two figs

'Petite Nigra'

'Petite Nigra'

'Petite Nigra' mostly just branching, no fruit

It's the end of July and the figs are starting to produce buds. I have two figs to compare, although there are tons more. My friend's fig 'Celeste' was loaded when I visited a month ago, and I remember a previous co-worker's green fig ('Kadota'?) was prolific, even in Albuquerque's borderline climate. 'Texas Everbearing' which may or may not be 'Brown Turkey' is said to do well here as well.

I don't have either of these, although I may replace the ones I have with one of them. I purchased 'Petite Nigra' from Logee's a few years ago, figuring that I could grow it as a container plant, but all that toting in and out was a pain. I planted it in the ground last year, and it came through the winter without any problems.  There did not even seem to be freeze damage on the tips, which were green, but the plant only wanted to grow from the base. It has put out 3 feet of growth, and with the monsoon rain has started putting out branches on those, but it seems much more interested in growing than fruiting. The fruits only just started to form, only a few, and are now a bit smaller than a pea. Will it ripen in the next month or two? Last year, a number of fruits formed, but didn't ripen before the first killing frost. 

On the Lowe's death rack this year, was a number of $3 'Chicago Hardy' figs in 1 gallon containers. I wanted to take the lot of them, but settled for one. My photojournal says that the figs started to form June 3 or so, just a couple, but they seemed to just sit there without developing. Now, it is producing baby figs at many of the leaf axils and the first fig is about the size of a small plum. Given that the plant started out so small, and is in a container, I'd say that 'Petite Nigra' is going to find its way into the dumpster by next year.

'Chicago Hardy'

'Chicago Hardy' first year

'Chicago Hardy' fruit forming