I am in a funky area of SE MA/ RI border. The map says I"m in 6a but I swear I'm in more of a 6b micro-climate, being inland and only at 300 ft elevation. I have alot of figs forming now. I pinched on several of the trees about 3 weeks ago. Even with the crappy weather and constant rain, I have them forming. Pea size or larger on most.

Right now I'm looking at late August to mid-Sept for picking. I have a Southern exposure so it helps with heating and retention of that heat. You have a chance but may have to baby them.

Same here in Eastern Ct. we started pinching about three weeks ago. We now have pea size fruit on maybe half of our plants.

Same for last year, and last year was a very hot spring. So, it seems for our part of Connecticut, we don't start seeing any fruit development until around June 21st, and ripe fruit somewhere around the start of September.

Right now our most advanced fruit is developing on Sal's EL, Hardy Hartford, Hardy Chicago, and Marseilles Black VS. Sal's EL wins in size for the peas size group.

So. I would say if your plants are in a location where they are getting a good amount of sun, heat, and your pinching out new growth, and they are early ripening varieties, they should ripen for you.

Hope that helps

Bob

Thanks, I have no idea what varieties I have, two tree produce brown figs and one produces green. The are in tubs in an asphalt drive and get plenty of sun so I'm hoping for a decent crop.

thanks,

Rob

Here on long island (zone 7) has been horrible. Last year was the best in the last 10 for figs, so far this year has been the worst in the last 3. But it's still early yet.

Spring was cold and the tree had a late start, but this is going to be my earliest harvest ever by about 1-2 months. The first ones should be ripe this weekend or next week.

Late August report here in the northern NYC suburbs, dozens of fruits on the trees but they are hard and the size of grapes, doesn't look good for any type of harvest. Very discouraging, the trees are healthy, I paid close attention to pinching back after 6 leaves were developed on a branch. Watered every other day and Foliage Pro once a week. 7-8 hours sun every day.

Anyone else in this situation?

Hi R-Rob...I too have lots of fruit but very little signs of ripening. I did have one fruit that swelled and drooped recently, but it was not really edible. Otherwise all of the fruit on my one in-ground tree is hard and green. We'll see what happens. BTW, I am zone 6 in Rhode Island.

Rob,

I grew figs in zone 6A Massachusetts for several years. The second half of September into the first week of October was when most of the figs would ripen for me.

Not sure how old your trees are. The last year I was in MA I got fruit to ripen in the beginning of September. As your plants get older and stronger they will be able to ripen fruit earlier in the year.

You still have a good chance that those fruit will ripen. They generally stay the size that you've described until a week or two before before they turn ripe.

Joe

Joe,

Thanks for the encouragement for me and Geoff. My trees are about 14 years old but last year they were finally severely root pruned and put in proper medium. I'll hope for the best, if they make it through the hurricane this weekend (g)!

Not sure if this helps but here near chicago as i grow them in pots,
they have been producing lots of ripe fruit for at least a week now.
Ok i know i cheat . ; )
Martin

Same here Martin.

Marseilles Black VS, and Hardy Hartford, both are in pots and in ground. The potted plants started producing ripe figs around 8-11-11.

The same plants that are in ground still have hard green figs, the size of maybe grapes.

As of today, 8-27-11, Marseilles Black VS, and Hardy Hartford are starting to ripen more then just a few at a time.

Our Violetta Bayernfeige started ripening breba fruit about the same time as our potted Marseilles Black VS. and Hardy Hartford, which are in pots ,started ripening main crop figs.

This is the third year in ground for our Violetta Bayernfeige. It's first year it produced no fruit. It's second year it produced fruit that tasted like a unripe mulberry. We were very disappointed with it and I had already grafted Gino's on it. to take it's place. Especially after Herman had indicted it did not work for him in New Jersey, either.

As far as our in ground trees, I don't expect to see any ripe fruits until around the third week of September, like last year.

So Rob, chances are your plants will ripen fruit some time in September. But, we found that some of our plants did not produce good tasting fruit the first year.

Hope that helps

Bob

Hang in there, I have just started to get lots of figs ripening here, negronne, hardy chicago, rdb, sals, black mission and latarolla. For my area, this years crop is about 10 days to 2 weeks later than last year.

I live in zone 7a NE Alabama, Last year my Brown Turkey started ripening mid September - through October, I was in Germany from Sept 23 - Oct. 15, my brother said they were really GOOOOOOD !!!! I only got a couple dozen... so I'm not leaving this year !! I have 18 other trees, 9 varieties, most with figs on them. Guess I will just have to wait :>) I made a trip to LA ( Lower Alabama )in mid July, and the figs down there had already ripened and were gone. This area of Alabama is known as the coldest place in the State, we are about a month or more behind the south end. I have gotten a few ripe ones off a Celeste, :>) Is it an early variety ?? Are there others ??

My brown turkey(?) finished ripening 3-4 days ago. I'm trying to make fig wine with some of the excess. I'm in Southern Indiana.