figs!
Brown Turkey Fig fruiting
Figs excel in the warm parts of the Mediterranean where they originate, but given cool summers they can sulk and not do particularly well. ‘Brown Turkey’ and ‘Osborn Prolific’ were a couple of the varieties listed as doing well with less heat. Here in coastal San Diego ‘Brown Turkey’ has turned out to be a great choice. The plant is bearing now, providing us–and some of the neighborhood birds–with tasty brown-purple-black fruit.
Last season’s crop ended being a puny one, so John chopped the tree back by a third. Figs produce two crops–an early one on last year’s wood and a larger, later one on this year’s. Pruning the tree sacrificed most of the first crop. But this summer has made up for what few figs we’ve had so far this year.
Another factor with its crop could be its watering schedule. Where the tree was placed–in the tough love bed behind the studio–it gets plenty of sun, but sometimes only gets summer water every three to four weeks. Figs are listed as being drought tolerant once established, but at the same time they’re listed as enjoying being watered. The plant definitely perks up after a good drenching so we know that could be part of the story. But it’s nice that there’s a plant that will provide at least something edible without too many gallons of the lower Colorado River poured on it!
August 18 2008 04:09 am | Categories: gardening • my garden | Tags: Brown Turkey fig • figs • fruits
Jenny on 19 Aug 2008 at 2:09 am #
I have three huge figs in the backyard. They’re great fruit trees for the south because they’re one of the few you don’t have to spray to death with fungicide/insecticide to bear fruit. Actually, they thrive on neglect. Got to love a plant you ignore and it overloads itself with fruit.
Of course, I can neglect watering a bit more in the coastal south since our annual average rainfall is about 50″.
lostlandscape on 19 Aug 2008 at 6:59 pm #
So are they bearing about now? It _is_ nice how self-sufficient figs can be. Easy is good. I’m trying to go with that philosophy with most of what gets a place in the garden anymore…
And are you about to get a big portion of your 50 inches as Hurricane Fay heads your direction? Stay safe!
Jenny on 21 Aug 2008 at 1:57 am #
The weather is pretty nice. We’re getting intermittent rain from some of the outer bands of rain. But, otherwise, tropical fronts tend to bring lovely weather to the region in general because they lower the humidity and drop the temperatures. I always feel guilty as Florida is getting crushed and our weather will have improved dramatically.
Our figs are pretty much done. Just as well, I was putting them in everything.
Joe, “Did you put figs in this quesadilla?“
Me, defensively, “Why do you ask?“
Joe, “It’s pretty good.”
The best though is the stuff the figs with some blue cheese, heat them a little to soften the cheese, and add a bit of really good balsamic vinegar. Yum.
lostlandscape on 22 Aug 2008 at 3:58 pm #
The quesadilla actually sounds wonderful! In fact last winter I had a recipe in a New York gallery as part of another artist’s larger artwork…and the recipe? Fig quesadillas!
I’ll have to try out your stuffed figs. Figs and cheese–hard to go wrong. Yum.