10th Anniversary – Figs
Do you remember that cartoon character called Pig-Pen in the Charles Shulz Peanuts comics?
The little character who was always covered in a cloud of dust and perpetually messy?
That’s me.
I sit down in the evening and little trickles of dirt sprinkle over any surface I’m perched on.
I lean over to undo my shoelaces and ants scatter.
But then I have been playing in the dirt. But before you roll your eyes and reach for the off button, fear not! No dirt stories today.
I thought we might explore a different sort of pig today. Fig Pigs.
Figs. Far more colourful and juicy and ripe. I have two large-ish fig trees in the garden that are starting to produce.
The one I planted against the back potager wall – a Brown Turkey Fig. All purple and goo-ey and what I think of as figs.
(Sorry I ate the photo subject. I couldn’t resist. And I didn’t take the time to check whether the fig was in focus before I wolfed it down. I am so greedy.)
And my inherited one on the edge of the east garden.
It is our tenth anniversary living on this farm; and I thought it might be fun to remember some of my hilarious misconceptions and mistakes I made way back in the early days.
And top among them was this tree.
I always thought that figs ripened at the end of summer and were purple when ripe, green when not ready.
So as I started to get to know all the huge expanse of trees on this farm (and we only took possession in May 2007) I kept looking at this fig and thinking ‘not ripe yet’ and move on.
I ignored the telltale droop of the green figs. The clouds of happy wasps dive-bombing the fruit. And only when it was almost too late did I realize my mistake.
Green ripe figs. And in early summer too.
I’ve learned my lesson. And now I alternate on my dusk amble about the farm. Purple fig. Green fig. Purple fig. Green fig.
And sometimes I have a glut and actually give them away.
But that’s a rare old event.
And another misconception: trees just get on. No matter if someone planted two fig saplings in the same hole and they have been forced to fight for space.
I had great visions of fixing this ‘problem’ once. Now I just shrug and get on. Eating.
Hazel
11th July 2017 @ 7:21 am
Oh, lovely! I have a fig tree in a tub against a south facing wall but I’m not holding my breath…
It looks a bit spindly, actually. Not sure if I should feed it?
Lindy
11th July 2017 @ 8:22 am
Morning Hazel. I always think that if a plant is spindly then it needs a bit of love in the form of food. Yes they say figs should be contained and not fed. But it really needs to be in a big tub and well looked after so it bulks out well. and only then will it be in good enough shape to fruit. Send me a picture!
Hazel
12th July 2017 @ 6:53 am
Thanks Lindy 🙂
It’s in a pretty big half barrel but was rather neglected in a smaller pot for a while whilst we moved house. I’m hoping it will perk up, I just have to keep hoiking out the teasel seedlings that want to share the tub with it. Maybe I should mulch it with more compost?
I’ll try to send you a photo later.
Lindy
12th July 2017 @ 10:36 am
Ah, a half barrel will be perfect for it. I would nurture it with good compost this year so it puts on good leaf growth and settles and then next year see how it does. And spookily enough I just plucked two teasel thorns out of my thumb before sitting down to type. Teensy little blighters!
Hazel
14th July 2017 @ 9:09 am
I’ll try that and let you know.