Dottato should ripen in your coastal climate? Where did you hear that they wouldn't? I know of some that ripen in areas that get the same heat mainly as you do during the summer, but get wreched winters. 80's is prime temps for most figs to ripen, when you start getting into the mid 90's they will go to sleep, almost a dormant rest, they won't loose leaves, but they will stop growing alot of times. so if you get 80's you should be fine with them. Where did your grandmother have her tree? If you feel you can't ripen these figs in your climate, try making a small greenhouse just enough to house this particular tree. You can easily make one with heavy plastic and set it up where it will get warmer for just this tree, but don't make it too hot or you will get bad result. Also, check out your sun issue. Do you get alot of sun?
Ciao

girlbug2 it sounds like you have enough heat to ripen figs. I have never tried a Kadota before but another fig that does well is cooler zones that people like is Desert King also known as King. They produce large green or green with a little of yellow and are very tasty.

I give my tree a head start by putting it out about a month or so before the last frost and just moving it inside in the evenings. My first figs should be ripen this weekend. As far south as you are, I would be surprised if you couldn't ripen whatever you want.

My grandmother's Kadotas are in California's central Valley, temps regularly get into the 90s and even the 100s over the summer. That's why I assumed that the temps here are too low, and the catalog descriptions of Kadota always stressing that it needs a "long, hot summer" to ripen. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a kadota cutting and try it in a pot for a while to see if it would work.

June is typically overcast here, but by July we get plenty of sunshine so that's not a problem.

Can anybody tell me if Desert King has a flavor similar to Kadota?

Kadota figs really need enough heat to ripen properly. When we have some hot days (in 90s during afternoon hours, mornings and nights are still cool along the coast), my Kadotas gives me some very sweet figs. Most of my Kadota figs won't ripen properly. I have had the Kadota for about 7 years, it is my least producing fig trees.

If you only plant one fig tree, avoid Kadota along coastal area. But of course, you can try one to see whether it will work out at your location.

The taste of Desert King figs is quite different from Kadota's. My Desert King also produces its main crop. (In hot area, Desert King's main crop won't ripen somehow.)

Yellow Marseilles would be my choice for a Kadota replacement. It is an excellent tasting fig and one that I all my "PB&J" fig. It has rather large seeds which give the fig a pea-nutty flavor......like eating peanut butter and jam. I do not know if it does well on the coast. White Marseilles does not do well on the coast.

However, Conadria is reported to be an excellent fig for growing in coastal southern California. I hear that it is a well flavored fig........I have never eaten one and do not have any personal experience with it.

Dan