Mission leaves (Francisciana) characteristically exhibit signs of FMV. However, FMV does not seem to stunt the growth of Mission as much as in some varieties. Mission trees can grow to be among the largest of fig trees if left unpruned. Mission figs need sun, heat and minimal water in order to develop their best taste. Although they do not split badly, if the figs ripen during rainy periods without much sun, then my Mission figs lack sweetness and sour easily, even when planted in-ground. In optimal conditions, the fig is great; reliable, sweet with a strong fig taste and good for drying.

RE: need winterizing help a.s.a.p. (Follow-Up #31) posted by: tonysiny on 11.22.2007 at 12:16 am in Fig Forum Here'e My Metehod: I HAVE 8 FIG TREES GROWING IN MY BACK YARD. I always wait until late October or early November to wrap my fig trees. If the leaves and/or figs are still contained to the branches, I remove them and use for mulch. Also, the wrapping procedure is always done on dry days. Do not let moister/water enter the enclosed fig trees...... 1- Cut back each fig tree to 5 feet high. 2- Mulch the base rooting system with one foot of mulch to prevent freezing of the roots. I make my mulch by composting dry tree leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps throughout the summer months. 3- Tie up and tighten each of the branches to form a closed umbrella. 4- Wrap roofing tar paper around each fig tree leaving an openning on top. 5- Wrap and tie roping around each fig tree and secure to a inground peg, i.e; a 2 foot stick banged into the ground next to each fig tree. 6- Completely fill to the top, through the top openning - in each fig tree, with dry tree leaves. 7- Top off each fig tree with used heavy weight paper to finalized the insulation. 8- Covering the remaining top openning with tar paper and secure with roping. I have been doing this for the last 5 years with great success. Your fellow fig lover ----- Tony From Staten Island, NY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES: TONY'S FIG TREE TYPES (8 TREES) ------------------------------------------- BROWN TURKEY FIG TREE MISSION FIG TREE ITALIAN WHITE FIG TREE PETER'S HONEY FIG TREE delete this clipping edit notes email clipping visibility: public clipped on: 07.15.2010 at 01:28 am last updated on: 07.15.2010 at 01:43 am

My fig tree is old. I don't know how old, but at least 20+ years, probably more (because nothing was done to this property in the 20 yrs or so prior to us buying it, so it had to be there before that). 2007 - The Year of the Rain - it produced figs like mad. 2008 - The Year of The Drought Part I, no figs, but produced about a zillion off-shoot branches/new trunks. last fall, after Ike incidentally, I pruned it a TON. More than my husband liked, but it was desperate for some real pruning.I also mulched around it, but no fertilizer. 2009- The Year of the Drought Part II - I confess I kind of neglected it for awhile and didn't water at all for a long time. Then I started watering....it looks sparse, but did produce a reasonable amount of fruit and finally looked healthy. Alas, the dang grackles got to all the figs before we put a net up, so we didn't get to enjoy it. It's about 12-15 ft tall at it's highest point, and unfortunately the way the branches are laying out after the pruning, the fruit is all in places where if we just put a net over it directly, the figs would be against the net - right for the birds. I'm seriously considering building some sort of "tent" like frame to hold the net, but that seems overkill.

I discovered by accident what herman2 adviced in his earlier post. My fruits were green with some darkening stripes but still very hard. Forgot to water my potted fig tree for a week, the leaves drooped and the green hard fruits got soft (but a "bad" soft, as if its being dried up inside, not the ripening swolen soft). Then I watered regularly again, and immediately within the next couple days the leaves recovered, the fruits got harden back, and I noticed the fruits started to turn more and more purple and start swelling and softening in a "ripen" way. Got all of them to ripe in about 2 weeks after that incident. If it wasn't for that week that I forgot to water, I would guess the hard green fruits weren't gonna ripe until at least another month or so.