Figs are one of the easiest, most problem-free fruits you can grow. They're a great choice for organic gardeners as the few problems they do encounter can always be overcome without the use of chemicals.

Figs come in a wide array of flavors, textures and ripening seasons. Some have thin skins with delicate, juicy centers reminscent of maple syrup. These are perfect for eating fresh from the tree. Whilst others have a natural rich, sweet texture that lends itself well to drying or for making preserves.

When choosing a fig tree, pick at least one variety from the fall ripening group to help extend the season and to have some of the most interesting flavors. All figs are self-pollinating.

SOIL

Although one of the easiest fruits to grow, the one weak link of a fig is that they are susceptible to nematode damage. Easy ways to combat this problem include planting in large holes filled with rotting manures and mulching with a thick layer of rotting organic material. I like manured leaves or hay. Also, planting next to a building works as the roots will seek shelter in the nematode-free zone under the building.

ORCHARD SANITATION

In the hot, humid climate of the South, Fig Rust seems to be a common problem. Although with good health, most trees continue to thrive and bear fruit throughout their life with a mild case of this fungus, it is unsightly and can be controlled easily with a copper spray in mid-July. It's also good to rake and burn the fallen leaves once a year.

FIG EYES

Figs can't see, but they do have eyes. The eye of a fig is an opening at the apex of the fruit (the ostiole) where the skin comes together. Closed eyes prevent bacteria, fungi and insects from getting inside the fig and causing souring. While we would love to sell only closed eye figs, there are so many great varieties out there that we give the "eye" information when available.

BIRDS

If birds are a problem in your area, select the light-skinned fig varieties. Birds have a built-in notion that ripe figs are supposed to be dark. They think the yellow-skinned fruits aren't ripe yet and leave them alone.

   Click Here for the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to find out your areas hardiness zone.

Fig Varieties (Ficus carica)

ALMA A Texas A&M University release, highly resistant to fruit rots. The fruit is a beautiful light yellowish green. Inside, a halo of white meat with a light red center. A good drying variety with a high sugar content and excellent flavor. Continuous cropper. Small eye, moderately closed with honeydew on eye. Ripens mid-July `til frost. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

BEALL Discovered in California in the 1920's, Beall is a medium to large purplish black fig with amber colored flesh. Good flavor and hardy in the the South. Open eye. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

BLACK JACK This semi-dwarf fig tree is a heavy producer of large, sweet, long purple figs with dark red flesh. Black Jack is a great choice for small areas or a pot as it is easily kept to 6-8 ft with pruning. Closed eye. Ripens June to September. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

BROWN TURKEY Old-fashion fig that's the standard most folks grew up eating. Large, rich purplish-brown fruit with light red center. Very popular in the South because of its dependable crops. Moderately closed eye. Ripens late July to mid August. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

LARGE BROWN TURKEY Even larger, rich purplish-brown fruit with delicious light red flesh. One of our loyal Wakulla County customers gave us the cuttings. Great improvement on an old favorite with dependable crops. Moderately closed eye. Ripens late July to mid August. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

CELESTE Known as the "sugar fig", Celeste produces medium sized fruit with light brown to violet skin, and strawberry pink flesh. One of the best varieties for drying and preserves. Small, closed eye resists rots. Ripens mid July to mid August. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

CHAMPAGNE Developed by LSU, Champagne is a medium sized yellow fig with gold to caramel flesh, ripening in July. Champagne's an excellent flavored fig good for both fresh eating and for preserving. Very productive and very cold hardy. Partially closed eye. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

CONADRIA A fig bred by the leading California fig breeder, Ira Condit. The name is a combination of his name and the drying fig Adriatic from which it was bred. The tree is vigorous and the fruit is 2 1/2 inches wide with a light greenish-yellow skin and sweet, juicy light red flesh. Small, tight eye. Ripens mid July to mid August. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

FLANDERS Developed in California, Flanders is a long necked, medium sized fig. It has a skin of brownish yellow with violet stripes and the flesh is amber. Fine "figgy" flavor. Excellent all-purpose fig. Good breba crop. Medium, tight eye. Ripens late. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

GREEN ISCHIA High quality green fig with dark red flesh. Birds miss these ripe green figs! Closed eye. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

HARDY CHICAGO Yep, it was found growing in south Chicago, Illinois and it’s a winner. Even when the top dies back this fig springs back and has late season figs. A small to medium, brown to purplish fig with sweet, rich dark red flesh. If you are in Zone 6 be sure to put the plant in a protected spot. Small eye. Ripens from August/September to frost. Zones 6-8. $29.99 3 gal (2-3 ft).

HUNT Very cold resistant, large, long-necked violet brown fruit with light red flesh. Long ripening season. Very dependable. Rich sweet flavor. Closed eye. Ripens in July. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

JELLY SYN: Mary Lane and Seedless A medium to large yellow fig. As the name implies, this fig is virtually seedless. Yellow pulp is very jucy and sweet. Well adapted to all fig growing areas. Trees are rampant growers, spreading to 15 feet. Ripens late August to mid September. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

LSU GOLD LSU release with great resistance to splitting. Fast grower and heavy producer of large, light yellow, very sweet figs with light red flesh. Small, open eye with honeydew closing eye. Ripens July-August. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

LSU IMPROVED CELESTE LSU took a great Celeste and improved the yield and fruit size. Light brown to violet skin, and light red flesh. One of the best varieties for drying and preserves. Partially closed eye. Ripens mid July to August. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

LSU PURPLE Another great LSU fig, medium size with purple to burgundy fruit and light red flesh. Good vegetative growth for a bushy, well-formed fig bush. Closed eye. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

LSU SCOTT'S BLACK Very little information is available about this fig, but apparently it's an LSU release, like so many of the most successful figs for the Southeast. Large and black with bright red pulp, and ripens late. One crop. Medium, open eye. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

MISS HALL It's a small small world, after all. In trying to track down the late Mrs. Ethel Hall's story, we spoke to her friend Shirley Snell, who used to sell wildflowers next to Mrs. Hall at the Timberlake farmer's market in Tallahassee. Mrs. Snell told us that Mrs. Hall was a Gainey before she was a Hall, and her people came from up near the Georgia line. See our Gainey pomegranates for the connection - she might be kin! Mrs. Hall passed away in the summer of 2008, after a productive 90-some years of gardening. Mrs. Hall grew these fabulous great black, dark red-fleshed sweet and tasty figs up near the Miccosukee community area for many years. Mrs. Snell recalled that it was mid-July when they were at their peak of perfection and sold at the market. Ripens mid July. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

O'ROURKE This is the real deal O'Rourke developed by Ed O'Rourke in 1960 and released through the LSU Agriculture Center fig program. O'Rourke is a cross between a Celeste and a Capri from California. It has a long neck with tan to light brown skin and the flesh is a reddish light tan. Different from our LSU Improved Celeste - O'Rourke have 5-7 loped leaves. Partial closed eye when ripe. Ripens in July - August. Zones 7-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

PANACHEE They rave over the flavor of this fig in California. Green fruit with yellow stripes produces a fall crop. Amber-red flesh. Needs a long, warm growing season. Ripens in August. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

SMITH Figs for Florida, but this one is an heirloom from Louisiana. Superb older variety, large flat yellow fig with deep red flesh. Tight eye resists splitting and souring. Very sweet. Ripe July-August. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

ST. PETER'S We have Mrs. Toni Vattovaz, an avid fruit-grower in Tallahassee, to thank for this old Italian fig. Its original home was within sight of Mont Vesuvius and Mont Blanc, near the Volturno River in the Abruzzo area of Italy. Toni's father, Dominico dePaolo, brought the fig to America back in about 1989, and it grew for years in one half of a wine keg in Illinois, where it lived out the winters in the garage. Finally it made its way to sunny Florida where it has been much happier. She describes it as a big brownish-green fig blushed with mauve, with a pink interior. It was Toni's grandfather who called it St. Peter's fig, although she doesn't know why it was called that. Toni said it ripens beginning around her birthday, June 13, and continues fruiting through the summer.
Ripens mid June-August. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

TENA California variety that is highly resistant to fruit rot. The fruit is a beautiful light yellow green; inside is a halo of white flesh, surrounding a light red center. Tena is a good drying variety with a high sugar content and excellent flavor. Medium, tight eye. Ripens mid July to late August. Zones 8B-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft).

WHITE TEXAS EVERBEARING Medium to large, extraordinarily sweet and flavorful fig. Amber colored skin with golden pulp. Very productive. Ripens June through August. Zones 8-10. $29.99 3 gal (2-3ft). Available in November. LIMITED QUANTITY.








Just the Facts
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Please come to see us if you can (Wednesday to Sunday, 9:05-5:08). We are located 19 miles south of Tallahassee, just off US Highway 98, 1 mile east of the intersection with US Highway 319 (South of Crawfordville center and actually in the village of Medart). If you need further directions, feel free to call us at 1-850-926-5644 or enter 30 Saint Frances St. Crawfordville FL 32327 (or Just Fruits Nursery) into Google Maps ( CLICK HERE).