First Fresh Fig


My fig tree ('Brown turkey') has exploded into life this year and I hear it's happened to other blogging pals too. I don't quite know why that is, but for mine it's because I'd earmarked it for the compost heap ;) It had around 8 years of being a few sad twigs hidden amongst my sunflower 'Lemon Queen', and until now it really wasn't pulling its weight.

As you can see it's now pushed the sunflowers aside to show off its foliage. And this is from a fig tree which is planted in a pot just 16 inches across. Figs like their roots to be confined but the soil by next door's garage was just a little bit too shallow for it, hence the pot. What a difference a year makes - it's quite a fine specimen now isn't it?


My fig also had another surprise up its sleeve: its first proper fruits. Until now it's just borne tiny ones, but as you can see, this year I have figs of edible quality (and a bit of a rude looking photograph!). I thought long and hard about how to serve my first fig: perhaps wrapped in a slice of prosciutto ham, or with a huge dollop of natural yoghurt on the side. Decisions, decisions...

Instead, I finally decided to serve it au naturel. The flavours and juices of one's first fresh fig should be savoured just as they are. Yum :)

Comments

  1. Margaret23 September 2013 at 10:08

    A lot of plants seem to have done better this year and your fig looks great. It's a plant which is on my wish list for plants, but I haven't decided where I could put one yet. Perhaps now we have an allotment I could put one there, but in a pot so I could take it with me if I ever moved from the allotment

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP23 September 2013 at 10:18

      Hi Margaaret - I'd love you to have a fig, but an allotment fig in a pot might be a bit tempting for thieves at first (I don't know if that's a problem on your site), or too massive to move later on! Lots of people fan train them against a wall of fence - is that an option for you?

      Delete
  2. colleen23 September 2013 at 16:49

    Is there anything more delightful than that very first fig? Our massive fig has not yielded a single mature fruit this year - such a disappointment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP30 September 2013 at 23:33

      Colleen - it was certainly worth the 8 year wait for my first fresh fig. So sorry to hear yours has bucked the trend of an excellent harvest this year :(

      Delete
  3. CJ23 September 2013 at 20:30

    Oh lucky, lucky you. I have just picked off a bowl of small green figs that didn't make it. I've no idea how to make mine have proper fruits. I think I shall plant one or two out into the small amount of soil by my fence next year. And you have reminded me to go and have a look at a big fig tree that was covered in unripe fruit a few weeks ago. No doubt they are ready now, and if no-one else wants them, I might filch one or two.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP30 September 2013 at 23:35

      I have a book about how to look after a fig tree which I've totally ignored! Perhaps if I hadn't I might have got this crop sooner. However, I reckon my timing re planting was all wrong... this was the best summer since 2006 after all.

      Delete
  4. Gaz24 September 2013 at 14:41

    We have to try and get there ahead of the squirrels in our garden!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP30 September 2013 at 23:36

      We have a mega squirrel problem here too Gaz! Luckily they've stuck to their usual habit of nicking all my hazelnuts and then progressing onto the apple trees.

      Delete
  5. Sue Garrett25 September 2013 at 09:04

    We have had edible figs for the first time too this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP30 September 2013 at 23:37

      Another blogger to add to my list of successful first timers this year :)

      Delete
  6. Donna26 September 2013 at 02:13

    Oh fresh figs...yummy!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous26 September 2013 at 23:18

    Figs are amazing - we get a great crop from these in St. Louis, MO, USA - and I'm amazed at not only how much fruit they produce, but how cold-tolerant they are!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP30 September 2013 at 23:38

      Wrlcome :) They're pretty cold tolerant here too = though I do have mine next to a south-west facing wall to be on the safe side.

      Delete

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