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Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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Posted by pylot 9b, ss17 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 13, 09 at 13:41
| I live on the California Coast and from what I read (older sources) the best figs are Desert King and Osborne Prolific. Osborne sounds like the best, with two crops, very good flavor and very prolific - however, it seems like very few people have or rave about this fig. So what is wrong with it? :) Any particularly good or bad experiences with this tree? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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| It works for me but I'm on the east coast. |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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- Posted by ejp3 7NY (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 16, 09 at 16:13
| I have one in the ground, but I'm on the East Coast. It's 5 years old and I have got exactly 3 figs from it all this year. Osborne unprolific for me. |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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| Have you tried over-fertilizing it? This is reportedly one of the fastest, easiest ways to snap an unproductive fig into producing the next season. |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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- Posted by ejp3 7NY (My Page) on
Mon, Nov 16, 09 at 17:48
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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| Sorry, I just read that your problem is not producing fruit. For some reason when I read that, it came across as "not growing". I've read that over-fertilizing helps with trees that just aren't doing much growth-wise. I'm not sure about fruiting. I'm still pretty new to figs, so I better shutup and let one of the pro/gurus chime in =) |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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Another East Coast opinion - but I definitely can give Osborne Prolific rave reviews. It's one of the best tasting figs I have. It has a very fine, melt in the mouth texture, moist but not juicy pulp, indescrible flavor - not "figgy", but deeply complex and sweet.
My plants are young and I haven't had problems with production.
The only drawback is that for optimal flavor to develop, the figs have to be picked at a super-ripe stage. If they are picked too soon, they can be bland. |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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| OP is one of those figs w/ multiple strains some excellent some not worth growing, DK has the same problem. Getting cuttings or plants from a locally grown example that has a proven record is best. Failing that sourcing cuttings from multiple sources and growing out should provide a winner. |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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| I like Osborne Prolific, it has thin skin and delicate flavor. I don't think it's the most productive fig, but it still gives average crop. You might have a better experience with it growing it in the ground. Bass |
RE: Is Osborne Prolific worth it?
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| Its a keeper for me. Tasty. Reliable and better than many in my zone. Tendency to Sucker. Productive here. So far the tree has no tendency to grow robustly(never fertilise it) but branches well to give me the figs. My 5 to 6 ft tall tree easily gives me at least 60 main crop figs. See Hawaiian Report posted by "thisisme" recently. Almost all brebas drops, likely due to colder spring temperature here. Definetly hardy as tree sits outside in winter. |
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