The Fig Farmer

You might think this shows a good crop in 2010. But in the end we got only three ripe figs. There were plenty of figs on the trees, but dry and inedible. Two years before on the very new trees we got what we thought good results. What happened?

The trees were planted in January 2006. Purchased from Southwood in Christchurch there were four "Mrs Williams" and three "French Sweet". Planted in a circle at four meter spaces.

In March 2008 we got some great fruit and the fig farmer was so pleased as you can see.

In 2009 there was plenty of fruit but dry and inedible.  In 2010 there was a lot of fruit but only a few were ripe.

I am not sure of the problem. It does not seem to be a site problem. Maybe there was not enough pollination. The information seems to say that it just happens sometimes. Also maybe there is not a problem. It's just the trees are young.

The remedial advice seems to be very biblical in tone. In summary the advice is "Dung them and it that does not work - root them out."

So they had some sheep dung. About three sacks for eight trees. We will see what happens.

Sometimes it's very cold here.

Ice on the fig trees on July 11th 2010

It was minus five degrees centigrade at sunrise At 11.00am when this photo was taken in bright sunlight it was still minus four.

Other times in the summer it can be 35 degrees centigrade for weeks at a time.