Smith Productivity Issues

MJFIGS

MJFIGS

Active member
Many people struggle with Smith not being productive. I experienced the same with different Smith varieties from different sources.

However, one particular tree I had was exceptionally productive and I believe it was pure luck, that I got a cutting off a branch that was a sport of some kind, could be or not, it is just so productive.

Below is a video I took of some of the cuttings Im rooting now, I rooted a few to sell and to keep as backup for myself because 8 Smith trees is not enough 😅

Oh I dont know if its legal, but Im calling it Smith MJS ( MJ Strain/Sport ) 🫣

 
I think any fig can turn out to be a steller performer or underperformer... it just seems to happen sometimes... and it it's with a variety I have faith in... I get a different cutting... or... I make a layer from the under performing tree and that often breaks the poor performance

One thing I can tell you... Smith is 100% top tier in quality. In my humble opinion.... . If it gets better, it's not by much. It's unique in flavour and texture I think everyone should have a it... It's one of the very few varieties that I keep multiple trees.
 
SpiritFarmVa said:
I’ve often wondered how to change that underperforming expression of a tree to reinvigorate it.
Click to expand...

I've kept a RdB for many, MANY years just to remind myself of this. It's a big, healthy tree... .an established variety that's supposed to produce a very respectable amount of good figs.... Mine.... I just less than a handful of so-so figs every season. It's always been an enigma to me. I've give layers from it to friends, who've grown loads of figs on vigorous trees.... I don't know the science or if it's just that time and space is different in my area... but this happened. 🤔
 
SpiritFarmVa said:
It’s probably some nuanced variable that’s being overlooked.
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The only thing I have is that "drift" [slash] "not drift" thing we got discussing before.

S

Thread 'Genotype, phenotype, and genetic drift.'

This topic has surfaced in several other threads and deserves its own.

This video from Lou Monti discusses human selection of propagation material for continual phenotypic improvement.


It makes you think about the synonyms in figs, ones that are close but seem to be just enough different that you think it is a different variety.
Or is it just over time it was selected to be better and better, but ultimately they are genetically the same. Is it likely that many very similar figs are genetically different? Certainly , most likely there are.

We have experienced trees...
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I think there's something to it...
 
TorontoJoe said:
That's an excellent question.... is it better to try and control it.... or to move on to different specimens? I don't know...
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If a better specimen exists and is readily available that’s certainly the fastest way to improve. But if not how could a better specimen be created, not just by chance and repetition but by intention.

Example: we have Smith but it’s slow growing and not that fruitful. We could save a few years by just replacing it rather than working to improve it. And what’s that time worth?
 
SpiritFarmVa said:
If a better specimen exists and is readily available that’s certainly the fastest way to improve. But if not how could a better specimen be created, not just by chance and repetition but by intention.

Example: we have Smith but it’s slow growing and not that fruitful. We could save a few years by just replacing it rather than working to improve it. And what’s that time worth?
Click to expand...


For me... in a perfect world.... the answer is a bit of both... wait a bit... and get better (other) specimens if you can....

I might feel differently with an lesser known variety... but with one (like Smith that is so celebrated and available). I think it;s reasonable to look around if the tree is not doing well after a few years.
 
I rooted two Smith cuttings from two sources last season. One was productive from the start and fruited like it was on steroids. The other one set only a few figs at first; I thought it was a straggler, but a few weeks later, it was loaded, too. I am convinced that, in most cases, it's not what we grow but how we grow it. If your Smith isn't productive, there is something in the growing environment it doesn't like.

A picture of one of my Smith trees last season, about 7-8 months after I rooted it:
figs-793.jpg
 
Figgin' A said:
I rooted two Smith cuttings from two sources last season. One was productive from the start and fruited like it was on steroids. The other one set only a few figs at first; I thought it was a straggler, but a few weeks later, it was loaded, too. I am convinced that, in most cases, it's not what we grow but how we grow it. If your Smith isn't productive, there is something in the growing environment it doesn't like.

A picture of one of my Smith trees last season, about 7-8 months after I rooted it:
figs-793.jpg
Click to expand...

Only thing.... clearly @Figgin' A is using "magic" to get that kind of fruit set....

I'm still in awe!

I haven't told him yet but I'm hoping to pitch a tent in his garden and watch his plants grow this season..... :rolleyes:
 
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