Godless in the garden

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Comment by Sentient Biped on January 29, 2013 at 3:14am

Dominic, because of its story, that fig is precious. 

I have 2 fig trees that originated from immigrants who brought them from Sicily, and another variety with less clear history that may have  originated in Croatia, based on its name.  My others are French and Californian.  This year, from cutting exchange through the mail, I'm trying to root another Italian fig with history similar to yours, plus a possibly Adriatic variety and some Louisiana hybrids.

Fig enthusiasts love collecting figs with origins like yours.  This year I went a little crazy with them.  I may also try to start a Turkish variety, some nostalgia there due to my spending a year there, and a Madeira fig.

Comment by Dominic Florio on January 29, 2013 at 12:00am

My grandfather died at 94, in NY.  He was from Italy and a big time gardener.  There were several fig trees in the yard in NY, which he had planted.  If we covered them and mulched them in the winter, they would actually bear fruit.

When I moved to the Tampa Bay area over 20 yrs ago (central west coast between Gulf of Mex and Tampa Bay), I took a cutting with me. 

I've lived in three different house and had to take a cutting each time.  This is my last house and I have been here six years.  The fig tree is multi stemed and about 4 ft tall. 

It had a handfull of fruit that ripened this year and there is another handful, still on the tree, but they are green.  It has lost all of its leaves, as it does every year.  I keep it mulched and watered, but I think it would prefer the dryer climate of Italy.  It does get a fungus at the end of the season every year.  I have never treated it.  The leaves are always fine when they come out in the spring.

I'm not the only person to grow figs here, but I'm not sure if it is completely happy, but who is?  LOL

Comment by Sentient Biped on January 28, 2013 at 10:36pm

Joan, I remember snow on ice well from places I have lived and, rarely, here.  You are made of stronger stuff than I am!

Comment by Joan Denoo on January 28, 2013 at 10:31pm

Snow again today and yesterday. Thawed last night creating sheets of ice everywhere when the sun set. This morning, snow on top of ice. 

Comment by Sentient Biped on January 28, 2013 at 9:20pm

Annie,

Thank you for your comments!  Please post updates!  That's an impressive garden.

Comment by Randall Smith on January 28, 2013 at 7:43am

To Annie: I've noticed Florida's weather has been great this "winter". I'm envious of you being able to work in the garden already. It's a two and a half wait for me. Ugh.
To Daniel: I hear you. All I've done this winter is prune fruit trees--a job I hate more than window washing!

Comment by Chris Breman on January 28, 2013 at 1:07am

Thawing has started here and it's raining! Countdown till start of gardening... about 30.

Comment by Annie Thomas on January 27, 2013 at 4:26pm

Sentient- I wish you could have snapped your fingers and come to sunny Florida today.  My husband and I did more tilling and sunk eight of the eleven posts for our new vegetable garden fence. We would have loved some help! It was high 70s and partially overcast... perfect weather for heavy labor.

I also want to thank you and the fellow posters here.  I have had raised vegetable beds for several years now, but all of your wonderful photos have really inspired me to take the plunge and do a proper garden plot.  I will have 384 SF in the garden, much larger than I've had in the past, but small enough to be manageable.

Comment by Sentient Biped on January 27, 2013 at 3:19pm

Winter can't end soon enough!  I'm going stir crazy!  Time to get out and plant and dig and weed and prune and graft!  

The ancients should have made a holiday for late January or February.  

I think the Chinese had it right, basing the New Year on the Lunar cycle and making that the major holiday!

Briefly from wikipedia, traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity." On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes. The Chinese New Year tradition is to reconcile, forget all grudges and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone.

Plus it's a 15-day holiday.  This year the lunar new year starts on Feb 10th.

Not too far away.  Something to look forward to.  Meanwhile, I can do some winter pruning and hardscaping (construction of raised beds) and soil hauling.

Comment by Chris Breman on January 27, 2013 at 2:25am

A good read, thanks, Sentient!

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