Figs Waking Up!
There’s not much of a clearer sign that Spring is on the way than tough buds morphing into tender young leaves. Even in the greenhouse, my figs tend to go dormant over the winter – tho much later than they would normally. The loss of their luxurious leaves really cuts into the tropical feel of the greenhouse as they transform into sticks. Nevertheless, I wait, if impatiently – knowing that soon they’ll awaken and again fill their corner of the greenhouse with lovely, large leaves.
Brown Turkey fig waking up.
And they have taken the first tentative steps to just that – bud-break. Their beautiful, multi-fingered leaves are just now peeking out of the dormant buds and opening to great the Spring that is so near. It’s a huge psychological boost if anything – soon my greenhouse will be like a jungle again and this is just one little sign of what is to come.
Brunswick fig waking up.
And these figs make up my humble tiny little collection – a Brunswick fig and a pair of Brown Turkey figs. I have the highest aspirations in adding to this collection – for there seem to be as many fig varieties as there are tomato varieties. Each one has their own little claim to fame, or their own period of fruiting. Ideally I’ll have fruit most of the year long with green, purple, brown and even nearly black figs. This is a fruit, which is in reality an inverted flower, that is best eaten off the tree or prepared in a recipe immediately after harvest.
I remember as a child climbing a fig tree at my grandmother’s house and getting totally fig faced. Even cutting up figs in my morning cereal. I’m very happy that I’ll be able to revisit those memories and create new ones as these figs start fruiting. I’ve already gotten fruit from the Brunswick fig. This year I hope to get some Brown Turkey figs to eat as well.
MikeV