They produce the second year a few fruits of mediocre to good taste.
Then every year it double production,till they get to be 7 years old when they are fully grown,and you can expect to have up to 500 figs from one plant.
The trick is to have cold hardy varieties that resist rain when they get ripe.
Prices will be like 3 Mission type figs(2 ounces each),for $2
I bought California fresh figs for $5 for 6 figs.
It could be much more expensive but I tell you the discount store price.

Of course the older the tree the better the taste and quality of fruits,providing you got the right cultivars for your climate.

WoW Herman, those are expensive. Down here pick your own for 8 dollars a gallon and 10 dollars if they're already picked.
"gene"

Herman, we have been testing for cold hardy figs now for several years.

Then like you I noticed we were having a lot of rain, during fig ripening time.

I think we have a few figs to handle the cold here. But, so far they all lose their flavor under rainy conditions.

So now we have to start looking for figs that can also resist the wet fall weather.

From the many figs you are now evaluating What three do you recommend for the east coast? Figs that would be cold hardy, frost resistant, and not lose their flavor when we get these wet late summer and early fall rains?

Bob

Gene:I checked with my wife again:and that was the price we paid:
$5 for figs,and that was at BJ superstore.
Robert I have at least one that resist rain,but not sure if it will resist cold as well as Marseilles vs black.
Time will tell.

Hello,

I'm thinking about planting a small fig orchard here in Northwest CT (zone 5b) and would like advise as the whether I will need to irrigate or not? We received a tremendous amount of rain this year, but last year it was very dry in the late summer. Any input would be most appreciated.

Thank you-

Dan

Dan:You need to irrigate only the first 2 years when plants are not established ,and have not long roots deep in the ground.
After that never water again,in CT.

I don't mean to complain, but wouldn't it be best for each person to start their own thread? I am in VA; Dan is in CT. I clicked on the thread I started for replies and it went away from the original question. :) Don't want to step on toes but it would work a lot better, I think, if each one started their own thread.

Herman2, thanks so much for your reply!

i think that there's not a lot that's different from CT and Virginia. sure CT.has a shorter season and gets colder, but if the fig tree is cold hardy it will produce the same. that's my opinion, probably not worth much.
Herman you state that a 7 year tree will produce 500 figs, wow i can't wait to see that. i sure cant eat that many so family and friends will enjoy also. good health
luke

Herman,

Thank you very much for the information. What kind of irrigation schedule would you recommend for the first two years? Does it matter if I'm planting out 1 year or 2 year trees? Also, do you think its better to plant out in field in the early spring or in the early fall?

jpc57,sorry for jumping on your thread, but I read just read it last night and you asked some questions that I also have Apologies!

All my best-

Dan

Yes Lukeout,you can have 500 figs in NJ but most of them can spoil and sour and be inedible here in NJ ,if the cultivar is not totally rain resistant.
Or you can find out in the Spring that your fig is dead to soil line in NJ,and grows a lot of figs late,in the Summer and none ripe,till Winter.
The most important thing is to have the right plant for the right climate.

Irrigation schedule:If it is one or 2 years when planted doesn't matter,it matter if it has powerful roots when planted.
Water by any means when you see leaves drooping down,asking for water,in the heat of Summer.

Also Lukeout:July was relativelly dry here so I had a few Breba figs on my trees and they wer decent and good.
August started with rain,and rain it is today,too.
Most figs were only good for fig jam,not for fresh eating,as they have a lot of water in the pulp,and so lack flavor.
That is why one have to have more than one fig tree and they have to be :Breba fig,Early ripening figs,middle late ripening figs and late figs too.
If one kind get ripe under rain no problem the later ripening ones might get a dry weather window,and they will ripe properly.
So one fig is not enough even if it makes 500 fruits a year.

No problem, Dan, it's just that I was excited to see a number of replies to my post but the topic veered off onto other topics and away from my original post. I'll look elsewhere for my answers, probably on a farmers market website, and just read the forum for more information on growing, etc.