Welcome... everyone!

Hi Everybody,

I am quite surprised and moved by such a warm personal welcome - thank you!

I have recently had the pleasure of connecting and talking figs with Opiem10. His generosity included not only fig trees and their knowledge but a recommendation to join this Forum. So, I have read about here, for a few days, in secret...and I was really impressed with the level of knowledge, engagement, and also kind, good will and humor amongst the members. I am glad to have found you!

I grew up in the former USSR, and in my childhood, my family lived for several years on the border with Afghanistan where figs were plentiful and sweet - it felt as if they were growing everywhere, all on their own. I have never forgotten that. Figs were the magic of my childhood, sweet plump gems waiting to be found underneath the leaves. When I moved to US as an adult, I lived in the South (GA, VA, NC), eventually establishing a small but well-loved collection of fig trees. Yet, two years ago, when I was making a job-related move to PA, I was told at an one of the large nurseries that "Pennsylvania was WAY too cold for figs!" - and so, I gifted away all my fig trees. (The silver lining in this is that many of my friends and neighbors who would not have considered growing a fig have now became fig enthusiasts!; but I still get angry every time I think about that nursery encounter.)

The fist thing I learned when I arrived in PA regarding figs was about a discovery of Black Bethlehem fig that survives winters - SURPRISE! ...And thus began my wondrous journey of rediscovering figs in colder climates. I have been reading and learning all I can about different varieties that are suitable for PA, about methods of winter protection and nuances of fertilization, and - my special delight of this year - rooting fig cuttings. So I am working on rebuilding my fig collection...but there is more: in doing so, I am also discovering a fig Community - and that is a very new and heart-warming feeling.

So, Greetings! - and Thank You for creating this space for connection, learning, and care. I hope to give and receive, to learn and to contribute. I look forward to getting to know you.

Warmly,
Natalya
 
FigLab said:
Hi Everybody,

I am quite surprised and moved by such a warm personal welcome - thank you!

I have recently had the pleasure of connecting and talking figs with Opiem10. His generosity included not only fig trees and their knowledge but a recommendation to join this Forum. So, I have read about here, for a few days, in secret...and I was really impressed with the level of knowledge, engagement, and also kind, good will and humor amongst the members. I am glad to have found you!

I grew up in the former USSR, and in my childhood, my family lived for several years on the border with Afghanistan where figs were plentiful and sweet - it felt as if they were growing everywhere, all on their own. I have never forgotten that. Figs were the magic of my childhood, sweet plump gems waiting to be found underneath the leaves. When I moved to US as an adult, I lived in the South (GA, VA, NC), eventually establishing a small but well-loved collection of fig trees. Yet, two years ago, when I was making a job-related move to PA, I was told at an one of the large nurseries that "Pennsylvania was WAY too cold for figs!" - and so, I gifted away all my fig trees. (The silver lining in this is that many of my friends and neighbors who would not have considered growing a fig have now became fig enthusiasts!; but I still get angry every time I think about that nursery encounter.)

The fist thing I learned when I arrived in PA regarding figs was about a discovery of Black Bethlehem fig that survives winters - SURPRISE! ...And thus began my wondrous journey of rediscovering figs in colder climates. I have been reading and learning all I can about different varieties that are suitable for PA, about methods of winter protection and nuances of fertilization, and - my special delight of this year - rooting fig cuttings. So I am working on rebuilding my fig collection...but there is more: in doing so, I am also discovering a fig Community - and that is a very new and heart-warming feeling.

So, Greetings! - and Thank You for creating this space for connection, learning, and care. I hope to give and receive, to learn and to contribute. I look forward to getting to know you.

Warmly,
Natalya
Click to expand...
Love the introduction post. Looking forward to getting to know you to.
 
Thank you everyone for such warm welcome. I live in a homestead in NC, I keep animals and collect fruit trees, always pushing my zone! I love Figs and when I reached 30 varieties I stopped counting! :)) I’m interested in breeding and creating new varieties. I was deployed to Kurdistan and I had the opportunity to taste caprified Smyrna figs and they where “out of this world” so amazing and huge! I was determined to grow some and recently I was gifted with caprified dry Kurdish figs and the seeds sprouted! Even if I have to polinize by hand it would be worth it. I am looking forward learning from you and sharing my experience.

Pictures below include the Smyrna seedlings, my most beautiful fig “Martinica rimada” and some of my in-ground Celeste’s crop, not the most glamorous fig but very cold hardy with zero protection in zone 7b and sets bountiful crops of good eating sweet honey figs.
 

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