags on the tree. Wondering when fresh, ripe, locally grown peaches might be at the market? They are ready when no ooze or dripping juices, but are moist and tacky to the touch. However, the figs aren’t as rich and sweet as last year. Hi Tom, I will give photo credit to you. Thank you for your posting! Someone told me to put dishwater on them but I am not certain that is a remedy for the ants. It has grown to maybe 12 feet tall. Hi Tom – just saw your answer to Melissa so I now know when. They may not ripen in time or just need a couple more weeks, which you may still have before the first frost in your neck of the woods. Figs do not ripen once picked so it is important they are left on the tree to ripen. It’s up to you depending on your preference of sweetness. I will be writing a christian blog on Amos in the Old Testament who was a fig farmer. As for water, make sure you don’t waterlog the area, but wait between periods of drying out before watering again. When to Harvest your Figs: A ripe fig is soft and droops down from the branch. Tom http://tallcloverfarm.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?p=351&approved=1#comments-form, Thank you for sharing about how to tell if/when a fig is ripe. I have no idea what type of fig it is. I’ve just read that you can’t pick figs BEFORE they ripen because they won’t ripen OFF the stem. That makes perfect sense. i have had the sap on my hands before and it didn’t irritate my skin, but it did my family’s, Why is that? I have a mission fig in the greenhouse and it stays green until the ripening begins and then changes color to a rich purple black and then droops down when fully ripe. He told me to go ahead and have at them while he is gone for the month of October (yep, to Italy) I don’t know a thing about figs and thought well, while I’m over here I’ll pluck a few and then jump on the internet to see when these babies are ready. Great informative site. Prune out any dead branches California is the largest producer of dried figs in the United States. We have had great delicious figs most of the summer. They do turn black after I bring them in. Figs are a little tougher than cherries and tomatoes which usually have skin splitting with heavy rains, but ripening all boils down to a little more sunshine and a little more warmth to get them to that state. Winter chill is the number of winter days when temperatures are below 45°F (7°C). (I live in GA) Thanks so much!! Thanks, I will try one today. Thanks so much for this information photo series about figs. Unfortunately for us Northwest fig lovers, the main crop figs rarely ripen satisfactorily. I just moved here to North Las Vegas from HAWAII and have a fig tree in my back yard. Dude! rise above freezing in the spring. From a Kiwi. I do love your blog! Thanks for the visit! This video show how you can tell when your figs are ready to pick. I have some figs doing the same thing. Which picture above is the right time? Warmer zones may see more than one crop in a season. So glad I found your informative and entertaining explanation! The number of fruit that have set and presently sizing up, Im really happy with (so far) I love hearing from fellow fruit lovers and garden growers, and learning how things are going in their neck of the woods. First visit to your blog and I’m finding some interesting comments. Unfortunately, because of our climate, it is often the case that the weather just doesn’t cooperate enough for many of the figs to fully ripen. I live in southwestern Michigan 5 miles east of Lake Michigan, Bill figs usually produce their biggest crop on the fig wood of last season’s growth. This year I’m going to try covering the tree with white remay, a light garden fabric that won’t weight the tree down and lets light in. I bought a tiny fig plant from France – no idea of variety. We’ve lost two western coachwhips this year in ours and are taking it all down – it traps beneficial snakes and kills them very slowly. So hold tight, you have a fig crop coming one way or the other this summer. I know vineyards where the growers withhold water to produce a higher sugar content in the grape and the same practice goes for tomatoes. Do you have a good preserves recipe? Under ideal conditions, figs can ripen in as little as two months, but most figs do not grow in ideal conditions. Any idea if this is true? Tallcloverfarm.com is where I write all about it. We bought our home last September and it has a large fig tree to the side of the driveway that we initially thought was dead. They’re being covered with a mix of compost and peat moss which is still not damp. I’m still waiting for mine to ripen, fingers crossed. SO GLAD to get tips and information so we can harvest. At the most, figs need only about 300 hours of winter chill. I live on Long Island , New York. Is there any way to still get them ripe and sweet? We bought a home in the end of December and much to my surprise we have a beautiful large fig tree on the back of our home. Thanks, Tom & all! Hi Pat, In this part of the world, I’ve never had the immature fruit winter over to produce ripe figs the following spring and summer. I’ve been watching the deer eat my figs, which is a fun fig activity in itself, for four years. This is known as the Breba crop (Fiorini in Italian) and forms on the old wood. I’m a Bulldog buff, writer, grower of fruit, maker of pies, kitchen alchemist, and seasoned hammock tester. Wish me luck – as I send to you all! […] We interrupted our picking to rip the split ones apart and quickly eat the insides. I found your post in a search having just taken on the care of a house with 4 fig trees. Anything I can do to get there before the birds? 1. What I would recommend is planting another variety, Chicago Hardy fig. When ripe, they do look different; they get big, bloated and squishy, and the insides will be juicy and purple-red. The answer to this question is not straightforward. I am now the proud owner of two (2) unripe (according to your information) figs which I trust will ripen before I have to bring the plant in the house to avoid the frost!!!!!! You need to have your friend travel in mid-summer when the first crop, the breba crop of figs comes in. We’ve fed it heaps of compost and regular doses of house hold food scraps, nipped out the tips several times (during both summer and winter)and so are now multi stemmed. Extra-light syrup: 1 1/4 cups sugar and 5 1/2 cups water make 6 cups syrup. It has long leaves with like 4 intentions in the leaves, it is loaded with figs but I have no idea when they ripen, what color they are, I know nothing about figs. Those I picked are sadly, not ready. Tom. Full service nurseries and local ag extension offices are good sources for … Make sure your ants can’t get to the tree from another route, like branches from another tree. I’m ok with the birds, but how to avoid the bugs? 3. This is the first year it has produced after planting it two years ago. About covering the tree, is it newly planted? Also, look at the neck of the fruit, if it has a slight bend instead of sticking straight out then your figs are ready to […], Hey can u tell in which month figs are ready. and bring it out of the weather in the early winter. Well, how awesome is that; you get coconuts, bananas and figs. 😉. I’m babysitting my next door neighbors place and being an old Italian fellow, he has several fig trees. I show you how to tell when a fig, no matter what the color, is ripe. After straining the liquor, I couldn’t bring myself to discard the pitted cherries so I put them in the freezer. You can pick the fruits as they ripen through to the end of September. Hi Dorothy, my guess is that in late autumn there’s just not enough daylight, and heat units to fully ripen the figs. You have entered an incorrect email address! Thanks for this fine visit and fig talk. Lows at night are in the upper 60s so we are a bit off from the first frost I hope! Good eating to us all. For example, growers in cooler coastal areas usually harvest their figs during October and November. Full service nurseries and local ag extension offices are good sources for what varieties will do well in your climate. Try to keep as much of the stem attached to the fig as possible, as this helps to keep the figs fresh for longer. Before figs are fully ripe, they appear to extend straight upwards from the branch. Thanks for all the time commenting and giving advice to folks who are obviously keen to harvest fruit from trees. GardenWeb.com is also a good place to do a search for “Arizona fig growing” and see what gardeners in your area are doing. Suzann, it sounds like the tree was marked incorrectly. I don’t think its placed in a good spot, not enough sunlight, just north of a large Arizona ash tree. Wish I had tried some years ago but hopefully won’t get an upset tummy later (if they are not edible!) Its so gratifying to know that there are people who still get excitement from growing fruit. They are small and green. I planted a fig tree last year and this year, the tree is covered in figs! And really figs can’t be too ripe, but it becomes a textural issue for some eaters. Get an old paper bag, cut into strips and wrap one 4-inch strip around the trunk and tape in place. Dang Jays! Is there anything at all I can do with these figs or should I just say forget it? How to Know When a Fig Is Ripe and Ready to Pick, Desert King Fig: At Home in the Pacific Northwest. Lisa, this is only a guess but it could a couple things, excessive humidity and/or the introduction of mold or bacteria by an insect entering the fig through the bottom hole. Hi Amy, there’s not much you can do at this point. 2. When ripe, the figs will be pale lime green with pink to brown variegation that start from the shoulders. Wow, so many comments, so little patience… On my part. Ripeness has less to do with color and more with how they’re hanging. (Behave.) And if I leave it as is, since it gets less sun should I water less? Place it back out in the sun when the temps. I just don’t want to lose all of this bountiful harvest before I can use them. I’m from SE England, 51°N, but we have the Gulf Stream – weather drier than Vancouver (nearest I’ve been to Seattle) & maybe a bit colder, but gardens look similar. Or should I just check ’em in the compost bin? I’ll be bookmarking this post and hope to make your recipe as well! BTW we lived in Bellevue from ’73 to ’80!! This summer, I didn’t make liquor – just pies and froze fresh cherries. salt and 1 cup chopped pecans. Winter here can arrive any time – tomorrow or November – & I wondered if anyone has tried putting the unripe fruit in blown-up plastic bags, like mini-greenhouses, to help them ripen? Figs do not continue ripening after they're removed from the tree, however. From previous years, they will shrivel and go black over the winter, and eventually fall off. This is completely anecdotal and I don’t have facts to back it up, so here are some guesses. Pruning - Most fig varieties produce their main crop in late summer, on new season's growth, but some varieties will also produce a lighter crop before Christmas. http://www.katu.com/news/local/62682802.html, http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=remay%20garden%20cloth&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aremay%20garden%20cloth, http://tallcloverfarm.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?p=351&approved=1#comments-form, https://sites.google.com/site/kiwifruitsalad2/, Figs: Learn the Secrets to Large Harvests | Fast-Growing-Trees.com Blog, http://tallcloverfarm.com/7019/figs-in-a-jam-fig-and-ginger-jam.